Legal & Compliance
This section contains Global-e policies and compliance information.
EU Right of Withdrawal- Activating Your Return Policy for EU Shoppers
From 19 June 2026, EU Directive 2023/2673 (new Article 11a of the Consumer Rights Directive) requires online traders to provide EU consumers with a visible, dedicated withdrawal mechanism that is as easy to use as the original purchase process.
The 14-day right of withdrawal itself is not new, it has always existed under EU law, but merchants must now make it actively and easily accessible online.
As your Merchant of Record (MOR) for EU transactions, Global-e is the "trader" under EU consumer law, and we are deploying a dedicated Right of Withdrawal entry point across the checkout, order confirmation, Service Center, confirmation emails, and the CS AI chatbot. Shoppers who use that entry point are routed into Global-e Returns Platform to complete the withdrawal flow.
To make compliance as straightforward as possible, Global-e has pre-built a ready-to-use EU Right of Withdrawal policy in your return platform admin. It is configured to meet all requirements of the directive and is inactive by default. This article explains what's included and how to activate it.
Important
Remember you need to do is turn the policy on before 19 June 2026.
What is pre-built in your policy
The EU Right of Withdrawal rule arrives pre-configured in your return platform with the following settings:
# | Setting | Pre-configured value |
|---|---|---|
1 | Eligibility window | 14 days from delivery, scoped to EU destinations only. The 14-day countdown starts on the day of delivery; however, the right of withdrawal exists from the moment of purchase - consumers can also withdraw before the goods arrive. |
2 | Return reason | "Order Withdrawal" - no follow-up questions, no media upload, no manual approval |
3 | Resolution | Refund to Original Payment Method only - Gift cards and exchange are disabled for this reason |
4 | Refund composition | Item price + collected duties and taxes (DDP orders only) + original outbound shipping fee |
5 | Additional fees | Restocking fees and return handling fees are prohibited on a withdrawal - these cannot be deducted from the refund. Return shipping costs can be charged to the consumer (deducted from the refund), but only if you clearly disclosed that the consumer would bear return shipping costs before the purchase was made. If no such disclosure was made, return shipping must be covered by the merchant. |
6 | Confirmation email | The legally required durable-medium acknowledgement is sent automatically when the RMA is created. |
Note
Tip: The pre-built Withdrawal policy is a new, additive rule - it runs alongside your existing return policy rules without modifying them. Your existing rules continue to apply to every other return scenario exactly as before.
Prerequisites
You sell to one or more EU member states via Global-e.
Admin-level permissions in your Global-e returns platform admin (ReturnGO).
Important
Not yet migrated to ReturnGO? If you have not been migrated to the new returns solution (ReturnGO), the links in your checkout confirmation email and service portal will point to the existing returns portal. If you sell to EU shoppers, please ensure the following before 19 June 2026:
Your return policy window is set to at least 14 days.
Manually include the original outbound shipping fee in the refund - the existing portal does not add this automatically.
If you are configured for auto-refunds, note that the refund will not include the original shipping fee. This must be refunded separately as a manual step outside the portal.
Non-returnable (final-sale) items fall under this regulation and must be handled by your customer support, as they will not appear eligible for return in the old returns portal. Ensure this information is included in your returns policy.
Product types and the Right of Withdrawal
Legally excluded from the Right of Withdrawal
The following product categories are exempt from the statutory Right of Withdrawal under Article 16 of the Consumer Rights Directive and will not be eligible in the returns portal:
Product type | Reason for exclusion |
|---|---|
Hygiene goods | Not suitable for return due to health protection or hygiene reasons once unsealed after delivery. |
Customized items | Goods made to the consumer's specifications or clearly personalized. |
Used goods (open package) | Goods which have been unsealed after delivery and cannot be returned for health or hygiene reasons. |
Right of Withdrawal applies - not supported in the returns portal
The following product types are not legally exempt from the Right of Withdrawal - the right technically still exists. However, these items cannot be processed through the standard returns portal and shoppers are directed to Customer Service to handle the withdrawal request.
Product type | How it is handled |
|---|---|
Dangerous goods | The Right of Withdrawal legally still applies, but dangerous goods cannot be returned through the standard return flow due to operational and regulatory constraints. These items are blocked in the return portal; shoppers are directed to Customer Service to handle the withdrawal request. |
Virtual goods / digital content | The Right of Withdrawal can only be waived for digital content if the merchant obtained the consumer's explicit prior consent and acknowledgement at checkout that the right will be lost once supply begins. Without that consent, virtual goods are not exempt. Returns are not supported in the returns portal; customers are directed to Customer Service. |
Step 1 - Activate the pre-built return reason
The Order Withdrawal return reason has been created in your return platform by Global-e and is currently hidden by default. Activate it first so shoppers can select it in the withdrawal flow:
In your returns platform admin, go to Settings > Return Reasons.
Locate the return reason named Order Withdrawal.
Click the return reason to open it.
Toggle Display reason to ON.
Click the save icon.
Once the return reason is displayed, activate the policy rule so EU shoppers who select Order Withdrawal within 14 days of delivery are routed through the compliant withdrawal flow.
Step 2 - Activate the pre-built policy
The EU Right of Withdrawal policy rule has been created in your return platform by Global-e and is currently inactive. To go live:
In your returns platform admin, go to Settings > Return Policy.
Locate the rule named EU Right of Withdrawal.
