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Consumer rights: How to exchange goods after Christmas!
Find out what rights consumers have at Christmas: exchange, warranty and guarantee at a glance. Tips from VKI.
Consumer rights: How to exchange goods after Christmas!
The contemplative Christmas season can sometimes be a challenge, especially if the gifts don't live up to expectations. What do you do if the new jacket doesn't fit or the technical gadget fails when you unpack it? Manuela Robinson from the Association for Consumer Information (VKI) has valuable tips for keeping track in such situations. How Today.at reported, there is no legal right to exchange in Austria, which means that exchange requests often depend on the goodwill of the dealer. It is therefore advisable to ask about the exchange conditions before purchasing and to have them recorded in writing. Many retailers are generous during the Christmas season, but giving money back is often unheard of; instead there are usually vouchers or an exchange.
Things are particularly different with online purchases: Here, consumers have a legally guaranteed right of withdrawal of 14 days, which takes effect from receipt of the goods. Loud Exchange Express An informal notification is sufficient for withdrawal, but Robinson advises a written declaration, as simply sending it back is not enough. This right of withdrawal does not apply to personalized products or unsealed data carriers, such as CDs or DVDs. If the product disappoints and has defects, the legally guaranteed warranty applies, which ensures that buyers are entitled to repairs or refunds, regardless of where the product was purchased. The warranty cannot be excluded or restricted by the dealers.
Guarantee as a voluntary additional service
In addition to the warranty, there is the guarantee, which is a voluntary service provided by the manufacturer or dealer. The specific conditions can be found in the warranty documents and vary depending on the provider. Once a guarantee is promised, it is binding. In an emergency, buyers can be sure that they are entitled to legally protected claims that go beyond the goodwill of the dealer. Having a clear overview of these rights can be crucial during busy times such as Christmas and will help avoid disappointment.