Make your Free Terms and Conditions for Sale of Goods to Consumers

Use these terms and conditions (T&Cs) for the sale of goods to consumers d if you want to supply goods to a consumer on standard terms. Use these business-to-consumer (B2C) terms and conditions for any business in England, Wales or Scotland that sells goods to consumers on their business premises (ie not online).

This document is GDPR compliant.

Use these template T&Cs when:

• selling goods to consumers (ie customers who are private individuals who are not acting in the course of a business)

• selling from your business premises only (if you sell goods online create Terms and conditions for sale of goods to consumers via a website)

• selling goods to specification and/or standard goods

You do not need to use these terms and conditions if you offer goods on a daily basis that are sold immediately when the contract is entered into (eg groceries or newspapers).

If you require tailored terms and conditions, consider using our Bespoke legal drafting service. If you are unsure if these standard T&Cs meet your business needs, read How to choose the right terms and conditions.

These terms and conditions cover:

• supply and contract formation
• price and specification
• delivery
• warranties
• the information which must by law be included in consumer contracts

Terms and conditions for the sale of goods to consumers should be used if you are selling goods to consumers on standard terms on your business premises. Consumers are ​​private individuals who are paying for your services as private individuals (as opposed to businesses). For more information, read Terms and conditions.

Terms and conditions for the sale of goods to consumers protect your business interests, ensure that customers know where they stand and help avoid disputes.

T&Cs should appear on the back of all contractual documents, including quotations, order forms, acknowledgements of orders, delivery notes or in a brochure or catalogue. They should be available to a customer before or at the time an order is placed. This helps to ensure they are binding.

Consumers benefit from considerable legal protection and certain 'statutory rights'. Compliance with consumer rights must be integral to the way the seller operates. 

You cannot legally change or exclude statutory rights, which belong to the consumer. The words 'your statutory rights are not affected' are often used to ensure that this is understood by the consumer. Some rights are that the goods:

• are of satisfactory quality

• are fit for their intended purpose

• match the description that was used to advertise or sell the goods to the consumer

Read Doing business with consumers and Consumer rights for more information.

Consumers may reject the goods within 30 days of purchase if they are: 

• of unsatisfactory quality

• unfit for their purpose

• not as described

You may choose to offer a returns policy allowing customers to change their minds about the goods for any reason (or for no reason) within a short period of time after receipt of the goods.

You may wish to provide a guarantee to repair, replace or refund goods that are faulty (known as a ‘manufacturer's guarantee’). You may also wish to offer a guarantee if you are in a position to repair, replace or refund the goods. In any case, such a guarantee also exists as a statutory right, as long as the customer can show that the goods are faulty.

Your T&Cs can set out the time period in which payment must be made. However, the time period between payment and delivery of the goods can't be too far apart (eg 1 year in advance of the delivery).

You can set out whether you will charge interest on overdue payments in your  T&Cs. It will be up to the parties to agree on the amount of interest payable. However, the interest rate should not be unfair or unreasonable to the consumer.

It is possible to exclude the possibility of a refund in the case of goods which are made to order. However, such an exception wouldn't affect a customer's statutory rights in relation to faulty or misrepresented goods. Read Doing business with consumers for more information and do not hesitate to Ask a lawyer if you have any questions.

You should provide an email and/or postal address where the customer can send communications that must be in writing, such as a notice cancelling the order or return of purchase. You should also set out the accepted payment methods and terms (eg provide that payment must be made when an order is placed but credit and debit cards will not be charged until goods are dispatched).

Ask a lawyer:

• if you are unsure whether you need to use these terms and conditions
• for unusual goods (such as perishable goods) or regulated goods or services
• if you are selling digital content

These terms and conditions are governed by the law of England, Wales or Scotland.