Terms of service

Terms & Conditions

Last updated: 25 August 2026

These Terms & Conditions govern your use of The Business End Online website and purchases made from us.

Please read them carefully before placing an order. By placing an order through our website, you agree to these Terms & Conditions.

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions affects your statutory rights as a consumer.

1. About Us

The Business End Online is a UK online retailer specialising in computer hardware, software, operating systems, server products, licences and related technology products.

Website: thebusinessendonline.co.uk
Email: info@thebusinessendonline.co.uk

Postal address:
61 Eastcliff
Bristol
BS20 7AB
United Kingdom

References in these terms to "we", "us" or "our" mean The Business End Online.

References to "you" or "your" mean the person placing an order or using our website.

2. Products

We sell a range of technology products, which may include:

Computer hardware
Laptops and computers
Components and accessories
Operating systems
Microsoft Windows products
Microsoft Office products
Windows Server products
Client Access Licences (CALs)
Remote Desktop Services (RDS) licences
Software supplied on physical media
Software licences and activation products
Other technology-related products

The exact contents, format, condition and method of supply will be stated in the individual product listing.

Please read the full product description before ordering.

3. New, Used and Refurbished Products

Products may be sold as new, used, refurbished or in another clearly stated condition.

Where a product is used or refurbished, reasonable cosmetic signs of previous use may be present.

Any significant known defects or limitations will be described in the product listing where applicable.

Photographs may sometimes be representative of a product rather than the exact individual unit supplied, particularly where we hold multiple units of the same specification.

The condition stated in the individual product listing forms part of your contract with us.

4. Software and Licence Products

Software products may be supplied in different formats depending on the product purchased.

These may include:

Physical software packages
DVD or other installation media
Product keys
Licence keys
Licence documentation
OEM software
Server software
CALs and RDS CALs
Digital software or licence delivery

The exact method of supply will be stated in the relevant product listing.

You are responsible for checking that the software you purchase is suitable for your intended computer, operating system, hardware, server environment or other intended use before purchasing.

Where compatibility requirements are stated in the listing, you should check these before placing your order.

5. Software Activation

Where a product requires activation, you are responsible for following the installation and activation instructions supplied with the product.

Activation may depend on factors outside our direct control, including the customer's hardware, existing software installation, operating system, internet connection, system configuration and the relevant software publisher's activation systems.

If you experience an activation problem, please contact us before making significant changes to your computer or software installation.

Where the software or licence supplied by us is defective or does not conform to the contract, this does not affect your statutory rights.

6. Product Descriptions

We make reasonable efforts to ensure product descriptions, specifications, photographs and other information on our website are accurate.

Minor differences in packaging, labelling or appearance may occur where manufacturers update their products.

Product photographs are provided for identification and illustration purposes and may not always represent the exact individual item supplied unless expressly stated.

If we discover a material error in a product description after you place an order, we will contact you where necessary.

7. Prices

All prices are shown in pounds sterling (£) unless otherwise stated.

The price payable is the price shown when you place your order, subject to correction of obvious pricing errors.

Delivery charges, where applicable, will be displayed during checkout.

We reserve the right to change prices at any time. Price changes will not affect orders that we have already accepted, except where an obvious pricing error has occurred.

8. Obvious Pricing Errors

Although we take reasonable care when displaying prices, mistakes can occur.

If a product has been listed at an obviously incorrect price, we are not obliged to supply it at that incorrect price where the error would reasonably have been apparent.

If this happens after you place an order, we may contact you to offer the product at the correct price or cancel the order.

If we cancel an order that has already been paid for, you will receive a full refund.

9. Placing an Order

When you place an order, you are making an offer to purchase the products in your basket.

Receiving an automated order confirmation does not necessarily mean that we have accepted your order.

A contract between you and us is formed when we accept your order and begin processing or dispatching the goods, or when digital products are supplied, as applicable.

We reserve the right to refuse or cancel an order where reasonably necessary, including where:

A product is unavailable
There has been an obvious pricing or listing error
Payment has not been authorised
We reasonably suspect fraud or misuse
We are unable to fulfil the order
There is a legal or regulatory reason preventing us from supplying the product

If we cancel an order after payment has been taken and no product has been supplied, we will refund the relevant payment.

10. Payment

Payment must be made using one of the payment methods available at checkout.

Payments may be processed by third-party payment providers.

We do not normally receive or store complete payment card information.

Your payment provider may carry out security or fraud-prevention checks before authorising your payment.

