cancellation button (withdrawal button)

[DRMasterChief]

Hello, ...the cancellation button will become mandatory from June 19, 2026 in EU countries.

So, this means, an electronic button is needed that allows consumers to cancel contracts online – simply, directly, and without detours. The goal: Cancellation should be as easy as signing the contract – with just one click.

How do we implement this in ThirtyBees? Has anyone already considered this, or is someone working on a solution?

It would be sufficient to use a copy the existing contact form and make it available for this purpose. This would also allow for the automatic sending of the email confirmation.

This means, we have to copy the Controller and the .tpl  from contact form to a new form?  What else is to be done?

Once again, the entire EU is affected, although the implementation in some countries seems to be less stringent.

More informations here:

The "cancellation button" (or withdrawal button) becomes a mandatory, simple, one-click feature for all EU online retailers for distance contracts starting June 19, 2026, due to EU Directive 2023/2673,

requiring an easily accessible, prominent, and clearly labeled button on websites/apps to make canceling online purchases as easy as making them, preventing complex email/form processes. 

Key Details of the 2026 Cancellation Button:
Mandatory Date: June 19, 2026.
Applies To: Online retailers (websites & apps) in the EU for distance contracts (e.g., online shopping).
Purpose: To allow consumers to withdraw from a contract with a single click, just as easily as they agreed to it.
Functionality: It must be a digital function that's simple, clearly recognizable, and available throughout the 14-day withdrawal period.
Requirements:
Easy Access: Prominently placed, not hidden behind multiple clicks or logins.
Clear Labeling: Clearly labeled (e.g., "Cancel Contract").
Confirmation: Clicking it leads to a confirmation page where the user submits the cancellation.
Legal Basis: EU Directive 2023/2673, amending the Consumer Rights Directive. 
Why it's Happening:
The EU aims to strengthen consumer rights and confidence in e-commerce by removing friction and complexity from the cancellation process, making it as easy as ordering. Non-compliance could lead to extended withdrawal periods (12 months + 14 days) or penalties. 

and also here are some informations: https://retjet.com/en/mandatory-return-button-in-online-stores-directive-2023-2673 

 

Maybe we can arrange an good solution (without an module) in team work here? 

[vir]

The module I'm using implements the contract withdrawal request button in the details of the order just completed (see attached screenshot). Therefore, the consumer will immediately find the button to access the contract withdrawal function in the details of the order just placed. It's already there, ready to be used. The login, which you see as a complication, will only be necessary to return to the order details at a later time and is an essential requirement (required by other regulations and directives) to ensure the appropriate level of confidentiality and security of the system in use. Avoiding the login to an e-commerce site that provides a personal customer area that collects personal and sensitive data would violate other equally stringent and stringent regulations, not only in Germany, such as the Privacy Act.
I repeat, therefore, the login cannot be seen as "a complication to access the procedure" but as a "conditio sine qua non" due to the Privacy Act.

 

 

On 3/21/2026 at 5:47 AM, vir said:

Hi.  Directive (EU) 2023/2673 does not require the withdrawal button to be accessible without logging in.

The directive (which amends Directive 2011/83/EU) introduces the requirement for a "digital withdrawal function" that must be:
easily accessible
clear and visible
simple to use
equivalent in simplicity to the purchasing process
Key point: Contract identification
The regulation requires that the consumer be able to:
identify the contract (order)
send the withdrawal declaration
In practice, this means: access to an area where the order is recognizable (order history - order details)
This module does all of this and is therefore fully compliant with the regulation.

What the module does is indicated in the module description in https://psitsolution.com/tools/en/thirtybees-ps-mandatory-withdrawal-button-module

The Thirtybees PS Mandatory Withdrawal Button module implements a digital function that allows customers to easily exercise their right of withdrawal directly from the store's personal area, as required by Directive 2023/2673 on withdrawal from online contracts.

The module records the request, sends a confirmation email, and makes the request visible in the merchant's back office for management, as required by the new regulation.

This module adds a withdrawal request button to the order detail page in the customer account.

