Can I return a product I have bought in Norway?
It depends entirely on where you bought the item. Buying online, by phone or at your door gives a 14-day right of withdrawal — you can return it without giving any reason. In a physical shop there is no statutory return right; "open purchase" and exchange are the shop's own goodwill. But the withdrawal right has holes, and this is where people are caught out: custom-made goods, opened sealed hygiene items or software, perishables and newspapers are exempt, even when you bought online. If the item is faulty, the complaint right applies wherever you bought it: 2 years, or 5 years for goods meant to last significantly longer. If the seller did not tell you about the withdrawal right, the deadline extends to up to 12 months, and the seller must refund within 14 days.
📋 The rules
- Online/phone/door: 14-day right of withdrawal with no reason
- Shop: no statutory return right (only the shop's goodwill)
- Faulty goods: complaint right 2 years, or 5 years for durable goods
- Not told of the right: the deadline becomes up to 12 months
- The seller must refund within 14 days
🔓 Exceptions
- Custom-made goods and opened sealed hygiene/software have no withdrawal right
- Perishables and newspapers are exempt from the withdrawal right
- A shop's open-purchase policy is voluntary and can have its own terms
⚠️ Penalties & fines
This is consumer law, not punishment — but it costs the seller. If the seller refuses a valid withdrawal or complaint, you can complain free to the Consumer Council and then to the Consumer Disputes Committee, and the Consumer Authority can step in against systematic breaches. The most expensive mistake for an online shop is the duty to inform: if it has not told you about the withdrawal right, the deadline stretches from 14 days to up to 12 months, and a customer can withdraw long after the item has been delivered and used. The seller must in any case refund within 14 days of your notice.
📎 Official sources
- Consumer Authority · Withdrawal Act →
- Consumer Purchases Act §27 · Lovdata →
- Consumer Council · If you regret a purchase →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I return something I bought in a shop?
Not by law. In a physical shop there is no statutory return right if you have simply changed your mind — "open purchase" and exchange are the shop's voluntary policy, and the shop sets the deadline and the terms itself.
How long is the withdrawal right online?
14 days, counted from the day after you received the item, and you need give no reason. If the seller did not inform you about the withdrawal right as the law requires, the deadline extends to up to 12 months.
What is the complaint right?
The right to complain about a faulty item: 2 years normally, and 5 years if the item is meant to last significantly longer. The complaint right applies whether you bought in a shop or online, and is a wholly different thing from withdrawal.
When do I get my money back?
The seller must refund within 14 days of you giving notice that you withdraw. If the seller refuses, you can complain free to the Consumer Council and then to the Consumer Disputes Committee — taking the case costs you nothing.
Are there goods with no withdrawal right?
Yes, online too. Custom-made goods, sealed hygiene items or software you have opened, perishables and newspapers are exempt from the withdrawal right, so "14 days on everything you buy online" is not quite true.
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