Revocation right

Before 2010, you had only 7 days to cancel a purchase. This has now changed: a consumer has a 14 calendar days reflection period.

Revocation right:

• No reason required
• No penalty
• Consumer carries return shipping costs
• Pay back <= 30 days after revocation request

Counter starts ticking:

• For products: next day after delivery
• for services: next day after service agreement

An example

Your customer orders a refrigerator on 1 June 2012. You ship the next day, and the customer receives the refrigerator 3'th of June, in the morning. The reflection period starts the day after, 4’th of June. Add 14 calendar days -> 18 June is the last day he can cancel his purchase and claim his money back. If the customer decides to cancel the purchase, he notifies you on time. You have to arrange to collect the refrigerator. The customer has to pay for the return transportation. You are obliged to pay back the customer the full amount of the initial purchase price within 30 days after his notification to cancel.

Belgian legislation: obligation to inform about purchase revocation right

Informing the consumer

The seller is obliged to inform the consumer about the purchase revocation right he/she has. He has to do that in 2 ways:

• Through the website
• In the order confirmation (just after the purchase)

Through the website

The seller must document the reflection period and the revocation right the consumer has. In most cases this is documented on the page about customer service. The customer should have easy access to this page. You need to discuss at least

• The existence of the revocation right
• The conditions and prerequisites that apply to this right
• The way to exercise this right

Just after the purchase

You need to remind the customer, just after the purchase, about his revocation right. You have some options to do this: send an automated e-mail purchase confirmation containing this text. Add a document in the parcel. Add the text on the bill. The text to put is:

(English translation) The consumer has the right to notify the seller to revoke his purchase, without the need to pay any penalty or to provide a motivation. This need to be done within fourteen calendar days, counted from the next day after delivery, or after agreeing the service agreement.

This mention has to respect following formatting requirements:

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Source: Antoon Schockaert, Unizo presentation, e-Commerce, begin er niet aan!”

Source: https://allwebsites.be/online-verkopen-onder-de-belgische-wetgeving-na-10-mei-2010