Merchant tool · free
Template for responding to a withdrawal request
A customer withdraws? Here is the acknowledgement of receipt to send them, and your three obligations.
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When a consumer exercises their withdrawal right, you must respond to them quickly and correctly. Here is a compliant response template, ready to use, then exactly what the law requires of you.
Response template: acknowledgement of receipt
Subject: Confirmation of your withdrawal request: order no. .......... Dear Sir or Madam, We acknowledge receipt of your withdrawal request concerning order no. .......... , received on .......... . In accordance with the Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU), your withdrawal is taken into account, without your having to give any reason. • Refund: we will refund you in full for all sums paid (the price of the product and standard delivery costs) within fourteen days at the latest, using the payment method used for your order. • Return of the goods: please return the item(s) to us within fourteen days to the following address: .................................................. Return costs: ( ) at your expense ( ) at our expense. This acknowledgement of receipt attests to the date of your request. We remain at your disposal for any questions. .......................................... (name / company name) .......................................... (contact details) On ..........................................
Replace the dotted fields, then send by email or post. This template is a starting point; adapt it to your shop.
Your three obligations when facing a withdrawal
Acknowledge receipt (dated)
Confirm to the customer that their request has been received, on a durable and dated medium. Mandatory via the online feature: Directive (EU) 2023/2673.
Refund within 14 days
All sums in full (product + standard delivery), using the original payment method. Imposing a voucher = illegal (harmonised by Directive 2011/83/EU, art. 13).
Organise the return
Address, 14-day period, and who pays the return costs according to the information given before the purchase (Directive 2011/83/EU, art. 14).
The trap: a template does not prove the date
Sending a fine response is not enough. In the event of a dispute or an inspection by the national regulator (in Ireland, the CCPC), what matters is proving the date of the request and of your handling. An email can be edited, a screenshot can be contested, a Word file has no evidential date value at all.
Solid proof is time-stamped archiving with evidential value (electronic fingerprint, admissible in all 27 member states under the eIDAS Regulation (EU) 910/2014). This is precisely what BackToMe does: every request received through the button is dated, sealed and kept: all you have to do is handle it.
Frequently asked questions
Am I required to acknowledge receipt of a withdrawal?
Yes, when the request goes through the online withdrawal feature: the acknowledgement of receipt by an email that the customer keeps, showing the date, is required by Directive (EU) 2023/2673 (applicable across the 27 EU member states since 19 June 2026). For requests received through another channel (email, post), the acknowledgement is not formally required but is strongly recommended: it secures the date and defuses disputes.
Within what time must I refund?
No later than 14 days after being informed of the withdrawal (the reimbursement deadline is harmonised across the EU by Directive 2011/83/EU, art. 13). The refund covers the price of the product and the standard delivery costs, using the same payment method as the purchase. You may defer the refund until the goods are recovered or proof of their dispatch is provided.
Can I refund with a voucher or credit note?
No, unless the customer expressly agrees. The refund using the original payment method is harmonised by Directive 2011/83/EU (art. 13). Imposing a voucher is illegal and exposes you to a penalty.
What happens if I do not respond or respond poorly?
Three cumulative risks: the extension of the withdrawal period to 12 months if the information is deemed defective (harmonised by Directive 2011/83/EU, art. 10), the automatic increase of the sums due in the event of a late refund, and an administrative fine imposed by the national regulator. Sanctions are not harmonised across the EU: for widespread infringements the Omnibus Directive (EU) 2019/2161 allows fines of at least 4% of annual turnover. In Ireland, for example, the CCPC can pursue fines of up to €60,000 under the Consumer Rights Act 2022.
How can I prove that I have properly handled the request?
A Word template or a simple email does not reliably prove the date of the request or that of your response. Solid proof is dated archiving that you can produce in the event of a dispute (impossible to alter after the fact; electronic evidence is admissible in all 27 member states under the eIDAS Regulation (EU) 910/2014). This is exactly what BackToMe automates: every request received through the button is dated, impossible to alter after the fact and kept.
Receive and track every withdrawal without missing a thing
BackToMe centralises the requests, sends the acknowledgement of receipt and archives dated proof. A button compliant with the European obligation (Directive (EU) 2023/2673). 7-day free trial, 0 € today.