The new withdrawal button in webshops – what operators need to know now
From 1 October 2026, businesses must provide a withdrawal function in all webshops. The so-called withdrawal button is intended to enable consumers to withdraw from a contract concluded online just as easily as they entered into it. But which webshops are actually affected?
And what does this mean for APRO customers?
What is the withdrawal button?
With the transposition of EU Directive 2023/2673, a new electronic withdrawal function has been introduced in Austria. Webshops that have to grant consumers a statutory right of withdrawal will be obliged to provide an easily accessible online function through which customers can declare their withdrawal directly by electronic means. The existing model withdrawal form remains in place – the withdrawal button is an additional option and does not replace it.
Who is affected by the new rules?
The key question is:
Is there a statutory right of withdrawal for the contract in question at all?
Only if the answer to this question is yes does a corresponding withdrawal function generally have to be offered in the webshop. The obligation therefore does not automatically apply to every webshop. What matters are the products or services offered and the statutory exceptions to the right of withdrawal under the Austrian Distance and Off-Premises Contracts Act (Fern- und Auswärtsgeschäfte-Gesetz, FAGG).
What does this mean for APRO webshops?
Many APRO customers use their webshop for different business models. That is why there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
Restaurant and takeaway orders
If only freshly prepared food or drinks are ordered via the APRO webshop, a statutory exception to the right of withdrawal often applies. In these cases, a withdrawal button is generally not required. However, whether this exception applies in a specific case depends on the particular offer.
Vouchers
A statutory right of withdrawal may apply when selling vouchers. Whether a withdrawal button is required depends on the specific design of the voucher and the legal requirements.
Merchandise, delicatessen or other products
Anyone who sells clothing, wine, gifts or other goods via their APRO webshop, for example, should check whether a statutory right of withdrawal applies to these products. If it does, the new withdrawal function may also be mandatory.
What does the law require?
If a webshop is affected, the withdrawal function must meet certain requirements.
These include:
- a clearly visible and easily accessible withdrawal function
- clear labelling (e.g. ‘Vertrag widerrufen’ – ‘withdraw from contract’ – or an equivalent wording)
- an electronic withdrawal statement directly in the webshop
- an automatic acknowledgement of receipt on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail)
- availability throughout the entire statutory withdrawal period.
APRO already has you covered
The good news: the technical solution for the withdrawal button is already available in APRO® webshops. If your business model falls under the new legal obligation, the required withdrawal function can be activated accordingly. However, as not every webshop is subject to the same legal requirements, we deliberately do not activate it across the board for all customers.
Our recommendation
Check with your legal adviser or your data protection or e-commerce expert whether your specific business model falls under the new obligation.
We will then be happy to support you with the technical implementation in your APRO webshop.
Any questions?
Our team will be happy to help you with the technical implementation and show you what your APRO webshop can already do today.
👉 Contact our support team
More information from the Austrian Economic Chamber (WKÖ, in German) is available here
Legal disclaimer
The information in this article is provided for general information purposes only and does not replace individual legal advice. Whether a statutory right of withdrawal – and thus the obligation to provide a withdrawal button – applies to your webshop depends on your specific business model and the goods or services you offer. If in doubt, we recommend consulting your legal adviser.