Starting June 19th 2026, ecom businesses selling to EU consumers are required to provide a clear digital withdrawal option. The requirement comes from Directive (EU) 2023/2673, which amends the Consumer Rights Directive.

Here is what the directive actually says, why it is harder than simply a button, and how Redo gives you a fully compliant flow at no cost.

The withdrawal requirement from a high level

The requirement adds a new withdrawal mandate to the Consumer Rights Directive. If a shopper can buy in a few clicks, they must be able to withdraw in a few clicks for a full refund; including shipping, duties, and taxes.

We expect to see these requirements get enforced, with stated penalties up to 4% of annual turnover.

Redo's free withdrawal portal automatically applies the compliance guidelines including the correct withdrawal labels, required two-step confirmation, legal acknowledgement email, refunds to the original payment method, and merchant visibility into all withdrawal requests.

What is required? And how does Redo solve it?

The following outlines each withdrawal requirement, and how Redo's solution manages it.

Requirement: Withdrawals available for all shoppers in the EU, regardless of merchant location.

• Redo automatically checks a shopper country based on their shipping address. If the shipping address on an order was in the EU, that order is eligible for a withdrawal.

Requirement: Withdrawal submissions are available for 14 days after delivery, including unfulfilled orders.

• Redo automatically applies this return window logic. Cancelling orders that have not been fulfilled, and creating return shipping labels for withdrawn orders that have already been shipped.

Requirement: Clear withdrawal CTA must be shown on the website, not hidden in return FAQs.

• Merchants receive a dedicated withdrawal URL from Redo, which they can place on their site according to their discretion. Many merchants choose to place this link in their site footer so it's consistently visible on all pages; however each brand is responsible for confirming with its own legal counsel whether this placement and wording meet local compliance requirements.

Requirement: No extra clicks.

• Redo allows shoppers to fill out the necessary order information and go through a confirmation process to submit their withdrawal. Redo does not require return reasons fields or provide upsells in the withdrawal flow.

Requirement: Withdrawals default to a refund to the original payment method, and include standard outbound shipping if the customer paid for it.

• Redo automatically issues withdrawals to the original payment method via Shopify. Including refunds for outbound shipping costs. The full outbound shipping costs will be refunded by default, with the option for merchants to edit the refundable amount on a per order basis.

Requirement: Refunds must be issued within 14 days. For unfulfilled orders, these 14 days begin from the date of withdrawal submission. For fulfilled orders, the 14 days begin from proof of return shipment (typically the carrier scan) or when the return is received by the merchant, whichever comes first.

• This logic is automatically applied by the Redo withdrawal portal. Merchant may configure their refund automation windows to issue refunds sooner but for any withdrawals, Redo will issue refunds at the required time windows at the latest.

The TLDR, Redo's withdrawal solution helps brands manage compliance out of the box, with very little configuration required.

How does this coexist with my current returns process?

This is the question most brands ask first, because a guaranteed refund right sounds like a threat to the returns economics they have worked to build.

For the Shopper:

The experiences live in parallel. A shopper either enters the withdrawal portal or the return flow. The withdrawal flow is deliberately frictionless because the directive requires it. The return flow is opposite by design, treating shoppers like they are returning in person with a sales associate: gathering feedback on what didn't work, and recommending exchanges or store credit before a refund.

For your Team:

Withdrawals and returns are managed in the same backend, with the same UI. Your team won't need to learn a new tool or process, they'll just see if the customer submitted the request as a return or a withdrawal.

Keeping the two paths separate but connected lets you stay compliant without inflating returns. Redo bakes this separation into the product: your returns experience stays intact, and the withdrawal path is easy for EU shoppers.

Shoppers whose orders did not ship to the EU cannot submit a withdrawal from the dedicated withdrawal URL, and the withdrawal button is hidden in the return portal for any order with a non-EU shipping address.

Details on managing withdrawals for cross-border returns

International orders shipping to the EU from other markets is where this requirement gets difficult. There are three complications:

1. Processing items physically

For a cross-border order, the refund clock can run out before a returned product is back in your hands and inspected. That forces a choice to refund blind or risk missing the deadline. With Redo, you can route EU returns to our Netherlands Return Center and have them inspected locally, ensuring that full refunds are only processed on items inside of your policy.

2. Who owes duties & taxes

On a withdrawal, the refund math is also more involved than it looks. You owe the customer what they paid you, which may include duties, taxes and shipping fees.

• If the customer paid duties and taxes at checkout (DDP), those amounts are refunded as part of the withdrawal. For partial withdrawals, Redo refunds duties and taxes only for the specific line items included in the withdrawal.
• If they paid the carrier on delivery (DDU), duties and taxes are not the merchant's responsibility and are not included in the withdrawal.

If a Merchant of Record handles your cross-border checkout, the duty/tax refund flows through them, not you. Understanding their process will help you ensure your storefront remains compliant and that customers are covered.

3. How to structure your return policy

Carve out a separate section of your return policy outlining your approach to withdrawals.

Solving withdrawals for free with Redo

Redo returns, along with our withdrawal function, is completely free with our Checkout+ model. This model offers free shipping on returns and withdrawals for shoppers, along with free software to automate and customize the process. To learn more, Chat with an expert.

Before June 19, 2026

A short checklist to audit your live store against before the deadline:

1. A findable way to withdraw, separate from your returns FAQ, ideally linked in your footer and on the order page.
2. A two-step confirmation and an automatic acknowledgement email.
3. Refunds to the original payment method, including standard outbound shipping.
4. Access without forcing a guest shopper to create an account.
5. A line in your returns information telling EU customers the withdrawal function exists.

One last note on responsibility. Redo gives you the tooling to meet this requirement. The brand remains the responsible trader under the directive, so it is worth confirming the specifics with your own counsel, particularly the exact label wording in each market you sell to.

If you are already selling into the EU and would like to chat with our team of experts about meeting the updated consumer rights directive, feel free to schedule time with an expert using the following link:

Schedule a consultation here

More questions? Read the full FAQ

For detailed answers on eligibility, withdrawal windows, refund timing, DDP vs. DDU duties, multi-shipment orders, and how Redo's dashboard and emails handle withdrawals, see our complete EU Right of Withdrawal FAQ.

Legal Disclaimer

This page does not constitute legal advice. The information provided here is for educational purposes only and is intended to help merchants understand the EU Right of Withdrawal at a general level. It does not cover every applicable law, regulation, or local requirement that may apply to your business.

Each merchant is solely responsible for ensuring their own compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including the EU Right of Withdrawal directive and any country-specific requirements in the markets where they sell. Redo provides tooling to help facilitate compliance, but the obligation to comply rests entirely with the merchant. Redo makes no warranty, express or implied, that use of its platform satisfies any particular legal obligation.

Merchants should confirm all compliance obligations with qualified legal counsel before taking action.