Buying online: 14 days to cancel and get a refund

Buying online, by phone or by post is a distance sale. The law gives shoppers a right that does not exist in a normal shop: you can return goods simply because you have changed your mind, even if there is nothing wrong with them.

How long to cancel?

You must tell the seller you are cancelling within 14 days of receiving the item — this is the cooling-off period. You do not have to give a reason. Once you have cancelled, you then have a further 14 days to send the item back.

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When is the refund due?

The seller must refund you within 14 days of getting the item back. That includes the cost of standard delivery out to you. If you paid extra for a faster delivery option, the seller only has to refund the standard cost. No fees can be deducted from the refund — unless the item has been used or damaged. You may handle the goods as you would in a shop, such as trying something on or opening the box. But if an item has been used beyond that or damaged, the seller can reduce the refund.

How the 14 days are counted

The 14 days to cancel run from the day after you receive the item. If you ordered a service rather than goods, the period usually runs from the day the contract was made. One important condition: the seller must tell you in advance about the right to cancel and its deadlines; if they fail to, the cancellation window can be extended substantially. The law does not spell out who pays return postage, so check the seller's returns terms in advance and keep your order confirmation and correspondence.

What the right does not cover

Some goods can only be returned if faulty: personalised or custom-made items; perishable goods such as frozen food or flowers; newspapers and magazines; unwrapped CDs, DVDs and software; and sealed items that cannot be returned for hygiene reasons once opened, such as underwear.

What about buying in a shop?

In a physical shop there is no automatic right to change your mind. If something is simply the wrong size or colour, the shop does not have to refund you (though many do as a goodwill gesture). The 14-day no-reason cancellation right applies to distance sales. Separately, you always have the right to a repair, replacement or refund for faulty goods.

How to protect yourself

Cancel in writing (by letter or email) and keep proof of posting the return. These rules sit in the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013; detailed guidance for buyers and sellers is published on GOV.UK.