Can I cancel an online order?

When you buy something online, you may be making a distance sales contract. This is a contract for goods or services that is not entered into in person and where (in the case of goods) you don’t have the opportunity to inspect the goods before buying.

Under the law in BC, you may cancel a distance sales contract in the following circumstances:

• If the seller doesn’t disclose the information they’re required to disclose under the law, or the contract doesn’t contain this information, you have up to seven days after receiving the contract to cancel it.

• If you don’t get a copy of the contract within 15 days after making it, as required under the law, you have up to 30 days to cancel it.

• If you don’t receive what you ordered within 30 days of the supply date, you may cancel the contract anytime before the goods or services are delivered. If you don’t receive what you ordered within 30 days of the date of the contract, and a supply date wasn’t provided, you may cancel the contract anytime before the goods or services are delivered.

We explain these rules in more detail and how to cancel the contract in our page on shopping online.