Direct answer
What should you know first?
- Translate the action, not the English label in isolation. Checkout, shipping, dispatch and delivery describe different moments.
- Use koszyk for the shopping cart and finalizacja zamówienia or a clear action such as przejdź do kasy for checkout, depending on the interface.
- This is an editorial terminology checklist, not a frequency ranking or an extract from a published report. The risky examples illustrate literal, under-specified or unreviewed AI output.
- Use UOKiK-reviewed legal wording for payment obligations, consumer information and returns. This terminology guide is not legal advice.
- Keep product, account, email and support terminology in one termbase with context and forbidden alternatives.
- Test every label inside the real mobile interface because correct Polish is often longer than English.
30-term editorial glossary
Which Polish ecommerce terms can fail in literal or unreviewed translation?
| English term | Risky literal or vague choice | Better Polish in context | Usage note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Shopping cart | wózek | koszyk | Standard online basket concept |
| 2. Add to cart | dodaj do wózka | dodaj do koszyka | Product-page action |
| 3. Checkout | kasa | finalizacja zamówienia | Process noun; action may be przejdź do kasy |
| 4. Buy now | kupuj teraz | kup teraz | Immediate purchase action |
| 5. Shop now | sklep teraz | zobacz produkty or kup teraz | Choose according to destination |
| 6. Shipping | żegluga | wysyłka or dostawa | Separate dispatch method from customer delivery |
| 7. Delivery | doręczenie | dostawa | Customer-facing general term |
| 8. Free shipping | wolna wysyłka | bezpłatna dostawa | State conditions nearby |
| 9. Dispatch | dyspozycja | wysłanie or nadanie | Warehouse or carrier handoff |
| 10. Order tracking | tropienie zamówienia | śledzenie przesyłki | Use zamówienia before parcel exists |
| 11. Returns | powroty | zwroty | Customer returns process |
| 12. Refund | refundacja | zwrot środków | Refundacja belongs to different contexts |
| 13. Exchange | wymiana handlowa | wymiana produktu | Name the object |
| 14. Out of stock | poza magazynem | produkt niedostępny | Add expected return only when known |
| 15. Back in stock | z powrotem w magazynie | produkt ponownie dostępny | Good for alerts and labels |
| 16. Pre-order | przed-zamówienie | przedsprzedaż or zamówienie przed premierą | Match launch model |
| 17. Wishlist | lista pragnień | lista życzeń or ulubione | Validate against product voice |
| 18. Size guide | przewodnik wielkości | tabela rozmiarów | Common fashion label |
| 19. Gift card | karta prezentowa | karta podarunkowa | Use voucher only if the legal product is a voucher |
| 20. Promo code | kod promocyjny | kod rabatowy | Use when it reduces price |
| 21. Coupon | kupon | kupon rabatowy | Clarifies purpose |
| 22. Order confirmation | konfirmacja zamówienia | potwierdzenie zamówienia | Email and account status |
| 23. Billing address | adres rachunkowy | adres rozliczeniowy or dane do faktury | Depends on payment and invoice flow |
| 24. Terms and conditions | terminy i warunki | regulamin | Legal review required |
| 25. Privacy policy | polityka prywatna | polityka prywatności | Standard privacy document |
| 26. Cookie settings | ustawienia ciasteczek | ustawienia plików cookie | Choose approved privacy terminology |
| 27. Customer support | wsparcie klienta | obsługa klienta or pomoc | Match service channel and tone |
| 28. Sign up | podpisz się | załóż konto or zarejestruj się | Depends on whether an account is created |
| 29. Sign in | podpisz w | zaloguj się | Account access |
| 30. Subscribe | subskrybuj | zapisz się or subskrybuj | Newsletter and paid service need different verbs |
Decision: The “better” column is contextual, not a universal find-and-replace list. Buttons, status labels, legal terms and support copy may need different Polish forms.
