Is dropshipping legal in Spain and what obligations does it carry?
The model is legal and has no special regime: the same rules as any store apply. The usual mistake is thinking that liability travels with the parcel back to the supplier.
Short answer
- Dropshipping is legal in Spain and requires no registration different from any other e-commerce business.
- You are the one liable to the customer: legal guarantee, 14-day withdrawal and delivery deadline.
- For imported consignments of no more than €150, VAT can be collected at the point of sale through the IOSS scheme.
- Above €150 the VAT and duties are settled at customs, and the customer must not be caught by surprise.
- The product must meet European safety rules and carry whatever marking applies to it.
Who is responsible for what
How obligations actually split
| Obligation | Liable to the customer | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Legal guarantee | The store | Three years in Spain |
| Withdrawal | The store | 14 days, even if the supplier refuses |
| Delivery deadline | The store | Up to 30 days if none is agreed |
| VAT and import | The store | IOSS up to €150, customs above |
Practical example
Example: you sell a €60 lamp shipped directly by an Asian supplier. It takes 28 days and the customer wants to return it. You must accept the withdrawal and refund within 14 days, even if the supplier accepts no returns and even though you never handled the product. And if you did not disclose that return costs are on the customer, you absorb them.
Common mistakes
- Promising 3-day delivery when the supplier takes a month.
- Letting the customer pay VAT and duties at the door without any warning.
- Publishing the supplier's photos and descriptions without checking rights or technical data.
- Sending the guarantee claim to the foreign manufacturer: the seller is the one who answers.
How 4shopy helps
- The delivery deadline is configured per product, not as generic store copy.
- The terms of sale and returns policy are pages you can edit yourself.
- Each order records supplier, tracking and status, so a long shipment never gets lost.
- Returns and refunds are documented with dates, which is what the legal deadline requires.