Before launch, write a privacy policy, terms of service, refund policy, and shipping policy. Each one answers a question customers ask before they trust you with their money.
Say what you collect, why you collect it, and who you share it with. If you use analytics, ads pixels, or email marketing, name them. Customers cannot consent to what you do not disclose, and payment processors expect this page to exist. Keep it specific to your store rather than copying a generic template word for word.
Terms cover the basics of the sale: pricing, payment, and what happens when something goes wrong. The refund policy deserves its own page because it is the one customers actually read. State the window, the condition items must be in, who pays for return shipping, and how long refunds take. Vague policies create support tickets. Specific ones prevent them.
List where you ship, how long it takes, what it costs, and what happens when a package is lost. If you only ship domestically, say so plainly instead of letting international customers find out at checkout. This page also sets expectations that protect you from chargebacks when a delivery runs late.
Write the four pages before you launch, link them in the footer and at checkout, and revisit them when your policies change. This is general business guidance, not legal advice. For anything unusual about your products or jurisdiction, talk to a lawyer.
Reviewed Sep 22, 2026.