Guides · Your rights

Your consumer rights when you buy online in the UK

The 14-day cancellation right, faulty goods, refunds and card protection explained in plain English.

Updated 13 October 2026 · 3 min read · General information, not legal or financial advice.

Buying online in the UK comes with strong legal protections, and knowing them can take the pressure off a “deal”. If you buy something in a sale and change your mind, you can usually still return it. This guide explains the main rights in plain English. It is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, Citizens Advice is a good free starting point.

The 14-day right to cancel

The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 give you a right to cancel most online, phone and mail-order purchases from a business. For goods, the key points are:

  • You can cancel within 14 days, starting from the day after you receive the goods. You do not need to give a reason.
  • You can cancel from the moment you place the order, before the goods arrive.
  • You then normally have a further 14 days to send the goods back.
  • The retailer must refund you, including the cost of standard delivery, within 14 days of receiving the goods back or receiving evidence that you have sent them.
  • Unless the retailer told you otherwise before you bought, it may expect you to pay the cost of returning the goods.
  • If the retailer did not give you the required information about your cancellation right, the cancellation period can be extended, up to 12 months.

Handling the goods

You can handle goods as you would in a shop to check them. If you handle them more than that and reduce their value, the retailer may be able to deduct an amount from your refund.

Common exceptions

The cancellation right does not apply to everything. Exceptions include goods made to your specification or clearly personalised, perishable goods, and sealed items that are not suitable for return for health or hygiene reasons once unsealed. Sealed audio, video or software that you have unsealed is also excluded. Many digital downloads stop being cancellable once you start downloading, if you agreed to that.

Faulty goods: the Consumer Rights Act 2015

Separately from the cancellation right, goods you buy from a business must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. This applies to sale items too. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015:

  • You have a short-term right to reject faulty goods and get a full refund within 30 days.
  • After that, the retailer usually gets one chance to repair or replace. If that fails, you can ask for a price reduction or a refund, which may be reduced to reflect use.
  • If a fault appears within six months of delivery, it is generally presumed to have been there at delivery unless the retailer proves otherwise.

Your claim is against the retailer, not the manufacturer. A manufacturer’s guarantee is in addition to these rights, not instead of them.

Retailers’ own returns policies

Many retailers offer returns policies more generous than the law, such as longer return windows or free returns. These are a bonus. Check the policy before you buy, especially during sale events, when some retailers extend return periods over the festive season.

Marketplaces

On marketplaces such as Amazon or eBay, check whether you are buying from a business or a private individual. Your statutory rights described above apply when you buy from a trader. Buying from a private individual gives you fewer protections. The listing should show who the seller is.

Paying by card

How you pay can add a layer of protection.

  • Credit card (Section 75). Under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, if you pay by credit card for a single item costing over £100 and up to £30,000, the card provider can be jointly liable with the retailer if something goes wrong.
  • Debit card (chargeback). Chargeback is a voluntary scheme run by card networks, not a legal right, but it can help you recover money if a retailer fails to deliver or goes out of business.

Using these rights to shop calmly

Because you can usually cancel an online order within 14 days, a time-limited deal does not have to be a snap decision. If you buy something under pressure and then find the was-price was misleading, or the product is cheaper elsewhere, you can usually still return it. That is a good reason never to let a countdown timer rush you. See our fake urgency guide.

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