- Since 19 June 2026, online shops selling to consumers in the EU must offer a “withdraw from contract here” function.
- It is a two-step online form: a short statement, then a separate “confirm withdrawal” button.
- The buyer must get an acknowledgment, e.g. by email, with the date and time, straight away.
- An email address in the footer or a contact form is not enough on its own.
Where the rule comes from
The Directive (EU) 2023/2673 added a new Article 11a to the Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU). Its name talks about financial services, but the withdrawal function applies to all distance contracts concluded through an online interface where the consumer has a right of withdrawal, so ordinary online shops selling goods are covered. EU countries had to put it into national law, and it applies from 19 June 2026.
The 14-day right of withdrawal itself has not changed. What is new is that withdrawing must be as easy online as buying: a few clicks in the shop, not a letter or an email you have to compose yourself.
What the withdrawal function must do
- 1. A clear label. The link or button says “withdraw from contract here” or something equally unambiguous.
- 2. Always easy to find. Prominently displayed and available during the whole withdrawal period, not hidden in the terms.
- 3. A short online statement. The buyer gives or confirms their name, which order (contract) it is about, and where to send the confirmation, for example their email.
- 4. A separate confirm button. After filling in the statement, the buyer confirms with a button labelled “confirm withdrawal” or similar.
- 5. An acknowledgment right away. Without undue delay, the trader sends an acknowledgment on a durable medium, such as an email, with the content of the statement and the date and time it was sent.
Buyers can still withdraw in other ways, for example by email or with the model withdrawal form. The function is an extra, easy channel, not a replacement.
What usually does not meet it
- Only an email address or a general contact form: there is no confirm step and no automatic acknowledgment with the date and time.
- A link buried inside the terms or the returns policy text.
- A label like “Help” or “Contact” that does not say what it does.
- A flow that only works after signing in, while many buyers check out as guests.
How to add it to a Shopify store
Shopify’s own self-serve returns live in customer accounts, so the buyer has to sign in first, and the link is not labelled the way the law asks. Most stores therefore add a separate page or app for withdrawals and link to it clearly:
- Put the link in the footer menu (Online Store → Navigation → Footer menu), so it is on every page.
- Add it to the order confirmation and shipping confirmation emails (Settings → Notifications).
- Mention it in your returns policy and on the order status page.
- Use the label “Withdraw from contract here” (Lithuanian: “Atsisakyti sutarties čia”).
How Lockership covers it
The Lockership returns page was built with these requirements in mind. One page handles returns, exchanges and withdrawals:
| Label | You name the link yourself, e.g. “Withdraw from contract here”. The app suggests the wording when you copy the link. |
|---|---|
| Easy to find | The returns page has its own address in your store, so the link fits anywhere: footer, menu, order status page, order emails. |
| No account needed | The buyer finds the order with the order number and email, guest checkout included. |
| Statement | Name (prefilled from the order), the order and items, and the order email for the confirmation. |
| Confirm button | The last step is a separate button: “Confirm withdrawal” (“Patvirtinti sutarties atsisakymą”). Nothing is pre-ticked. |
| Acknowledgment | An email goes out within seconds, in your store’s name, with the items, the request number and the date and time. You can change its wording, logo and colour. |
Every request is also saved on the Shopify order, so you can always see when a buyer withdrew. Setting it up takes a few minutes: see the returns page guide, or open the live demo.
Checklist
- A link named “Withdraw from contract here” in the footer of every page
- Works without signing in (order number + email)
- Asks for name, order and where to send the confirmation
- Separate “Confirm withdrawal” button, nothing pre-ticked
- Automatic email with the statement, date and time
- Returns policy and order emails point to the same link
Questions
Does the withdrawal button apply to small shops too?
Yes. The rule applies to every trader that sells to consumers at a distance through a website or app, where the buyer has a right of withdrawal. There is no exception by size.
Can I call the link “Returns”?
The law asks for the words “withdraw from contract here” or another wording that is just as unambiguous. The safest choice is the wording from the law itself, in the language of your store: “Withdraw from contract here” in English, “Atsisakyti sutarties čia” in Lithuanian.
Is an email address or a contact form enough?
No. The function has to let the buyer give their name, identify the order and confirm the withdrawal with a separate button, and the buyer must get an acknowledgment with the date and time. A general contact form does none of that by itself.
Can buyers still withdraw by email?
Yes. The button is an additional, easy way. Buyers keep the right to withdraw with any clear statement, for example an email or the model withdrawal form.
Must the button work for guest checkout orders?
It has to be easily accessible to the buyer. If the only way to withdraw is to sign in to an account, a buyer who checked out as a guest cannot easily use it, so give them a way to find the order with the order number and email.
This article is practical guidance, not legal advice. Each EU country has written the rule into its own law, so check the details for the countries you sell to. Source: Directive (EU) 2023/2673, Article 11a of Directive 2011/83/EU.