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Online store owners / Return policy template for an online store: four parts to copy

Return policy template for an online store: four parts to copy

Say how long buyers have, how to start a return, who pays the postage and when the refund arrives. Keep it the same everywhere it appears in your store.

Go to the copy

Free. Not legal advice.

4 parts you can copy

Four parts of a return policy, written in plain words. Choose the numbers you can really keep to. Replace every [BRACKET] with a real fact.

  • The return windowYou can return most items within [NUMBER] days of delivery for a refund. They must be unused and in their original packaging. To start a return, email [EMAIL] with your order number. We will reply with the return address within [NUMBER] working days. [WHO PAYS THE RETURN POSTAGE.]
  • RefundsWe refund to the original payment method within [NUMBER] working days of receiving your return. [ARE THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING COSTS REFUNDED: YES OR NO.] [HOW EXCHANGES WORK, IF YOU OFFER THEM.]
  • Items we cannot take backWe cannot take back [ITEM TYPES, FOR EXAMPLE MADE-TO-ORDER ITEMS, OPENED HYGIENE PRODUCTS OR GIFT CARDS]. This is shown on each of those product pages. If an item arrives damaged or is not what you ordered, contact us and we will put it right.
  • Damaged or wrong itemsIf your order arrives damaged, faulty or not what you ordered, email [EMAIL] within [NUMBER] days with your order number and a photo. We will [WHAT YOU WILL DO: REPLACE, REFUND OR REPAIR] and pay the return postage.

What to avoid

  • Do not let your pages disagree. If a banner says 30 days and the policy says 14, buyers notice, and so does a payment company.
  • Do not write a blanket "no refunds". It scares buyers and does not stop disputes.
  • Do not use vague words such as "a reasonable time". Give a number of days.
  • Do not leave out who pays the return postage. It is the first thing buyers ask.
  • Do not copy another store's policy word for word. Their rules may not be yours.

Official pages. Rules differ by country. Not legal advice: check the rules that apply to you.

  • United Kingdom: GOV.UK: Online and distance selling for businesses. It says you must tell the customer they can cancel their order up to 14 days after their order is delivered, and that if you do not tell them, they can cancel at any time in the next 12 months. Read 5 October 2026.

What the free tool adds

It is free. It checks the policies you already have.

Free

Policy Checker

What you give it: Your store address, or the text of your policies pasted in.

What you get: A list of missing basics, contradictions (between your policies, your FAQ page and claims such as free shipping or 30-day returns in a banner), confusing wording, and plain fixes you can paste into Settings, then Policies. It reads public pages only. It is not legal advice.

Open the free Policy Checker

Or paste the free text into any chatbot

Questions people ask

Do I need a return policy?

Buyers look for one before they buy, and your payment company may ask for it in a dispute. Rules also differ by country, so check the ones that apply to you.

How many days should I give?

Pick a number you can keep to and use it everywhere. Check the rules where you sell: some countries set a minimum.

Should I charge for return postage?

It is your choice. State it clearly in the policy and on the product page so nobody is surprised.

Where should the policy appear?

In the footer, at checkout and on product pages. The words must match each time.

Can I cancel an order before it ships?

That is up to you. A line such as "Email [EMAIL] before it ships and we will cancel it" is clear and fair.

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