Selling Online in Brazil: Consumer Protection Rules for E-Commerce

Brazil is one of the largest e-commerce markets in the world, and it has one of the most protective consumer laws. A foreign brand that sells online through its Brazilian subsidiary, on its own website or through marketplaces, must follow the Consumer Protection Code (CDC) and a specific e-commerce decree that set what the website must show, how withdrawal works, how prices are displayed and how complaints must be handled. These rules are enforced by state consumer agencies (Procons), the federal consumer secretariat (Senacon) and the courts. This guide summarizes what a foreign-owned online retailer needs in place.

What the website must show

Decree 7,962/2013 requires online sellers to display, prominently and in an easily accessible place:

• the company name and tax ID (CNPJ);
• the physical and electronic address and other contact information;
• the essential features of the product or service, including health and safety risks;
• the price, with any additional costs such as delivery or insurance shown separately;
• the full conditions of the offer, including payment methods, availability and delivery time;
• any restrictions on the offer.

The CDC also requires offers to be correct, clear and in Portuguese, including price, warranty and origin. Before the purchase is completed, the consumer must see a summary of the contract highlighting clauses that limit rights, be able to correct errors, receive immediate confirmation of acceptance and get the contract in a form that can be saved.

The seven-day right of withdrawal

For purchases made outside a physical store, including online, the consumer can withdraw within seven days of signing or of receiving the product, without giving a reason, and must be refunded immediately, with monetary correction, of all amounts paid (CDC, article 49). Under the e-commerce decree:

• the means of withdrawal must be clearly displayed;
• the consumer can withdraw through the same tool used to buy;
• related contracts, such as extended warranties or financing, are cancelled at no cost;
• the seller must immediately notify the card issuer or payment provider so that the charge is not made or is reversed;
• the seller must confirm receipt of the withdrawal immediately.

Refund and return logistics should be designed for this right from the start, including who pays return shipping, which is commonly treated as the seller’s cost.

Warranties and liability

For a subsidiary that imports and sells the group’s products, this means it answers to Brazilian consumers as importer and seller. Courts have also extended liability to marketplaces in many cases, based on the joint liability of the supply chain.

Prices and installments

• Prices must be shown in reais. A price in foreign currency may be shown only together with its conversion into reais, with equal or greater prominence.
• In e-commerce, the cash price must appear prominently next to the product image.
• Installment offers must show the total cash price and the total financed price, the number, frequency and value of installments, interest and charges. Showing only installment values is an infringement.
• Different prices for different payment methods or terms are allowed, but must be disclosed. If two prices are shown, the consumer is entitled to the lower one.

Installment payments on credit cards and instant payments by Pix are the norm in Brazilian online retail, so pricing, checkout and payment provider contracts should be built around them.

Customer service

The e-commerce decree requires an effective electronic customer service channel, with immediate confirmation of the request and a response within five days. The stricter federal customer service decree (Decree 11,034/2022), with 24/7 channels and seven-day response times, applies to federally regulated services such as telecommunications, energy and banking, not to ordinary online retail of products.

Large platforms and marketplaces must register on consumidor.gov.br, the federal online complaints platform, when they meet certain thresholds (for example, gross revenue of at least R$100 million or high volumes of complaints or lawsuits). Other companies can join voluntarily, which many do as a way to resolve complaints before they reach Procons or courts.

Advertising and credit

Advertising must be identifiable as such, and misleading or abusive advertising, including by omission of essential information, is prohibited; precise offers bind the seller. Since 2021, the CDC also prohibits concealing the costs of credit sales and pressuring consumers into credit, as part of the rules on consumer over-indebtedness.

Penalties

Infringements can lead to administrative sanctions by Procons and Senacon, including fines graded by the seriousness of the infringement, the advantage obtained and the supplier’s economic condition, within the range set by the CDC, as well as product seizure, suspension of activities and corrective advertising, in addition to individual and collective lawsuits.

Selling from abroad instead

Foreign retailers can also sell to Brazilian consumers from abroad, shipping small parcels. Under the federal compliance program for international shipments (Remessa Conforme), purchases from participating websites of up to US$50 currently bear a 0% federal import tax rate, and above that 60% with a deduction; sites outside the program pay 60%. State ICMS applies in addition. These rates are set by the Ministry of Finance and changed in 2026, so they should be checked before pricing. Selling through a Brazilian entity remains the route for brands that want local stock, delivery times and full control of the customer relationship.

A launch checklist

1. Website in Portuguese with the mandatory company, contact and offer information.
2. Checkout with a contract summary, error correction and immediate confirmation.
3. A visible withdrawal tool and a refund process coordinated with payment providers.
4. Price display in reais, with installment details.
5. Customer service with five-day response and records.
6. Warranty terms and a defect handling process with suppliers.
7. A decision on joining consumidor.gov.br.

How Solidy can help

Solidy already serves subsidiaries of multinational companies in Brazil. For online retailers, we structure the accounting and tax side of e-commerce, including marketplace and payment provider reconciliations, returns and refunds, and the indirect taxes on each sale. Read about importing goods into Brazil or talk to our specialists.