When the customer uses this feature:

a confirmation page is displayed identifying the relevant order;

the customer confirms the withdrawal request through a dedicated button;

the request is recorded in the database including key data (order, customer, date and IP address);

a confirmation email is sent automatically;

the request becomes visible in the module back office.

In the back office, the merchant can review all withdrawal requests and access the related order directly for easier processing.

The module is designed to provide a simple and transparent withdrawal process for customers while maintaining a reliable record of all requests for the merchant.

exactly what is provided for in Article 11a of the law.

Edited March 30 by vir

[Yabber]

@DRMasterChief  What you want to implement in your store doesn’t require any changes to Thirtybees or any additional modules.
You want a button that links to a contact form where the customer must submit a request to cancel their order. Just add a link or button anywhere in your store that leads to the standard contact form, and that’s it.
And since this solution has nothing to do with the functionality of the "Cancel order" button, has no integration with the store, and doesn’t automate any actions in the store (such as automatically changing the order status), that’s a different matter. What you’re proposing is just plain old email writing. The customer has to write an email providing all their details, then the store staff has to read that email and take some further action on the order.

And this whole "canceling orders without logging into the customer’s account" thing is total nonsense. Hackers will be canceling all the orders in the store every day. There are no safety measures in this solution.
Here’s an example of how it’s done in WooCommerce: https://woocommerce.com/products/customer-order-cancellation-for-woocommerce/ 
The customer logs into their account, sees a list of their orders, and on that list there’s a "Cancel order" button—they don’t have to spend an hour filling out confusing forms where they have to provide all their personal information.

In my module, I implemented this as follows: the "Cancel order" button is always visible in the store's navigation bar; when the customer clicks it, they are taken to their order list and can cancel the order with a single click. In the module’s configuration, you can exclude order cancellations for virtual products and customer personalized products; by law, such products are non-returnable. When the customer clicks the "Cancel order" button, the order status is automatically changed to "Order canceled". Many electronic payment gateways offer automatic refunds when the status is changed to the one specified in their configuration—in this case, we achieve 100% automation of store operations that require no action from store staff.

 

[DRMasterChief]

@vir and @Yabber: The simplest form has three lines: name, email address, order number, and a text field for free-form comments if the customer wishes to provide them.

And nothing is automatically pulled from the shop data in the simplest version.

Submit button – done.

Does it really take an hour to fill it out? Is there anything about it that isn't GDPR-compliant?

 

I completely understand the need for a more sophisticated solution, but I don't quite understand why other opinions aren't being understood.

Some people are interpreting the EU regulation to mean that a login wouldn't be a problem.

We're not there yet, folks. At worst, time will tell.

There's plenty of written guidance on implementation, based on the current assessments from lawyers and trade associations.

We don't manage inventory, packing lists, invoices, etc., in the Thirtybees shop. The shop system is simply the customer frontend for us.

All orders are transferred to our inventory management system, where everything else is handled, including picking in the warehouse, label printing, etc.

Perhaps the requirements are simply too different. But it's good that we're discussing it, and I think the topic will become more prominent in this forum in the near future as more people look for a solution.

[Yabber]

@DRMasterChief  You yourself described this feature as not wanting a "Cancel order" button for orders, but rather buttons that lead to a contact form where the customer can submit a request to cancel the order. To me, these are two completely different features.
This standard contact form includes everything you need. There is a "Subject Heading" field, and in the store's contact settings, you can create a contact titled "Order Cancellation". There is a field for the customer's email address, an "Order Reference" field, and a "Message" field where the customer can enter their request to cancel the order.
Many stores are already implementing advanced AI-based automation procedures to minimize operating costs. If your store relies entirely on manual email communication, you won’t stand a chance against these fully automated stores.

 

[Yabber]

German Shopware store app. Extension: "Order Revocation for Customers", a legally compliant implementation in accordance with EU Directive 2023/2673.
The customer LOGS IN to their order dashboard and sees a “Revoke” button for the relevant order.

 

[DRMasterChief]

I've also come to the conclusion that we're talking about different things. On the one hand, there's the simple cancellation "I don't want the goods / I want to return them," and on the other hand, there's an automated process with a possible automatic refund.

