Under Article 9 of the EU Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU), amended by Directive (EU) 2023/2673, any retailer selling to EU-based customers must provide a simple, accessible way for customers to cancel their order within 14 days of delivery - no reason required.
PostCo's withdrawal portal helps you meet this obligation to give your EU customers a self-serve page to submit their withdrawal request, select items, and receive confirmation - all without any manual handling on your end.
How withdrawal requests are handled
Withdrawal requests are handled automatically by PostCo, regardless of your existing return settings:
Auto-approved - all withdrawal requests are approved instantly without requiring manual review.
Refunded to original payment method (OPM) - refunds are returned to the customer's original payment method, in line with EU law.
Mail shipping method - withdrawals are automatically assigned the mail shipping method for return, even if it is not currently active on your account.
Confirmation receipt - customers are automatically emailed an acknowledgement upon submitting their withdrawal, as required under EU law.
Audit trail - PostCo maintains a full audit trail of every withdrawal request on your behalf, including submission details, item decisions, and refund records.
How withdrawal requests are completed
Since withdrawal requests are auto-approved, customers would receive instructions to ship their items back immediately after submitting their request.
Receiving withdrawal requests
Once returned items arrive at your warehouse, locate the withdrawal request in your PostCo dashboard and update its status to Received:
Resolving withdrawal requests with no deductions
Once marked as Received, you can inspect the returned items and resolve the request to process the refund.
Resolving withdrawal requests with deductions
If returned items fall under a statutory exemption (e.g. a broken hygiene seal confirmed on receipt), or show signs of damage or excessive use beyond reasonable inspection, you may deduct the loss in value by adjusting the refund amount before resolving.
Setting up your Withdrawal Portal
1. Flag exempt products
Not all products are eligible for withdrawal. You can tag items that fall under statutory exemptions and set up the following policy rule:
This ensures that the portal automatically marks these items as ineligible for withdrawal.
Statutory exemptions include:
Made-to-order or personalised items - e.g. custom engravings, monogrammed products, bespoke tailoring
Sealed hygiene goods that have been opened - e.g. underwear, swimwear, pierced earrings, cosmetics, skincare
Perishable goods - items that deteriorate or expire quickly
Sealed audio, video, or software - once the seal is broken after delivery
Digital content - where download or streaming has begun with the customer's express consent
Newspapers, periodicals, or magazines - except subscription contracts
Goods inseparably mixed with other items after delivery - e.g. consumables that have been used or blended
2. Update your store's policy
EU rules require that customers are informed of their right of withdrawal before they complete a purchase, and that you give them a clear, easy way to exercise it.
While the rules don't mandate a specific button design, it calls for a prominent, clearly-labelled withdrawal function that customers can find and use throughout the withdrawal period. This means a visible "withdraw from your order" button or link pointing to your Withdrawal Portal - not something tucked away in support or a generic contact form.
We'd recommend adding a short section to your FAQ, returns policy, or a dedicated withdrawal page covering:
That customers can withdraw from eligible orders within 14 days of delivery, for any reason
Any items you've set as exempt from withdrawal (see the exemptions section above)
Who covers the cost of return shipping
That returns are currently sent back by mail
A clearly-labelled link to your Withdrawal Portal:
360.postco.co/yourstorename/withdrawal
3. Link your portal
Once your policy page is updated, link the withdrawal portal URL wherever customers may look to initiate a return - your policy page, footer, or a dedicated "EU Withdrawal" page.
You can obtain the withdrawal portal link from the branding page in your PostCo dashboard:
Here's an example of the withdrawal portal link published on an online store:
Here's how it looks like to customers
Customer visits your portal link and looks up their order by order ID or email.
They select the items they wish to withdraw.
They confirm their details and submit the request.
An acknowledgement email is sent automatically - this is the legally required record of their withdrawal.
Frequently asked questions:
Will non-EU customers be able to submit a withdrawal for their orders?
Non-EU customers would not be allowed to submit their orders for a withdrawal. A non-EU order submitted through the withdrawal portal will trigger the following notification message and not be allowed to proceed:
Note: The Withdrawal Portal is only relevant if you sell to customers based in EU countries. If you don't ship to the EU, no action is needed.