11. Delivery

Available delivery methods and charges will be displayed during checkout where applicable.

Delivery estimates are estimates rather than guaranteed delivery dates unless we expressly state otherwise.

We will make reasonable efforts to dispatch orders within the timescale shown on the website.

Delivery can occasionally be delayed by circumstances outside our reasonable control, including postal or courier delays, severe weather, customs processing, industrial action and other disruption.

If there is a significant delay, please contact us so that we can investigate.

12. International Orders

Where international delivery is available, customers are responsible for ensuring that products can legally be imported and used in their destination country.

International orders may be subject to:

Import VAT
Customs duties
Import charges
Carrier handling or clearance charges
Local taxes

Unless specifically stated otherwise at checkout, these charges are not included in the purchase price or delivery charge and are the responsibility of the recipient.

Customs procedures may also delay international deliveries.

We cannot control charges imposed by overseas customs authorities, governments or delivery carriers.

13. Risk and Ownership

For consumer orders, responsibility for physical goods generally passes to you when the goods are delivered into your physical possession or to a person identified by you to receive them.

Ownership of goods passes to you once we have received full payment for them.

14. Your Right to Cancel Physical Goods

If you are purchasing as a consumer online, you will normally have the legal right to cancel your order without giving a reason.

For most physical goods, you may notify us that you wish to cancel within 14 days after receiving the goods.

After notifying us of your cancellation, you normally have a further 14 days to return the goods.

Our Refund Policy provides further information about our returns procedure.

Nothing in these terms reduces any cancellation or return rights provided to you by law.

15. Handling Returned Goods

You may inspect physical goods to establish their nature, characteristics and functioning in a similar way to how you could reasonably inspect them in a shop.

If goods have been handled beyond what is reasonably necessary and their value has been reduced as a result, we may be entitled to make an appropriate deduction from the refund where permitted by law.

This does not affect your rights where goods are faulty, damaged, incorrectly supplied or not as described.

16. Sealed Software and Physical Media

Different cancellation rules may apply to sealed computer software supplied on physical media.

Where computer software is supplied sealed, the statutory right to cancel may be lost once the seal has been broken.

This does not affect your rights if the product is faulty, incorrectly supplied or not as described.

17. Digital Software, Downloads and Licence Delivery

Special rules apply to digital content that is supplied electronically rather than on physical media.

Where you purchase digital content and ask us to begin supplying it during the statutory cancellation period, we may require you to:

expressly consent to the digital supply beginning immediately; and
acknowledge that you will lose your statutory right to cancel once supply begins.

Where these legal requirements apply, the appropriate information and consent should be provided during the purchase process.

Your statutory rights remain unaffected if digital content is faulty or does not conform to the contract.

18. Faulty or Incorrect Goods

We are responsible for supplying goods that are:

Of satisfactory quality
Fit for their intended purpose where applicable
As described

If an item is faulty, damaged, incorrectly supplied or not as described, please contact us as soon as reasonably possible.

Depending on the circumstances and your statutory rights, you may be entitled to:

A refund
Repair
Replacement
Price reduction

Your legal rights depend on factors including the type of product, the nature of the fault and when the fault becomes apparent.

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions limits your statutory consumer rights.

19. The 30-Day Right to Reject Faulty Goods

Consumers generally have a statutory short-term right to reject faulty goods within 30 days, subject to the applicable requirements of the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

After this period, you may have rights to repair or replacement and, in certain circumstances, a refund or price reduction.

These statutory rights are separate from any manufacturer's warranty or additional warranty that may be supplied with a product.

20. Returns

Our separate Refund Policy explains our returns process, including our applicable return period and instructions for arranging a return.

Please contact:

info@thebusinessendonline.co.uk

before returning an item where our returns procedure requires prior contact.

Unless otherwise required by law or agreed by us, customers exercising a change-of-mind cancellation right may be responsible for the direct cost of returning the goods.

Where goods are faulty, incorrectly supplied or not as described, return costs will be dealt with in accordance with your statutory rights.

21. Refunds

Where a refund is due, it will normally be returned using the original payment method unless another method is agreed.

Refund processing times may vary depending on the payment provider.

Where statutory cancellation rights apply, refunds will be made within the timescales required by law.

Where you cancel an eligible distance sale, any refund of the original delivery charge will normally be limited to the cost of our standard delivery service where you chose a more expensive delivery option.

22. Warranties

Some products may include a manufacturer's warranty or another warranty stated in the product listing.

