Terms and conditions for a bookshop selling online

A bookshop online sells the simplest goods and the most complicated ones in the same basket: a paperback that can be returned, a sealed audiobook that cannot once opened, and an ebook that is not goods at all. The terms have to apply the right rule to each, deal with pre-orders and titles that go out of print, damage in the post, and signed or collectable copies. I draft those terms for a fixed fee of £995, delivered in five working days.

Who this is for

Independent bookshops, online booksellers and specialist book dealers in England and Wales selling new and second-hand print books, audiobooks and ebooks to consumers through their own website, with pre-orders and signed editions.

What matters in online bookshop terms

Print books and the right to return

A consumer may cancel within fourteen days of delivery under regulation 30 of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and return the book at their own cost if told so before ordering, and the terms should say that books must be returned in the condition sent, that the refund may be reduced where a book has been read or damaged beyond what a shop would allow a browser, and that the refund is made within fourteen days of receiving the book back.

Sealed audio, software and ebooks

Sealed audiobooks, software and similar items are excluded from the cancellation right by regulation 28 once the seal is broken, and the terms should say so. Ebooks are digital content: sections 34 to 36 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 require them to be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described, and the customer's express consent to immediate download, with acknowledgement that the right to cancel is lost, must be captured at checkout under regulation 37 of the 2013 Regulations. Ebooks are licensed for personal use under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and may not be shared or resold.

Pre-orders, out-of-print and availability

Pre-orders are accepted for titles not yet published with the publication date as an estimate, and the terms should say that the customer may cancel before despatch for a full refund, that payment is taken at order or despatch as stated, and that a title which becomes unavailable or goes out of print is refunded. Stock shown is subject to availability and an order is accepted on despatch.

Damage, condition and second-hand books

Books are at the shop's risk until delivered, and the terms should say that damage in transit reported promptly is met by replacement or refund. Second-hand books are sold as described by their stated condition, and under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 a used book that matches its description is not faulty because it shows its age. Signed and collectable copies are described as such with the shop's statement of provenance, and the terms should say what that statement covers.

Prices, information and data

Prices include all mandatory charges under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 with delivery before checkout, card payments carry no surcharge under the Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012, and the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 ordering steps and the registered company details are displayed. The privacy notice governs customer accounts and any marketing consent, and gift orders say who the contract is with.

What it costs

Customer or supplier terms and conditions, £995. One set of terms, customer-facing or supplier-facing, drafted for your business. Five working days.

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want them checked and brought up to date. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Buying online forms the engagement on payment. The scope is what the terms and conditions drafting page describes, you accept the Terms of Service at checkout, and I email you within four working hours to get started. If you would rather ask something first, email me.

What you get

• A full set of bespoke terms drafted for your business, reflecting the legal requirements that apply to your business and sector
• A note in plain English explaining the terms I have drafted for you
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions that protect your position and are drafted to withstand scrutiny from the other side
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly
• Your questions and comments answered by email or phone
• One round of amendments to finalise the terms ready for use

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers (I am happy to quote for this as an additional service if required)
• Sector-specific regulatory compliance beyond the contract terms themselves
• Website privacy notice and cookie compliance, which I quote separately
• Terms governed by the law of another country
• Tax advice

Questions I am often asked

A customer returned a paperback with a cracked spine and coffee stains. Must we refund in full?

The customer can cancel, but the refund can be reduced where the book has been handled beyond inspection, and a read and stained book has been. Say so in the terms and explain the deduction.

A customer bought an ebook, downloaded it and then asked to cancel. Do they get a refund?

Not if the checkout captured their consent to immediate download and their acknowledgement of losing the right to cancel. If it did not, the right survives, which is why the checkout wording matters.

A pre-ordered title has been delayed by a year. What can the customer do?

Cancel before despatch for a full refund, which the terms should provide. Tell customers when publication dates move.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Contract review, £495
• Terms and conditions for selling ebooks and templates
• Terms and conditions for a toy retailer selling online

This page is general guidance for businesses in England and Wales, not advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: September 2026. Email geoffrey@caesar.co.uk.