These are indeed different things, and the EU regulation doesn't require any refund function. The conditions for a refund are fully and clearly regulated elsewhere, and have been for a long time; there won't be any changes to that in June 2026.

And we certainly don't use a shop system for this, but rather an inventory management system, which undoubtedly operates on a different level.

But thank you for the hint to keep our business going. Now nothing can go wrong.   🤙  🤠

[Yabber]

@DRMasterChief  You are confusing two completely different procedures: "Order Cancellation" and "Order Return". If the order has not yet been shipped, the customer can cancel the order, and the store will issue a 100% refund for the order.
If the store has already shipped the order, there can be no question of canceling it. In that case, the "Return" procedure is followed. The customer sends the products back to the store, the store checks whether the products are damaged or used, and only then issues a refund for the order, minus the shipping costs incurred by the store.
In Thirtybees, the order return functionality is very well implemented. We configure the timeframe allowed for order returns; the minimum period required by law is 14 days, but many stores set it to 30 days or even 60.
Thirtybees automatically monitors the timeframe allowed for returns.
Of course, both procedures must be described in the store’s terms and conditions.

 

[vir]

I have to disagree with you Yabber. The procedure you described is too complicated and violates the EU Directive. Without the module https://psitsolution.com/tools/en/thirtybees-ps-mandatory-withdrawal-button-module (or a modification to the current Thirtybees core), you cannot comply with the directive. The module does what it needs to do and costs less than 30 euros. Lifetime license and updates, so, if there are any future changes or adjustments to be made, they will certainly be implemented by the developer.....This is my experience and my choice. I'm very satisfied and just want to share. Feel free to do as you wish, but be careful with German lawyers! ;)

Edited March 23 by vir

[Yabber]

@vir  When processing a return, the customer simply selects the items to be returned and, if necessary, adjusts the quantity (they don’t have to return all the items). What is difficult about this interface, and what could be simplified?
What aspect of this procedure is inconsistent with EU directives?
Is it true that, under EU directives, a customer can cancel an order at any time (even 10 years after purchase), the store must refund 100% of the payment, and the customer does not have to return any products?

 

[vir]

@Yabber Sorry if I say this but you're just creating confusion and confusing whoever reads this post. Your screenshot shows a section where the customer can access after logging in, correct?...I also remind you that this forum should only refer to Thirtybees, not WooCommerce..... So we have a login and a much more complex procedure than the one provided for by the module I'm using, which simply requires clicking a button (a button expressly required by the directive). Sorry to insist, but I'd like this to be clear for everyone....

Edited March 24 by vir

[Yabber]

@vir  The module you're promoting includes the following description: “This module adds a withdrawal request button to the order detail page in the customer account.”

So I assume that the customer must be logged in to submit a request to cancel an order. There isn't a demo of the module, so it's hard to say much more about how it works.

I provided the WooCommerce and Shopware examples to show that in every e-commerce application, the customer must be logged in to manage their orders. Without logging in, the only option is to send emails to the store.

[DRMasterChief]

Oh dear, good grief!

There's no need to send an email to the shop using an email program. The regulation specifies a button that may link to a form. The form can be pre-filled or not; there are no further regulations regarding this.

And yes, when the "confirm cancellation" button is clicked, the shop receives a notification in the background.

The regulation, effective from June, simply aims to prevent customers from having to use an email program, a letter, a fax, or even a carrier pigeon. That's the basic idea.

The customer simply fills out a form or checks a box, and then submits the declaration that they wish to cancel the order.

Why is so much more being read into the regulation than it actually stipulates?

Thanks @vir for your post before.

 

[Yabber]

@DRMasterChief  Whether a customer sends an email via the contact form or through an email client, it’s always just sending emails with no integration with the store’s functionality. This doesn’t automate any operations in the store and requires labor-intensive handling by store staff.

There are industries where the return rate reaches as high as 40%. At a company like Zalando, they have to process thousands of returns every day. So the number of canceled orders will also be enormous.

[the.rampage.rado]

Let's keep the discussion polite.

[wakabayashi]

I don't know the regulation and I am not affected by it. But in general I agree with @Yabber how it should be handled. A clean/standardized process, that is triggred by a button. Afterwards I would check if the order involves multiple products. If yes, I would ask the customer, if he wants to cancel the whole order or only some products.

