Overview
- There is no automatic right to exchange non‑defective goods bought in stores, though retailers’ advertised holiday return windows are binding as promises of goodwill.
- For online purchases, consumers have 14 days from delivery to withdraw without giving reasons, must declare the withdrawal, and then have a further 14 days to send the item back.
- The statutory withdrawal does not cover private sales or certain goods such as perishables, opened hygiene items, customized products, and dated event tickets.
- By law return shipping costs generally fall to the buyer, many merchants choose to cover them, and missing receipts can block returns unless the item is defective and warranty rights apply with a 12‑month evidentiary shift.
- Consumer agencies highlight tools like the Umtausch‑Check and warn that returns to low‑cost or non‑EU platforms can be expensive and risky, with some goods tested as unsafe and some parcels needing costly shipment back to China.