Why missing or outdated legal texts get expensive
Anyone running an online shop in Germany is legally required to provide a set of mandatory disclosures: a complete imprint (Impressum), a correct cancellation policy (Widerrufsbelehrung) including the model cancellation form, transparent terms & conditions (AGB) and a GDPR-compliant privacy policy. If these texts are missing or outdated, that is a classic ground for a warning letter — competitors and consumer-protection associations can issue chargeable Abmahnungen.
The risk is real because the legal landscape keeps changing. Two recent examples: the former Telemediengesetz (TMG) was replaced by the Digital Services Act implementation law (Digitale-Dienste-Gesetz, DDG) — the imprint obligation has since been governed by §5 DDG, no longer §5 TMG. And the formerly mandatory link to the EU Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform has fallen away, because that platform was shut down on 20 July 2025. An imprint that still cites §5 TMG or contains an ODR platform link is simply wrong today.
Outdated texts are a warning-letter risk. This is exactly where Sequent comes in: the generated templates follow current legal requirements (e.g. §5 DDG instead of TMG, with no obsolete ODR platform link) and are pre-filled from your shop data — so you don't start over with every change in the law.
The four legal texts Sequent generates
1. Imprint (provider identification under §5 DDG)
The imprint is the statutory provider identification. Since the reform, the governing rule is §5 DDG (Digitale-Dienste-Gesetz, the German Digital Services Act implementation law) — the DDG replaced the old Telemediengesetz (TMG). It requires, among other things, the provider's name and address, the persons authorised to represent the business, fast electronic contact options (email), and — where applicable — register and VAT details.
Sequent pre-fills these fields from the shop data stored in WordPress/WooCommerce and generates a structured imprint on the basis of §5 DDG.
Note on the ODR platform link: the formerly required reference to the EU Online Dispute Resolution platform is deliberately no longer produced. The ODR platform was discontinued on 20 July 2025; a link to it is today not only superfluous but leads nowhere. Sequent therefore intentionally omits it.
2. Cancellation policy & model cancellation form
For consumer contracts concluded by distance selling, you must inform customers about the statutory right of withdrawal. This necessarily includes the model cancellation form — the standardised template consumers use to declare their cancellation. Sequent generates both: a complete cancellation policy with the deadlines and addresses, plus the matching model cancellation form, pre-filled with your provider data.
An important distinction: this policy is the content obligation. Separate from it is the technical obligation, from 19 June 2026, to provide an easily accessible cancellation button under §356a BGB. The two complement each other — more on that in the guide to the §356a cancellation button.
3. T&Cs (terms & conditions / AGB)
The T&Cs govern the contractual framework between shop and customer: conclusion of contract, prices, payment, delivery, retention of title and liability. Sequent generates a structured T&Cs template, pre-filled from your shop data (company details, payment and shipping methods), that serves as a robust starting point.
4. Privacy policy (GDPR / DSGVO)
The privacy policy informs customers, in line with the GDPR (DSGVO), about which personal data you collect, for what purpose and on what legal basis. Sequent generates a GDPR-aligned template, pre-filled with your controller and contact details, which you complete with the specific services you actually use (e.g. analytics or shipping providers).
All four legal texts are included in Sequent for free
Imprint (§5 DDG), cancellation policy including the model cancellation form, T&Cs and privacy policy — pre-filled from your shop data and generated locally in WordPress.
See Sequent →Pre-filled from your shop data — locally in WordPress
Sequent reads the details already stored in WordPress and WooCommerce — company name, address, contact details, payment and shipping methods — and uses them to fill the placeholders in the templates. The texts are created entirely inside your own installation: no external cloud, no data shared with third parties. You keep the texts as editable content and can adjust them at any time.
| Generated texts | Imprint, cancellation policy + model cancellation form, T&Cs, privacy policy |
|---|---|
| Imprint basis | §5 DDG (Digitale-Dienste-Gesetz) — replaces the former §5 TMG |
| ODR platform link | Deliberately omitted — platform shut down on 20 July 2025 |
| Privacy | GDPR/DSGVO-aligned template, pre-filled from shop data |
| Processing | Locally in WordPress — no external cloud, no data sharing |
| Price | Free feature of Sequent |
A template — not a substitute for a lawyer's review
To be honest: these legal texts are solid, well-structured starting templates that follow current legal requirements (for instance §5 DDG instead of TMG, and with no obsolete ODR platform link). They take a large share of the work off your plate and mean you don't have to research everything again with each change. What they do not provide is a blanket "guaranteed against warning letters" promise. Every shop has its own particulars — the services it uses, its range of products, its shipping routes. For production use we therefore recommend a final review by a qualified lawyer. Sequent reduces the effort but does not replace legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Which legal texts does Sequent generate?
The four core German shop legal texts: the imprint (under §5 DDG), the cancellation policy including the model cancellation form, the T&Cs and the privacy policy — pre-filled from your shop data and generated locally in WordPress.
Is the imprint based on TMG or DDG?
On §5 DDG (the German Digital Services Act implementation law). The DDG replaced the former Telemediengesetz (TMG); the provider identification has since been governed by §5 DDG. The obsolete reference to the EU ODR platform (shut down on 20 July 2025) is deliberately omitted by Sequent.
Do the legal texts replace a lawyer's review?
No. Sequent provides solid, well-structured templates that follow current legal requirements and considerably reduce the effort. We still recommend a final review by a qualified lawyer before going into production.
What does the Legal Texts Generator cost?
Nothing. The Legal Texts Generator is a free feature of Sequent and fully usable within WordPress.