Shopware 6.7.9.1 Revocation Button: Mobile Visibility and Legal Compliance Concerns Addressed

Shopware 6.7.9.1 Revocation Button: Mobile Visibility and Legal Compliance Concerns Addressed

The introduction of new features in e-commerce platforms often sparks important discussions, especially when they touch upon user experience and legal compliance. A recent topic in the Shopware forum highlighted a critical concern regarding the newly implemented revocation button in Shopware 6.7.9.1, specifically its visibility on mobile devices.

The New Revocation Button: Initial Observations

A Shopware merchant, Andreas_147, initiated a discussion after experimenting with the new revocation button. The primary questions revolved around its default behaviour and placement:

• Modal vs. CMS Page: Does the button open a modal window or a standard CMS page? Andreas_147 observed it opening a CMS page on both desktop and mobile, questioning if this was the intended behaviour.
• Legal Requirement for Discoverability: Is the button required by law to be easily findable and prominently displayed on every page? This question formed the basis for the subsequent mobile visibility concern.

The Critical Mobile Visibility Issue

The most significant concern raised was the button's placement and visibility on smartphones. Andreas_147 demonstrated with screenshots that on mobile devices, the revocation button was not permanently visible. Instead, it was hidden within an expandable footer section, only appearing after a user clicked a "+" icon next to "Service-Hotline." This design choice makes the button difficult to discover, potentially leading to a poor user experience and, more importantly, possible non-compliance with legal requirements.

German and EU consumer protection laws, particularly concerning the right of withdrawal (Widerrufsrecht), often mandate that such essential information and tools be easily and immediately accessible to consumers. Hiding the button behind an extra click could be seen as hindering this accessibility.

Shopware's Response and High-Priority Action

Shopware representative Max_Shop provided clarity and took swift action:

• Intended Behaviour: It was confirmed that the default behaviour of opening a new CMS page (rather than a modal) is indeed intentional. Max_Shop suggested that merchants could customize the link to open in a modal if desired, referring to the developer documentation.
• Acknowledging the Mobile Issue: Crucially, Max_Shop agreed that the mobile placement was "certainly not optimal" and acknowledged the validity of the user's concern regarding easy discoverability. It was noted that many large e-commerce players often use simple, always-visible text links in the footer for similar functions.
• Escalation to GitHub: Max_Shop escalated the mobile visibility issue to Shopware's development team by creating a GitHub issue: Revocation button only visible after opening footer column on smartphones and tablets · Issue #16803.

Following this, Andreas_147 provided an update, confirming that the GitHub issue #16803 had been assigned a priority/high tag by Shopware, indicating that the development team recognizes the urgency and importance of addressing this flaw.

What This Means for Merchants and Developers

This discussion highlights the importance of staying updated with new Shopware features and actively testing them, especially regarding mobile responsiveness and legal compliance. Merchants using Shopware 6.7.9.1 (or newer versions that might inherit this behaviour) should:

• Review Mobile Footer: Check the placement and visibility of their revocation button on various mobile devices.
• Monitor GitHub Issue: Keep an eye on Issue #16803 for updates on the fix.
• Consider Customization: If immediate compliance is a concern, consider customizing the footer template to ensure the revocation button (or a clear text link) is always visible on mobile, perhaps above the copyright information, as suggested by Andreas_147.

Shopware's quick response and high-priority tagging of this issue demonstrate their commitment to addressing critical user feedback and ensuring their platform remains legally compliant and user-friendly. This community interaction serves as a valuable insight into the ongoing development and refinement of the Shopware platform.