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Get legal adviceHow do I cancel an online order?
Your right to cancel an order under the Consumer Contracts Regulations
How long do I have to cancel an online order?
Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations your right to cancel an order starts the moment you place it and ends 14 days after your goods are delivered to you, your nominated neighbour or your dedicated safe place.
You should be given the ability to cancel your order at the point of sale.
Most retailers will provide an email address or cancellation form for you to fill out to cancel your order.
The retailer shouldn’t make cancelling an online order unnecessarily difficult. For example, you shouldn't need to call to get authorisation to return an item.
You can also use our template letter to make a written cancellation under the Consumer Contracts Regulations.
Can I cancel if my order is on the way?
If your order's already in transit, you probably won't be able to cancel it before it reaches you. It's likely you'll have to wait for your items to be delivered before returning them and getting your money back.
Remember that you still have the right to cancel the item for up to 14 days after you’ve received it. Once you’ve confirmed with the retailer you’d like to cancel your order, you then have a further 14 days to return it.
If you're unsure on how to cancel, check the retailer's terms and conditions and returns policy.
Items you can't cancel
There are some orders where you won't have the right to cancel, including:
- Bespoke or personalised goods
- Products that are likely to deteriorate rapidly
- CDs, DVDs and computer software where the seal is broken
- Goods where the seal for health protection and hygiene has been broken (e.g. swimwear)
My order is late or missing - can I cancel?
If you've been waiting longer than you'd expected for your online order, you might be able to cancel and get a refund.
Retailers have to deliver within the time frame they promise in their contract. If you agreed a specific timeframe for delivery with the retailer and they do not fulfll this, you can cancel.
If you didn't agree a specific timeframe, the Consumer Rights Act says that retailers must deliver your item within 30 days of your order, or you can cancel and ask for your money back. This also applies to goods bought face-to-face.
You can also cancel if the retailer doesn't provide the goods or service within a reasonable time.
What constitutes a reasonable time can depend on the item you've bought. Retailers often don't specify a time limit for delivery, so defining what is reasonable can be tricky.
But if you were given an estimated delivery time of seven days and you've been waiting 20 days, this could be seen as being an unreasonable time period to wait for delivery.
Make time of the essence
When you make 'time of the essence' to your contract with a retailer, you treat the contract as being at an end and demand a full refund.
You can do this if the retailer in question misses your deadline delivery date.
For example, most contracts for the purchase of new furniture will allow retailers up to eight weeks to deliver your goods.
These types of contracts will normally state that the retailer will endeavour to deliver within that time, but that they will not be in breach of contract if they don't deliver within the eight-week period.
Obviously, if they go beyond this time, without any genuine excuse as to the reason for the delay, then you'll be able to give them a deadline - making 'time of the essence' to your contract - in which to deliver the goods.
If they then miss that deadline you can claim your contract is at an end and demand a full refund.
Returning your online order
Once you’ve confirmed you would like to cancel your order with the retailer, it will usually be your responsibility to return the goods if they are already with you.
It's likely you'll have to bear the returns cost, unless the retailer has offered to collect your unwanted items or they can't be posted.
You must return the items within 14 calendar days of the confirmed cancellation. If you don't return the goods during this time, the retailer may not be required to refund any payment.
If the retailer's T&Cs or returns policy doesn't state who pays for returns, the Consumer Contracts Regulations say the retailer must cover the cost of postage.
Make sure you check whether the retailer will arrange to collect the goods or whether it will cover your postage costs.
Faulty or damaged goods?
You have additional rights under the Consumer Rights Act if your goods arrive faulty or not-as-described at the point of purchase.
If your goods arrive damaged in the post or your goods become faulty, you still have a right to refuse them and get a refund, repair or replacement
How long will the refund take?
The Consumer Contracts Regulations also state that you should get a refund within 14 days of either the retailer getting the goods back or you providing evidence of having returned the goods (for example, a proof of postage from the post office) - whichever is sooner.
If you cancel your order, the retailer has to refund your money within 30 days at the latest.
A deduction can be made if the value of the goods has been reduced as a result of you handling the goods more than was necessary.
Summary
- Most but not all online orders can be cancelled, for example bespoke or personalised items can't be
- Your right to cancel an order starts the moment you place it and doesn't end until 14 days from the day you receive your goods
- Return your order as soon as possible - but don't forget to get proof of postage