Christmas presents: exchange rights and goodwill - you need to know!

Christmas presents: exchange rights and goodwill - you need to know!

Steiermark, Österreich - Christmas 2024 has delighted many people again with gifts and vouchers. According to orf.at , the average value of the vouchers was around 100 euros, while in the Kuverts there were usually 200 euros. In the shops, it is increasingly being observed that customers are willing to spend more than originally planned, which indicates a positive consumption mood. A central topic that deals with many consumers after the holidays is the handling of gifts that do not meet or do not like expectations.

exchange: a widespread error

Although many think that they have a legal right to exchange, this is often a misunderstanding. The legal regulations are clear: in stationary trade the principle "bought is bought" applies. This means that there is usually no right of withdrawal, such as "https://www.vzhh.de/themen/eirkauf-reise-freizeit/eirpauf-onlinee-shopping/ummausch-rueck-welche-rechte-habe-ich"> vzhh.de . Consumers who say that "I don't want to" can usually only hope for the goodwill of the dealer. The only exception is online trading, where buyers have a right of withdrawal of 14 days.

In addition, the terms guarantee and warranty are often mixed up. The guarantee is a voluntary performance of the manufacturer, while the warranty is a legal claim that enables the resignation of the purchase in the event of poor products. Bettina Stepwieser from the Styria Chamber of Labor explains that this distinction is important for many buyers in order to best use their rights.

As a result of the holidays, many tend to not return gifts that have not fallen, but instead to resell them in online marketplaces such as Willhaben or Ebay. After Christmas, these platforms have a noticeable increase in sales ads, by up to 40 percent, which underlines the persistent importance of online trade.