What payment processors expect on your site
Stripe's website checklist, based on card network rules, lists what a business site should show to reduce disputes. Stripe says it may ask you to add contact options or fulfilment policies if a review finds them missing, and offers its Stripe Shop terms under a Creative Commons licence as a starting point. Businesses with no fulfilment process, such as in-person-only services or donations, do not need fulfilment policies. [1]
| Item | What Stripe says | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Product description | Detailed text; for physical goods, multiple pictures and details | Product pages |
| Currency | State it explicitly; a symbol alone may not be enough | Prices and checkout |
| Customer service contact | Multiple methods such as email, phone or live chat, besides a form | Contact page and footer |
| Refund, shipping, return, cancellation | Required for many businesses | Policy pages linked in footer |
| Privacy policy | Explain how customer data is protected, used or disclosed | Privacy page |
| Promotion terms | Conditions of any discount or trial, visible when customers opt in | Next to the offer |
| Business address | Adds credibility if you have a physical address | Contact page |
What Shopify generates, and its limits
Shopify lists seven policy types: return and refund, privacy, terms of service, shipping, legal notice, contact information and subscription. Automation fills the return, terms, shipping and contact policies from your store settings; the privacy policy is handled by automated privacy settings that are on by default for new stores. Shopify says the templates are for information only, are not legal advice and do not guarantee compliance, and that you may need extra disclosures for auto-renewing subscriptions, regulated products or child-directed sites. [3]
Turning automation on replaces existing policy text and custom translations, so copy your current wording first. Published policies are linked in the checkout footer automatically; the return policy also shows on order review, and the shipping policy on product pages and in the cart. Policies are public and often show your address, phone and email, and some disclosures need a physical address rather than a PO box. [3]
| Policy | Shopify automation fills in | You still need to check |
|---|---|---|
| Return and refund | Return terms from your return rules, contact email | Matches any returns app you use |
| Shipping | Fulfilment time (if delivery dates are set), countries, store name, support email | No delivery times you cannot meet |
| Terms of service | Links to other policies, store name, support email | Contact policy visible, or its name appears unlinked |
| Contact information | Address, company, phone, support email, EU or UK VAT number | You are happy for all of it to be public |
| Privacy | Updated by automated privacy settings | Covers your apps, email tools and analytics |
What each policy should state
In the US, the FTC's Mail, Internet or Telephone Order Rule says you need a reasonable basis for any shipping time you state, and for 30 days if you state none. If you cannot ship on time, you must seek consent to the delay or cancel and refund, and refunds for most payment methods are due within seven working days of cancellation. [4] Shopify gives the same practical advice: do not promise delivery times you cannot provide. [3]
| Policy | Must state | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Shipping | Methods, times, rates and destinations | A stated time you lack a reasonable basis for [1][4] |
| Refund | Conditions for a refund and how to ask | Promises your platform cannot process |
| Returns | Conditions and the return process, who pays return postage | Mismatch with your returns app |
| Cancellation | How to cancel subscriptions or reservations | Missing for any recurring product |
| Guarantees | Only say satisfaction guaranteed if you will give full refunds | The FTC says to use it only if you will give full refunds [5] |
| Contact | Email plus at least one more direct channel | Form-only contact [1] |
Digital products and courses on systeme.io
systeme.io issues refunds from Sales, Transactions and creates a negative invoice as proof. Partial refunds are not supported, availability depends on your payment gateway, and you need enough balance there to refund. [6] Course access is removed separately by dismissing the enrollment in the course's Students tab. [7] Write your refund policy to match: whole refunds only, and say that access ends.
For EU buyers, the 14-day withdrawal right does not cover digital content once downloading or streaming has started after the buyer expressly agreed to lose that right. [8] If you rely on that exception, the consent has to be captured before access. This is not legal advice.
Customisation checklist
- Copy any existing policy text before turning on Shopify automation
- Read each generated policy against your real return rules, carriers and dispatch times
- Add subscription and cancellation terms for anything that renews
- Name every app or service that receives customer data in the privacy policy
- Put at least two contact methods on the contact page, not only a form
- State the currency next to prices if you sell internationally
- Tell customers what they will see on card statements; Stripe statement descriptors are 5 to 22 characters [2]
- Link all policies in the site footer, not only at checkout
- Recheck policies whenever you change shipping zones, return rules or apps
Questions before you decide
Are Shopify's policy templates enough on their own?
Shopify says its automated templates are for informational purposes only, are not legal advice and do not guarantee compliance, and that you may need additional disclosures for subscriptions, regulated products or child-directed sites.
What does Stripe require on a store website?
Stripe's website checklist lists a clear product description, currency, customer service contact beyond a form, fulfilment policies such as refund and shipping, a privacy policy, promotion terms and payment security information.
How fast must a US online store refund a cancelled order?
Under the FTC Mail, Internet or Telephone Order Rule, refunds for most payment methods are due within seven working days after the order is cancelled, and must cover the full amount if nothing shipped.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Stripe Docs: website checklist Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Stripe Docs: account checklist Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Shopify Help Center: store policies Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- FTC: business guide to the Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- FTC: businessperson's guide to federal warranty law Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- systeme.io Help: how to refund a customer Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- systeme.io Help: cancel a student's access to a course Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Your Europe: returning goods and the right of withdrawal Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.