Czech consumer-business law for online shops

Selling online to Czech consumers is easy to start and surprisingly easy to get wrong. The shop platform will take orders from day one. It will not tell you that a missing sentence in your returns policy extends the withdrawal period, or that a standard "no refunds on sale items" notice is not worth the pixels it is printed with.

This explainer gives a general picture. It is not legal advice. A shop with meaningful sales should have its terms and conditions reviewed by a Czech lawyer.

Where the rules come from

Consumer protection in Czechia has several layers. The Civil Code (Act no. 89/2012 Coll.) governs sales contracts, distance contracts and liability for defects. The Consumer Protection Act (no. 634/1992 Coll.) covers information duties, pricing, unfair practices and out-of-court dispute resolution. Both implement EU directives on consumer rights, unfair commercial practices and the sale of goods, so the framework looks similar across the EU even though national detail differs.

The supervisory authority is the Czech Trade Inspection Authority (Česká obchodní inspekce, ČOI). It can inspect online shops, impose fines and is a contact point for consumers. Data and cookies sit with another regulator; see data protection and GDPR for small business.

Information before the order

Before the contract is concluded, a shop must give the consumer clear information, including the seller's identity and contact details, the main characteristics of the goods, the total price with taxes and delivery charges, payment and delivery arrangements, the right of withdrawal and how to use it, the warranty and complaints procedure, and the duration of the contract if it is continuing.

Prices shown to consumers must include VAT. A "from" price that does not reflect what the consumer pays is a common complaint. When a shop announces a price reduction it must show the lowest price it charged in the 30 days before the reduction, under the law implementing the EU Omnibus directive (as of 2026; check the ČOI), so check the reference price before you announce "50 per cent off".

At the end of checkout the button must make clear that the consumer is committing to pay, with wording such as "order with obligation to pay". A button labelled "continue" is a trap. After the order the shop should confirm the contract on a durable medium, usually by email.

The 14-day withdrawal right

A consumer buying at a distance, online included, can withdraw from the contract within 14 days without giving a reason. For goods the period runs from the day the consumer receives them. The shop must refund payments, including the standard delivery cost, within 14 days of being told, but may wait until the goods come back or proof of dispatch is given. The consumer normally bears the cost of return if the shop said so in advance.

If the shop fails to inform the consumer of the right of withdrawal, the period is extended by up to 12 months (as of 2026; check the official source). Use the model withdrawal form and put the information in the order confirmation.

There are exceptions: goods made to the consumer's specification, perishable goods, sealed items that cannot be returned for hygiene reasons once opened, and digital content supplied after the consumer agreed to immediate performance and acknowledged losing the right. The exceptions are narrow, and the shop must show that one applies.

Defects and complaints

The seller is liable for defects that exist when the consumer receives the goods. For consumer sales the statutory liability period is two years in general (as of 2026; check the official source). For used goods the period can be shorter by agreement, within the limits of the law. The consumer chooses a remedy within the framework the Code sets: repair, replacement, price reduction or, for a substantial breach, withdrawal.

A complaint (reklamace) must be handled without delay, and the seller must settle it within 30 days unless the consumer agrees to a longer period (as of 2026; check the official source). The seller must confirm in writing when it received the complaint and how it was resolved. Keep records. A shop that cannot show when a complaint arrived loses disputes it should have won.

The rules on digital content and goods with digital elements have been updated following EU legislation, and the details are for lawyers.

Fair commercial practices

Fake reviews, undisclosed paid endorsements, false urgency ("only 2 left" when there are 200) and costs added at checkout are unfair practices, and the ČOI can fine them. If you collect reviews, state how you verify them.

Write consumer terms and conditions clearly, in Czech if you target Czech customers. A clause that creates a significant imbalance to the consumer's detriment is not binding.

Dispute resolution

The Consumer Protection Act requires the seller to tell consumers about out-of-court resolution and to name the competent body. For most online shops that is the ČOI, with specific bodies for regulated sectors. Put the information in the terms and provide it on request.

Selling across the EU

If you sell to consumers in other member states, the mandatory consumer rules of their countries can apply to your contracts whatever your terms say about governing law. VAT changes too. See EU VAT for Czech online sellers and the basics of Czech VAT.

Before launch, buy something from your own shop as a consumer. Read the pre-contract information, find the withdrawal form, press the final button and see whether the confirmation arrives. It is a ten-minute audit, and it finds more than most checklists.

This is a general explainer, not legal or tax advice.