Can you return a personalised gift? What UK law says

This is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. If you have a dispute, Citizens Advice is the place to start.

The usual rule: 14 days to change your mind

When you buy something online in the UK, you normally have 14 days after it arrives to cancel and send it back for a refund. This comes from the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

The exception for personalised items

The 14-day right does not apply to goods that are made to your specification or are clearly personalised. A print with your baby's name on it, or a book with your child's name through the story, is in this group. The shop cannot sell it on to anyone else, so it is not required to take it back if you simply change your mind.

What still applies

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 covers goods that are faulty, not as described, or not of satisfactory quality, and that does not stop for personalised items. If your order arrives damaged, printed differently from the preview you approved, or made badly, you can ask for a repair, a replacement or a refund.

What is not a fault

A spelling mistake in the words you typed is usually not a fault, because the shop printed what you sent. Good shops will often help anyway. Check the preview and the spelling before you pay, and read it out loud once.

What to do if something is wrong

1. Take a photo of the item and the packaging.
2. Contact the shop quickly, with your order number.
3. Say what you would like: a reprint, a replacement or a refund.
4. Keep the item until you have a reply.

That is how we handle it at The White Crib too. Our delivery and returns page sets out the details, and our FAQs answer the common questions.