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Right of withdrawal

In online sales, consumers in the EU have a 14-day right of withdrawal in majority of purchases.

Do I lose the right of withdrawal when I check the goods I ordered?

No. You can check the item you ordered by unpacking it and checking its properties and functionality. Please note that you may not lose the right of withdrawal even when you take the goods into use, but you are responsible for the lowered value of the goods. If the item has become non-sellable as a result of putting it to use, you will be liable for the lowered value for the entire value. If, before placing the order, the seller has not explained the right of withdrawal and its contents in their terms and conditions, for example, it may not claim compensation for the lowered value.

I want to cancel an order I placed. What should I do?

You must give the vendor a notice of withdrawal at the latest 14 days after you have received the goods or concluded the contract. It is not sufficient to merely return a product or not retrieve it from a post office. You may also notify the vendor of the withdrawal before the goods are delivered. The notification of withdrawal must be made in writing. You can use the withdrawal notice form on the online store website or write a free-form notice.

Contact the seller in the language in which the seller has offered the service to you or in which it requests communication (if possible). If necessary, use a free online translation service if you are having difficulties with a foreign language.

For example, if you cancel an order by e-mail, provide at least your name, mailing address, order number, customer number or membership number, if any. Keep a copy of the notice of withdrawal for yourself.

Please note that a consumer must return the goods no later than 14 days after the notice of withdrawal. It is a good idea to request a return receipt for the return.

Is the right of withdrawal always 14 days?

If the seller has not stated the terms and conditions for exercising the right of withdrawal, the right to withdraw from the purchase is extended from the end of the normal period of withdrawal to 12 months. If the seller later provides the missing information, the withdrawal period ends 14 days after the day on which you received the corrected information. The seller may also voluntarily offer a withdrawal period longer than 14 days for its products.

Does the right of withdrawal apply to all purchases made online?

Although the majority of online purchases are covered by the right of withdrawal, it does not apply, for example, to the following goods or services:

  • flights
  • accommodation services
  • car rentals
  • leisure services (e.g., entertainment, cultural and sports events, courses related to pastimes and equipment rental), AND
  • the agreement requires payment at a specified time or within a specified period of time.
  • newspaper and magazine subscriptions
  • products made in accordance with consumer’s specifications. These include custom work and engravings that are obviously personal
    quickly perishable or outdated products
  • sealed products that cannot be returned after opening the package for health or hygiene reasons (e.g., contact lenses, moisturising creams and medications)
  • audio or video recordings or computer software that have been delivered in sealed packaging, including sealed CDs/DVDs, after the packaging has been opened.

Legislation