What are the obligations of a B2C ecommerce site in the EU?

A merchant selling to consumers in the EU combines several obligations, mostly stemming from EU consumer law: the 14-day withdrawal right and, since 19 June 2026, an online withdrawal button (a European obligation under Directive (EU) 2023/2673, on top of the Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU); the 2-year legal guarantee of conformity; pre-contractual information; access to out-of-court dispute resolution (ADR); as well as provider-identification (a legal notice) and compliant terms and conditions of sale. These rules apply across the 27 member states, subject to each member state's national implementation and enforcement arrangements. On top of this comes the protection of personal data (GDPR).

Does the withdrawal button only concern financial products?

No. This is a common confusion. The button obligation covers all distance sales of goods and services to consumers: physical products, online services, SaaS, training, and so on (a European obligation harmonised by Directive (EU) 2023/2673, applicable across the 27 member states). Contracts relating to financial services, on the other hand, fall under a regime of their own. So it is not because you do not sell financial products that you escape the button: it is quite the opposite for the vast majority of online merchants.

Is a withdrawal link in the footer enough to be compliant?

No, this is the most common trap. Under Directive (EU) 2023/2673, the withdrawal function must be easy to find, permanently visible and directly accessible, including for a buyer without an account. A simple link in the footer, in the terms of sale, or behind the "My account" area does not meet the requirement. The label must unambiguously indicate that the consumer can withdraw from the contract, and the button must remain accessible at the moment the customer manages their order.

Does selling only exempt products exempt you from the button?

Rarely. On the one hand, exceptions to the withdrawal right are conditional: depending on the case, they assume a hygiene seal broken by the customer, express consent to waive the right for digital content, or a genuinely perishable good (exceptions harmonised by Directive 2011/83/EU, art. 16). On the other hand, as soon as a single product in your catalogue remains subject to the withdrawal right, the button becomes mandatory across the whole site. Inapplicability must also be signalled to the customer before purchase (EU pre-contractual information rules, Directive 2011/83/EU).

Where should you start to get compliant?

A recent obligation that is easy to pin down is the online withdrawal button, a European obligation mandatory since 19 June 2026 (Directive (EU) 2023/2673, applicable across the 27 member states). It is a good starting point: its implementation is concrete and verifiable, and it leads you to review your pre-contractual information, your terms of sale and your information on the legal guarantees. You can then work through the other obligations one by one using the dedicated guides.

What do you risk in the event of non-compliance?

Sanctions are not harmonised: each member state sets its own enforcement arrangements and penalty levels. For widespread cross-border infringements, EU law also provides a common enforcement framework. Beyond a sanction, non-compliance exposes you to disputes with consumers and to civil consequences: for example, the absence of correct information on the withdrawal right extends its period (a rule harmonised by Directive 2011/83/EU). Getting compliant is therefore, above all, a preventive measure.

Is the withdrawal button mandatory?

Yes. For distance sales to consumers, an online withdrawal button has been mandatory since 19 June 2026: it is a European obligation set out by Directive (EU) 2023/2673 and applies across the 27 member states. It must allow the consumer to exercise their withdrawal right simply, which remains 14 days without justification under the Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU.

Ecommerce compliance

Ecommerce merchant compliance: all your B2C obligations

Last reviewed on July 22, 2026

Do you sell online to consumers? This page tells you, in plain terms, everything the law requires of you. A merchant selling to consumers combines several obligations stemming from EU consumer law (and from EU e-commerce law). Here is the map: for each obligation, a clear summary and a dedicated guide to go further. Start wherever you like, but the withdrawal button is a European obligation (Directive (EU) 2023/2673), applicable since 19 June 2026, and is often the best starting point.

Your obligations, one by one

Withdrawal right & withdrawal button

Directive 2011/83/EU · Directive (EU) 2023/2673

In distance sales to consumers, the consumer has 14 days to withdraw without justification (Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU). Since 19 June 2026, an online withdrawal button is mandatory (a European obligation under Directive (EU) 2023/2673, applicable across the 27 member states): your site must let customers exercise this right in a few clicks.

The withdrawal button guide Am I concerned?

Legal guarantee of conformity

Directive (EU) 2019/771

The seller is liable for conformity defects in a good for 2 years from delivery, a guarantee harmonised across the EU by Directive (EU) 2019/771. You must also inform the consumer about the guarantees in your terms of sale.

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Pre-contractual information

Directive 2011/83/EU, art. 6

Before the order, you must give the consumer the essential characteristics, the price, your identity, the withdrawal right, the guarantees, dispute resolution, and so on (Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU, art. 6), clearly and before the buyer is bound.

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Consumer dispute resolution (ADR)

EU consumer ADR rules

Any professional selling to consumers must give the consumer access to an approved out-of-court dispute resolution (ADR) body and provide its contact details under EU consumer law, notably in the terms of sale and the site's notices.

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Legal notice & terms of sale

EU e-commerce & consumer law

Your site must display the mandatory provider identification (legal notice) required under EU e-commerce law and terms and conditions of sale setting out the legal information for distance selling (withdrawal, guarantees, dispute resolution, price, delivery, and so on).

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And data protection (GDPR)? As soon as you collect personal data (customer accounts, orders, newsletter, and so on), you are also subject to the General Data Protection Regulation: informing data subjects, legal basis, security and managing rights. It is a cross-cutting obligation, distinct from consumer law, that adds to those listed above.

Where to start?

BackToMe, the simple way to be compliant

All these obligations can seem numerous. The simplest is to start with the most recent and most concrete one: the withdrawal button, mandatory since 19 June 2026 (a European obligation, Directive (EU) 2023/2673). BackToMe provides you with a compliant withdrawal button (with an acknowledgement of receipt on a durable medium and a dated archive with evidential value, freely assessed by the court) and gives you the map of the rest of your compliance.

Start getting compliant Am I concerned by the button?

To go further

The withdrawal button guide

The EU obligation, since 19 June 2026

Legal guarantee of conformity

2 years of liability and the information in your terms of sale

Pre-contractual information

What you must display before the order

Consumer mediator

The free recourse to offer the consumer

Legal notice & terms of sale

The mandatory notices for your store

Am I concerned?

Check in an instant whether the button concerns you

This page provides general information and does not replace personalised legal advice. For the exact and up-to-date text of the EU provisions cited (the Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU, Directive (EU) 2023/2673 and the Omnibus Directive (EU) 2019/2161), refer to EUR-Lex. National transposition and enforcement vary by member state.