Who pays return shipping when you cancel an online order in Denmark?
Cancelling versus faulty goods
Short answer
When you cancel an online purchase, you pay the cost of sending the item back yourself, unless something else was agreed when you bought it or the shop offers free returns. This is different when the item is faulty: then the seller normally pays the shipping. You carry the responsibility for the item from the moment you receive it until the shop has it back, so pack it well. If the item has lost value because you used it more than needed to try it, the shop can charge you for that loss.
Why
- The buyer pays return shipping by default.
- The seller normally pays shipping for faulty goods.
- The item is your responsibility until it is back with the shop.
Details
The packaging does not normally have to be intact when you return an item, unless the seller has forbidden opening it.
Tip
Read the shop return terms before you order, as many shops state whether returns are free.
What may differ
Free returns are a choice made by each shop, and the terms can change between campaigns.
Common misconception
Many believe the shop always has to pay to get its goods back.
What actually happens
When you simply change your mind, the return shipping is your cost unless agreed otherwise.
People also ask
- How fast must a webshop refund you?
- Can you try clothes on before returning them?
- What if the parcel is damaged on the way back?
Sources
- Danish Competition and Consumer Authority: Right of withdrawal for online purchasesChecked at:
- European Consumer Centre Denmark: Buying online in other EU countriesChecked at:
- Danish Competition and Consumer Authority: Rights when you shop onlineChecked at:
- Danish Competition and Consumer Authority: Ready for Christmas shopping 2026? Know your consumer rightsChecked at:
This answer is for reference only. Postal prices and services change, so check the postal operator before you send.
Practical infoRelated questions
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Can you get your money back from your bank if a webshop does not deliver?
When you pay online with a payment card such as Dankort, your bank can move the money back if the item never arrives, you get the wrong item or you were charged more than agreed.
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Who can help if you have a problem with a shop in another EU country?
Forbruger Europa is the European Consumer Centre in Denmark and is part of the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority.
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How do you complain about a purchase in Denmark if the shop says no?
You must first complain to the seller, preferably in writing, and the seller must have rejected your claim fully or partly.
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What is e-mærket on Danish webshops?
e-mærket is a non-profit organisation that has certified Danish webshops since 2000 and has more than 2,000 members as of November 2026.