Technology & Digital E-commerce compliance

E-commerce legal compliance checklist

Quick reference checklist for online retailers to audit their e-commerce legal setup against the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.

UK-wide
Guide summary

Check your online shop follows UK e-commerce laws. You must give customers clear information before they buy, use correct wording on order buttons, and handle cancellations properly. Check these rules before launching your site and every 3 months.

  • Show 24 key details before checkout (prices, contact info, cancellation rights)
  • Use clear order button wording like 'Pay now' not 'Continue'
  • Display total price including all charges before checkout
  • Provide a model cancellation form to customers
  • No pre-ticked boxes for optional extras
  • Send order confirmation with contract terms
  • Process refunds within 14 days of receiving returns
  • New law from April 2025 bans drip pricing (hidden fees)
  • Keep records of all transactions for 6 years
  • Repeat checks every 3 months to stay compliant
On this page
UK-wide

Related guides in Consumer Rights

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.

  • 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

  • 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