Selling online

Terms and conditions for an online store: what to include

Terms and conditions for an online store are the standard rules that apply to every order: who you are, what things cost, how delivery and payment work, and what happens when a customer changes their mind. They are not always required by law, but much of the information in them is. This guide explains what belongs in your terms, when the customer must see them, how the EU withdrawal rules work and how terms differ from your privacy statement and cookie policy.

Updated 20 October 2026 9 min read
In short
  • A written set of terms is usually not mandatory, but the information most shops put in them is.
  • Customers must be able to read and save your terms before or when they order, not after.
  • Consumers buying online have 14 days to withdraw without giving a reason, and you must tell them how.
  • Since 19 June 2026 EU rules also require an online withdrawal function, on top of the model withdrawal form.
  • Write terms for your own shop. Copying another shop's terms gives you rules that do not match how you work.

Are terms and conditions mandatory?

Usually not. In the Netherlands, the KVK says on Ondernemersplein that you are not obliged to draw up general terms. In Germany the law also sets rules for terms when you use them, not a duty to have them. What is mandatory is the information. EU consumer law requires an online shop to tell customers, before they order, who the seller is, what the total price is, how delivery and payment work, how the right of withdrawal works and how complaints are handled. Most shops put this in their terms, because that is where customers look for it. Without terms, the general rules of the law apply. That is not wrong, but terms let you set clear rules on things the law leaves open, such as how you handle a late or damaged delivery.
Good to know
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ per country and change over time. Have your terms checked by a lawyer or your trade association if you are unsure.

What belongs in your terms

Your Europe, the official EU site for businesses, lists the information an online seller must give before a contract. Your terms are the natural home for most of it. Keep them specific to your shop and write in plain language. According to the ACM, the Dutch consumer authority, a clause that can be read two ways is read in the way that is best for the consumer.

The topics to cover

  • Identity: company name, address, email, phone number and your registration and VAT numbers
  • Prices: totals including VAT, delivery costs and any other charges
  • Delivery: where you deliver, how long it takes and what happens if it is late
  • Payment: the methods you accept and when payment is due
  • Right of withdrawal: the 14 days, how to withdraw and which products are excluded
  • Returns: who pays the return shipping and how refunds work
  • Guarantee: the legal guarantee and any extra guarantee you offer
  • Complaints and disputes: how to complain and any dispute body you are part of

The 14-day right of withdrawal and returns

A consumer who buys online can withdraw within 14 days without giving a reason. For goods the period starts on the day of delivery. For services it starts when the contract is concluded. Some products are excluded by law, such as made-to-measure items. You may not invent exceptions of your own, but you may offer a longer period. If you do not inform the customer about the right of withdrawal, the period is extended by one year. That is a good reason to get this part right.

What the EU rules say about returns

  • Refund the payment, including the standard delivery cost, within 14 days of the withdrawal
  • You may hold the refund until you have the goods back or proof they were sent
  • The customer pays the return shipping only if you said so before the order
  • For goods that cannot normally go back by post, give an estimate of the return cost
  • You do not have to refund the extra cost of a more expensive delivery option the customer chose

How and when to show your terms

Timing matters most. Customers must be able to read your terms before or when they order. The ACM says a consumer can void all your terms if you only offer them after the sale. Putting them in the parcel is too late. Online the customer must also be able to save them. The KVK advises offering terms not only as a web page but also as a PDF. German and Spanish law say the same in their own words: the terms must be available in a form the customer can store and reproduce.

A practical setup

  • Link to your terms in the footer of every page
  • Mention and link them in the checkout, before the order button
  • Offer a PDF version customers can download
  • Send the terms or a link with the order confirmation email

The model withdrawal form and the withdrawal button

EU law includes a model withdrawal form, and you must give it to your customers, for example as a page or a download in your shop. The customer may use it, but does not have to. A clear email saying they want to withdraw is enough. Since 19 June 2026 there is a second route. EU rules now require a withdrawal function in the online shop where the contract was made: a clearly labelled button or link that stays easy to find for the whole withdrawal period. After the customer uses it, you send a confirmation. In the Netherlands, the ACM says customers may not be forced to create an account for this, and the KVK points out that the button does not replace the model form.
Good to know
Each EU country writes the withdrawal function into its own law, and not every country was ready on 19 June 2026. Germany and the Netherlands have rules in place. Check the rules for each country you sell to.

Terms, privacy statement and cookie policy: the difference

These documents are often mixed up, but they answer different questions. Keep them as separate pages, so customers can find each one quickly. A privacy statement is not a clause in your terms. It is a separate duty under the GDPR and it applies even if you have no terms at all.
  • Terms and conditions: the rules of the purchase between you and the customer
  • Privacy statement: which personal data you collect, why, how long you keep it and what rights people have under the GDPR
  • Cookie policy: which cookies and trackers your site uses and how visitors give or withdraw consent
  • Company details: who you are and how to reach you, easy to find on your site and not hidden only in your terms

Practical tips

Good terms are short, clear and true to how your shop really works. A few habits help.
  • Do not copy another shop's terms: they describe someone else's delivery, returns and products, and copying their text can infringe their copyright
  • Check whether your trade association has model terms you may use
  • Write in the language of your customers, with plain words and short sentences
  • Make sure your checkout, product pages and terms say the same thing
  • Remove old references, such as the link to the EU online dispute resolution platform, which closed on 20 July 2025
  • Review your terms when the law or your way of working changes, and keep earlier versions

Where to put your terms on a SitePack site

On SitePack you manage legal pages under Content in the admin. There is a dedicated editor for your terms and conditions and one for your privacy policy. Every legal page you add, such as a return policy, appears as a link in the copyright bar of your footer automatically.
  • Write your terms in the terms and conditions editor under Content
  • Add separate pages for returns or delivery if your terms get long
  • Check your footer: the links to your legal pages appear there by themselves
  • Place a test order and check where your terms are visible before the order button

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