Guide · Online purchases

Bought online?
14 days to change your mind.

For most things bought online you don't need a reason, a fault, or the shop's permission to return them. You have 14 days from delivery to cancel, and they must refund you, including basic delivery.

1.The cooling-off right

Distance purchases (online, phone, mail order) carry a legal cooling-off period:

The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 · reg.29 · Right to cancel
"The consumer may cancel a distance or off-premises contract at any time in the cancellation period without giving any reason, and without incurring any liability except under these provisions— (a)regulation 34(3) (where enhanced delivery chosen by consumer);"…
In plain English: If you buy something online or away from the seller's usual premises, you generally have 14 days to change your mind and cancel the contract without needing a reason. You might have to pay for return postage or if you've used the item and its value has decreased.
§ Read the full text on legislation.gov.uk →
The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 · reg.30 · Normal cancellation period
"a contract for the supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium,the cancellation period ends at the end of 14 days after the day on which the contract is entered into. (3)If the contract is a sales contract and none of paragraphs (4) to (6) applies,"…
In plain English: You generally have 14 days to cancel most online or distance contracts. For services or digital content, this period starts when you enter the contract. For physical goods, it starts when you or someone you nominate receives them.
§ Read the full text on legislation.gov.uk →

2.The refund rules

Cancelled in time? They refund what you paid, including standard delivery, within 14 days:

The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 · reg.34 · Reimbursement by trader in the event of withdrawal or cancellation
"The trader must reimburse all payments, other than payments for delivery, received from the consumer, subject to paragraph (10). (2)The trader must reimburse any payment for delivery received from the consumer,"…
In plain English: If you cancel an online or distance purchase, the trader must refund you all money paid, including standard delivery costs. This refund should be made within 14 days of receiving the goods back or being told you're cancelling, using the same payment method. They can only deduct money if you damaged the goods beyond what's needed to check them.
§ Read the full text on legislation.gov.uk →

3.The honest exceptions

This right has real carve-outs: personalised items, sealed goods unsealed after delivery for hygiene reasons, perishables, digital downloads you've started, and a few others. If yours is standard goods in resaleable condition, though, the right is close to absolute.

And if the seller never told you about your cancellation right at all, the window can extend by up to 12 months. Silence costs them.

4.What to do

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This guide covers England and Wales; Scottish and Northern Irish rules can differ. This is guidance to help you understand your rights, not formal legal advice, and we're entirely independent: no affiliation with Citizens Advice, GOV.UK or any law firm. Every quotation above links to the official text so you can check us. Law verified current at July 2026.