Templates › Return and refund policy template
Return and refund policy template
A clear returns policy for an online store, with an extended holiday returns window. The US version is free below; the UK and EU rules, including the 14-day right to withdraw, are summarised with links to the official sources.
Free web version — no sign-up
Read it here, copy it into your store, or print it. The Word files and country versions are in the optional pack below.
A template, not legal advice. Last updated 28 September 2026. Check the rules where you sell and ask a lawyer if you are unsure.
Read the free US return and refund policy
Return and Refund Policy
A template, not legal advice. Last updated 28 September 2026. Check the rules where you sell and ask a lawyer if you are unsure.
This policy applies to orders placed with [store name] at [website] by customers in the United States. Last updated [date].
1. Returns
- You can return most items within [30] days of delivery for a refund to your original payment method.
- Items must be unused and in their original condition and packaging, with proof of purchase.
- To start a return, email [returns email] with your order number, or use [returns page link]. We will reply with return instructions [and a prepaid label] within [2] business days.
Holiday returns
Items bought between [1 November 2026] and [24 December 2026] can be returned until [31 January 2027]. All other terms in this policy still apply.
2. Items we cannot take back
- [Gift cards.]
- [Personalized or made-to-order items, unless they arrive damaged or faulty.]
- [Perishable goods, and opened health, beauty or personal care items.]
- [Items marked “final sale” on the product page before you bought them.]
3. Refunds
- When your return arrives we inspect it and email you. Approved refunds go back to your original payment method within [5] business days. Your bank or card issuer may take a few more days to show it.
- Original shipping charges are [refunded / not refunded]. Return shipping is [free with our label / paid by you], except when the item is damaged, faulty or not what you ordered.
- If an item comes back used, damaged or incomplete for reasons that are not our fault, we may refund part of the price. We will tell you why before we do.
4. Exchanges
The quickest way to get a different size or color is to return the item for a refund and place a new order.
5. Damaged, faulty or wrong items
If an item arrives damaged or faulty, or is not what you ordered, contact us within [14] days of delivery with your order number and a photo. We will replace it or refund you in full, including shipping, and you will not pay to send it back.
6. Gifts
If the item was marked as a gift when purchased and shipped straight to you, you will receive [store credit / a refund to the buyer] for the value of the return.
7. Your rights
This policy does not limit any right you have under the law of your state. Some states set rules on how a refund policy must be shown to customers; check the rules where you sell.
8. Contact us
[Store legal name], [address]. Email [email]. Phone [phone].
UK and EU: what changes
If you sell to consumers in the UK or the EU, the law gives them a right to cancel that your policy cannot take away. In the EU, the withdrawal period expires 14 days after the day the consumer (or someone they name, other than the carrier) takes physical possession of the goods, and you must refund within 14 days of being told, including standard delivery. The UK rules are almost the same.
| United States | United Kingdom | European Union | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Return for any reason | No general federal right; your policy sets it | 14 days from delivery to cancel, then 14 days to send the goods back | 14 days from delivery to withdraw, then 14 days to send the goods back |
| Refund deadline | Your policy (state rules on showing it may apply) | Within 14 days of getting the goods back, or proof they were sent if earlier | Within 14 days of being told; you may wait for the goods or proof they were sent |
| Outbound delivery cost | Your policy | Refunded, up to your cheapest standard option | Refunded, up to your cheapest standard option |
| Faulty goods | Warranties and state law | 30 days to reject for a full refund, then repair or replacement | Legal guarantee of at least 2 years |
| Online withdrawal button | No | No | Required since 19 June 2026 for online sales |
Official sources:
- Your Europe: returns and the right of withdrawal (European Union)
- Your Europe: contracts with consumers, for businesses (European Union)
- Directive 2011/83/EU on consumer rights (EUR-Lex)
- The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013
- Consumer Rights Act 2015
- GOV.UK: accepting returns and giving refunds
Paid pack · optional
Return and refund policy pack
$19 one-time
US, UK and EU return and refund policies in Word, holiday returns wording, and the UK cancellation and EU withdrawal forms.
- US return and refund policy (.docx)
- UK returns, cancellation and refund policy (.docx)
- EU returns, withdrawal and refund policy (.docx)
- UK cancellation form and EU model withdrawal form (.docx)
Template packs are sold by Globixera through Stripe as a one-time card payment in US dollars, for use in your own business. Buyers in the UK, the EU, Australia, Canada, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and India buy as a business and must enter a VAT, GST or other business tax ID at checkout (reverse charge). Templates, not legal advice. Your rights under consumer law are not affected.
Questions
Do US stores have to accept returns?
There is no general federal right to return goods bought online in the United States, so your policy sets the rules. Some states regulate how a refund policy must be displayed, so show it clearly before checkout.
When does the EU 14-day withdrawal period start?
For goods, it expires 14 days after the day the consumer, or someone they name other than the carrier, takes physical possession of the goods. For several items delivered separately, it runs from the last delivery.
Do I have to refund the shipping cost?
In the UK and the EU, yes: you refund the outbound delivery cost up to your cheapest standard option. The consumer usually pays the cost of sending the goods back if you told them so. In the US it is your choice.
Can I offer longer returns over the holidays?
Yes. A longer holiday returns window is a promise on top of the legal rights, not instead of them. The template includes the wording.
Is the template free?
The US version on this page is free to read, copy and print. The paid pack has the US, UK and EU versions in Word, plus the cancellation and withdrawal forms.