Contents
What?
From June 19, 2026, online stores and platforms selling to consumers via a website or app will be required to provide customers with an online withdrawal function. In practice, this means a visible button or link labeled "withdraw from the contract here" or some other clear phrase. Customers no longer have to search for a PDF form, write a separate email to customer service, or analyze lengthy terms and conditions just to exercise their right of withdrawal.
Why?
The change isn't just about adding a button to the customer dashboard. It's a legal and technical project that impacts user experience, terms and conditions, customer service, payments, warehousing, packaging, reverse logistics, and cost analysis. While online returns are meant to be simpler for consumers, they may become a more visible and difficult-to-hide operational expense for retailers.
Who is it for?
Online store owners, e-commerce managers, and those responsible for online sales development, logistics, customer service, regulations, sales platform implementation, and analytics. It's particularly interesting for sellers who currently handle returns manually, via email, PDF forms, spreadsheets, or through contact with a consultant.
Background:
For years, online shopping has been simplified to the max: a quick shopping cart, online payment, saved delivery details, promotional messages, and automatic confirmations. Withdrawal from a contract often looked completely different. Customers had to find instructions in the terms and conditions, download the document, fill it out themselves, send a message, and wait for a response from customer service. The new rules aim to ensure that withdrawal from a purchase is as clearly integrated into the online store interface as the purchase itself. This means greater transparency for the consumer and a test of operational maturity for the seller.
The “withdraw from the contract here” button – what does it really mean for an online store?
The slogan "one-click returns" quickly emerged around the new regulations. It's catchy, but it doesn't capture the full meaning of the change. The click refers to submitting a declaration of withdrawal from the contract, not physically returning the product, receiving a refund within a second, or automatically providing free return shipping. This is a crucial distinction, as many sellers may mistakenly consider the new requirement to be merely a technical addition to the website.
The new feature should be available throughout the customer journey. If a consumer purchases a product via a website or app, they should be able to exercise the online withdrawal option. A button placed in the footer of the page alone may not be sufficient if the customer is unable to link the request to a specific order, select products for return, or receive confirmation.
The seller should answer several questions: where the customer concludes the contract, whether they are purchasing as a logged-in user or as a guest, whether the order can include multiple products, whether partial returns are possible, how the system will record the date and time of the declaration, and how the customer will receive confirmation on a durable medium. This demonstrates that implementing the button shouldn't be solely the responsibility of the programmer. Many companies will require collaboration between legal, customer service, warehouse, marketing, finance, and technology departments.
A good starting point may be an e-commerce audit of an online store, which checks not only the appearance of the website, but also the purchasing and post-sales process and places where the customer may encounter barriers.
Free returns are not an automatic obligation for the seller
One of the biggest misunderstandings surrounding the new rules is the equating of the online contract withdrawal function with the obligation to finance free returns. The new regulations are intended to simplify the digital process of submitting a declaration, but they do not automatically mean that the seller must cover all the costs of returning the parcel. These are two different levels: the right to withdraw from the contract and the rules for covering return shipping costs.
In practice, the customer may bear the direct costs of returning the item if the seller has not agreed to cover them and has properly informed the buyer. In the event of a valid withdrawal from the contract, the seller will refund the customer in accordance with the regulations, but the issue of the cost of returning the product requires clear communication. If an online store hides this information in unclear terms and conditions, it may expose itself to disputes, complaints, and a loss of trust.
Therefore, the question of free returns today is more of a business than a purely legal one. For years, free returns were a marketing argument, providing customers with a sense of security, particularly in fashion, footwear, electronics, cosmetics, home furnishings, and contactless products. The problem arises when this sales argument eats into margins and companies fail to measure the full cost of processing returns.
The payback doesn't end with the click. After that, the real cost begins
The new button will be visible to the customer, but the majority of the cost will appear off-screen. After submitting the declaration, the product must be returned to the seller. This involves accepting the shipment, inspecting the condition of the goods, checking for completeness, deciding whether to resell it, repackaging, updating the inventory, refunding the payment, possibly reducing the price, and sometimes even disposal.
Each of these steps comes at a cost. Warehouse worker time, additional packaging materials, storage space, system maintenance, payment processor costs, customer communication, and the risk of product depreciation aren't always visible in a simple sales report. An online store might see a high number of orders but not realize that some of these sales are returning and reducing category profitability.
That's why the growing importance of returns should change the way we look at online sales. It's not enough to measure conversions, basket size, and revenue. It's also important to measure the cost of returning a product. In a mature online store, returns are no longer just a matter of customer service. They're an indicator of the quality of descriptions, images, pricing, packaging, logistics, communication, and how well a product meets customer expectations.
Industry data shows the scale of the returns problem
Industry sources cited in the discussion about the new rules show that returns are not a marginal phenomenon. According to a report by NRF and Happy Returns, the value of returns in the US retail sector was estimated at $849.9 billion in 2025, with the share of returns in online sales at 19.3%. These figures are from the US market, so they shouldn't be mechanically extrapolated to Poland, but they do illustrate the scale of the challenge: the greater the share of online sales, the greater the costs of reverse logistics, packaging, customer service, and product re-introduction.
