Returns & Consumer Rights: Know Exactly Where You Stand
You have two separate rights — cancelling because you changed your mind, and remedies when goods are faulty. Here is how both work in the UK, in plain English.
Jump to the return checklist
Two rights people constantly mix up
Most return disputes start with one confusion: shoppers treat "I changed my mind" and "this product is faulty" as the same thing. Legally, they are two entirely separate rights with different deadlines, different rules and different paperwork.
The first is your right to cancel an online order because you simply don't want it any more. In the UK this comes from the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013: 14 days from delivery, no reason required. It applies to distance purchases — online, phone, mail order — not to things you bought in a shop.
The second is your protection when goods are faulty. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 says goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described — and it gives you remedies for years, not days, starting with a 30-day short-term right to reject for a full refund.
Know which right you are using, and most arguments with retailers end before they begin. If you get stuck, Citizens Advice is the go-to help point.
The UK numbers to remember
- 14 days
- to cancel an online order under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 — no reason needed
- 30 days
- short-term right to reject faulty goods for a full refund under the Consumer Rights Act 2015
- 6 years
- to bring a claim for faulty goods in England and Wales (5 years in Scotland)
Your four rights, explained properly
Deadlines, who pays for what, and what to do when a shop says no — the four things every UK online shopper should know.
Your right to change your mind (online purchases)
For online, phone and mail-order purchases, the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 give you 14 days from delivery to cancel — no reason needed, no questions asked. You then have another 14 days to send the goods back. If the retailer never told you about this cancellation right, the window extends by up to 12 months.
It does not apply in-store: walk-in purchases carry no statutory right to return unwanted goods (see the FAQ). And some items are excluded even online: sealed hygiene products once opened, custom-made or personalised items, perishables, and sealed digital media you have unsealed. You may inspect goods as you would in a shop — but if you use them beyond that, the retailer can deduct for the reduced value.
Who pays return postage — and what refund you get
When you cancel within 14 days, the retailer must refund the full price plus the standard outbound delivery charge within 14 days of getting the goods back (or proof of postage). Premium delivery upgrades are not refundable — only the cheapest standard option.
Return postage is yours to pay only if the retailer told you so before you ordered; if their terms never mentioned it, they carry the cost. In practice UK retailers vary — many fashion sites offer free returns, others charge — so check before buying, and factor a £3–5 return label into whether a deal is really a deal. Refunds must go back to your original payment method; a shop cannot force store credit or vouchers on a statutory cancellation.
Faulty goods: a separate, much longer right
When something is defective, forget the 14-day window — the Consumer Rights Act 2015 takes over. Goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. Within 30 days of delivery you can reject faulty goods outright for a full refund. After 30 days, the retailer gets one chance at repair or replacement; if that fails, you can claim a price reduction or a final rejection with refund (a use deduction may apply after six months).
You have up to 6 years to bring a claim in England and Wales (5 in Scotland) — though within that time you may need to show the fault existed at purchase; in the first 6 months it is presumed. Crucially, these rights are against the seller, not the manufacturer. A manufacturer's warranty is a voluntary extra on top of your statutory rights, never a replacement for them.
Escalating when a shop refuses
Start with a written complaint — email, not phone — stating the fault, the remedy you want and a reasonable deadline (14 days is fair). Keep everything in writing from here on.
If that fails, go through your payment provider: for credit-card purchases over £100, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act makes the card issuer jointly liable — a remarkably strong tool. Debit-card payments can often be reclaimed via chargeback, and PayPal runs its own dispute process with tight deadlines.
Still stuck? Citizens Advice will assess your case and can pass it to Trading Standards. Many sectors also have an approved ADR scheme or ombudsman the retailer may be signed up to. Please note: this guide is general information, not legal advice — rules current as of 2026.
Returning an online order, step by step
Nine steps that keep your refund safe and dispute-proof.
- Count your 14-day cancellation window from the day of delivery, not the order date
- Declare the cancellation explicitly in writing (email or the shop's return form) — just posting the parcel back is not a formal cancellation
- Keep the shop's return instructions and your cancellation confirmation
- Photograph the item's condition before packing it
- Use the original packaging where you still have it — not legally required, but it prevents 'damaged in transit' disputes
- Get proof of postage with tracking, and keep the receipt until the refund lands
- Note the refund deadline: 14 days from when the retailer receives the goods or your proof of return
- Check the refund includes the standard outbound delivery charge, not just the item price
- If the deadline passes, escalate in writing — then move to Section 75 or chargeback via your payment provider
Returns FAQ
Can I return something I bought in a physical shop?
There is no statutory right to return non-faulty goods bought in-store — the 14-day cancellation right only covers distance selling. Many UK retailers offer goodwill return policies anyway, but those are voluntary and set by the shop, so check the receipt or policy before buying.
Do sale and Black Friday items have the same rights?
Yes. Discounted goods carry full statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act — a sale price never waives them. The only exception is a specific defect that was pointed out to you before purchase; you can't reject the item for that flaw, but you keep all rights for anything else.
What if I've already opened the package?
Opening is fine — you may inspect goods as you would in a shop. If you use them beyond that (wearing shoes outdoors, registering a device), the retailer can deduct for the reduced value. Sealed hygiene items and unsealed digital media are the main exceptions where returns can be refused.
The shop won't respond at all — who do I contact?
Put your complaint in writing with a 14-day deadline, then contact Citizens Advice for a case assessment. In parallel, use your payment route: Section 75 for credit-card purchases over £100, or chargeback through your bank for debit cards — both have their own time limits, so don't wait months.
Keep reading
Shop safely from the start
The easiest return dispute is the one you never have. Learn to check a shop's legitimacy, payment protection and red flags before you buy. This guide is general information, not legal advice — rules current as of 2026.
Read the online shopping safety guide