The 14-Day Cancellation Right: What It Actually Covers
When you buy something online from a UK retailer — whether that’s ASOS, John Lewis, Currys or a small independent shop — you are protected by the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. This law gives you an automatic right to cancel most online purchases within 14 calendar days of receiving your goods, no questions asked. You do not need to give a reason.
This cancellation window is often called the “cooling-off period.” It exists precisely because online shopping means you cannot inspect an item before buying it. The 14 days begin the day after you, or someone you nominated, receives the goods. For orders containing multiple items delivered separately, the clock starts from the day you receive the last item.
Once you have decided to cancel, you must notify the retailer before those 14 days are up. You then have a further 14 days to return the item. Retailers must refund you within 14 days of receiving the goods back, or within 14 days of you providing evidence that you have returned them — whichever comes first.
A few important exceptions apply. The 14-day right does not cover:
- Personalised or custom-made items (for example, an engraved gift or a made-to-measure suit)
- Sealed items that are not suitable for return once opened, such as certain hygiene products or underwear
- Digital downloads that you have already started downloading or streaming, if you gave explicit consent to begin immediately
- Perishable goods, including food and flowers
- Accommodation, travel, car hire or leisure events booked for specific dates
Faulty Goods: Your Rights Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015
Separate from the cooling-off period, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives you statutory protection when goods turn out to be faulty, not as described, or not fit for purpose. This law applies to purchases from any trader — online or in-store — and its protections are considerably stronger than many retailers let on.
The key remedies are structured around time:
- Within 30 days of purchase: You have the right to a full refund if the goods are faulty. The retailer cannot insist on a repair or replacement instead — the choice is yours.
- Between 30 days and six months: The retailer gets one attempt to repair or replace the item. If that attempt fails, or if repair or replacement is not possible, you are entitled to a full or partial refund.
- Between six months and six years: You can still claim, but the burden shifts. You will need to show the fault existed at the time of purchase, rather than the retailer having to disprove it. This might mean obtaining an independent assessment.
Note that six years (five years in Scotland under the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act) is the maximum period within which you can bring a claim — but this does not mean every item carries a six-year guarantee. It simply means you have that long to take action through the courts if necessary.
Your contract for faulty goods is always with the retailer, not the manufacturer. Retailer warranties and manufacturer guarantees are additional to your statutory rights and cannot replace them.
Delivery Charges: When Are They Refundable?
This is where many consumers lose out unnecessarily. Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations, if you cancel an order within the 14-day cooling-off period, the retailer must refund the standard delivery charge you originally paid. If you chose a premium delivery option — for example, next-day delivery — the retailer only has to refund the equivalent of their cheapest standard delivery rate. You are not automatically entitled to a refund of the premium element.
The cost of returning items is a different matter. Retailers are allowed to make you pay for return postage, provided they told you this clearly before you placed the order. If they did not include this information in their pre-contract terms, they must cover the return costs themselves. Always check the returns policy before you buy — reputable retailers such as Next, M&S and Amazon typically state this upfront.
If an item is faulty, the situation is clearer: you should not have to pay return postage. The retailer should arrange and cover the cost of collecting or returning a defective product.
Quick Comparison: Cooling-Off Cancellation vs Faulty Goods
| Feature | 14-Day Cooling-Off (Consumer Contracts Regulations) | Faulty Goods (Consumer Rights Act 2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Reason needed? | No | Yes — item must be faulty, not as described, or unfit for purpose |
| Time limit to claim | 14 days from receipt of goods | Up to 6 years (5 in Scotland), with strongest rights in first 30 days |
| Applies to in-store purchases? | No | Yes |
| Who bears return postage? | You, unless retailer failed to disclose this | Retailer |
| Original delivery refunded? | Standard delivery charge, yes | Yes, in full |
| Exceptions apply? | Yes (personalised items, digital downloads, perishables, etc.) | Very few — applies broadly to physical goods and digital content |
What to Do When a Retailer Refuses a Refund
Unfortunately, some retailers — particularly smaller online marketplaces or overseas sellers operating in the UK — push back on legitimate refund requests, hoping consumers will give up. Here is a practical step-by-step approach if that happens to you:
- Put your request in writing. Email the retailer clearly stating which law you are relying on — for example, “I am requesting a refund under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 as the item is faulty.” Keep a copy of everything.
- Escalate to a manager or complaints team. Most large retailers have a formal complaints process. Ask for a reference number and a response within 14 days.
- Use your credit or debit card protection. If you paid by credit card and the purchase was over £100 and under £30,000, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes your card provider jointly liable with the retailer. For smaller amounts or debit card payments, you can request a chargeback through your bank — this is a voluntary scheme but widely honoured.
- Contact an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme. Many retailers are members of schemes such as the Retail Ombudsman or similar sector-specific bodies. If the retailer is a member, you can refer your complaint to the scheme for free adjudication.
- Make a claim through the courts. For disputes under £10,000 in England and Wales, the Small Claims Court (via Money Claim Online) is a relatively straightforward and low-cost option. The filing fee is typically a small percentage of the amount claimed.
- Report the retailer. Citizens Advice’s consumer helpline (0808 223 1133) can offer guidance and pass information to Trading Standards, which can act on patterns of unlawful behaviour even if it cannot pursue individual claims on your behalf.
Marketplace Purchases: Amazon, eBay and Third-Party Sellers
Buying from a third-party seller on a platform such as Amazon Marketplace or eBay adds a layer of complexity. Your legal contract is with the individual seller, not the platform — but both Amazon and eBay operate their own buyer-protection programmes that often resolve disputes more quickly than pursuing legal remedies directly.
On Amazon Marketplace, the A-to-z Guarantee generally covers most return and refund disputes and can be invoked if a seller is unresponsive. On eBay, the Money Back Guarantee applies to most purchases. These are platform policies rather than statutory rights, but they are typically straightforward to use and well-enforced.
Bear in mind that sellers based outside the UK — for instance, on AliExpress or via certain eBay listings — are not always bound by UK law in practice, even if you technically have rights against them. In these cases, paying by credit card or PayPal and relying on platform or card-provider protection is often your most realistic route to a refund.
The bottom line: UK consumer law gives online shoppers a solid and enforceable set of rights — a no-fault cancellation window, meaningful protection against faulty goods, and clear rules on delivery refunds. The key is knowing which law applies to your situation, keeping records of your purchase and any correspondence, and being prepared to escalate through card chargebacks, ADR schemes or the Small Claims Court if a retailer refuses to play fair.