A contact form might work as the oldfashioned solution, but imo it has only drawbacks (for merchant and customer).

I would only disagree with @Yabber, that cancellation and refund are totally different things. From a coding perspective, they are pretty strongly related. In both processes you have questions like:

• Needs the current_state (order) be changed?
• Is there a money refund involved?
• Is the whole order involved or only some products?
• In both cases restock might be needed.

So in short I would say, cancellation is a simple case of returns.

[Yabber]

13 hours ago, wakabayashi said:

I would only disagree with @Yabber, that cancellation and refund are totally different things. From a coding perspective, they are pretty strongly related.

Currently, the returns feature only works for orders with the statuses “Shipped” and “Delivered,” which makes sense, since it would be difficult for a customer to return products they haven't received. Therefore, adding the ability to cancel orders to the returns feature would require a major overhaul of that functionality.

[vir]

@Yabber Just look at the screenshots I posted to understand how the module I'm using works. The withdrawal function is so simple: just click the "orange button" in the order detail and confirm with a second click (red button in the confirm page). No form, no data entry, everything is automatic, exactly as required by the directive. I invite you to reread it again, perhaps with the assistance of one of the many feared German lawyers. Sorry to repeat myself, but in this post you're just continuing to create unnecessary confusion.

P.S. I apologize for the quality of the images, but I'm not a graphic designer or a technician. I'm just a thirtybees user.

 

 

Edited March 30 by vir

[wakabayashi]

On 3/26/2026 at 5:37 AM, vir said:

I'm just a thirtybees user.

Bro you are not a normal thirtybees user, you are a module seller 🤷‍♂️

[vir]

@wakabayashi I would like to.... I wouldn't need to buy modules ;) but unfortunately no, you're wrong. I like to share good experiences when I have them and I've always had a great experience with PS... I don't think it's a crime to talk about them since they are excellent professionals... maybe they are your competitors, I don't know, if so I'm sorry, I apologize but I trust them and, I repeat, I don't think there's anything wrong with reporting good experiences.

Edited March 27 by vir

[DRMasterChief]

Here's a statement from the trade association (a specialized lawyer provided information on this). I'm including the German text here so you can use a translation yourself. I think this conveys the information most accurately.

I'm really having doubts about the login issue.

 

Durch den Widerrufsbutton soll sichergestellt werden, dass Verbraucher einen Vertrag ebenso leicht widerrufen können, wie sie den Vertrag abschließen konnten.
Die Ausübung des Widerrufsrechts soll nicht aufwendiger sein als das Verfahren für den Vertragsabschluss.

Der Widerrufsbutton muss für registrierte Kunden und nicht registrierte Gastbesteller bereitgestellt werden. Die Widerrufsfunktion muss grundsätzlich auch ohne Login erreichbar sein.

Die gesetzlich vorgeschriebene vierzehntägige Widerrufsfrist läuft jedoch erst ab Erhalt der Ware und somit kundenindividuell. Laut dem Gesetzentwurf reicht es aus, wenn die Widerrufsfunktion ohne Rücksicht auf die individuellen Widerrufsfristen pauschal angezeigt wird. 
Ist das Widerrufsrecht des Verbrauchers für einen bestimmten Vertragsgegenstand erloschen, wird es durch die Bereitstellung eines Widerrufsbuttons durch den Unternehmer auf seiner Website nicht wieder aktiv.

In der Regel wird den Vorgaben dadurch entsprochen, dass der Widerrufsbutton deutlich beschriftet wird, beispielsweise mit „Vertrag widerrufen". Der Button ist optisch hervorzuheben (z. B. Farbwahl, Kontraste) und muss auf der Hauptinternetseite verfügbar sein. Dabei ist er eindeutig von anderen Informationen wie den AGB, dem Impressum oder der Datenschutzerklärung abzugrenzen.

Nach dem Klick auf den Button (auf der Hauptseite) ist der Verbraucher zunächst auf eine separate Seite weiterzuleiten, auf der er bestimmte Vertragsinformationen eingeben und dann eine weitere Schaltfläche, z.B. „Widerruf bestätigen“, anklicken muss, um den Widerruf zu erklären.