Click the rule to open it and review the pre-configured settings (optional but recommended - see What is pre-built in your policy above).
Toggle Activate Policy Rule to ON.
Click the save icon.
The policy is now live. EU shoppers who select Order Withdrawal within 14 days of delivery will automatically be routed through the compliant withdrawal flow.
Important
Want to customize? The pre-built rule is fully editable. You can adjust eligibility conditions or any other setting at any time in Settings > Return Policy. A few things to keep in mind when editing:
Do not remove settings required by the directive (e.g. the OPM-only resolution or the 14-day window).
If you use final sale or non-returnable tags on items or orders, make sure the EU Right of Withdrawal policy is not restricted by those tags. Under EU consumer law, "final sale" or "non-returnable" designations do not exempt items from the statutory right of withdrawal - EU shoppers retain the right regardless of how an item is tagged in your store.
Step 3 - Withdrawal confirmation email (durable medium)
Article 11a requires that, on receipt of the withdrawal request, you confirm the request on a durable medium without undue delay (in practice: an email containing the request and a timestamp). The return platform sends this automatically when creating the RMA under the policy.
Step 4 - Test the full flow end-to-end
Before going live, run at least one full test on a sandbox or low-volume EU market:
Place a test order from an EU destination address.
Mark the order as fulfilled and delivered.
Open the Global-e Right of Withdrawal entry point (confirmation page, Help Center, or confirmation email). You will be redirected into your return platform portal with order context already attached.
Verify:
Items within 14 days of delivery are eligible with the new policy.
Selecting Order Withdrawal does not trigger any follow-up question or photo upload.
The resolution shown is Refund to original payment method only (no store credit, no exchange).
The refund summary shows item price + tax + original outbound shipping - return label fee.
A pre-paid label is generated.
The shopper receives the acknowledgement email immediately after submitting.
Confirm in the RMA page that the request was auto-approved.
Submit a second test RMA on the same order (or another order) using a non-withdrawal reason (e.g. "Didn't fit") and confirm the RMA is matched against your existing return policy rule, not the new EU Withdrawal rule.
FAQ
Do I need to build the policy from scratch?
No. Global-e has pre-built the EU Right of Withdrawal rule in your return platform. It is inactive by default - all you need to do is activate it (see Step 1).
Will this change anything for non-EU shoppers?
No. The pre-built policy is scoped to EU customer locations only. All other shoppers continue to follow your existing return policy rules unchanged.
What happens to EU items returned outside the 14-day window?
They fall outside the Withdrawal policy rule and will be matched against your existing return policy (e.g. your regular 30-day return policy). No change.
Can I customize the pre-built policy?
Yes - the pre-built rule is fully editable. Be careful not to remove the settings required by the directive: the OPM-only resolution, the 14-day eligibility window, the EU country scope, and the refund of original outbound shipping. Any changes to these may affect your compliance posture; consult your legal counsel if unsure.
Are "final sale" or non-returnable items exempt from the Right of Withdrawal?
No. Under EU consumer law, labelling an item as "final sale" or tagging an order as "non-returnable" does not exempt it from the statutory 14-day Right of Withdrawal. If you use such tags in your return platform to block or restrict returns, make sure the EU Right of Withdrawal policy is not limited by those tags - EU shoppers retain the right to withdraw regardless of how the item or order is tagged in your store. Review the item-level eligibility conditions on the pre-built rule to confirm that final sale and non-returnable tagged items and orders remain within scope.
Can I keep charging a restocking fee on withdrawals?
No. Under Directive (EU) 2023/2673 you may only retain the direct cost of returning the goods (the return label fee). Restocking or "return fee" deductions on a clean withdrawal of unused, returnable goods are not allowed.
Do I need to enable this for every EU country separately?
No - the pre-built policy covers every EU country. If your return label cost varies materially per country, you can duplicate the rule and scope each copy to specific countries with different label fees.
Will this conflict with my existing return policy rules?
No. The Withdrawal rule is additive and will only match when all three eligibility conditions are met (EU location AND within 14 days of delivery AND reason = Order Withdrawal). Your existing rules remain untouched.
Where can I see how many withdrawal requests I'm receiving?
Filter your RMAs by the Order Withdrawal return reason on the Manage Returns page, or open Analytics > Returns and use the Reasons breakdown. See Monitoring Analytics.
What if I want to disable this entirely?
Toggle Activate Policy Rule OFF on the EU Right of Withdrawal rule (Settings > Return Policy). Be aware that as the trader of record, Global-e remains subject to the directive - the customer-facing withdrawal link in checkout, confirmation page, email, and Help Center will continue to display.
Need help?
Return platform documentation (Shopify): New Returns Portal for Shopify
Return platform documentation (other platforms): New Returns Portal for Other Platforms
Open a support ticket: Escalating an Existing Ticket
For Global-e-side questions (withdrawal link placement, MOR obligations, scope of the directive), contact your Global-e account manager.
Legal disclaimer
Caution
This article is intended to help you configure your return platform in a way that supports compliance with Directive (EU) 2023/2673 and its national transpositions. It is not legal advice. Please note that certain aspects of this directive remain legally unsettled, with no definitive guidance available as of yet. The configurations described in this article reflect Global-e's current interpretation and operational approach, and should not be relied upon as a statement of law. The right of withdrawal is implemented through national law in each EU member state, and additional or differing local requirements may apply. We strongly recommend reviewing your final configuration with your own legal counsel before going live.