How exactly does the cancellation button in webshops work?

Do you run a webshop for consumers? Then they have a 14-day cooling-off period. Just as an online purchase can be made quickly, the same should apply to cancellations. With this mandatory withdrawal button, a purchase can be undone just as easily as it can be made.

What should the cancellation button look like?

According to the Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM), businesses may decide for themselves what the button looks like, as long as it is easy to find and has a clear text. After clicking, buyers arrive on a page where they can indicate which product, contract or service needs to be cancelled.

They therefore do not have to fill in a full form or contact customer service to exercise their right of withdrawal.

Returning, withdrawing, cancelling or dissolving the agreement

When an order has already been placed and the parcel has been shipped, the purchase process cannot always be stopped immediately. This certainly applies if the webshop is fully automated. Webshops often have integrations with carriers, administrative systems and inventory management systems. As a result, it is sometimes technically difficult to cancel an order completely right away.

In practice, for shipped parcels it is often no longer a full cancellation. The parcel may already be on its way. The parcel then has to be sent back, and the return costs may be charged to the customer.

How does the return process work?

Simply pressing the button is not enough. After the button has been used, you as the webshop owner must confirm the cancellation. As soon as the customer indicates that they have received the confirmation, the return period starts.

Mandatory

From this summer, merchants who sell to consumers in the EU are required to place this button in a clearly visible spot in their webshop. Although we are not lawyers, we keep an eye on developments in our field for you. Want to know more about the legal details? Take a look at the government website: Webshops must have a withdrawal button | Ondernemersplein

Do you have an automated webshop?

Infracom develops webshops that integrate directly with order processing, inventory management, ERP systems and carrier integrations. By smartly connecting systems, we reduce manual tasks, among other things. Get in touch with us and discover how technical integrations make your webshop more efficient.