Does my 14 day return period start from order or delivery date?
For most online purchases in the EU, your 14-day return window starts on the delivery date, not the order date. The clock begins the day the parcel actually arrives at your door, and you don't need to give a reason. Days spent in transit are effectively added to your window.
How to do it
- Use the delivery date, not the order dateFind the day your parcel was actually delivered. That date, not the day you clicked buy, is when your 14-day window opens.
- Count 14 days from deliveryAdd 14 days to the delivery date to get your deadline to withdraw. Any transit time before delivery is effectively free.
- Tell the seller you're withdrawing — no reason neededNotify the seller within those 14 days that you're cancelling. You don't have to justify why you're returning it.
- Send the item backOnce you've notified them, return the goods. Sellers usually give you a further period (often 14 days) to actually ship it back.
Questions that come up
Does this apply to every online purchase?
No. It covers most consumer distance sales in the EU, but several categories are excluded: perishable goods, personalised or custom-made items, sealed hygiene or health products once opened, and digital content you've already started downloading or streaming. Check the seller's terms if your item falls into one of these.
Do I have to give a reason to return it?
No. Within the 14-day withdrawal period you can cancel without explaining why, even if the item is perfect and you simply changed your mind. The seller can't require a justification, though you're usually responsible for the cost of sending it back unless they state otherwise.
Is the 14 days to notify or to actually send it back?
The 14 days is the deadline to inform the seller you're withdrawing. After that, you typically get a further period — often another 14 days — to physically return the goods. So the two clocks are separate: notify first, ship second.
Full transcript
Delivered, not ordered — that's the day your 14-day return clock starts. For most online purchases in the EU, the clock begins when your parcel arrives. So every day in transit is quietly added — and you never need a reason. Watch: from the delivered date, the counter ticks up — day one, day two, three. Weighing a return? Check the delivery date, not the order.