It's probably happened to most people. The online purchase was a little too spontaneous or maybe the item was found at a different - and better - price.
Starting June 19, it will be easier for consumers to cancel a purchase. On the same website where the transaction took place, it will be possible to cancel it using a cancellation function.
The idea behind this is that it should be as easy to cancel a contract as it is to enter into one. There should be a clear place on the website where you placed the order, where you can cancel your contract, fill in information about yourself and what you ordered, says Johanna Persson, lawyer at the Swedish Consumer Agency.
Get confirmation
In addition to making the process smoother, the customer will also receive a so-called receipt via the site. This is something that we hope will make things much easier for consumers, says Johanna Persson.
For example, you may have been able to use a web form; sometimes you might get a confirmation that you submitted something, but sometimes it just goes out of nowhere. In that case, the consumer can't really prove that they regretted their purchase.
The receipt should be offered as an email or text message, for example; the requirement is that it comes in some "durable" form.
Same regret period
When it comes to using the “undo button”, the time frame is the same as before, i.e., 14 days. However, the change is based on an EU directive, which may be significant.
All EU countries are affected by this change and have an obligation to implement the cancellation function by June 19. As long as you buy from a trader based in the EU, this should not be a problem.
But what if, for example, you shop from Chinese companies like Shein or Temu?
Although it can be argued that they are targeting Swedish consumers and that they should then follow Swedish or European law, the likelihood that they will do so may not be that high.
The Swedish Consumer Agency now urges consumers to pay attention to marketplaces that do not offer the cancellation function.
We can then proceed to either sue the company in court and have an order issued requiring them to provide an undo function. This can also be coupled with a fine against the company.
