The Law on Electronic Commerce in Serbia: the basics for an online store - Zephyra Studio

If you sell online in Serbia, the Law on Electronic Commerce sets out specific, checkable obligations before someone clicks "confirm order", not just general principles. This is NOT legal advice, just a practical overview, consult a lawyer before launching an online store.

Information that must be available BEFORE a purchase

The same company identity information that goes in the terms of use (name, registration number, tax ID, address, contact) must be available to the buyer BEFORE they complete a purchase, not only in the confirmation email. The price must be clearly shown with taxes and any extra costs (delivery) included BEFORE order confirmation, not revealed only at the last step.

The buyer must have a clear chance to review and correct the order BEFORE submitting it (e.g. a cart review page before final confirmation), this prevents accidental orders and gives the buyer control over exactly what they are confirming.

Data retention and removing unlawful content

Recent amendments to the law introduce an obligation to retain certain customer data (including IP addresses) for at least 30 days. For platforms that allow user-generated content (reviews, comments), there is an obligation to remove unlawful content or hate speech within a short window (2 days) of a report, with fines for non-compliance.

For a typical small online store without user reviews or comments, this second obligation is less relevant, but retaining order data still applies.

The right of withdrawal, a legal obligation, not just goodwill

The Consumer Protection Law (which works alongside the Law on Electronic Commerce for distance sales) gives consumers the right to withdraw from a purchase within 14 days of receiving the goods, with no explanation needed, subject to known exceptions (personalised/custom-made goods, digital content already downloaded with the consumer's consent, hygiene-sensitive products unsealed from protective packaging). This right must be clearly stated BEFORE the purchase, not only when a customer asks for a refund and finds out you have it written down at all.

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Key takeaways

• Company identity information and the exact price with taxes must be visible BEFORE order confirmation, not only afterwards.
• The buyer must be able to review and correct the order before final submission.
• Order data (including IP addresses) is kept for at least 30 days under recent amendments.
• The 14-day right of withdrawal is a legal obligation for distance sales, with known exceptions, not an optional courtesy.
• This is a practical overview, not legal advice, consult a lawyer before launching an online store.

Conclusion

The Law on Electronic Commerce is not an obstacle for a small online store, just a list of specific things that need to be visible at the right point in the purchase flow. Our online store builds include these elements (company identity, transparent pricing, withdrawal terms) as a standard part of the checkout process, with a recommended legal review before launch.