The greater the share of online sales, the more important the post-purchase processes become. Customers don't touch the product before purchasing, nor do they check its material, size, color, weight, or proportions. They base their decisions on images, descriptions, specifications, reviews, and brand confidence. If these elements are not sufficiently accurate, the risk of returns increases.
This is especially important for companies that invest heavily in advertising campaigns. If the ad effectively sells the product, but the product page doesn't explain limitations, dimensions, or usage, the online store may generate orders with a high risk of return. In such a situation, the problem isn't just logistics; it's the quality of pre-purchase information.
Returns policy as a sales tool and cost source
Easy returns aren't inherently bad for business. Research on returns policies shows that more liberal policies can increase purchase intentions because they reduce customer risk. Consumers make easier decisions when they know they can safely withdraw from the contract if they make a poor choice.
The problem is that not every aspect of a liberal returns policy works equally. A refund, a simple process, and minimal customer effort can boost sales. At the same time, an excessively broad range of products eligible for returns, a lack of fraud control, or unconditional reimbursement of costs in every category can increase return rates and reduce margins.
In practice, the best returns policy doesn't have to be the most restrictive or the most liberal. It should be data-driven. Apparel, electronics, bulky goods, cosmetics, and personalized products should be viewed differently. A single policy for the entire product range may be convenient from a marketing perspective, but it's not always economically sound.
Reverse logistics is entering the online store strategy
For years, reverse logistics was treated as the end of the transaction. The customer returns the package, the warehouse accepts it, accounting refunds the money, and the matter disappears. Today, this approach is too superficial. Returns impact trust, reviews, repeat business, profitability, product availability, and the entire back office.
If marketing promises a simple refund, but the warehouse lacks the people, space, procedures, and tools, conflict arises. Customers see delayed refunds or lack of status information. Customer service receives more messages. The warehouse is under pressure. The company loses time, money, and reputation. A new button can therefore expose weaknesses that were previously dispersed across departments.
Therefore, returns management should be a common thread across sales, logistics, customer service, finance, ERP systems, store platforms, carriers, and packaging suppliers. This is a good time to take a broader look at e-commerce developments, as growing customer demands increasingly affect not only the purchase itself but also what happens afterward.
Returnable packaging – an underestimated cost element
This is an important part of the discussion, as packaging is no longer just a cost for the initial shipment. In reverse logistics, it must survive not only the journey to the customer, but also opening, resealing, return transport, warehouse receipt, and eventual reintroduction of the product to the market.
The cheapest box isn't always the cheapest solution throughout the order lifecycle. If the packaging is easily damaged, the warehouse must use additional materials, spend more time repacking, or assume a greater risk of product damage on return. With a small number of returns, this can seem like a small detail. However, with hundreds or thousands of packages per month, it becomes a real cost item.
Well-chosen packaging can shorten returns processing time, reduce damage, and facilitate restocking. This is especially important for delicate, bulky, seasonal, and premium items. Therefore, it's worth considering packaging costs not only for shipping to the customer but also for potential product returns.
Table: where do the return costs arise in an online store?
| Cost area | What happens after a return? | Why is this important? | What is worth measuring? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer service | The customer asks about the procedure, status, refund deadline or shipping cost. | Manual communication increases the workload of the team and increases response times. | Number of requests per return and processing time. |
| Warehouse | The package is received, identified, checked and assigned to the order. | The lack of a procedure causes errors, delays and conflicts with customers. | Return acceptance time and number of problematic packages. |
| Quality control | The product is assessed for completeness, signs of use and damage. | This decision will determine whether the product will be returned to sale at full price. | Percentage of full-value, discounted and lost products. |
| Packaging | The cardboard, padding and protection may require replacement. | Poor packaging increases the risk of damage and extra work. | Cost of repacking and the amount of damage in return transport. |
| Finances | The payment is refunded and the order is settled. | The return impacts revenue, margin, reporting and cash flow. | Cost of return relative to margin and basket value. |
How to prepare your online store before June 19, 2026?
The worst-case scenario is treating the new rules as a task for the last week before the changes take effect. In this case, the online store might have a button but no process. The feature will be visible on the website, but tickets will be sent to customer service without a clear status, the warehouse won't know what to expect, and the customer won't receive a clear confirmation.
1. Carry out a legal and technical audit of the withdrawal path
It's important to check where customers can find information about contract withdrawal, whether they can submit a declaration online, whether the process works on mobile phones, and whether it's accessible to buyers without an account. It's worth following the same path as a real customer: from the order confirmation email, through the order panel, to the form and the feedback message.
2. Update your terms and conditions, returns policy, and transaction messages
Documents should describe the actual process, not the old PDF-based procedure. Customers should know where the withdrawal function is located, what the confirmation looks like, who is responsible for returning the product, and what the next steps are. Clear communication is especially important if an online store plans to discontinue free returns.
