Articles on: Cancellations and returns

Handle EU withdrawal requests

EU consumer law gives shoppers a statutory right to withdraw from a purchase. Turn on the form under Features → EU withdrawal and it appears for customers in the countries you choose. Requests arrive in a queue where you can review them, hold the order, or start a return.


This article explains how the feature works. It is not legal advice — check your own obligations, which vary by country and by what you sell.


What this does


If you sell into the EU, customers have a right to change their mind within a set period. Not offering a way to exercise it is a legal exposure, and it lands on you as email either way.


The form turns that into something structured.


Turn it on


  1. Go to Features → EU withdrawal.
  2. Turn on Show the EU withdrawal form.
  3. Check the Eligible countries. All 27 EU member states are pre-filled — remove any you do not sell to.
  4. Save.


The form appears on the Thank you page and the Order status page.


Keep it available after editing closes


Turn on Keep available after the editing window closes.


The withdrawal period is much longer than a typical editing window. Without this, the form disappears while the customer still has the right to use it.


Decide what happens before the order ships


Under Staff review:


  • Hold the order for staff review — Pauses fulfillment until your team reviews the request
  • If no one reviews the request in time — What happens automatically after a set number of days
  • After how many days? — Counted from when the customer submits


Set a fallback. A request that nobody reviews should not sit forever. The fallback decides what happens if your team is away.


Cancelling and refunding always covers the whole order, not just the items the customer picked. Worth knowing before you choose it as a fallback.


Decide what happens after it ships


Under When the order is already delivered:


  • Notify only — Tags the order and emails your team
  • Create return — Starts a return automatically


Once the customer has the goods, withdrawal means sending them back. Create return routes it into your normal returns process, which is usually what you want.


Reword the form


The whole form is editable — steps, fields, and wording. Name, email and order are pre-filled and locked, so customers cannot submit for someone else's order.


Get the wording checked. The form is a legal document in some markets, and the right words differ by country.


Good to know


The legal meaning changes at delivery. Before delivery, withdrawal is a cancellation. After delivery, it starts a return. That is why the two settings above exist and why they behave differently.


Requests are tagged and emailed. Every submission tags the order and emails both the customer and your team, so nothing depends on someone watching a queue.


You can disable other features for EU customers. If a feature conflicts with how you handle EU orders, it can be switched off for those customers specifically.


This is a legal requirement, not a feature. If you sell into the EU, some version of this has to exist. Doing it in the app is cheaper than doing it in email.


Troubleshooting


  • The form does not appear — Why: The feature is off, or the block is missing — Fix: Check Features, then the banner
  • EU customers cannot see it — Why: Their country is not in the eligible list — Fix: Add it
  • It disappears too early — Why: It closes with the editing window — Fix: Turn on Keep available after the editing window closes
  • Requests sit unreviewed — Why: No fallback set — Fix: Set one and a day count
  • A whole order was refunded — Why: Cancelling always covers the whole order — Fix: Expected. Use Create return for partial cases.
  • Delivered orders are only tagged — Why: Notify only is selected — Fix: Switch to Create return


FAQ


Do I have to offer this?


If you sell to consumers in the EU, you have obligations under consumer law. What exactly they are depends on your country and your products. Check your own position.


How long is the withdrawal period?


Commonly 14 days from delivery, but it varies. The app lets you set the deadline and a transit estimate to match your obligations.


What is the difference between this and a return?


Withdrawal is a statutory right with its own rules. A return is your own policy. Before delivery, withdrawal behaves like a cancellation; after delivery, it starts a return.


Can I limit it to certain countries?


Yes. All 27 EU states are pre-filled, and you remove any you do not sell to.


Does it work after the editing window closes?


Only if you turn on Keep available after the editing window closes. Turn it on — the withdrawal period is far longer than a typical editing window.



Updated on: 21/08/2026

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