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E-COMMERCE SOLICITORS

Legal support for businesses that sell online

We act for online retailers, marketplaces, subscription businesses and digital brands across the UK, keeping your terms, your customer rights and your data in order so that growth is not interrupted by a complaint or a regulator. A fixed monthly fee, with no hourly billing.

Assess your legal risk
SRA-regulated solicitors icon SRA-regulated solicitors E-commerce and consumer law expertise icon E-commerce and consumer law expertise Fast, responsive support icon Fast, responsive support
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COMMON PROBLEMS FOR ONLINE BUSINESSES

The problems that bring online businesses to us

Selling online means selling under a set of rules written for the customer rather than the seller, and most of them cannot be contracted out of. These are the six situations we are asked about most, and what each one turns on.

Terms copied from another site are the most common thing we are asked to fix, and the most expensive, because they usually promise the customer less than the law already gives them.

Willem van der Merwe

Co-founder, Lawyerly

Portrait photo

Willem van der Merwe

Co-founder, Lawyerly

A customer wants to cancel and the terms say no The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 give a fourteen-day right to cancel most distance sales, with the information duties that go alongside it. Terms cannot reduce that right.
A product is faulty and the customer wants money back The Consumer Rights Act 2015 sets the sequence: a short-term right to reject, then repair or replacement, then a price reduction. The retailer is liable for it, not the manufacturer.
The advertised price was not the checkout price Since April 2025 the unfair commercial practices regime under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 requires the total price, including all mandatory charges, in the invitation to purchase. The CMA can fine up to ten per cent of global turnover.
Reviews on the site were incentivised Fake and incentivised reviews are banned outright under the same regime, and whoever publishes them carries a duty to take reasonable and proportionate steps to prevent and remove them.
A subscription is hard to cancel This is where the law is about to move. The subscription rules in the 2024 Act have not commenced and are expected in spring 2027, bringing renewal reminders, cooling-off periods and an obligation to let customers exit by the same route they signed up.
Customer data sits across platforms and plugins Controller and processor roles for each integration, the lawful basis for marketing, cookie consent, and what every third party is permitted to do with the data it receives.
OUR LEGAL EXPERTISE

We understand the business behind the storefront

A direct-to-consumer brand, a marketplace seller and a subscription business face different legal questions. We act across e-commerce and shape our advice to the way you acquire customers, fulfil orders and are paid.

  • Direct-to-consumer brands

    Own-website retailers on Shopify, WooCommerce and similar platforms, selling physical products to UK and overseas consumers.

  • Marketplace sellers

    Businesses trading on Amazon, eBay, Etsy and other marketplaces, subject to platform policies as well as the law.

  • Subscription and digital products

    Subscription boxes, memberships, digital downloads, courses and software sold to consumers.

  • Marketplaces and platforms

    Businesses operating their own multi-vendor marketplace, booking platform or peer-to-peer service.

  • Agencies and service providers

    E-commerce agencies, fulfilment providers and the specialists that build and run online stores for others.

LEGAL SERVICES FOR E-COMMERCE BUSINESSES

Take care of the legal side of selling online

From day-to-day contract work to the questions particular to online retail, our solicitors work alongside you so that your customers are contracted properly, your data is handled lawfully and your brand is protected.

  • Website terms and consumer contracts

    Terms of sale, terms of use, returns and refund policies, subscription terms, pre-contract information and checkout compliance.

  • Consumer law compliance

    Consumer Rights Act 2015, Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, pricing and reviews.

  • Data protection and privacy

    Privacy notices, cookie consent, PECR marketing rules, processor terms with platforms and apps, DPIAs and breach response.

  • Brand and IP protection

    Trade marks, copyright in product imagery and content, design rights, marketplace takedowns and infringement correspondence.

  • Supplier, fulfilment and platform agreements

    Supply and manufacturing agreements, dropshipping and fulfilment terms, marketplace and payment provider policies, influencer and affiliate agreements.

  • Advertising and marketing

    CAP Code and ASA compliance, influencer disclosure, promotions and prize draws, comparative and environmental claims.

  • Employment and HR

    Contracts for warehouse, customer service and remote staff, contractor agreements, policies and hiring for a growing team.

  • Disputes, chargebacks and debt recovery

    Customer and supplier disputes, chargeback and platform disputes and unpaid trade invoices, resolved directly with the other party rather than through the courts.

Legal risk check

Is your online business legally protected?

Our solicitors built this check around what a solid legal setup looks like for an online business: the foundations they put in place and the gaps they fix. Answer honestly and you will see where yours stands and where it needs strengthening.

About 3 minutes · Confidential

Your result

Where you are exposed

    The full report shows your score in each area, every gap with why it matters, and what to fix first.

    Your full report

    Unlock your full report

    A few details about the business and the report opens here, with every area scored and what to fix first.

    Preparing your full report

    Your full report

    Breakdown by area

    Next step

    Ready to act on this?

    A focused conversation with one of our founders about your priority gaps, a remediation plan you can act on, and fixed fees agreed up front.

    Where to focus first

    From your answers, these are the highest-impact gaps to address. Items tagged critical are the ones most likely to turn into a claim, a penalty or a lost customer.

      Section by section

      Your answers, your score, and why each area matters. Items with a marker are gaps worth attention.

      Now that you have the full picture, the next step is a short call to agree what to fix first.

      This report is generated from your self-reported answers and provides general information only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. The regulatory landscape in this area is evolving rapidly. For advice specific to your circumstances, please speak with a qualified solicitor. © Lawyerly Ltd.

      CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

      What our clients say about working with us

      4.8 on Google

      A fresh approach. Exceptional value.

      A fresh approach to legal services. They've guided us through multiple planned and reactive cases for our business. Exceptional turnaround times and great value for money.

      Kerry Power Client Relations, Pantheon Property Services
      CONTACT US

      Talk to us about your online business

      Book a complimentary consultation with our team. We will take the time to understand how you sell, fulfil and grow, and explain how we can support you.

      Willem van der Merwe

      Co-Founder

      Read profile