A delivery and returns page should answer the questions a customer has before paying, not hide the important details behind a friendly headline. Customers need to know where an order can be delivered, what it will cost, when it should arrive, whether they can cancel, and how a return actually works.
This guide is written for a typical UK online store selling to consumers. Different rules can apply to digital content, customised products, perishable goods, services, overseas sales and regulated sectors. Treat the checklist as a content and implementation aid, then confirm the legal position for the products and markets involved.
Start with information needed before checkout
UK government distance-selling guidance says businesses must provide specified information before an order is placed. That includes the business identity and contact details, a description of the goods or services, the total price including taxes, payment arrangements, delivery costs and timing, and applicable cancellation conditions.
Do not rely on the policy page alone. Put costs and material restrictions where the customer makes the decision. If a postcode surcharge or product exclusion appears only after card details have been entered, the journey may be technically functional but still unclear.
Write the delivery section around real operations
Answer these points in ordinary language:
- Countries, regions and postcode areas served.
- Available delivery services and their prices.
- Whether the stated time is a dispatch estimate or an arrival estimate.
- Order cut-off times, working days and public-holiday treatment.
- Products that need different handling, lead times or age checks.
- How tracking is supplied and what to do if it does not update.
- What happens when nobody can accept the delivery.
- Who handles damage, missing items or an incorrect order.
Check every promise against the carrier and fulfilment process. “Next-day delivery” should not be copied from a courier service name if the warehouse needs two days to prepare the parcel.
Separate cancellation, returns and faults
These are related but not identical situations. A customer may cancel within an applicable cooling-off period, return an unwanted item under the published process, or report that an item is faulty or not as described. The page should direct each case to the right route without implying that one process removes rights available under law.
For a typical eligible online goods order, GOV.UK says the customer must tell the seller within 14 days of receiving the item if they want to cancel. They then have another 14 days to return it, and the seller must issue the refund within 14 days of receiving the item back. The standard delivery cost must also be refunded; if the customer chose a more expensive service, only the standard-delivery amount has to be returned.
Unless another date has been agreed with the customer, the government’s distance-selling guidance says goods must be delivered within 30 days. These timings should be reflected in the policy, confirmation messages and staff process rather than copied into the page without operational support.
State any genuine exceptions clearly and obtain advice before relying on them. Avoid broad wording such as “sale items cannot be returned” unless the business has checked exactly what it means in the relevant circumstances.
Give customers a usable returns process
- Explain how to notify the business and what order information is needed.
- Say whether authorisation or a returns number is required.
- Provide the return address or explain when it will be supplied.
- Describe packaging expectations without making them impossible.
- Explain who pays return postage in each common situation.
- State when the business considers the return received.
- Explain the refund method and expected processing steps.
Do not ask a customer to send card details by email. A refund should go through the controlled payment or order system used by the business.
Make the website and policy agree
Compare the policy with checkout configuration, product pages, confirmation emails and customer-service scripts. Common contradictions include a page promising free delivery while checkout adds a charge, different return periods in an email and policy, or a discontinued support address still appearing on product pages.
Test at least one order for each important delivery rule. Confirm the price shown before payment, confirmation wording, fulfilment record, tracking message and refund workflow. A policy cannot compensate for a checkout that applies the wrong rule.
Use a short summary and a complete policy
Place the most important facts near products and checkout: likely arrival, delivery cost, return window and a link to detail. The full page can then explain exceptions and process. Keep headings descriptive so a customer can scan directly to international delivery, damaged items or refund timing.
Review whenever operations change
Recheck the page when a carrier, warehouse, payment provider, market or product type changes. Record an owner and review date. Customer-service complaints about an unexpected charge or unclear return are useful evidence that the wording or system needs attention.
Sources and further reading
- GOV.UK distance-selling guidance — the primary source used for pre-contract information, delivery and cancellation statements in this article.
- GOV.UK accepting returns and giving refunds — government guidance on customer returns, repairs, replacements and refunds.
Xapner can help align store content with checkout and fulfilment configuration through its ecommerce development service. Legal advice is separate and should be obtained where the position is uncertain.