Online Shopping Rights and Returns: UK, EU, US and Canada Compared

When an online order goes wrong, the rules that apply depend on where you live and where you bought. This guide gathers the official advice for the United Kingdom, the European Union, the United States and Canada in one place: what you can do before you buy, how to change your mind, what happens when goods are faulty, how warranties differ from legal rights, how card disputes work, and what to check on marketplaces, with fakes, free trials and refurbished items at the end.

It is a map, not legal advice. Rules change, so each section has its own source and "last checked" date, and you should confirm the current text on the official page before you act on it.

This guide is based on the public sources listed in each section. We have not tested any store, product or service mentioned.

Quick map: what each place says

The rest of the guide explains each row with its source.

Before you buy: seven checks

Sources: US FTC, "Online shopping"; UK NCSC, "Shopping online securely"; Canada Office of Consumer Affairs, "Online shopping". Last checked: 15 October 2026.

1. Check the seller. The FTC advises searching the store's name with words such as "complaint" or "scam", and comparing several review sources and who wrote them. Star ratings alone are not enough, because fake reviews can be positive or negative. Canada's Office of Consumer Affairs adds: check the vendor's physical location and contact details, and look for legitimate reviews or industry memberships.
2. Know who you are buying from. The Canadian page says to find out whether you are buying from the retailer or a third-party seller, because that affects pricing, returns and shipping.
3. Work out the total. The FTC says to add shipping, handling, taxes and fees, and warns that brand-name goods at bargain prices may be counterfeit or stolen. Terms such as "refurbished" or "close-out" can mean a lower condition.
4. Read the returns policy before you pay. Confirm whether a full refund is offered, who pays return shipping, the number of days, and any restocking fee. Sale and clearance items often have different rules. Canada's advice is to save a copy of the sale terms and the shipping, complaint, return and exchange policies, and to walk away if terms are missing or too complicated.
5. Choose the payment method deliberately. The FTC says a credit card gives the best protection and that you should never pay only by gift card, wire, payment app or cryptocurrency. The UK NCSC says to use a credit card where possible, that debit cards give less protection but a chargeback may be possible, and never to pay by direct bank transfer.
6. Do not treat https as proof. The FTC says a padlock or https in the address is not proof that a shop is legitimate. Our guide to the HTTPS padlock explains why.
7. Keep records. Save the company name and website, what you ordered and when, the price, the return policy, the shipping promise, every email or message, and the card statement.

The NCSC also suggests filling in only the required fields at checkout, using guest checkout or a payment platform rather than creating a store account, and not letting the browser or store save payment details.

Delivery: what a seller must do if an order is late (US)

Source: US FTC, business guide to the Mail, Internet or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule. Last checked: 15 October 2026.

The FTC's guide is written for sellers, so what follows is what it means for buyers.

• If a seller advertises a shipping time, it must be able to ship within it.
• With no promise, it must be able to ship within 30 days of receiving a complete order (50 days if the buyer applies for credit to pay).
• If it cannot ship on time, it must promptly tell the buyer and offer a choice: accept the delay or cancel for a full refund. If the new date is 30 days or less, silence can count as agreeing. Otherwise the order is cancelled automatically if the buyer does not respond.
• Refunds are generally due within seven working days (one billing cycle for credit accounts the seller issues). If nothing ships, the refund is the full amount including shipping and fees, in money, not store credit.

The rule covers merchandise ordered by mail, internet or phone. It does not cover magazine subscriptions after the first issue, seeds and growing plants, COD orders, negative option plans, services, and certain approval or invoice-on-delivery sales. Screenshot the shipping promise on the product page and put the 30-day date in your calendar.

Changing your mind

United Kingdom

Sources: Citizens Advice, "Changing your mind about something you've bought"; legislation.gov.uk, Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, regulations 28, 30, 34 and 35; GOV.UK, "Accepting returns and giving refunds". Last checked: 15 October 2026.

In shops there is no automatic right to a refund for a change of mind. Many shops offer returns within about 14 or 30 days if the item is unused, but the shop decides.

Online, by phone or by mail order from UK sellers, you have a 14-day cooling-off period with no fault needed.

Who pays to send it back? The regulations say you pay the direct cost of returning goods unless the trader agreed to pay or failed to give the required cost information. No other return costs apply, and collection costs apply only if the trader offered collection and you agreed to pay. Citizens Advice adds that with a pre-paid label you pay nothing.

Refund: without undue delay and no later than 14 days after the trader receives the goods back (or after you prove you posted them), where it has not offered to collect. All payments are refunded, plus delivery charges up to the cheapest standard delivery on offer. If you chose a pricier delivery, the extra cost is not refunded. The refund goes to the original payment method unless you agreed otherwise, with no fee. A trader may recover a loss in value from handling the goods beyond what is needed to check them, such as what a shop would allow, capped at the contract price. No deduction applies if the trader failed to give the required cancellation-rights information.

