Track refunds after a return
Sending a parcel back takes five minutes. Checking whether the money actually came back is something hardly anyone does. That is exactly where money gets lost: a refund that never came and that you never missed.
Online shops usually refund you without any fuss. But not always, not always in full, and rarely on the day you expect. Without one place where the amount is written down, you won't notice the difference.
From return to money back
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Return requested
You tell the shop which items are going back. From that moment, the clock starts on the period within which they have to refund you.
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Parcel sent
Keep your proof of postage. The shop may wait with the refund until the parcel has arrived or until you show that you sent it.
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Money back in your account
Only now is the return done. Check the amount: the original delivery costs should be included, the return postage may be deducted.
Why it goes wrong without an overview
With one return a year, you'll remember. It gets tricky once several are running at the same time, and that happens sooner than you think: a size too small, a double order, something that didn't go with the rest.
- Looking at your bank statement, you can't tell which return a payment belongs to
- A partial refund goes unnoticed: you get €49.95 back while €69.90 was outstanding
- A return the shop never processed slips through
- After three weeks, you're no longer sure you actually sent the parcel
The outstanding amount stays in view
As long as a refund hasn't arrived, the amount stays visible with the order and under the Return tab. It only disappears once you set the status to Refund Completed.
That way you see at a glance which shop still owes you money, even months later.
What the law says about the deadline
The shop must refund you within fourteen days of your withdrawal notice. It may hold back the refund until it has the goods back or until you have shown that you sent them. It also refunds the delivery costs of the original shipment, up to the cost of the cheapest standard delivery it offered.
If it takes longer, a written reminder with your order number and the date you sent the parcel is usually enough to get things moving.
Frequently asked questions
How long can a shop take to refund me?
Fourteen days from the moment you tell the shop you are withdrawing from the purchase. The shop may put that on hold until the goods are back or until you have shown proof of postage.
Do I get the delivery costs back too?
The delivery costs you paid when ordering, yes, up to the cost of the cheapest standard delivery. The shop may leave the cost of sending it back to you, as long as it told you clearly beforehand.
What do I do if the money still hasn't arrived after a month?
Send a written reminder with your order number, the date of your withdrawal notice and your proof of postage, and give a reasonable deadline. Keep those messages. If nothing happens and the shop is based in another EU country, the European Consumer Centre in your own country can help for free. Otherwise, check whether the shop belongs to an out-of-court dispute resolution scheme.
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Checked on 28 October 2026