Make sure you have a consumer right of withdrawal
This instruction is about the distance purchase from the entrepreneur as a consumer. A normal purchase from a private person on the site or a transaction for a business may have a different regime. If the item is faulty, consider the claim for non-conformity separately; for refusal it is not necessary to prove the fault.
For most online purchases, there is a 14-day withdrawal period. For goods, the starting point is the receipt; in the case of separate deliveries of several goods, it is the last prescribed receipt. There are exceptions, such as custom-made goods and certain sealed goods after opening. Find the section of exceptions before sending.
Send an application, not just a package
Use the shop form or your own unequivocal statement: buyer data, order number, product and intention to withdraw from the contract. Save the text and date of sending. Clicking the “Request Return” button without completing the transaction does not guarantee that the request has been forwarded.
Example: «I withdraw from the sales contract …, order number …». Fill in valid data. A reason is normally not required. If the store only offers the exchange for a voucher, check whether you agree to this voluntarily: a voucher and a refund are different results.
When and where to send the goods
After the declaration, the goods must be sent without delay, not later than 14 days, unless the seller has committed to collect it himself. Get the return address from the seller: the receiving warehouse may differ from the office address and the previous pickup point.
Pack the item so that it is not damaged, take a photo of the contents and save the proof of shipment. Check who bears the cost of return shipping according to the information provided. Do not send cash on delivery without agreement: the refusal of the store to accept such a parcel can prolong the dispute.
How money is returned
The seller returns the provided payments under the cancellation policy, usually in the same way, unless you have agreed another without additional charge. He may withhold the refund until he has received the goods or proof of dispatch in the cases provided for. The payment for the more expensive selected method of first delivery may not be refunded in excess of the cost of the usual cheapest option.
Using the item more than is necessary to test its properties may affect the refund amount. Therefore, do not test the thing for a long time "as in the rental", counting on an unconditional full return. When deducting, ask for justification and calculation, and do not accept any amount for the mandatory "return collection".
If the store is silent
Submit a claim with order number, claim, delivery/dispatch date and proof. Specify which stage the store considers unfinished. In case of dispute, use the help of the consumer ombudsman or the out-of-court procedure provided; do not replace the documents only by correspondence in comments.
In a physical store, the return of a good item without a reason usually depends on the seller's policy. Do not apply the internet rule to such a purchase automatically. If a fault is discovered after the failure, keep a description of the defect as well: it may relate to another legal basis of the claim.