Online Shopping: Your Legal Rights Explained
When you buy online, you have some of the strongest consumer protections in UK law. The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 and the Consumer Rights Act 2015 give you rights around cancellation, returns, digital content, and delivery that go significantly beyond what you get in a physical shop. This guide explains your key rights.
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14-day cooling-off period
When you buy online, by phone, or at your door (known as "distance selling"), you have a 14-day right to cancel for any reason, even if the goods are perfect.
- ✓The 14 days starts from the day you receive the goods
- ✓You just need to notify the retailer within 14 days, you don't have to have sent them back yet
- ✓You then have a further 14 days to return the items
- ✓The retailer must refund within 14 days of receiving the goods back
- ✓You may have to pay return postage unless the seller offers free returns
- ✓The retailer can deduct for any diminishment in value if you've handled goods beyond what's necessary to inspect them
Pre-contract information requirements
Before you place an order, online retailers are legally required to provide:
- ✓The total price including taxes and any additional charges
- ✓The retailer's identity and contact address
- ✓A description of the goods
- ✓Payment arrangements and delivery details
- ✓Information about the right to cancel (including the cancellation form or link)
- ✓Information about your legal rights if goods are faulty
Non-delivery and late delivery
If your order doesn't arrive, or arrives significantly late:
- ✓If no delivery date was agreed, goods must arrive within 30 days of the order
- ✓If the deadline is missed, you can cancel and get a full refund
- ✓If a specific delivery date was essential (e.g. a birthday present) and it was missed, you can cancel and get a full refund immediately
- ✓The retailer is responsible for delivery, even if the courier loses the parcel
- ✓You should not have to chase the courier yourself if the retailer arranged the delivery
Digital content rights
Digital content (apps, ebooks, downloaded music, streaming services, software) has specific rights under the Consumer Rights Act:
- ✓Digital content must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, and as described
- ✓If it's faulty, you're entitled to a repair or replacement, or a price reduction if that's not possible
- ✓If the download hasn't started, you may be able to cancel and get a refund
- ✓Streaming services: if the service doesn't work as described, you can claim
- ✓Your device being damaged by faulty digital content: the trader may be liable for resulting damage to your device
Subscription traps and automatic renewals
Subscription traps, where a "free trial" converts to a paid subscription without clear notice, are increasingly regulated.
- ✓The retailer must clearly tell you about any automatic renewal before you sign up
- ✓You must be able to cancel a subscription easily, not just online but by phone or in writing
- ✓Continuous payment authorities (CPAs) on debit/credit cards must be easy to cancel, your bank must cancel a CPA if you instruct them to
- ✓If you weren't clearly told about a subscription, the charge may be unauthorised and recoverable via your bank
- ✓Report subscription traps to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) at gov.uk/contact-the-cma
If an online seller won't cooperate
Get instant help right now
A Citizens Advice appointment can take weeks. Our free assistant is available 24/7 with no appointment, giving you clear, step-by-step answers about your exact situation, what to do next, and the deadlines that matter.
Need to take action? It can draft a ready-to-send formal letter for you (optional, from £4.99).
England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland.
Frequently asked questions
What extra rights do I have when shopping online?
Online purchases are covered by the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, which give you a 14-day cooling-off period to cancel and return goods for any reason, no questions asked. The retailer must provide clear information about the cancellation right before you buy. You also have all the standard Consumer Rights Act protections for faulty or misdescribed goods.
What can I do if my online order doesn't arrive?
The seller is responsible for ensuring delivery, not the courier. If goods don't arrive within the agreed timeframe (or within 30 days if no date was set), you are entitled to a full refund or redelivery. You do not need to pursue the courier directly. Request a refund from the seller in writing; if they refuse, you can raise a chargeback with your bank or take a small claims court action.
Am I protected when buying from a marketplace seller?
When you buy from a third-party seller on platforms like Amazon Marketplace or eBay, your contract is with that seller, not the platform. Your Consumer Rights Act rights apply against the seller. However, many platforms have buyer protection programmes that give you additional recourse if the seller fails to resolve the issue.
How do I cancel a subscription I signed up for online?
Online subscriptions must have a clear cancellation mechanism. Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations, you can cancel within 14 days of the contract starting (the cooling-off period). After that, cancellation terms are governed by the contract, check the terms carefully. If the company makes it unreasonably difficult to cancel, this may be an unfair contract term and you can report it to Trading Standards.
What are my rights if a digital product is faulty?
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, digital content (apps, music, software, streaming services) must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, and as described. If it is not, you are entitled to a repair or replacement, or a refund if these are not possible. These rights apply regardless of whether you downloaded the content or accessed it online.
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