📦 Can I return an item bought online without giving a reason?

Yes

Quick answer

Yes. With an online purchase you may withdraw from the contract within 14 days without giving a reason — but only because the sale is concluded at a distance, not in a shop. The Consumer Protection Act (ZVPot-1) gives you 14 days for distance and off-premises contracts (online, phone, doorstep sales) to withdraw and return the goods, and the period runs from the day you take delivery. If the trader does not inform you of the right to withdraw, the period extends by 12 months; if they inform you later, 14 days run from then. The trader must refund you within 14 days, including the cost of standard delivery, but may wait until they receive the goods back or you prove you have dispatched them. The myth that you can return anything bought in a shop within 14 days is false: in a physical shop there is no such right, where returning a fault-free item is a matter of the seller's goodwill.

📋 The rules

For distance and off-premises contracts (online, phone, doorstep sales) you may withdraw within 14 days without a reason; for goods the period runs from the day of delivery.
If the trader does not inform you of the right to withdraw, the withdrawal period extends by 12 months; if they inform you within that year, the 14 days start on the day you receive the information.
After withdrawing you must return the goods within 14 days; you bear the direct cost of return, unless the trader takes it on or failed to inform you of it.
The trader must refund all payments within 14 days of receiving the notice of withdrawal, including the cost of standard delivery, using the same means of payment you used.
The trader may withhold the refund until they receive the goods back or until you prove you have dispatched them — whichever comes first.

🔓 Exceptions

There is no right of withdrawal for goods made to order or personalised for the consumer, for perishable goods, and for sealed goods that are not suitable for return after opening for health or hygiene reasons.
Withdrawal is also excluded for sealed audio, video or computer recordings once unsealed, for newspapers and magazines, and for digital content downloaded with the consumer's express consent.
The consumer is liable for the diminished value of the goods if they handled them more than necessary to establish their nature, characteristics and functioning — you may inspect the item as in a shop, but not use it.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

These are not penalties for the consumer but obligations of the trader. If the trader does not refund within 14 days of withdrawal, or wrongly refuses the withdrawal, this breaches ZVPot-1; you report it to the Market Inspectorate of the RS, which may fine the company 5,000 to 50,000 euros. The unpaid refund is at the same time a debt you recover by demand, then through the court with default interest and costs. If the trader did not inform you of the right to withdraw, you have 12 months and 14 days instead of 14 days, and you do not have to bear the return costs. Watch the traps: for the exceptions (made-to-order items, unsealed hygiene goods and sealed audio-video) there is no right of withdrawal, and for excessive use of the goods the trader may refund a lower amount for the diminished value. A fault in the item is a separate route — then the guarantee of conformity applies, not withdrawal.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

How long do I have to return an online purchase?

Fourteen days from taking delivery of the goods, in which you may withdraw from the contract without giving a reason. You must then return the goods within a further 14 days. If the trader did not inform you of the right to withdraw, the period extends by 12 months, and notice within that time starts a new 14-day period.

Can I return an item bought in a physical shop?

There is no statutory 14-day right of withdrawal in a physical shop, as it applies only to distance and off-premises purchases. In a shop, returning fault-free goods is a matter of the seller's goodwill. It is different where the item has a fault, where the guarantee of conformity applies.

Who pays the return postage?

You generally bear the direct cost of returning the goods, unless the trader took on those costs or failed to inform you of them before the purchase. The trader must, on withdrawal, refund the cost of standard delivery to you; if they offered a more expensive delivery, they need not refund the difference.

When must the trader refund my money?

Within 14 days of receiving the notice of withdrawal, using the same means of payment you used for the purchase. The trader may withhold the refund until they get the goods back or until you prove you have dispatched them. If they miss the deadline, you report them to the Market Inspectorate of the RS.

Which items can I not return?

Withdrawal is excluded for goods made to order or personalised for you, for perishable goods, and for sealed goods not suitable for return after opening for hygiene reasons. It is also excluded for unsealed audio-video and computer recordings and for digital content downloaded with express consent.

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