Journey consistency
How should ecommerce terminology change across the purchase journey?
| Stage | Core terms | Consistency test | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery | category, filters, availability, bestseller | Search and navigation use the same product language | Merchandising and SEO |
| Product | size, variant, stock, add to basket | Labels fit mobile and preserve product facts | Product content |
| Checkout | basket, delivery, payment, invoice | Totals and required actions are unambiguous | Commerce and legal |
| Fulfilment | accepted, dispatched, carrier, tracking | Email status matches account status | Operations |
| Aftercare | return, exchange, refund, complaint | Support can use the same customer-facing term | Customer service |
| Retention | account, newsletter, consent, unsubscribe | Marketing permission language stays separate | CRM and privacy |
Decision: A termbase fails when it stops at the product page. Include the transactional email, help centre, chatbot and agent scripts.
Legal boundary
Which Polish ecommerce labels need legal review?
- The final button that creates an obligation to pay.
- Total price, taxes, delivery charges and optional add-ons.
- Returns, withdrawal, complaint and warranty information.
- Subscription duration, renewal and cancellation.
- Marketing consent, privacy and cookie choices.
- Delivery restrictions and estimated delivery statements.
- Refund method and timing promises.
- Digital content, trial and loss-of-withdrawal wording.
Termbase workflow
How do you prevent ecommerce terms from drifting?
- Export every visible string from shop, email, account and help systems.
- Attach screenshot or component context to ambiguous labels.
- Define the English concept before choosing the Polish term.
- Record preferred, forbidden and conditional Polish variants.
- Add grammatical forms needed in full sentences.
- Assign legal, product and language approval roles.
- Test terms in realistic mobile layouts and checkout states.
- Feed support corrections and search-query language back into the termbase.
- Version entries when the product or legal meaning changes.
- Run automated consistency checks and a human in-context review before release.
Fix order
Which ecommerce translation mistakes should you fix first?
| Priority | Examples | Why first | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical | Payment obligation, total price, consent | Legal and financial consequence | Approved journey and legal sign-off |
| High | Delivery, returns, refund, stock | Direct purchase and support consequence | End-to-end test orders |
| Medium | Account, wishlist, tracking | Usability and retention friction | Support queries and task tests |
| Normal | Promotional labels and editorial variation | Brand consistency | Style guide and campaign QA |
Decision: Fix customer obligations and money language before polishing promotional synonyms.
Buyer questions
Frequently asked questions
Is checkout translated as kasa in Polish?
Sometimes an action such as przejdź do kasy works, but the process is often clearer as finalizacja zamówienia. Test the label in its interface context.
Is shipping wysyłka or dostawa?
Wysyłka focuses on sending; dostawa focuses on delivery to the customer. The right term depends on the stage and message.
Should wishlist be lista życzeń or ulubione?
Both can work. Lista życzeń is explicit; ulubione can fit a lighter product pattern. Choose one based on user expectations and use it consistently.
Can I translate terms and conditions as terminy i warunki?
That is an English calque. Regulamin is normally the relevant Polish ecommerce label, but the document and transaction wording need legal review.
How many terms should an ecommerce termbase include?
Start with every repeated customer-facing product, payment, delivery, return and account concept. A small shop may begin with 50 to 150 entries and expand from real queries.
Do Polish ecommerce buttons need to be shorter than English?
Not necessarily, but Polish strings can be longer. Test the exact verb-led label on narrow screens instead of abbreviating until meaning becomes vague.
Evidence base
Sources and methodology
This guide uses official product documentation, professional bodies and public authorities where available. Comparisons and scores are the agency's editorial framework, not a claim of official endorsement.
- UOKiK right-to-information guidance Official Polish ecommerce information and payment-obligation guidance.
- UOKiK consumer right to information Official clarity and non-misleading information guidance.
- EU pricing and payments Official EU price, payment and additional-charge guidance.
- EU contract information in Polish Official Polish-language consumer contract information.
- Polish plain-language guidance Official guidance on clear customer-facing Polish.
Last reviewed on 4 September 2026. Product features and search behaviour can change, so verify the linked documentation before making a high-risk decision.
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