Practical points from Citizens Advice: package the item carefully (you can be charged for damage), keep proof of posting, and tell a Buy Now Pay Later provider you are returning the item. For sellers outside the UK, check their terms and customs rules; refunds of VAT, customs duty or delivery fees can be applied for on GOV.UK.

What you cannot cancel (regulation 28 and Citizens Advice):

• Goods made to your specification or clearly personalised.
• Goods that spoil or expire quickly. Fresh flowers are the usual example, although the regulation does not name them.
• Sealed goods unsuitable for return for health or hygiene reasons once unsealed. Citizens Advice gives earrings with a broken hygiene seal as an example.
• Sealed audio, video or software once unsealed.
• Goods that become inseparably mixed with other items after delivery.
• Single newspapers and magazines (subscriptions are not excluded).
• Public auctions.
• Fixed-date services such as accommodation, goods transport, vehicle rental, catering and leisure.
• Items from private sellers (Citizens Advice).

The regulation has no price threshold, and businesses must say before purchase if an item has no cooling-off period. Our guide to ordering personalised gifts and sending flowers online apply these exceptions.

European Union

Source: Your Europe (European Union), "Returns". Last checked: 15 October 2026.

• You can cancel a distance purchase within 14 days with no reason. For goods it starts on delivery; for services on the day the contract is agreed. A deadline on a non-working day moves to the next working day. Some countries allow 30 days for certain doorstep sales.
• The buyer pays postage for a cooling-off return unless the seller offers to pay or failed to tell the buyer about the cost before purchase. Returning defective goods is the trader's responsibility.
• Exceptions: travel and event tickets, hotel and car-rental bookings, catering for set dates, fast-spoiling food, made-to-order or personalised items, volatile-price fuels, opened sealed media and urgent repairs. Fully performed services and downloaded or streamed content can lose the right if the buyer expressly agreed to start early.
• Purchases from private individuals, including many marketplace listings, are not covered. Check whether the seller is a trader.

United States and Canada

The FTC pages we read for this guide do not describe a general federal right to cancel an online order. They tell buyers to confirm the returns policy before buying, which is why the checks above matter. Several US states have their own rules. The Canadian Office of Consumer Affairs page we read does not address cancellation rights either. For either country, read the seller's policy and your state, provincial or national consumer agency's page.

Faulty or misdescribed goods

United Kingdom: the Consumer Rights Act 2015

Sources: legislation.gov.uk, Consumer Rights Act 2015, sections 19 and 22; GOV.UK, "Accepting returns and giving refunds". Last checked: 15 October 2026.

• Short-term right to reject: 30 days, starting the day after all of these have happened: you own or possess the goods, they are delivered and, if the contract includes installation, the trader tells you it is done. Perishable goods have a shorter period. You can reject early, before those events.
• Repair or replacement: if you ask for or agree to one, the clock stops while you wait. If the item still does not conform, you have until 7 days after the wait ends or the original deadline extended by the wait, whichever is later.
• Remedies: early rejection, repair or replacement, a price reduction, or a final right to reject if repair or replacement is not possible or has failed. Problems caused by materials you supplied do not count.
• Six-month presumption: goods found not to conform within six months of delivery are treated as faulty on the day they were delivered, unless it is shown they were fine or the presumption does not fit the goods or the fault.
• GOV.UK adds that faulty, misdescribed or not-working goods must be refunded, and that sellers cannot limit these rights with "no returns" signs.

We did not read the sections on how long a repair may take or how a price reduction is set, so we do not give detail on them.

European Union: the two-year legal guarantee

Sources: Your Europe, "Guarantees" and "Guarantees FAQ". Last checked: 15 October 2026.

• Sellers must guarantee goods for at least 2 years from receipt. Some countries give more.
• Faulty goods must be repaired or replaced free. If that is impossible or too slow, you get a full or partial refund.
• Defects appearing within 1 year are presumed to have existed at delivery unless the seller proves otherwise. Some countries extend this to 2 years.
• Second-hand goods from professional sellers carry the same cover, though some countries allow a shorter period of at least 1 year if this is made clear at purchase.
• Digital content and services (apps, video, music, games, subscriptions) are covered for at least 2 years, including when paid for with personal data. Suppliers must provide necessary updates.
• The guarantee comes from your contract with the seller, so contact the seller, not the manufacturer. You can usually choose repair or replacement unless one is impossible or disproportionately expensive for the seller.

