The EU withdrawal button is a button on your website that lets a customer cancel a contract they made with you online. Think of it like an "undo" button for an online purchase. The customer clicks it, confirms, and the cancellation starts.
The idea behind it is fair and simple. If a person can buy from you with a few clicks, they should be able to cancel just as easily. They should not have to hunt for an email address, write a formal letter, or call a phone line that is never open.
Why does this exist?
EU law already gives most online shoppers the right to change their mind. For many online sales, a buyer has 14 days to cancel without giving a reason. This is called the right of withdrawal. The "withdrawal" word just means cancelling and stepping out of the deal.
The problem was that cancelling was often hard. Some shops made it slow on purpose. So the EU added a new rule. Shops that let people sign up or buy online must also give them an easy online way to cancel. That easy way is the withdrawal button.
How the button works, step by step
- 1
The customer finds the button
It sits in an easy place, like the account area or the order page. It is clearly labelled so there is no guessing.
- 2
They start the request
They pick the order or contract they want to cancel and click the withdrawal button.
- 3
They confirm
A short confirm step makes sure they meant to do it. This is the "two step" part of the rule.
- 4
You get the request
The cancellation lands in your system. The date and time are saved, which matters for the deadlines.
- 5
You send a receipt
The customer gets a confirmation they can keep, such as an email. The law calls this a durable medium, which just means something they can save and read later.
- 6
You handle the refund
You process the return and refund within the time the law allows.
A button, not a form maze
Some shops think they already do this because they have a "contact us" form. That is not the same thing. The rule is about being easy and direct. A withdrawal button should:
- Be easy to find, not buried five clicks deep.
- Use clear words like "withdraw from your contract" so people understand it.
- Take only a short confirm step, not a long form with ten fields.
- Give the customer a saved confirmation at the end.
What the button is not
The withdrawal button is not a way to trap people or to ask why they are leaving. You can ask for a reason, but you cannot force them to give one. It is also not the same as a normal returns form for faulty goods. A withdrawal is about the right to change your mind, even when nothing is wrong with the item.
Who needs a withdrawal button?
In short, if you sell to people in the EU and they can buy or sign up on your website, you should plan for this. The exact scope depends on what you sell and the latest national rules. We cover that in more detail on the next two guides.