Online shopping, parcels and post

It is for anyone thinking about, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. After reading, you should know how to order, receive, return and post items without missing parcels or official letters.

Start with "Where people shop online in Spain and what differs". It helps you choose between big marketplaces, local retailers and Asian sellers, which shapes everything that follows, from delivery times to customs bills.

Payment methods, scams, faulty-goods rights and official online notifications are covered elsewhere in the guide.

Key rules

• Import IVA: Parcels from outside the EU pay IVA at 21% in most cases, with no low-value exemption, and customs duty applies only above 150 euros for now.
• Withdrawal period: You have 14 calendar days to withdraw from an online purchase, counted from the day you receive the goods, and you do not need to give a reason.
• Refund time: The seller must refund you within 14 calendar days of learning you are withdrawing, but it may wait until the goods come back or you show proof of posting.
• Correos holding time: Correos holds a certified item at the office for 15 calendar days from the notice before returning it to the sender.
• Returns: Spanish and EU sellers must give you 14 days to withdraw, while Asian marketplace returns depend on the platform's own policy.
• Reason: You never have to explain why you are withdrawing, and the seller cannot penalise you.

Online shopping, parcels and post: the whole process, step by step

• Choose where to buy (read: Where people shop online in Spain and what differs): before you order: Spain-based sellers and the official website Prime usually deliver in 1-3 working days, orders from China often take 7-20 days

• Set up your address, buzón name and mobile number (read: Receiving parcels in a Spanish flat): before the first parcel arrives

• Check customs and IVA if the seller is outside the EU (read: Customs, VAT (IVA) and fees on parcels from outside the EU): before you order, and again if a customs notice arrives

• Respond to a customs hold notice and pay the charges: promptly after the notice; parcels are often kept 15 days after the notice before being returned

• Receive the parcel, or reschedule or redirect a failed delivery to a pickup point or locker: the courier usually tries again on the next working day

• Note any damage on the delivery slip and tell courier and seller (read: What to do when a parcel is lost, damaged or marked delivered): at delivery, then in writing within 24-72 hours, and never later than 7 days

• Collect certified letters from Correos (read: Correos mail, mailboxes and certified letters you must collect): within 15 calendar days of the notice

• Claim from the seller if a parcel is marked delivered but never arrived: contact the seller within a day or two; card chargebacks are usually possible within about 120 days

• Withdraw from an online purchase (read: Withdrawal right (derecho de desistimiento): returning online purchases): within 14 calendar days of receiving the goods

• Wait for the refund: the seller must refund within 14 calendar days of learning you are withdrawing

• Send parcels abroad and forward your mail when you move (read: Sending parcels abroad and forwarding mail when you move): when you change address; forwarding runs for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Your official ID
• Passport — Customs, VAT (IVA) and fees on parcels from outside the EU

The home and the lease

• Your order confirmation or contract from the seller — Withdrawal right (derecho de desistimiento): returning online purchases

Payments and receipts

• Invoice or other proof of value for a parcel held at customs — Customs, VAT (IVA) and fees on parcels from outside the EU

Other documents

• Your written notice of withdrawal — Withdrawal right (derecho de desistimiento): returning online purchases
• Proof that you sent the goods back — Withdrawal right (derecho de desistimiento): returning online purchases
• The aviso — Correos mail, mailboxes and certified letters you must collect
• Tracking number of the shipment — What to do when a parcel is lost, damaged or marked delivered
• Proof of delivery from the courier — What to do when a parcel is lost, damaged or marked delivered
• Proof of the shipment and its value — What to do when a parcel is lost, damaged or marked delivered
• Photos of the box — What to do when a parcel is lost, damaged or marked delivered

Each article lists the other documents it asks for, where you need them.

Online shopping, parcels and post: questions that cross several articles

Can I return anything I buy online within 14 days?

No, most online purchases can be withdrawn within 14 calendar days, but some goods are excluded, such as custom-made items, sealed hygiene products once opened and fast-perishable goods. Read Withdrawal right (derecho de desistimiento): returning online purchases for the full list. If the seller is outside the EU, also read Where people shop online in Spain and what differs.

Do I have to give a reason or use a form to withdraw?

No, you do not have to give a reason, and the standard form is optional. Any clear written message such as an email works, but you must be able to prove you sent it in time, so use a traceable method.

How should I write my address so couriers find my flat?

Write the street, number, escalera, floor and door, then the five-digit postcode and town, for example Calle Mayor 12, Esc. 2, 3º B, 28013 Madrid. Add your mobile number and put your name on the buzón and doorbell. See Receiving parcels in a Spanish flat: addresses, couriers and lockers, and Correos mail, mailboxes and certified letters you must collect for post.

Do I need my name on the buzón for parcels and letters?

Yes, put your name on the buzón and ideally the doorbell, because Correos and couriers deliver by name and may return items for an address they cannot identify. This matters for parcels and for certified letters.

References

1. amazon.es