E-commerce

1. I will be selling goods and/or services online. What rules apply?

If you will be selling goods or services to consumers via an e-commerce shop, you must comply with the Swedish Act on Distance and Door-to-Door Selling. Under this act, the consumer has the right of withdrawal within 14 days. The right of withdrawal commences when the consumer has received the product or a considerable part of it. During these 14 days, the consumer is entitled to change his mind, send back the product and be reimbursed within 30 days. Certain goods and services have a longer right of withdrawal, while others have no right of withdrawal.

Under the Act on Distance and Door-to-Door Selling, you are also required to give the consumer clear and easily comprehensible information, both before and after the purchase.

2. How do I receive payment?

There are a number of solutions you can choose to receive payment for your e-commerce. Before you choose a web hotel for your e-shop, it may be worth checking whether the web hotel already has a link for payment solutions. The following choices are also available:

Payment draft: A third-party link between you and a card company, for example.
Bank payment: If your visitors have access to online banking, they can transfer money to your company straight from their account.
Virtual wallets: Your customers create an account and top it up from their bank account or credit card. They can then pay from their virtual wallet.
SMS & WAP: To accept payment via SMS, you must contact a technology supplier or mobile service provider. With WAP, customers pay via a link in their mobile's browser. Payment is then taken from their mobile account.
E-invoice: Customers approve invoices via their online bank.

3. How do I choose and register a domain name?

When you register a web address, this is called registering a domain. This is done at a web hotel. Most web hotels have a simple search engine where you enter your company name or trademark, after which the search engine tells you the domain names that are available ( .com, .nu, .se, .biz, for example).

4. What are the VAT rules for e-commerce in Sweden?

When you provide Swedish consumers and companies with goods and services which are liable for VAT, you must be registered for VAT in Sweden and charge VAT. You register for VAT with the Swedish Tax Agency.

The Swedish rates of VAT are 25 percent, 12 percent and 6 percent.

5. What are the VAT rules for e-commerce in the EU?

If your company will be providing consumers in other EU countries with goods and services which are liable for VAT, you may sometimes have to pay VAT in the recipient country - if the sale exceeds a certain amount, for example. The amount differs from country to country. If the sale is less than the threshold value, you will be required to pay the VAT in Sweden.

6. What are cookies?

The simplest way of describing a cookie is as a little file which is placed on the visitor's browser. Cookies can be used to keep track of a visitor to your website, remember the contents of the shopping cart or identify a visitor.

7. How must personal data be handled?

If you are handling personal data, you must comply with the Swedish Personal Data Act. You must obtain a person's consent when storing and handling their personal data.

8. What rules apply if I want to set up a forum?

You must comply with the Swedish Act on Responsibility for Electronic Bulletin Boards if you are responsible for supervision of the content. In certain cases, you are also obliged to remove messages.

9. Who do I approach if I have more questions about e-commerce?

You can approach the Swedish Post and Telecom Agency about legal matters concerning your website and e-commerce. The Internet Infrastructure Foundation can answer questions about registration and choice of domain name. The Swedish Data Inspection Board will help you with questions about handling personal data.