Bei den Vertragsinformationen (damit der Widerruf dem richtigen Vertrag zugeordnet werden kann) ist folgendes abzufragen:

Name des Verbrauchers
Daten zur Identifizierung des Vertrags (z. B. Bestell-, Auftrags- oder Vertragsnummer)
Angaben dazu, wie der Eingang des Widerrufs bestätigt werden soll (in der Regel per automatisierter E-Mail).

Der Widerruf ist also samt Inhalt der Widerrufserklärung sowie Datum und Uhrzeit des Eingangs zu bestätigen.
Wurden mehrere Verträge abgeschlossen oder umfasst der zu widerrufende Vertrag mehrere Waren oder Dienstleistungen, so muss der zu widerrufende Vertrag oder Vertragsteil vom Verbraucher konkret benannt werden.

[Yabber]

No store in the world offers a "nicht registrierte Gastbesteller" option.
The "Guest Checkout" option involves the standard registration of a customer account with the store, including all personal and address information. The only difference is that the customer does not have access to their account.
Shopping without registration would mean that, during the checkout process, the customer would not provide ANY personal or address information, and a psychic employed by the store would provide all the customer information needed to complete the delivery. Such stores do not yet exist anywhere in the world.

Many fraudulent stores mislead customers by labeling this option as "Shopping without registration" or "Shopping without creating an account", when they should provide the correct information: "Shopping without access to your account".
Additionally, in this "Guest Checkout" option, everything is in violation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

In the "Guest Tracking" option, the customer also logs in to view their order. The customer logs in using their Order Reference and Email address.

 

[DRMasterChief]

@Yabber You don't need to explain it to me; I think all shop owners here know the procedure. But you should understand what's required and implement it—that's just how it is. Whether it makes sense at the moment or not.

If you ever get prosecuted for such a violation (e.g. GDPR, Withdrawal button or anything similar), you'll have to explain it to the authorities, and maybe then they'll understand and take notice. Excuse my language, but this isn't getting us any closer to a solution.

[vir]

@DRMasterChief Hi. I think that the crux of the matter here is "Die Ausübung des Widerrufsrechts soll nicht aufwendiger sein als das Verfahren für den Vertragsabschluss" ("Exercising the right of withdrawal must not be more complicated than the contract conclusion procedure.")...so there is no doubt about the legitimacy of the login, since any buyer, whether a customer or a guest, on any e-commerce platform (thirtybees, woocommerce or other) must register with at least an email address and password (chosen by the buyer or provided by the system) and then log in to the system to conclude the purchase contract (and therefore, since it is no more complicated than the purchase procedure, log in to withdraw from the contract). Therefore, the procedure provided by the module PS I am using is correct and unobjectionable by any lawyer/authority.

[DRMasterChief]

Thanks for your contribution.

I don't want to discuss here whether a particular approach is the right one. Only time will tell, and then the next few weeks when the law is in effect.

However, all the statements I've found so far point in this direction: The cancellation function must be accessible even without logging in.

We must also not forget that we are viewing this strongly from the perspective of a shop owner...

So it wouldn't be as most people here seem to think. It remains a nonsensical approach, and of course, it annoys the shop owner to varying degrees  🙂 

Edited yesterday at 08:53 AM by DRMasterChief

[vir]

@DRMasterChief It's a pleasure to contribute to the discussion. Unfortunately, however, I must once again contradict you, since, contrary to what you claim, I have never found any evidence to suggest that the withdrawal function should be accessible even without logging in. Furthermore, the same underlying logic supports my thesis: requesting a withdrawal without logging in (and therefore manually entering order details) is certainly more complex than logging in and pressing a button (without having to manually retrieve any data), and the law, as you yourself pointed out, establishes that "the procedure for requesting withdrawal must not be more complex than the procedure for concluding the purchase contract" (which necessarily requires a login or, in any case, the entry of at least one email address and the generation of a password, to ensure security and privacy during the purchase/payment process).

Edited 15 hours ago by vir