The FAQ gives examples. If the item is lost in delivery, the seller is responsible until it reaches you. If a replacement is also defective, you can ask for another repair or replacement within the 2 years. Built-in software, such as on a smart TV, is covered, but software you installed later is not. Updates needed to keep a product usable and secure are covered even if a third party supplies them. Upgrades are not. Normal wear is different from misuse: the FAQ notes that leather can be damaged by sweat or the wrong cleaning products, and says the seller should have told you about any special care requirements at purchase. A manufacturer's commercial guarantee may add benefits, but it does not replace the legal guarantee, and a shorter manufacturer warranty does not cancel the 2-year guarantee. The 2-year period starts on the day you receive the product, and the FAQ gives no deadline for notifying the seller. Keep receipts and delivery statements. If the seller does not respond satisfactorily, contact the consumer protection authority in your country of residence. Purchases from private individuals are not covered.

Warranties versus legal rights

Source: US FTC, "Warranties". Last checked: 15 October 2026.

A warranty is an extra promise from the maker or seller. Legal rights exist anyway. The FTC's page makes these points for the US:

• Coverage varies. Check what is excluded (parts not listed are assumed not covered), what the company will do (repair, replace or refund), and any conditions such as returning a registration card or following maintenance rules.
• Implied warranties come from state law even without a written warranty: the product should do its basic job and suit a purpose the seller recommended. A seller can disclaim them in writing or by selling "as is" where state law allows. Some states allow up to four years.
• Warranties must be readable before you buy, whether you shop in person or online. Put verbal promises in writing.
• Manufacturers generally cannot require specific parts or services to keep coverage unless they provide them free or obtain an FTC waiver.
• Extended warranties and service contracts cost extra, are sold separately and are not warranties. They can overlap with the included warranty, so read the terms.
• If you report a defect during the warranty period and it is not properly fixed, the company must correct it even if the warranty expires first.
• To resolve a problem, contact the seller first, then write to the manufacturer (listed in the warranty) by certified mail with a return receipt.

The page does not use the terms "full" and "limited" warranty and gives no required list of contents.

Paying and disputing: card rights

Sources: US FTC, "Disputing credit card charges"; Citizens Advice, "Report fake or counterfeit goods"; UK NCSC, "Shopping online securely". Last checked: 15 October 2026.

United States (credit cards). The FTC explains the billing dispute process:

• Write to the issuer's billing-inquiries address (not the payments address). The letter must reach the issuer within 60 days of when the first bill showing the error was sent. Certified mail with a return receipt gives proof. Keep a copy.
• Include your name, address, account number, a description of the error and copies (not originals) of receipts.
• The issuer must acknowledge your dispute in writing within 30 days (unless it is already resolved) and resolve it within 90 days. While it investigates, it cannot take collection action on the disputed amount, close or restrict your account over it, or threaten your credit rating. You may withhold the disputed amount but still owe the undisputed part.
• Covered: billing errors (wrong dates, amounts or maths; goods or services you did not accept or that were not delivered as agreed); unauthorised charges, where federal law limits your liability to $50; and quality problems, where you may have the same claims against the issuer as against the seller under state law, if you withhold payment and the purchase cost more than $5, was made in your home state or within 100 miles of your billing address, and you tried to resolve it with the seller first. Those limits do not apply if the seller is also the issuer.
• The page does not cover debit cards.

United Kingdom. Citizens Advice lists these routes for counterfeit goods, and the same routes are the usual options for other problems: a debit card chargeback; a credit card chargeback for purchases under £100; a section 75 claim for credit card purchases from £100 to £30,000; and a PayPal dispute within 180 days. The NCSC adds that you should check the cover offered by PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Canada. The Office of Consumer Affairs page we read says to use secure payment and to keep order details, but does not describe card dispute rights. Ask your card issuer how disputes work for your card.

Our older guide to refunds and chargebacks walks through writing to the seller first and what a dispute message should contain.

Marketplaces and third-party sellers

Source: US FTC, "Buying from an online marketplace". Last checked: 15 October 2026.

On a marketplace the seller is often a separate business from the website.

• Know the marketplace's role. Some leave payments, returns and refunds to buyers and sellers. Others run a refund process if an item is not as advertised or never arrives. Check whether it covers your item and seller, and the deadline.
• Vet the seller. Read reviews from several sources and watch for fake or paid ones. Check the listing includes contact information, the return policy, shipping fees and terms. Get answers to questions in writing.
• Inspect the listing. Look for real photos of the actual item, not only stock images. Be cautious about "used", "as is" and "refurbished", and about expensive items at very low prices.
• Pay safely. Use a credit card or the marketplace's protected payment. Avoid wire transfers, gift cards, cash-reload cards and cryptocurrency, and never pay outside the marketplace's system, because you lose its protection.
• If something goes wrong: keep deadlines and copies of all messages. Contact the seller, report the seller to the marketplace, dispute with your card company, and report to ReportFraud.ftc.gov and your state attorney general.

