Terms and conditions for online shops

A shop selling physical goods, personalised products, digital downloads and subscriptions has several legal regimes within the same checkout. The documents must identify the trader, what the customer buys, when the contract is concluded and which rules apply to each category.

Terms do not replace information that must appear on the product page or immediately before ordering. The total price, costs, duration, digital product functionality and relevant restrictions must appear where the consumer makes the decision.

The legal audit follows the entire journey, from the advertisement to order confirmation. The final button’s wording and the order of information are just as important as the text of the terms.

• Trader’s identity: name, registered office, contact details and applicable professional information.
• The product: characteristics, compatibility, functionality and any restrictions.
• Price: taxes, shipping, recurring costs and the calculation method where the amount cannot be determined in advance.
• Performance: payment, delivery, deadlines, complaints and confirmation of the contract on a durable medium.
• Orders requiring payment: the consumer must understand unequivocally that the action creates an obligation to pay.
• Subscriptions: duration, renewal, termination and the actual steps for unsubscribing.

The right of withdrawal is the rule for many distance contracts with consumers, but not for every product or service. Exceptions must be applied strictly and explained before purchase; the trader cannot invent a “non-returnable” product category.

For digital content not supplied on a tangible medium, loss of the right of withdrawal requires specific conditions and consents. Services begun during the withdrawal period follow a different logic. The technical process must retain evidence of the user’s choices.

Government Emergency Ordinance No. 18/2026 updated the framework for consumer information, the statutory guarantee and practices relating to the green transition. Claims about durability, repairability or environmental impact must be clear and substantiated, and harmonised guarantee information must be integrated into the relevant process.

In July 2026, ANPC published a good-practice guide for the online market. The guide does not replace the law, but provides a current reference for presenting prices, costs, withdrawal and information that the authority examines in practice.