Since 19 June 2026 every online shop has to offer an electronic withdrawal function. Shopware ships it itself, but after the update its button is switched off and has to be turned on.
The footer in Shopware's default theme, with the button switched on.
The basis is section 356a of the German Civil Code (BGB). In Austria, § 13a FAGG applies from 1 October 2026.
According to the explanatory memorandum, the function should in principle be reachable without logging in, so after a guest order too, and directly from every page of the shop. In the footer it only counts if it stands out there and is kept apart from the terms and the imprint.
According to the explanatory memorandum, a partial withdrawal is allowed too. The withdrawal notice has to point to the function and to where it sits in the shop (Art. 246a § 1 EGBGB). The model withdrawal form remains in place.
In Shopware 6.7.9 or newer (on 6.6: from 6.6.10.14) the function is part of the core: a button in the footer, a page of its own with a form, and two emails.
The page with the default layout, filled in with sample values.
In the default theme, "Revoke a contract" sits in the "Service hotline" column below the link to the contact form, as a button in the theme's primary colour. It leads to the page with the form, no login needed.
Shopware creates the layout "Default shop page layout with revocation request form" itself during the update and enters it in the basic information.
Under the heading "Revocation" come the fields "First name", "Last name", "Email address", "Contract number (order number, subscription number, ...)" and "Comment", followed by the privacy notice. For a partial withdrawal the customer can use the comment to say which products they mean.
It is sent with "Confirm revocation". The page then shows: "We have received your revocation request and will process it as soon as possible."
Sending is handled by a flow that Shopware creates along with the function. It sends two emails, both with the time of submission.
FromYour shop
Tomira@example.com
SubjectRevocation request sent
We have received your revocation request for the contract with the number 10042.
Further information:
First name: Mira
Last name: Smith
Email address: mira@example.com
Contract number (order number, subscription number, ...): 10042
Comment:
Only the T-shirt from this order.
The form was submitted at 22 Jun 2026, 14:32.
The email to the customer, with the same sample values as the form.
With every entry from the form and the sentence "The form was submitted at …" with date and time. Subject: "Revocation request sent".
A second email with the same entries and the same time goes to the shop, subject "Revocation request received".
Both are sent by the flow "Online revocation request sent" under Settings > Flow Builder. Shopware creates it as active.
Both texts can be adjusted under Settings > Email templates. There the email to the customer is called "Revocation request requested", the one to the shop "Revocation request received".
Seven steps, most of them in the administration, two in your own shop.
Settings > Basic information: the layouts for the revocation notice and the revocation request, the button switched on.
Button, page and fields come with Shopware 6.7.9 or newer (on 6.6: from 6.6.10.14). If your shop runs an older version, the function arrives with the update.
Under Settings > Basic information, card "Shop pages", the field "Shop page layout for revocation request" holds "Default shop page layout with revocation request form" after the update. Check that it is set there.
In the "Legal and compliance" card there is the switch 'Show "Revoke a contract" button in footer'. After the update it is off: switch it on and save.
Under Settings > Flow Builder, "Online revocation request sent" has to be active. If you adjust the texts under Settings > Email templates, they confirm receipt and nothing more: the email must not sound as if the withdrawal had already been checked or accepted.
The notice has to say that the function exists and where to find it (Art. 246a § 1 EGBGB). In Shopware it usually lives in the layout entered under "Layout for revocation notices".
Log out, open any page, press the button, send the form and wait for the email. Then the same on a phone: the button has to be visible, with no pop-up covering it.
Shopware puts the button into the footer of the default theme. If your theme brings a footer of its own, check in the shop after switching it on whether the button appears there.
Warned about or simply typical: each of these points can be checked in your own shop within a few minutes.
Not like this: a grey "Revocation" link next to imprint and terms, no button.
After the withdrawal comes the handling, and with it questions: which product, how it goes back, when the money arrives. For these questions the form plugin puts a form of its own on every order.
The plugin's form on an order in the customer account, collapsed behind a button.
Through an order assignment the form sits on every order in the customer account, in the order list and in the order detail. The order number is shown above it; order number, order date, amount and currency travel invisibly with the submission.
Every submission is listed in the history with date and time and can be filtered by order number. An email also goes to the form's recipient address.
The export puts the submissions, with context and time, into a spreadsheet, for accounting for instance.
With goods, the withdrawal is usually followed by a return shipment. How that works in the shop is shown on shop-retoure.de.
The withdrawal itself is received by Shopware's function, which also sends the confirmation of receipt. Anyone who offers a withdrawal form of their own in addition confirms its receipt without undue delay on a durable medium as well (section 356 (1) BGB).
From Shopware 6.7.9 (on 6.6 from 6.6.10.14) you do not: button, page, form and both emails come with Shopware itself, you switch the button on in the basic information. Older versions lack the function, there an update is the shortest way. Shopware keeps a withdrawal only as two emails, though. The form plugin attaches a form of its own to every order in the customer account, which sends the order number along by itself, and records every submission with date and time in a list, filterable by order number and exportable as CSV. Whoever uses it for withdrawals as well confirms their receipt by email themselves.
According to the explanatory memorandum, in principle yes, so that guests can withdraw too. Shopware's page can be reached from the footer without logging in.
Every entry from the form and the sentence "The form was submitted at …" with date and time. The email goes to the address given, and a second one goes to the shop.
Yes, according to the explanatory memorandum a partial withdrawal is allowed. In Shopware's form the customer names the products concerned under "Comment".
This page describes what Shopware ships and what the law says. It is not legal advice: whether your shop meets every obligation is something to settle with somebody who may advise you legally.
Sources at gesetze-im-internet.de: § 356a BGB, electronic withdrawal function for distance contracts, § 356 BGB, Art. 246a § 1 EGBGB.
A form of its own in the customer account, in addition to Shopware's function.
Where the form sits in the customer account and what the assignment can do.
History with context, filters and CSV export.
A form for queries, complaints and return requests.