3. Calculate the return cost by product category
Not every return costs the same. A dress is handled differently, a coffee machine differently, an armchair differently, a delicate product differently, and a personalized product differently still. Online stores should calculate the return cost by category, size, margin, product condition upon return, and processing time. Only then can they consciously decide where free returns support sales and where they harm profits.
4. Design return prevention on the product card
The cheapest return is the one that didn't have to happen. In fashion, this means better size charts, photos on different body types, and cut descriptions. In electronics, precise specifications, compatibility, and limitations. In furniture, dimensions, scale photos, and material descriptions. In cosmetics, ingredients, contraindications, and instructions for use. Pre-purchase content directly impacts the number of post-purchase returns.
5. Decide if the return is a cost or part of the customer experience
Returns can be treated as a cost to mitigate or as a trust-building element. The best decision depends on the data: category, margin, customer value, purchase frequency, fraud history, and operating costs. Online stores should avoid simple slogans like "always free" or "always paid." A more mature approach considers different scenarios for different product groups and customers.
Returns and product descriptions, SEO and the quality of pre-purchase information
Returns are often the result of mismatched expectations. A customer orders a product because the photo looks attractive, the description promises benefits, and the specifications are too general. After delivery, they discover that the color is different, the size doesn't fit, the material is different than expected, or the product doesn't perform as expected. Such a return is no accident. It's feedback on the quality of the product's presentation.
From an SEO perspective, a well-crafted product page should attract traffic but also sell intentionally. Keyword phrases are important, but they're not enough on their own. Accurate data, images, answers to questions, comparisons, and information about uses and limitations are essential. If an online store generates a lot of organic traffic but has a high return rate, it's worth checking whether the content promises more than the product actually delivers.
That's why the new regulations can be seen as a catalyst for broader work on website quality. Materials from the knowledge base , which discuss trends, technologies, and tools supporting online sales, can be helpful
The most common mistakes when implementing a new returns path
- Adding a button without a process – the customer can click, but the report does not trigger a clear status in the system.
- No support for purchases without an account – the customer purchased as a guest and a return requires registration.
- Hiding cost information – unclear rules lead to conflicts and negative opinions.
- Lack of confirmation on a durable medium – the client has no proof that he or she has effectively submitted the declaration.
- One policy for the entire product range – convenient in terms of communication, but often cost-inefficient.
- Lack of data on the reasons for returns – the company does not know whether the problem is the product, description, size, photos or delivery.
- Skipping packaging – the cost of boxing, filling and repackaging can significantly impact profitability.
- Treating returns only as a legal obligation – meanwhile, it is also a topic of UX, logistics, finance and marketing.
What does this mean for new online stores?
Companies just planning online sales should consider the new rules early on when selecting a platform and designing processes. It's worth checking whether the system allows for returns processing in the customer panel, whether it allows partial contract withdrawals, whether it records the submission date, whether it sends automatic confirmation, and whether it can be linked to inventory and payments.
A new online store shouldn't replicate old patterns where purchases are digital and returns are manual. If sales are to grow, post-purchase processes must be developed on a larger scale. This is especially important for companies planning omnichannel sales, marketplaces, performance campaigns, or rapid product expansion.
If you're planning to start selling online, it's worth checking out the guide on how to set up an online store and the online store setup. A well-designed process from the outset is cheaper than fixing errors later under regulatory pressure and a growing number of reports.
New Returns Policy as a Test of Operational Maturity
From June 2026, the right of withdrawal will be more firmly embedded in the online store interface. It will be visible, clickable, and easier to measure. This provides convenience and greater transparency for the customer. For the seller, it's a test of whether the company truly understands the entire order cycle, not just the moment of purchase.
An online store with structured reverse logistics, clear policies, good packaging, accurate descriptions, and data on the reasons for returns can see this new obligation as an advantage. Customers will find information faster, customer service will face fewer repetitive questions, the warehouse will operate according to procedures, and the business owner will see the real cost of returns in reports.
The greatest risk lies with companies that have previously financed sales growth through the hidden cost of returns. The new button won't create this cost from scratch, but it could reveal it. Therefore, it's worth treating the change not as a chore, but as an opportunity to streamline a process that already impacts the profitability of online sales.
What is worth doing now?
The new returns policy for online stores isn't just a formal change. It's a signal that the digital world is increasingly shifting toward complete transparency in the purchasing and post-sale processes. Customers should not only be able to buy quickly but also easily exercise their rights if a product doesn't meet expectations.
For retailers, the most important lesson is simple: the withdrawal button will be visible to the customer, but its effects will be felt by the entire company. Therefore, preparations should encompass technology, regulations, logistics, warehousing, packaging, customer service, finance, product content, and analytics. Those who treat returns as a data source, not just a cost, can gain better control over the profitability of online sales.
