Legal Q&A · IT, Software & E-commerce

What information must an online shop provide, and how is an order placed?

Law as at 21 July 2026

Answered by , Czech and Slovak attorney, admitted to the Slovak and Czech Bars (SAK 300422 · ČAK 19654).

Short answer

As an information society service provider, an online shop must keep seller identification permanently accessible: business name, registered office, contact details, register information and supervisory authority. Before submission, customers must be able to check and correct errors; after receipt, the order must be confirmed electronically without delay. Further information duties apply to consumers.

What information must an online shop display?

An online shop operator is an information society service provider subject to Act No. 22/2004 Coll. on Electronic Commerce. Its general information duties under Section 4(1) require easily and permanently accessible details, particularly:

  • Business name and registered office, or an individual’s first name, surname and place of business.
  • Tax identification number, if VAT-registered.
  • Email address and telephone number.
  • Register designation and registration number.
  • The name and address of the supervisory authority, the Slovak Trade Inspection for online shops.

These details must be distinguishable from advertising. The Act also prohibits unsolicited email advertising unless previously requested by the recipient (Section 4(6)).

When and how is an order placed?

Before an order is submitted, you must (Section 5(3)):

  • Enable customers to identify and correct errors in their actions.
  • Clearly explain the steps needed to conclude the contract, technical means for correcting errors, whether the contract will be stored and accessible, and its language.

This information must be in the state language, Slovak (Section 5(4)), and you must confirm the order electronically without delay after receipt (Section 5(6)). Businesses contracting with each other may agree to depart from these rules (Section 5(7)).

Further duties apply to consumers

Consumer sales also involve extended information duties and withdrawal rules under the Consumer Protection Act, which belong in the online shop’s terms. The Slovak Trade Inspection supervises compliance and may impose a fine of up to EUR 50,000 for breaches of the Electronic Commerce Act (Section 7a).

We prepare complete, consistent online sales documents through our online shop terms service and e-commerce legal services package. For other websites and services, we prepare general terms and conditions.

This answer provides general information on the law as at 21 July 2026. It does not constitute legal services or replace an assessment of an individual case. The details of your situation may differ. Book a consultation to discuss them.

More legal questions

All questions and answers
  1. What duties apply when I process customers' personal data under the GDPR? You may process customer personal data only with a valid legal basis, most commonly contract performance, a legal obligation, legitimate interests or consent. Core duties include informing individuals, enabling them to exercise their rights, securing the data appropriately and notifying the supervisory authority of serious breaches without undue delay. The scope depends on what you process and why.
  2. Do I need a non-disclosure agreement, and what should it contain? Trade secrets are protected directly by law, and their violation constitutes unfair competition even without an agreement. An NDA still makes sense: it precisely defines confidentiality, duration and sanctions, making proof and enforcement considerably easier. A clear definition of confidential information, the confidentiality period and a written contractual penalty are central.
  3. Someone registered a domain using my name or brand. What can I do? Domain registration alone does not permanently defeat your earlier rights. If the domain infringes your trademark or business name, you can rely on trademark rights or unfair competition protection and seek an end to its use, compensation and potentially transfer of the domain. The approach depends on whether you have a registered mark and how the domain is actually used.
  4. Can the Slovak Trade Inspection fine our online shop from screenshots alone, without an on-site inspection? Yes. Act No. 108/2024 Coll. expressly permits remote supervision, including checks of online interfaces. Inspectors take screenshots and can conduct the entire inspection without visiting your premises. They serve commencement notices and records through your slovensko.sk electronic mailbox, so you learn of the inspection only if someone monitors it. Fines concern what actually appears online, most commonly unfair terms and missing consumer information.

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Mgr. Patrik Tulinský, LL.M. Czech and Slovak attorney · SAK 300422 · ČAK 19654

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