EU Right of Withdrawal FAQ

The EU right of withdrawal is a legal right that allows shoppers in the European Union to exit a purchase contract within a set window, no questions asked. Unlike a standard return, it doesn't require a reason, cannot be buried inside a returns policy, must use the specific word "withdraw" throughout the process, and must follow a simplified flow with minimal steps.

This right is mandatory under EU law and merchants have no discretion over whether to offer it. If a shopper can buy in a few clicks, they must be able to withdraw in a few clicks.

Yes. If a merchant ships even a single order to a customer with an EU shipping address, they are required to comply. The law applies based on where your customer is, not where you are headquartered. Whether you're based in Berlin, London, or Los Angeles, if you're selling to EU consumers, you must be compliant.

On June 19, 2026, merchants are required to offer the withdrawal process digitally. Previously, merchants had to honor withdrawal requests, but customers could pursue them through offline or manual channels. The new requirement makes a fully digital, self-serve path mandatory.

No. The withdrawal function is included with the Redo returns platform at no additional cost. It is not a separately priced compliance add-on. This matters most for brands with high return rates, which are also the brands most exposed to this rule. Redo is built to absorb the routing, refund timing, and reverse logistics work that withdrawal volume creates.

Any shopper whose order fulfillment (shipping) address is in an EU member country qualifies. Redo determines eligibility automatically by checking the customer country on the shipping address of the order. No manual configuration is required per market.

Withdrawal windows vary by fulfillment status:

• Pre-shipment: Shoppers can request a withdrawal at any time before the order ships, regardless of how long ago it was placed.
• In transit: Shoppers can still request a withdrawal while the order is in transit. If it can't be intercepted, it converts to a return once delivered.
• Delivered: Shoppers have 14 days from the delivery date to submit a withdrawal request.

These windows are applied automatically within the Redo withdrawal flow. No manual configuration is needed.

No. Due to Brexit, the UK is not subject to EU consumer protection law and does not fall under this directive. UK-specific consumer rights rules apply separately. Confirm those obligations with your legal counsel.

The flow is: click storefront link, look up order (email + order number), select eligible items, confirm shipping address, and submit withdrawal. There is no return reason screen, no exchange prompt, and no unnecessary steps. The law explicitly requires a "request and confirm" flow, nothing more.

Shoppers do not need to create an account. Standard order lookup is sufficient and fully compliant under the directive.

Redo provides a separate withdrawal-specific link so merchants can add a withdrawal button to their website. This link bypasses unnecessary steps and gets shoppers into a withdrawal request as quickly as possible.

If the order has already shipped, the withdrawal flow will automatically provide the shopper with a return label.

Not permitted: requiring account creation, mandatory return reasons, upsell prompts, or any step that isn't directly necessary to complete the withdrawal.

Permitted: order lookup via email and order number and address confirmation. Shoppers must be able to complete the full withdrawal in two steps: request and confirm. Redo does not currently support collecting return reasons for withdrawal requests.

Redo provides a withdrawal link. It is up to each merchant to decide where and how to add it to their site. Some merchants are placing it in their site footer; others are adding it as a button elsewhere on the site; some configure it to appear only for shoppers from EU countries.

Redo provides a link that is specific to withdrawals. When shoppers arrive via that link, all copy in the portal displays "withdrawal" language rather than "return" language, in order to comply with the law.

EU shoppers who navigate to the general returns portal will also see a "Start a Withdrawal" button, allowing them to choose between starting a return or a withdrawal.

Pre-shipment: The withdrawal is treated as a cancellation. No return label is needed. The merchant must process the refund within 14 days of submission. Redo processes the cancellation within the withdrawal portal and issues the refund via Shopify.

Post-shipment: The withdrawal is treated as a return. The shopper receives a return label and goes through the standard Redo returns process. The refund must be issued within 14 days of the carrier scanning the inbound label.

The shopper sees one "Withdraw" button regardless of order status. Redo routes the request correctly behind the scenes based on fulfillment status.

When a shopper submits a withdrawal on an in-transit order, Redo logs the request and manages the refund timeline. Redo updates Shopify when a withdrawal is submitted. If downstream effects are needed to prevent shipment, it is the merchant's responsibility to ensure their other systems are listening to Shopify order cancellation events.

If the order is delivered despite the withdrawal request, it automatically converts to a return. The shopper receives a return label, and the standard 14-day refund clock from carrier scan applies. Redo handles this transition automatically.

The refund must include the product price, the standard outbound shipping the customer paid, and any duties and taxes paid at checkout where applicable. The refund does not need to include shipping upcharges. If the customer selected an upgraded delivery method (e.g. express or priority), only the base standard shipping rate must be refunded, not the surcharge.

Return shipping is the customer's cost only if the merchant clearly disclosed this before purchase. Because Redo assumes this disclosure has not been made, by default Redo will not charge shoppers for return shipping. The cost of return shipping will be added to the merchant's invoice.

