When you open an online store, you are not only selling products. You are also collecting personal data, taking payments and making promises about delivery and returns. Policy pages put those promises in writing. They help buyers trust you, reduce disputes, and in many countries some of them are required by law.
This article gives an overview of the pages most online stores publish and what each one usually covers.
Not legal advice. This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ between countries and regions and change over time. Check the requirements that apply where you are based and where your buyers live, and consider asking a qualified lawyer to review your pages.
1. Privacy policy
If your store collects any personal data, and almost every store does (names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, order history), a privacy policy is the page you are most likely to need.
It usually explains:
- what data you collect and how (checkout, account sign-up, analytics, cookies);
- why you collect it (to deliver orders, provide support, send offers, analyse traffic);
- who you share it with (delivery services, payment providers, analytics tools);
- how long you keep it;
- how buyers can see, correct or delete their data;
- how to contact you about privacy.
Watch out for: features that use personal data in less obvious ways. Birthday discounts, offers based on purchase history and advertising pixels all use personal data. Make sure your policy mentions them before you switch them on.
2. Cookie policy and consent
Cookies and similar technologies are used for carts, sign-in, analytics and advertising. A cookie page usually lists the types of cookies your store uses and why. In some regions, you also need to ask for consent before setting non-essential cookies, such as those used by analytics or advertising pixels.
3. Terms of sale (or public offer)
Your terms describe the agreement between you and the buyer. In some countries this document is called a public offer. It commonly covers:
- who the seller is (business name, registration details where required);
- how an order is placed and when the contract is formed;
- prices, currencies and taxes;
- payment methods;
- delivery terms or a link to the delivery page;
- returns and refunds, or a link to the returns page;
- warranty and liability;
- how disputes are handled and which law applies.
4. Returns and refunds policy
Many buyers read this page before their first order. Be specific:
- how many days the buyer has to request a return;
- what condition the item must be in;
- which items cannot be returned (for example, hygiene products or custom orders);
- who pays for return shipping;
- how and when the refund is made;
- whether exchanges are possible.
In many places, consumers have a legal right to return goods bought online within a set period. Your policy cannot usually offer less than the law requires, though you can always offer more.
5. Delivery page
Not always a legal requirement, but buyers expect it, and your terms often refer to it:
- delivery methods and areas;
- prices and any free delivery threshold;
- typical delivery times;
- how tracking works;
- what happens if a parcel is lost or damaged.
6. Payment page
A short page listing accepted payment methods, the currencies you charge in, and when payment is taken. If you add a payment provider later, update this page.
7. About and contacts
Buyers want to know there is a real business behind the store. Many countries require online sellers to show certain details, such as a business name, address, registration number or a way to contact you quickly. Even where it is not required, a working email or phone number does a lot for trust.
8. Other pages to consider
- Accessibility statement, where required or where you want to show commitment.
- Size guide or care instructions, which reduce returns.
- Terms for buyer accounts if your account features need extra rules.
- Reviews policy explaining how reviews are collected and moderated.
Practical tips
- Write in plain language. A policy buyers can understand prevents more disputes than one full of jargon.
- Match your real settings. If your returns page says 14 days and your process allows 30, or your delivery page lists a method you no longer offer, fix it.
- Link the pages in your footer so they are reachable from every page.
- Date your updates. Show when a page was last changed.
- Review them regularly, for example once a year and whenever you add a feature that uses personal data or a new country.
A checklist of store pages
- Privacy policy, including analytics, pixels and personal discounts.
- Cookie page and consent where required.
- Terms of sale or public offer.
- Returns and refunds policy.
- Delivery page.
- Payment page.
- About page.
- Contacts with a working email or phone.
- All pages linked in the footer and dated.
- Reviewed against the rules in your country and your buyers' countries.
How RedCart helps
In RedCart, these pages are created together with your store: about, contacts, cookies, delivery, offer, payment, privacy and returns. You edit them in the cabinet and the storefront shows the new version. While a page body is still empty, the storefront shows fallback text, so a new store never shows a blank policy page.
The built-in pages cannot be deleted, so a page that buyers or regulations expect cannot disappear by accident, and a new page can never take over the address of a built-in one. For anything else, such as a size guide or care instructions, you create your own pages at /pages/ with a slug you choose. Returns on the storefront follow a clear rule (a return can be requested once the order is marked received), which makes your returns policy easier to write accurately.
Summary
Most online stores publish a privacy policy, a cookie page, terms of sale, a returns policy, delivery and payment pages, and clear contact details. Keep them plain, accurate and up to date, and check local rules with a professional.
If you would like to set up your store pages with us, create a RedCart account.