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. We are planning a purchase-linked consumer competition. Do we need a licence, and who pays tax on prizes? No licence is needed. A purchase-linked competition is a promotional competition expressly excluded by gambling law, provided it promotes sales, is not a separate business and requires no stake; payment for goods is not a stake. The rules are a consumer contract with corresponding requirements. For tax, the organiser withholds tax on cash prizes; winners declare non-cash prizes, while prizes within the statutory limit are exempt. Czech promotional competitions without a stake likewise require no licence.
  2. Can we send newsletters to existing customers without their express consent? Yes, for existing customers, subject to the statutory exception. The Electronic Communications Act requires prior demonstrable consent for email marketing. Consent is unnecessary when promoting your own similar goods or services to people whose address you obtained during a sale, provided they can refuse easily and free of charge both when you collect it and in every message. Bought or borrowed databases do not qualify. You also need a GDPR legal basis, usually legitimate interests, with a right to object at any time.
  3. Must an influencer label our post as advertising, and who is liable if they do not? Yes. A paid or otherwise rewarded post is advertising and a trader's commercial practice. If its promotional nature is unclear, the Consumer Protection Act treats it as an always-prohibited unfair commercial practice. The trader whose product is promoted bears primary responsibility, but the law expressly also covers anyone acting in its name or on its behalf, including the influencer. Labels must be understandable and visible without expanding the post. The contract should expressly regulate labelling, content approval and sanctions.
  4. What must appear on a company website even if we do not sell through it? Generally, these duties apply. A company website is an information society service even without sales if it promotes the business. The Electronic Commerce Act requires the business name and registered office, email and phone, register and entry number, tax identification number if VAT-registered, and the supervisory authority's name and address. The Commercial Code adds the company identification number and legal form. Details must be easily and permanently accessible, not supplied only on request. GDPR transparency and cookie rules also apply.

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

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