In the EU, purchases from private individuals are not covered by the withdrawal and guarantee rules described above, and Citizens Advice lists items from private sellers as having no UK cooling-off period, which is why it matters whether the seller is a trader.

Fake or counterfeit goods (UK)

Source: Citizens Advice, "Report fake or counterfeit goods". Last checked: 15 October 2026.

Consumer rights last up to 6 years depending on quality when bought, and a seller cannot refuse because the item was cheap. Report to Trading Standards (which may prosecute but cannot recover your money), Report Fraud and Crimestoppers. Our guide to independent beauty brands covers spotting fakes in one category.

Free trials and subscriptions

Before and after you sign up

Source: US FTC, "Getting in and out of free trials, auto-renewals and negative option subscriptions". Last checked: 15 October 2026.

• Read the terms: what you agree to, the trial length and how and when to cancel. If you cannot find or understand them, skip the offer. Uncheck pre-ticked boxes. A trial that charges shipping or fees is not really free.
• The FTC warns that ads may exaggerate because affiliate marketers are paid per click. That is one reason we label links as ads.
• Put the cancellation deadline in your calendar, watch your card statements, and note when promotional pricing ends.
• Be suspicious of a renewal notice that asks for card details; contact the company on a number you already know.
• To cancel, follow the company's instructions and keep a copy of your request. If charges continue, ask your card company to stop the payments. If you were charged without consent and the company will not refund, dispute with your card company right away and follow up in writing, then report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general.

The rules are changing

Sources: US FTC, Negative Option Rule page; GOV.UK, government response on the new subscription contracts regime. Last checked: 15 October 2026.

The FTC's page lists a timeline: final "click-to-cancel" amendments announced 16 October 2024 and published 15 November 2024 as 16 CFR Part 425; a notice of 12 February 2026 proposing to revise the Negative Option Rule to conform with court decisions; and an advance notice in March 2026 asking for comment on reducing unwanted recurring charges. The page does not say how court decisions affected the 2024 rule, so check ftc.gov for the current position.

In the UK, the government response says the new regime under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 is expected to start in spring 2027, only after secondary legislation passes. The plans include clear pre-contract information, reminders before a free trial or a contract of 12 months or more auto-renews, a 14-day cooling-off period after signing up and another after a trial or long contract auto-renews, online cancellation if you signed up online, and refunds within 14 days to the original payment method. These are plans and are not in force. Today, the practical steps are to screenshot the sign-up page and terms, note the renewal date, cancel before it, and check your statement. Our guide to software subscriptions covers the software side.

Refurbished and second-hand goods

Sources: Consumer Reports, "Should you buy refurbished electronics?" (updated April 2025); Which?, "How to buy second-hand or refurbished laptops". Last checked: 15 October 2026.

Consumer Reports says sellers do not define "refurbished" consistently, and uncertified refurbishing may be little more than cleaning, repackaging and repricing. Its April 2025 figures: warranties of two years at eBay Certified Refurbished, one year at Apple, Bose, Microsoft and Samsung, 90 days at Amazon and Best Buy (one year for Amazon Renewed Premium) and 100 days at Dell; return windows of 90 days at Amazon, 14 days at Apple, and 30 or 21 days at Dell. It suggests having at least a month to decide, and checking whether parts, batteries and chargers are new or used and whether your credit card gives return or warranty protection. Seller policies date quickly, so check the seller's current page.

Which? (UK, laptops) says grades such as A, B and C differ by seller, warranties run from 30 days to three years with one year typical, and private sellers must describe the item correctly but need not volunteer faults. It advises checking operating-system support, the processor generation, the security update end date, photos of the charger and port, and battery wear. See our refurbished electronics guide.

If something goes wrong: a step-by-step path

This sequence is general advice that combines the sources above.

1. Gather your records: order confirmation, product page screenshot, emails, delivery date, payment record.
2. Write to the seller. Say what went wrong, what you want (refund, repair, replacement) and by when. Send it in writing so there is a record.
3. Check the clock. UK short-term right to reject: 30 days. UK cancellation: tell the seller within 14 days. US credit card dispute: 60 days from the first bill showing the error. PayPal: 180 days (UK, per Citizens Advice).
4. Use your payment provider if the seller does not resolve it.
5. Report it to your national consumer authority and, for suspected fraud, to the fraud reporting service (ReportFraud.ftc.gov in the US; Report Fraud in the UK).
6. Contact the European Consumer Centre for cross-border problems in the EU.

Related complete guides

• Safe Online Shopping: Scams, Fake Reviews, Fake Goods and the Checks That Work: Spotting scams, fake reviews and counterfeit goods before an order goes wrong.
• Customs, Duties and Import Taxes When You Buy from Abroad: Duties, VAT and carrier fees when the seller is abroad.