Legal & Compliance

EU Online-Shop Withdrawal Information and Model Form

EU consumer law gives consumers a withdrawal right for many distance and off-premises contracts. Germany implements the information duties through Article 246a EGBGB and the substantive right through provisions including § 355 BGB.

Information commonly required

Where a right exists, the trader generally needs to explain the conditions, time limit, and procedure for exercising it and provide the model withdrawal form. Depending on the transaction, the information may also need to address return costs, performance begun during the period, loss of the right, or statutory exceptions.

The information must be clear and comprehensible before the consumer is bound. A footer page can support that duty, but its existence alone does not prove that the checkout presents everything at the correct time.

What AllyProof checks

The scanner discovers and reads a likely withdrawal page in any supported page language, then looks for selected elements such as the period, exercise instructions, contact/address information, return-cost information, and model form. Missing or ambiguous text is surfaced for review. The scan does not determine whether an exception legally applies to a particular product.

Official sources

• EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU, Articles 6 and 9–16
• German EGBGB, Article 246a and model withdrawal instructions
• § 355 BGB — withdrawal in consumer contracts

Common questions

Is the withdrawal period always 14 days?

Fourteen days is the general EU rule for covered distance and off-premises contracts, but the start date, exceptions, extensions, digital content, services, and return consequences depend on the transaction.

Does AllyProof test the checkout flow?

The current check reads the reachable withdrawal information and looks for selected required elements. It does not place an order or validate every pre-contract disclosure and exception.