The right to cancel in Germany
If you sell online to people in Germany, your customers have a right to cancel. In German this is called Widerrufsrecht. That word means the right of withdrawal. In simple terms, the customer can change their mind and send the item back.
This right is a normal part of online shopping in Germany. People know about it. They expect it. So it helps you to understand it well.
There is also a new word you will hear soon. The new cancel button is called the Widerrufsbutton. It is a button on your website that lets the customer start a cancellation. We will talk more about this button later.
The 14 day rule in plain words
In most online sales, the customer has 14 days to cancel. They do not need to give a reason. They can just say they want to cancel and send the goods back.
The 14 days usually start when the customer gets the goods. For a service, the clock often starts when the contract is made. The main idea is simple. Give people a clear two week window to change their mind.
The Widerrufsbelehrung
You must tell the customer about this right in a clear way. The German term for these instructions is the Widerrufsbelehrung. That means the clear cancellation instructions you must give.
This text explains how to cancel, when the 14 days start, and where to send the request. If you skip this step or hide it, the cancellation window can get much longer. So put it where people can read it.
The model withdrawal form
You also need to give a simple form the customer can use to cancel. The German name is the Muster-Widerrufsformular. In plain words, it is a model withdrawal form.
The customer does not have to use this form. They can cancel by email or letter too. But you still must offer the form. It makes the process clear for everyone.
What changes in 2026
A new rule brings the EU withdrawal button. It comes from Directive (EU) 2023/2673. EU countries had to put it into their own law by 19 December 2025. The button applies from 19 June 2026.
The idea is fair and simple. Cancelling online should be as easy as buying. If a customer can buy with a few clicks, they should be able to cancel with a few clicks too.
Here is how the button is meant to work:
- The customer clicks a clear withdrawal button.
- There is a short confirm step so they can check the request.
- After they confirm, they get a confirmation they can save and keep.
One important point. This mandatory button in Directive 2023/2673 starts with distance financial services. That means things like loans, insurance, or other money services sold at a distance. The broader 14 day right of withdrawal already covers most online sales of goods and services. That older right comes from the Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU. So do not assume the button is legally required for every product you sell today. The 14 day right, though, applies to most of your normal sales.
German shoppers will not find this strange. Germany has had a cancellation button for ongoing contracts since 2022. It is called the Kündigungsbutton. So the idea of a simple online cancel button is already familiar to them.
Use German for your button and messages
Write your withdrawal button, your messages, and your information in German. Your customers need to understand them. A cancel button in a language they do not read is not much help.
This covers the button text, the cancellation instructions, the form, and any confirmation you send. If German is not your first language, get a native speaker to check the wording. Small mistakes in legal text can cause big confusion.
What German shoppers expect
German consumers have strong habits. They are used to clear rules and easy returns. Many will check your terms before they buy. If your information looks thin or sloppy, they may not trust you.
Here is what they tend to expect:
- Clear information about the right to cancel.
- An easy way to start a cancellation.
- Correct legal wording in German.
- A fast and fair refund.
German consumer rules sit in the German Civil Code, known as the BGB. Consumer protection groups, called the Verbraucherzentrale, watch shops closely. They help people who feel they were treated unfairly. So it pays to get this right from the start.
Steps to get your shop ready
Here is a simple order of actions you can follow:
- Check that your cancellation instructions, the Widerrufsbelehrung, are clear and easy to find.
- Add the model withdrawal form, the Muster-Widerrufsformular, so customers can use it.
- Make your cancel process short. Aim for as few steps as buying.
- Plan for the withdrawal button and the short confirm step.
- Set up a saved confirmation that you send after each cancellation.
- Put all of this in clear German.
- Check if you sell distance financial services, since the new button rule starts there.
- Train your team so they handle each request the same way.
You do not need to do everything in one day. Work through the list step by step.
Common mistakes to avoid
Some errors come up again and again. You can avoid them with a little care.
- Hiding the cancellation instructions deep in your site.
- Forgetting to offer the model withdrawal form.
- Making the cancel process long and hard.
- Writing the legal text in the wrong language.
- Being slow with refunds.
- Sending no confirmation after a cancellation.
- Using a different payment method to refund the customer.
Each one of these can upset a customer or break a rule. None of them are hard to fix.
Refunds in Germany
When a customer cancels, you must pay them back. There are a few clear rules here.
Refund using the same payment method the customer used. If they paid by card, refund the card. Do not switch them to store credit unless they agree.
Pay back without undue delay. In plain words, do not drag your feet. The refund should reach them within 14 days once the conditions are met. You may be allowed to wait until you get the goods back or proof that they were sent. After that, pay quickly.
Refund the full price, including the basic delivery cost the customer first paid. Be fair and clear about what you return.
Keep records and proof
Keep a record of every cancellation request. This protects you if there is ever a dispute. It also helps you spot problems in your process.
For each request, it helps to keep:
- The date the request came in.
- How the customer sent it.
- The confirmation you sent back.
- The date and amount of the refund.
Store this in a safe place. A simple system is fine, as long as you can find each record later.
Selling into Germany from another country
You may run your shop from outside Germany. That does not mean you can skip these rules. If you target German consumers, German and EU rules generally apply to those sales.
Targeting can mean many things. A German language site, prices in euros, German delivery options, or ads aimed at German buyers. If you point your shop at people in Germany, treat those sales the German way. Give the right to cancel, the clear instructions, the form, and a fair refund.
Short recap
German customers have a strong right to cancel, called the Widerrufsrecht. Most online sales come with a 14 day window. You must give clear instructions, the Widerrufsbelehrung, and a model withdrawal form, the Muster-Widerrufsformular.
From 19 June 2026, the EU withdrawal button arrives under Directive (EU) 2023/2673. It starts with distance financial services, while the 14 day right already covers most online sales. Make cancelling as easy as buying, use German, refund fairly within 14 days, and keep good records. Do that, and you will meet what German shoppers expect.
The EU Withdrawal Button and PrestaShop in Germany
The EU Withdrawal Button is the clear, on site way for your customers to use their right of withdrawal, known in Germany as Widerrufsrecht. The same EU Consumer Rights apply whichever platform you sell on, so the goal is the same everywhere: make cancelling as easy as buying.
If you run a PrestaShop store that sells to Germany, you can meet these rules with a PrestaShop withdrawal button. A withdrawal button module for PrestaShop adds the button, the two step confirm, the saved receipt and the records you need for PrestaShop EU compliance. Read our PrestaShop withdrawal button guide for the steps, then use the compliance checklist to confirm you have covered everything for Germany.