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There is no single worldwide return deadline or refund rule. What you can return, by when, and who pays postage depends on the seller’s policy, the country whose law governs the sale, and why you’re returning the item. Work out those three things first, then follow the steps below to start the return, prove you sent it, and escalate if the money doesn’t come back.
Step-by-step: returning an online order
- Gather the order details. Open the confirmation email or your account’s order page. Note the actual seller (which may differ from the marketplace it was bought on), the delivery date, the item’s condition, and your reason for returning it.
- Check the return route and deadline. Read the return instructions attached to that specific order. Look for who is eligible, the last date to request or ship a return, whether the seller supplies a label, who pays postage, any restocking fee, and how the refund is issued. The FTC advises checking return shipping, the return window and restocking fees before you buy and again before you send anything (FTC, Online Shopping). Sale or clearance terms may be stricter, but they don’t necessarily override statutory rights.
- Start the return with the seller. Use the seller’s return portal, form or customer-service channel. Quote the order number and give a clear reason. For a faulty or wrong item, describe the fault or mismatch accurately and keep a copy of the message. If you bought through a marketplace, check whether its own process or buyer protection applies to this seller (FTC, Buying From an Online Marketplace).
- Pack and dispatch as instructed. Return the item in the condition and manner the seller requires. Keep the return authorisation and any label. For a mailed parcel, keep the drop-off receipt and tracking number until the refund shows up. Packaging requirements vary by retailer and item, so don’t assume a particular box or supply is needed.
- Track the parcel and the refund. Save the carrier’s acceptance scan and delivery confirmation. Check the seller’s stated processing time and which payment account will receive the money. If the promised or legally applicable period passes, write to the seller with the order number and your evidence.
- Escalate if needed. See the escalation section below.
Match your situation to the right route
The reason for the return changes your rights, so decide which of these applies before you contact the seller.
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| Situation | What usually governs it |
|---|---|
| Changed your mind | The seller’s policy, plus a statutory cancellation right only in some places (the UK and EU, for example). Not a universal entitlement. |
| Faulty, damaged or not as described | Statutory remedies in your country, which can apply even when the store’s own policy is stricter. |
| Wrong item sent | Treat it as a seller error: describe the mismatch and ask for the correct item or a refund. |
| Never arrived or shipped late | Delivery rules, such as the US federal order rule covered below. |
How the rules differ by location
United States
The FTC tells shoppers to review the seller’s policy for eligibility, deadlines, shipping responsibility and restocking fees, and to keep receipts, order confirmations, tracking details and customer-service messages (FTC, Returns, Refunds, and Other Resolutions).
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Don’t confuse the federal Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule with a universal right to return delivered goods. It covers shipping within the promised time (generally 30 days if no time is stated), delay notices, cancellation and refunds for merchandise that was not shipped. It does not create a general 14-day change-of-mind period for items you’ve received. State law and the seller’s own policy fill that gap.
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United Kingdom
For online, mail and telephone orders, GOV.UK guidance says customers “have the right to cancel their order for a limited time even if the item is not faulty.” In practice:
- You generally have 14 days from receiving the goods to tell the seller you’re cancelling, and a further 14 days after that to send the item back. No reason is needed.
- Exceptions include personalised or made-to-order items, perishable goods, opened software or media, and hygiene-sealed items.
- The seller generally refunds within 14 days of getting the goods back, including standard delivery. A pricier delivery upgrade need not be refunded beyond the standard cost.
Faulty goods are a separate route under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Where a refund is due, it must be made without undue delay and within 14 days after the trader agrees you’re entitled to it, generally to the original payment method unless you agree otherwise. Don’t mix this timeline with the change-of-mind one.
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European Union
For a distance contract with a trader, Your Europe describes a 14-day withdrawal period, without giving a reason, generally running from delivery for goods. Exceptions include certain personalised goods, opened sealed software or media, some digital content once performance has begun with your consent, and purchases from private individuals rather than traders. Cross-border claims against a seller outside the EU can be harder to enforce (Your Europe, shopping rights).
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Who pays return postage?
Not always the seller. Under EU guidance, for a change-of-mind withdrawal you generally pay return postage if the seller told you so in advance; if it didn’t, the seller bears the cost. For defective goods, shipping is part of the free repair or replacement. Elsewhere, including the US, check the order’s policy: the FTC specifically flags return shipping and restocking fees as things to confirm.
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Choosing between the seller’s route and a marketplace’s
If an order could go either way, compare these points for each route:
- The applicable deadline
- Whether it covers change of mind, defects, or both
- Return-postage cost and how the label is supplied
- Refund method and stated processing time
- Evidence and tracking requirements
- The escalation or buyer-protection deadline
Marketplace protections vary and often have their own time limits, so start the claim promptly.
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If the seller doesn’t refund you
- Send a written follow-up quoting the order number, return date, tracking proof and the deadline you were given.
- For a marketplace order, open the marketplace’s dispute or buyer-protection claim before its deadline expires.
- Depending on the issue and how you paid, contact your card issuer or payment provider about a dispute.
- Report the problem to your national or regional consumer-protection office.
Keep messages, screenshots, receipts and tracking records throughout; the FTC advises this for any dispute.
Limits of this guide
This is general consumer information, not a legal ruling on your case. A private seller, or one based in another country, can change your rights and how practicable enforcement is. The UK and EU periods above apply only to covered transactions, and no seller is obliged to offer a no-questions-asked return everywhere. Check your order’s terms and your local consumer authority.
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