Returns drive purchases: new legislation forces e‑shops to act

New rules based on an EU directive are set to enter Czech legislation, requiring e‑shops to make the returns process as intuitive as the purchasing experience itself. Although the amendment is currently going through the legislative process, which may delay its actual effectiveness, e‑shops should not underestimate the need to prepare. A well-designed returns process can become a competitive advantage. Seven out of ten Czechs abandon their shopping cart if they are not offered return options that meet their expectations.

The Czech Republic is implementing a European directive into its national legislation. The proposal requires e‑shops to introduce a clearly visible option for contract withdrawal directly in the customer interface – clearly labelled and accessible throughout the statutory 14-day period. “Customers will be able to return goods just as easily as they purchased them. With a single click, they fill in their details, confirm the withdrawal, and immediately receive an email confirmation. As the amendment is still going through the parliamentary process, we expect its practical implementation rather towards the end of the summer,” explains Petr Horák, CEO of PPL. E‑shops that fail to provide an intuitive return option may face fines of up to CZK 5 million from the Czech Trade Inspection Authority.

The legislation was originally expected to take effect on June 19. However, APEK (Asicoace Pro Elektronickou Komerci), representing czech e‑shops, has initiated an amendment proposing a more flexible wording. “While the original directive works with the term ‘function’, we propose the term ‘control element’, which better reflects established Czech legal practice. The aim of this modification is to protect e‑shops from unnecessary disputes with regulatory authorities in the future,” says Jan Vetyška, Executive Director of APEK.

The potential delay in the legislation also gives e‑shops time to prepare and choose solutions that can be easily implemented within their existing systems. One option is to use the Retino platform, which helps companies automate and manage reverse logistics – including returns, claims, and exchanges. The tool can be integrated via plugins for e‑commerce platforms or through direct integration. Combined with a reliable logistics partner, such solutions allow e‑shops to handle the entire returns process smoothly and without significant disruption to their systems.

 

A simple returns process makes the difference

Czech consumers are relatively conservative when it comes to returns, with most customers returning goods only occasionally. Nearly 60% return less than one-tenth of their orders, according to the E‑Commerce Trends Report. At the same time, shoppers consider the setup of the returns system to be crucial. Seven out of ten (69%) Czech customers abandon their cart if they cannot find suitable return options. “Returns are a significant competitive advantage that can determine the success of an e‑shop. It is often at the moment of returning goods that customer trust is either strengthened or lost. A transparent, simple, and customer-friendly returns process is therefore one of the most effective ways to stand out from the competition, build loyalty, and increase conversion rates,” adds Petr Horák.

When returning parcels, Czech customers clearly prefer a dense network of pick-up points and parcel lockers. Parcel lockers are the most frequently chosen option (48%), with this preference being even more pronounced among younger customers. In addition, nearly half of Czechs (48%) would like to see more brick-and-mortar locations and parcel lockers nearby within the next five years. PPL already operates one of the largest networks in the Czech Republic, with more than 10,800 PPL boxes – including AlzaBoxes – and PPL shops, providing e‑shops with infrastructure that genuinely simplifies the returns experience for customers.

 

Research methodology
The E‑Commerce Trends Report 2026 survey was conducted between December 2025 and February 2026 on a representative sample of 29,000 online shoppers across 29 countries worldwide (1,000 respondents in each country). In the Czech Republic, the survey included 1,000 respondents across all age groups who regularly shop online. Data collection and analysis were conducted by the research agency Kantar.