E-commerce legal compliance checklist

Use this checklist to audit your e-commerce setup against your legal obligations. Work through each section before launch and repeat quarterly.

Before checkout: pre-contract information

Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, consumers must receive 24 items of information before they are bound by a contract.

Pre-Contract Information Requirements for Distance Sales

24 items of pre-contract information required under Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 Schedule 1. Failure to provide this information can extend the cancellation period and make the contract unenforceable.

Before a consumer commits to a distance purchase, the trader must provide 24 items of information in a clear and comprehensible manner. Failure to provide this information can extend the cancellation period, make the contract unenforceable, and result in enforcement action.

1. Main characteristics: The main characteristics of the goods, services, or digital content
2. Trader identity: Trading name of the trader
3. Geographic address: Trader's physical address (not a PO box) for correspondence
4. Telephone number: Trader's telephone number
5. Email address: Trader's email address
6. Additional communication: Any other means of rapid communication (e.g. live chat, social media)
7. Total price: Total price inclusive of taxes, or how price will be calculated
8. Additional charges: All additional delivery, postal, or other costs (or that such charges may be payable)
9. Payment and delivery arrangements: Arrangements for payment, delivery, performance, and the time by which trader undertakes to deliver or perform
10. Complaints handling: Trader's complaint handling policy (if any)
11. Cancellation right: That the consumer has a right to cancel, the conditions and time limit, and the procedures
12. Return costs: That the consumer will bear the cost of returning goods if they cancel (if applicable)
13. Model cancellation form: The standard cancellation form (whether or not consumer is required to use it)
14. Costs for partial services: That the consumer must pay for services already provided if they cancel after requesting early start
15. No cancellation notice: Where cancellation right does not apply, a statement that the consumer will not benefit from it
16. Functionality of digital content: The functionality of digital content (what it does)
17. Compatibility of digital content: Relevant compatibility of digital content with hardware and software
18. Technical protection: Any technical protection measures applied to digital content (DRM)
19. Contract duration: Duration of contract or minimum duration of consumer's obligations
20. Deposit/financial guarantees: Existence and conditions of deposits or financial guarantees
21. Digital content interoperability: Relevant interoperability of digital content with hardware and software
22. ADR entity: Any ADR (alternative dispute resolution) entity the trader is obliged or willing to use
23. Code of conduct: Existence of any relevant code of conduct and how copies can be obtained
24. Contract termination: Conditions for terminating the contract, including minimum contract duration

Note: For off-premises contracts, the same information must be provided on paper or, if the consumer agrees, on another durable medium. It must be legible and in plain language.

Your legal trading name, geographic address, and contact details are displayed on the website
A description of each product or service is accurate and matches what is supplied
The total price, including all taxes and charges, is shown before the consumer reaches the order confirmation page
No additional charges are added at checkout that were not clearly disclosed earlier
Delivery costs, restrictions, and estimated delivery times are stated before checkout
The cancellation policy (14-day cooling-off period and any exceptions) is clearly communicated
A model cancellation form or clear cancellation instructions are provided
Duration of the contract and minimum term (for subscriptions) are stated

At checkout: order button and additional charges

Distance Selling Order Button Requirements

Website order button wording requirements under Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 reg.14(4). Non-compliant buttons make the contract not binding on the consumer.

Under regulation 14(4) of the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, your website's order button must make the consumer explicitly acknowledge that placing the order creates an obligation to pay.

Required: Button must read 'order with obligation to pay' or use easily understandable equivalent wording
Acceptable: 'Pay now': Clear acknowledgement of payment obligation
Acceptable: 'Buy now': Clear acknowledgement of payment obligation
Acceptable: 'Confirm purchase': Clear acknowledgement of payment obligation
Acceptable: 'Place order and pay': Clear acknowledgement of payment obligation
NOT acceptable: 'Continue': Does not acknowledge payment obligation
NOT acceptable: 'Submit': Does not acknowledge payment obligation
NOT acceptable: 'Order now': Ambiguous - does not mention payment
NOT acceptable: 'Confirm': Does not acknowledge payment obligation
Consequence of non-compliance: Consumer is NOT bound by the contract and can claim full refund even after using goods or services

The order confirmation button uses compliant wording (for example "Pay now", "Buy now", "Confirm purchase") - vague wording such as "Continue" or "Next step" makes the contract unenforceable
No pre-ticked boxes are used for any optional extras or additional charges
All mandatory charges (delivery, packaging, insurance, booking fees) are disclosed at the start of the transaction
Drip pricing is not used - from 6 April 2025 the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 makes it a criminal offence to withhold mandatory charges and reveal them progressively through checkout
The order summary immediately before payment shows the full itemised price including all charges

After purchase: post-contract obligations

An order confirmation is sent to the consumer within a reasonable time of placing the order
A durable copy of key contract terms (including cancellation policy and model cancellation form) is provided by email
Cancellation requests are processed promptly - refunds within 14 days of receiving returned goods
Refunds are made using the same payment method as the original payment
Return postage costs are covered by you unless you clearly stated before the contract that the consumer bears the cost
The customer helpline number is a basic rate number (01, 02, or 03 prefix) or freephone (0800 or 0808) - premium rate numbers are prohibited for post-contract queries

Ongoing compliance

Terms and conditions are reviewed at least annually for legislative changes
Staff handling returns and refunds are trained on the 14-day cancellation right and remedy tiers
Complaints records are reviewed quarterly for patterns indicating non-compliance
Price transparency is audited when products or pricing structures change
Subscription processes are reviewed - consumers must be able to cancel as easily as they subscribed

If you identified gaps

Address gaps before taking further orders. Missing pre-contract information can extend the cancellation period to 12 months. Non-compliant order button wording means the consumer is not bound to pay. From 6 April 2025, the CMA can impose fines of up to 10% of global annual turnover for drip pricing and pre-ticked box violations.

Official guidance and legislation

Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 - guidance for businesses
GOV.UK overview of online and distance selling rules.
gov.uk
Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 (full text)
The complete statutory instrument.
legislation.gov.uk
Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (full text)
Includes new CMA enforcement powers and drip pricing prohibitions.
legislation.gov.uk

Business Context Testing

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E-commerce legal compliance checklist

Before checkout: pre-contract information

At checkout: order button and additional charges

After purchase: post-contract obligations

Ongoing compliance

If you identified gaps

Compliance Assistant

🧪 Business Context Testing

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Before checkout: pre-contract information

At checkout: order button and additional charges

After purchase: post-contract obligations

Ongoing compliance

If you identified gaps

Related guides in Consumer Rights

Business Context Testing

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