Website Requirements for Online Shops
Order buttons, withdrawal rights, price display rules, payment security. Running a webshop in the EU comes with legal requirements that many shop owners miss.
Common issues for online shops
Order button text matters
EU law requires your "Buy" button to clearly indicate a payment obligation. "Order with obligation to pay" or similar wording is required in many countries.
14-day withdrawal right
Customers can return most products within 14 days without giving a reason. Your website must clearly explain this before checkout.
Price display rules
Prices must include VAT. Discount claims must show the lowest price from the past 30 days (Omnibus Directive).
Product photos and copyright
Using manufacturer photos without permission, or stock photos of products you sell, can trigger copyright claims.
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Key issues
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Areas checked
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Guides
Real-world enforcement
The EU Consumer Protection Cooperation network (CPC) took coordinated action against 118 online shops in 2024 for violating the Omnibus Directive pricing rules — displaying fake discounts without showing the lowest price from the past 30 days. In Germany, competitors regularly send Abmahnungen to webshops with order buttons that don't meet requirements, costing €500–€1,500 per letter.
Official resources
We run the same complete check on every website. The guides below highlight which issues come up most often for each type of business.
Guides for online shops
"Buy Now" vs "Order": Why Your Button Text Matters Legally
EU law requires specific wording on order buttons. The wrong text could make your orders non-binding. Here is what your checkout button must say.
Belgium 14-Day Right of Withdrawal: Rules & Exceptions
Belgian webshop guide to the 14-day right of withdrawal (herroepingsrecht): when it starts, exemptions, refund timing, and 12-month penalty risk.
Cookie Banner Requirements 2026: What Actually Counts
Most cookie banners fail basic GDPR requirements. Here is what yours actually needs: reject buttons, no dark patterns, real consent.
EAA for Belgian SMBs: Website Rules from June 2025
Practical EAA guide for Belgian SMBs under the Wet van 5 november 2023. Microenterprise exemption, KBO/BCE number, WCAG 2.1 AA explained.
GDPR Compliance Checklist for Belgian Businesses (2026)
35-point GDPR checklist for Belgian businesses. APD/GBA enforcement, Wet 30 juli 2018, KBO/BCE number, cookie consent rules, Brussels bilingual obligations.
ODR Platform Abolished: Remove the Link From Your Website
The EU Online Dispute Resolution platform was abolished in July 2025. If your website still links to it, here is what to do.
Website Security Checklist: 10 Things to Check Today
A practical security checklist for small business websites. 10 things you can check and fix today without technical expertise.
AI-Built Website and GBA Complaint: Who Pays in Belgium?
Your builder used Cursor or Lovable. The cookie banner does not work. The GBA fines you, not OpenAI. What changes 9 December 2026.
AI-Generated Code and Open-Source Licences (Belgium)
Copilot or Cursor wrote GPL code into your site. The site owner distributes it, not the AI. What Doe v. GitHub decided and what you can do.
AI-Generated Images on Your Belgian Website (2026)
AI Act Article 50(4) takes effect 2 August 2026. The four risk layers for Belgian SMBs publishing AI images on their website, with the Getty ruling.
Product Liability Directive 2024/2853 in Belgium
Directive (EU) 2024/2853 makes software and AI 'products' for strict liability on 9 December 2026. What changes for your Belgian SMB.
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