14-day returns and refunds: how to set up the policy and form on your online store

If you sell online to consumers in the EU, the 14-day right of withdrawal isn't optional — it's the law (in Romania, OUG 34/2014, which transposes the EU Consumer Rights Directive). Your customer can return a product within 14 days, with no reason given and no penalty. Full stop.

The trouble is that most stores either have no return policy at all or copy a text from another site that doesn't fit. And if you don't properly inform your customer about this right, the 14-day window automatically extends by 12 months — meaning they can return the item for almost a year. In this article I'll show you exactly what your policy must contain, how to put the withdrawal form on your store, and where most owners go wrong.

What the law says, in short

The right of withdrawal applies to distance contracts — any online sale to a consumer (a private individual, not a company). In Romania the legal basis is OUG 34/2014, itself based on the EU directive.

What to remember:

• The customer has 14 calendar days to change their mind, no reason and no penalty needed.
• The clock starts from the day the customer (or their chosen courier) takes possession of the goods, not the order date.
• For orders with several items delivered separately, the clock starts from the last item received.
• If you do NOT inform the customer of this right, the 14 days extend by 12 months.

Enforcement is handled by the consumer protection authority. You cannot override this right with an "internal policy" or a footnote.

The two 14-day deadlines people confuse

There are TWO separate 14-day periods, and most owners mix them up:

1. The customer has 14 days from receiving the goods to notify you that they're withdrawing. After notifying you, they have another 14 days to actually send the goods back.

2. You have 14 days from being notified of the withdrawal to issue the refund.

Here's the key legal detail: the refund includes the product price plus the standard delivery cost the customer paid at checkout. If they chose a pricier premium courier, you only refund the equivalent of standard delivery.

You're allowed to withhold the refund until you receive the goods back or the customer proves they've shipped them — whichever comes first. Use the same payment method as the original order.

What your return policy page must contain

Create a dedicated page (e.g. /returns-policy), linked in the footer and in the checkout steps. In plain language, it must state:

• That the 14-day right of withdrawal exists and when the clock starts.
• How the customer exercises it: via a form or a clear statement (email, letter).
• Who bears the return shipping cost — usually the customer pays return shipping, BUT only if you informed them in advance. If you didn't, you pay it.
• The address where returned goods should be sent.
• The refund deadline and method.
• Which products are exempt from returns (see below).

Write it for a normal human, not in legalese. A clear policy cuts down on disputes and complaints.

The withdrawal form: how to put it on your store

The law provides a standard withdrawal form, whose template is in the annex of OUG 34/2014. You're not required to use that exact form, but you are required to make it available.

In practice you have two good options:

• A downloadable PDF with the standard form, which the customer fills in and emails to you.
• An online form on your site (name, order number, product, delivery date, IBAN for the refund) that sends the data straight to your email or orders panel.

The online version is the most convenient for everyone and gives you a clear record of the notification date — the exact date from which your own 14 days to refund begin. The IBAN field is useful if payment was cash on delivery; otherwise the money goes back to the card used.

The exceptions and traps that cost you

Not all products fall under the right of withdrawal. The law exempts, among others:

• Personalized or made-to-order products.
• Sealed goods that can't be returned for hygiene/health reasons once unsealed (cosmetics, intimate wear).
• Perishable goods.
• Digital content downloaded with the customer's express consent.

Common traps:

• You can't condition the return on "original packaging intact". The customer may unpack and inspect the product as in a physical store; they're only liable for diminished value if they used it beyond simple inspection.
• You can't charge a "restocking fee" or penalties.
• You can't force store credit instead of money — the refund is in money, on the same payment method.

The complete flow, step by step

Put it all together and you have a process that won't cause headaches:

1. Customer receives the product → the 14 days start.

2. They notify you via form or email → record the date.

3. They send the product back within 14 days of notifying.

4. You refund within 14 days of notification, with the right to wait for the goods/proof of shipping.

5. You refund the price + standard delivery, on the same payment method.

If you want the return page, the form and the flow built in correctly from the start — not bolted on afterward — that's how we work at MPO Web Studio: we prepare a ready-made demo with the legal framework in place, delivered remotely nationwide. Message me on WhatsApp, I'll show you the demo, and we'll see if it fits — no obligation.