The existence or expiry of a warranty does not remove your statutory consumer rights.

Warranty coverage does not normally include faults resulting from misuse, accidental damage, unauthorised modification, improper installation or damage occurring after delivery unless otherwise required by law.

Any specific warranty conditions supplied with a product should be read alongside these terms.

23. Compatibility

You are responsible for checking compatibility before purchasing components, accessories or software where sufficient compatibility information has been provided.

This is particularly important for products such as:

Computer memory
Processors
Motherboards
Storage devices
Laptop components
Server hardware
Operating systems
Server software
Software licences
CALs and RDS CALs

If you are unsure whether a product is suitable for your intended system, we recommend contacting us before purchasing.

This section does not affect your rights if we have specifically advised that a product is compatible and that information proves incorrect.

24. Installation and Customer Data

Before installing software, replacing hardware or carrying out significant computer maintenance, customers should maintain an appropriate backup of important files and data.

We are not responsible for loss of data caused solely by a customer's failure to maintain reasonable backups, except where liability cannot legally be excluded or limited.

Nothing in this section excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded under UK law.

25. Manufacturer and Third-Party Services

Some products may rely on services operated by manufacturers or third parties, including activation servers, online accounts, downloads, updates and support services.

We do not control the continuing operation of independent third-party services.

However, this does not remove any legal responsibility we have for ensuring that products supplied by us conform to the contract and applicable consumer law.

26. Acceptable Use of Our Website

You must not misuse our website.

You must not knowingly:

Introduce viruses, malware or other malicious material
Attempt unauthorised access to the website or its systems
Interfere with the operation or security of the website
Use automated systems to disrupt the website
Use the website for unlawful or fraudulent purposes

We may restrict access where reasonably necessary to protect our website, customers or business.

27. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise stated, the content of The Business End Online website, including our own text, graphics, branding and website content, is owned by us or used under appropriate permission.

Third-party trademarks, product names and logos remain the property of their respective owners.

References to third-party brands are used for legitimate product identification and descriptive purposes and do not imply ownership of those brands by The Business End Online.

28. Limitation of Liability

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions excludes or limits liability where doing so would be unlawful.

In particular, nothing excludes or limits liability for:

Death or personal injury caused by negligence
Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation
Breach of statutory consumer rights
Any other liability that cannot legally be excluded

If you are purchasing as a consumer, we are responsible for losses that are a foreseeable consequence of our breach of contract or failure to use reasonable care and skill.

We are not responsible for losses that were not reasonably foreseeable when the contract was formed.

Nothing in these terms is intended to remove or restrict rights provided by consumer protection law.

29. Business Customers

If you purchase products wholly or mainly for purposes connected with your trade, business, craft or profession, you may be purchasing as a business rather than as a consumer.

Certain statutory consumer rights, including some cancellation rights applicable to consumers, may not apply to business purchases.

Where these Terms & Conditions are used for both consumer and business customers, provisions specifically referring to statutory consumer rights apply only where the purchaser legally qualifies as a consumer.

30. Fraud and Misuse

We reserve the right to investigate orders where we reasonably suspect:

Payment fraud
Identity fraud
Unauthorised payment use
Abuse of promotional offers
Fraudulent return activity
Unauthorised resale or misuse of products
Other unlawful activity

We may cancel or refuse orders where reasonably necessary to protect customers, our business or third parties.

Where appropriate, suspected criminal activity may be reported to payment providers or relevant authorities.

31. Privacy

We process personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Please read our Privacy Policy for information about what personal information we collect, why we use it, how it may be shared and your data protection rights.

32. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms & Conditions periodically.

The terms applying to an order will normally be those in force when the order is placed.

Changes made after a contract has been formed will not retrospectively alter that contract unless permitted by law or agreed between us.

33. Severability

If any provision of these Terms & Conditions is found to be unlawful, invalid or unenforceable, that provision will be treated as modified or removed to the minimum extent necessary.

The remaining provisions will continue in effect.

34. No Waiver

If we do not immediately enforce a right under these Terms & Conditions, this does not mean that we have waived that right.

35. Governing Law

These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

If you are a consumer living elsewhere in the United Kingdom, you may also benefit from mandatory protections provided by the law applicable where you live.

Nothing in these terms removes any mandatory rights you have regarding where legal proceedings may be brought.

36. Contact Us

Questions regarding these Terms & Conditions, an order, return or product can be sent to:

The Business End Online

Email: info@thebusinessendonline.co.uk