Exchanging gifts after Christmas: What you should consider

Confirm gift exchange

Especially in small shops, you should still ask and confirm whether an exchange is possible, recommends Leupold. In addition, it may be that as a customer you do not always receive an exchange of goods, but rather one Voucher option. According to Leupold, you only get your money back in brick-and-mortar stores in rare cases.

However, things look completely different if… Gifts are damaged or have defects: “Here I have a legal warranty that is valid for two years from the time of handover,” says the expert. However, within this time, the buyer must be able to prove that the defect already existed at the time of purchase. Leupold: “We see in practice that it is easier to implement, especially in the first year. You have very good chances.” The dealer is then obliged to repair or replace the goods. If this is not possible, the customer can demand a price reduction or their money back.

Guarantee is voluntary

The guarantee must be distinguished from the warranty that exists towards the contractual partner: “It is a voluntary promise, typically from the dealer,” explains Leupold. However, this cannot eliminate the warranty right: “You still have warranty rights against the sales partner. There may also be an additional guarantee from the manufacturer.”

And what does the regulation look like in online trading? “It’s actually easier,” says Leupold: “Here I have a legal right to withdraw. If I don’t like something, I can send it back.” The right of withdrawal applies for 14 days. “The big chains often allow longer cancellation periods,” says the expert.

What should you pay attention to with vouchers?

Vouchers are a popular gift, but the provider goes bankruptthe gift quickly becomes a nuisance because the voucher is usually worthless in insolvency proceedings. You can file a claim, but given the low odds and court costs of 25 euros, it’s hardly worth it. Therefore you should Redeem vouchers as quickly as possibleeven if they are generally valid for up to 30 years. Shortening the deadline is possible – but only if the entrepreneur has a good reason for it.

Returns

Anyone who returns goods must generally pay the postage costs themselves. But there are exceptions here, explains Leupold: “Many of the larger players in online retail cover the return shipping fees and leave it to the customer.” In the case of smaller shops, you have to look closely to see whether they will cover the costs. “However, if the website does not inform you in advance that as a buyer I have to bear the costs myself, the retailer has to pay for them.” By the way: If the return is damaged or lost on the way back, that is not the buyer’s problem. As long as the package was “properly” packaged.

According to a survey by the online platform durchblicker.at, one in eight people received no presents at all for Christmas this year. In Tyrol it was even more than one in six.

This is important to keep in mind when purchasing online

When purchasing online, there is generally a 14-day right of withdrawal. Exceptions include personalized mugs or concert tickets. If you are not properly informed about your right of withdrawal, the deadline will be extended by twelve months. But: extended return periods until well after Christmas are not regulated by law and are voluntary. However, if they were agreed upon at the time of purchase, they are binding.

You should also be careful of potential fake shops. You can check online shops here.

Be careful when making payments in advance: Stay away if you can only pay in advance with cryptocurrencies, via money transfer service providers (such as Western Union, MoneyGram) or voucher cards for other retailers in an online shop. This is usually a fake shop.

You should also always briefly check the “Imprint”, “About us” or “Contact” section. Suspicious: You won’t find any dealer information, just a contact form. Suppliers from China or the USA may incur additional customs fees or exchange rate fees when paying.