Právo na odstúpenie od zmluvy v EÚ pre obchody Shopify: Čo potrebujete vedieť

What is the EU right of withdrawal?

If you run an online store and sell to consumers in the EU, your customers have the right to withdraw from a purchase within 14 days without giving any reason. This applies to virtually all distance contracts, i.e. contracts concluded online, by phone or by catalogue.

The customer only needs to declare that they wish to withdraw. No justification is required. As a merchant, you are obliged to refund the purchase price including standard shipping costs within 14 days of receiving the withdrawal.

The legal basis

The EU right of withdrawal is based on the EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU. It has been transposed into national law in all EU member states. In Germany, this is primarily regulated in the BGB (§§ 312g, 355 ff. BGB), in Austria in the FAGG (Distance and Off-Premises Contracts Act).

Additionally, the Omnibus Directive (EU) 2019/2161 came into effect in 2022, further strengthening consumer protection. It affects transparency obligations for pricing and reviews, but also has implications for information obligations regarding withdrawal.

The directive applies to all merchants selling to consumers in the EU. This explicitly includes Shopify stores, regardless of where the merchant is based. If you sell from the US to EU customers, the EU right of withdrawal still applies.

Deadlines: When does the period start and end?

The 14-day period means calendar days, not business days. If the last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, the deadline shifts to the next business day.

Your obligations as a Shopify merchant

As an online merchant, you have several specific obligations in connection with the right of withdrawal:

• Withdrawal policy must be provided before the contract is concluded (clear, understandable, in the customer's language)
• Model withdrawal form must be made available (required under Annex I Part B of the Directive)
• Acknowledgement of receipt of the withdrawal must be sent to the customer without delay
• Refund within 14 days of receiving the withdrawal
• Documentation of all withdrawals with timestamps must be kept

Providing a withdrawal button or form on the website is not explicitly required, but it is the most effective way to fulfil all obligations at once. The customer then has an easy way to withdraw, you automatically receive all necessary data and the receipt is documented.

The withdrawal policy

The withdrawal policy must be made available to the customer before the order is completed. This means: it must be accessible on the website, not only in the confirmation email.

A proper withdrawal policy contains at least:

• The conditions, deadlines and procedures for withdrawal
• The model withdrawal form (or a link to it)
• Information about who bears the return shipping costs
• Where applicable, notice of exceptions to the right of withdrawal
• Contact details (name, address, phone number, email)

For EU stores, it is recommended to provide the policy in the respective national language. If you sell in France, the policy should be in French. Otherwise you risk the policy being considered invalid and the extended period applying.

Exceptions to the right of withdrawal

Not all products are subject to the right of withdrawal. The directive defines clear exceptions:

• Perishable goods or goods with a short expiry date
• Custom-made products and personalised items
• Sealed hygiene products that have been unsealed after delivery
• Sealed audio/video recordings and software (after unsealing)
• Newspapers and magazines (single purchase, not subscriptions)
• Goods whose price depends on financial market fluctuations
• Alcoholic beverages with an agreed delivery date of 30+ days and fluctuating price
• Urgent repair or maintenance work

If you sell products that fall under an exception, you must inform the customer. The exception must be mentioned in the withdrawal policy.

How a withdrawal works in practice

A typical withdrawal takes place in four steps:

1. Customer declares the withdrawal: Via form, email, letter or phone. The customer only needs to clearly declare the withdrawal; no justification is needed.
2. Merchant confirms receipt: Without delay, preferably automatically. The timestamp matters.
3. Customer returns the goods: Within 14 days of the withdrawal declaration. Return shipping costs can be charged to the customer (if stated in the policy).
4. Merchant refunds the purchase price: Within 14 days of receiving the withdrawal. The merchant may withhold the refund until the goods have been returned or the customer has provided proof of dispatch.

The key point: Steps 1 and 2 must be documented quickly and cleanly. This is exactly where an EU withdrawal button with automatic confirmation email helps.

Refunds: What, when, how?

You must refund all payments received from the customer, including standard delivery costs. If you offered a more expensive shipping method and the customer chose it, you only need to refund the standard shipping costs.

The refund is made using the same payment method the customer used for the order, unless you expressly agree otherwise. You may not charge the customer any fees for the refund.

Risk of legal warnings without a withdrawal policy

In Germany, the warning letter system is particularly active. If the withdrawal policy is missing or incorrect, competitors or consumer protection associations can issue formal warnings. The costs per warning typically range from 500 to 2,000 euros, significantly more in repeat cases.

Common reasons for warnings include:

• Missing or incomplete withdrawal policy
• No model withdrawal form provided
• Outdated wording (e.g. old legal references)
• Withdrawal policy only in one language despite selling internationally
• Missing information about return shipping costs

The risk can be avoided by keeping your withdrawal policy up to date and providing a functioning form through which customers can easily withdraw.

Implementation in Shopify

Shopify itself does not offer a withdrawal form or withdrawal button out of the box. You basically have three options:

Option 1: Manually via email

You link an email address and ask customers to send their withdrawal by email. Problem: You have to manually confirm receipt, document the timestamp yourself and risk emails ending up in spam or getting lost.

Option 2: Build your own form

You build a Liquid template with your own form. Effort: form logic, email sending, database, language versions, GDPR-compliant storage. Realistically a project of several days.

Option 3: EasyWiderruf App

Install from the App Store, two minutes of onboarding, done. The form is automatically created as a page in your store. Confirmation emails go out automatically. Everything is documented in the dashboard.

Checklist for your store

Go through these points to ensure your Shopify store is on the safe side when it comes to withdrawal rights:

• Current withdrawal policy on the website (accessible before purchase)
• Model withdrawal form provided
• Withdrawal button or form link in footer or on a dedicated page
• Automatic acknowledgement of receipt with timestamp
• Documentation of all withdrawals (name, date, order number)
• Information about return shipping costs in the policy
• Exceptions to the right of withdrawal clearly stated (if applicable)
• Policy available in all languages you sell in
• Refund process secured within 14 days
• GDPR-compliant storage of withdrawal data

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal questions, please consult a lawyer. Last updated: May 2026.