Under Ireland’s Consumer Rights Act 2022, consumers generally have 14 days from receiving an online order to notify the retailer that they wish to cancel, without giving a reason. The deadline is for notifying the retailer, not for the returned item to arrive at the shop. Consumers then have a further 14 days to send the item back.

If the consumer notified the retailer within the initial 14-day period, they should generally be entitled to a refund rather than being restricted to an exchange or store credit. A retailer’s own returns policy cannot remove these statutory rights. The retailer must refund the consumer within 14 days of cancellation, but may wait until it receives the item or the consumer provides proof of return, whichever happens first.

Retailers must explain the right to cancel and how to exercise it before an online purchase. Consumers disputing a refusal to refund are advised to complain to the retailer in writing, setting out the relevant dates and including supporting records such as emails, order confirmations and proof of postage.

Other possible steps include asking the card provider whether a chargeback is available, using the Small Claims procedure (which costs €25), or reporting the matter to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. The Commission uses consumer reports to help identify businesses that may be failing to comply with consumer protection law.