DDP (Delivered Duty Paid): The customer paid duties and taxes at checkout as part of the purchase price. These must be refunded as part of the withdrawal. How these refunds are processed depends on how your checkout is configured and who collected the duties at checkout.

DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid): The customer paid duties and taxes directly to the carrier upon delivery. Neither the merchant nor Redo is required to manage or issue a refund for these amounts. Brands are not responsible for DDU duties and taxes. The customer would need to pursue any duty refunds separately with the carrier or customs authority.

Merchants have 14 days to issue the refund. When that clock starts depends on order status:

• Pre-shipment cancellations: 14 days from the date of withdrawal submission
• Shipped orders: 14 days from when the carrier scans the inbound return label, or when the merchant receives the item, whichever comes first

Redo tracks these timelines automatically. Merchants who want to process more quickly can adjust the default timing in their Redo settings.

Yes. Withdrawal refunds must be issued to the original payment method. Store credit and gift cards are not compliant substitutes. Redo defaults to this automatically for EU shoppers based on their shipping country. No additional configuration is required.

Yes. Brands can charge customers for return shipping on a withdrawal, at the merchant's discretion. However, the return shipping fee must be clearly disclosed to customers before they purchase. If it was not disclosed beforehand, the merchant may be required to cover the cost.

Merchants can configure their return shipping policy inside the Redo withdrawal settings.

No. Redo will provide a way for merchants to configure whether they charge for return shipping and to specify an amount. Nothing else in the withdrawal flow can be customized.

The withdrawal flow is enabled by default. No setup is required beyond merchants adding the withdrawal link to their website. The flow activates automatically for EU shoppers based on their shipping address.

If a merchant wishes to manage withdrawals through a different provider, they can disable this feature in their Redo settings or contact Redo at [email protected].

Yes. Your returns information should include a line informing EU customers that a withdrawal option exists and how to access it. This is distinct from the storefront link. It's a disclosure within your policy that makes clear the withdrawal right is available to EU shoppers.

The withdrawal flow and the return flow are two separate experiences through which customers can initiate a withdrawal. The withdrawal-specific link is the primary entry point, taking shoppers directly into the withdrawal flow. The standard return portal also surfaces withdrawal as an option for EU shoppers via a "Start a Withdrawal" button.

Both withdrawals and returns are managed in the same Redo backend, giving merchants full visibility into all withdrawal requests alongside standard returns.

Multi-shipment orders generally do not require a special flow for withdrawals. Redo handles them the same way as any other withdrawal based on the fulfillment status of the items.

The exception is when a multi-fulfillment order has one or more items that have not yet been fulfilled while other items have already shipped. In that scenario, if a customer requests a withdrawal, Redo creates two separate withdrawal requests: one treated as a cancellation for the unfulfilled items, and one processed as a withdrawal with a return shipment for the items that have already shipped. Redo applies the appropriate compliance windows separately to each.

Redo recommends that merchants configure their settings to ship all EU orders to the same location if they want to avoid issuing refunds for items that have not yet been physically returned.

For cross-border orders, the 14-day refund clock can expire before a returned product is back in the merchant's hands and inspected. This forces a difficult choice: refund blind and risk fraud, or wait and risk missing the compliance deadline.

Redo addresses this by offering routing to its Netherlands Return Center, where EU returns can be received and inspected locally. This gives merchants the product visibility they need before issuing a refund, while keeping the refund comfortably within the 14-day window, without needing to ship items across the Atlantic first.

Merchants who want to take advantage of Redo's international return centers should contact Redo to confirm eligibility, as not all merchants meet the volume requirements.

Yes. Redo operates a return center in the Netherlands that can receive, inspect, and process EU withdrawal returns. This is particularly valuable for US-based or non-EU merchants where standard cross-border return timelines would otherwise make it difficult to issue a refund within the 14-day compliance window. It also reduces return shipping costs for EU shoppers compared to sending items back overseas.

Merchants should contact Redo to confirm eligibility, as not all merchants meet the volume requirements.

Withdrawals appear as a distinct section in the Redo merchant dashboard, separate from standard returns, similar to how warranties and claims are displayed today. Merchants can review, manage, and process withdrawal requests from that view.

Withdrawals are tracked as a separate return type in analytics and reporting. This lets merchants view their withdrawal rate independently from their standard return rate, which matters for internal reporting and for understanding the true impact of EU compliance on overall return economics.

Merchants have the full 14-day window to review withdrawal requests and process refunds manually. If a merchant hasn't acted by the end of the compliance window, Redo will auto-process the refund. Merchants who want to process more quickly can adjust the default timing in their Redo settings.

Yes, it is a separate email. A withdrawal confirmation is sent immediately upon submission. This is legally required. It includes the order number, the item(s) being withdrawn, and a timestamp marking when the withdrawal was submitted (which is when the compliance clock starts). The email cannot ask the customer to take any further action. It must simply confirm receipt.

For pre-shipment cancellations, the shopper also receives a refund confirmation from Shopify once processed. For shipped withdrawals, they receive the withdrawal confirmation plus a return label through Redo's standard return tracking flow.