Answer
The right of withdrawal gives consumers a 14-day cooling-off period after a distance purchase. If you offer a webshop or courses, Identity First Media automatically displays a withdrawal rights page on your website. This is legally required under the EU Consumer Rights Directive.
Details
When does the page appear?
The withdrawal rights page automatically appears in your website footer as soon as you enable one of these modules:
- Webshop (physical or digital products)
- Courses (online learning modules)
As long as neither module is active, the page is not shown. You do not need to do anything manually.
What is the legal basis?
The EU Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU) gives consumers the right to withdraw from a contract within 14 days of receiving a product or service, without giving any reason. This applies to all distance selling within the EU.
The directive has been transposed into national law:
- Netherlands: Civil Code Book 6, section 2B
- Germany: BGB §§ 312g, 355-357
- EU-wide: Directive 2011/83/EU, articles 9-16
The exception for digital content
There is an important exception. For digital content (such as online courses) delivered immediately, the right of withdrawal can lapse. Two conditions must be met:
- The customer agrees to immediate delivery (instant access to the course)
- The customer expressly waives the right of withdrawal
This is already built into your checkout. When you sell paid courses, the customer sees a checkbox confirming they waive their right of withdrawal upon immediate delivery. Without ticking this box, the order cannot be completed.
The model form
The page includes a standard model withdrawal form. This form is prescribed by the EU (Directive 2011/83/EU, Annex I, Part B) and is the same across all EU member states. It contains:
- Who the withdrawal should be addressed to (your company details)
- Declaration of withdrawal
- Fields for order date, name, address and date
Can I customise the text?
No. The withdrawal rights page contains standard legal text that cannot be modified. This is intentional: the text must comply with EU requirements. Your own additional terms belong in your General Terms and Conditions, not on this page.
Multilingual URLs
- Dutch: /herroepingsrecht
- English: /en/withdrawal
- German: /de/widerrufsrecht
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to activate the right of withdrawal myself? No. The page appears automatically once you have enabled webshop or courses. You do not need to switch anything on.
Does the right of withdrawal apply to my courses? It depends. If a customer receives immediate access to the course and has waived the right of withdrawal (via the checkbox in checkout), the right lapses. For physical products, the full 14-day cooling-off period always applies.
Can a customer bypass the right of withdrawal? No, it is a consumer right that cannot be contractually excluded. The only exception is digital content with immediate delivery, where the customer actively waives the right themselves.
Why can I not edit the text? The text is based on EU legislation and must be consistent across all member states. You can include your own terms in your General Terms and Conditions, which you can upload in Dashboard > Settings.
What happens if I disable my webshop later? The withdrawal rights page automatically disappears from your footer. Existing orders are still covered by the right of withdrawal.