Consumer's Telegram January 2021
Insert of n. 6 - Editorial office: Centro Europeo Consumatori (European Consumer Centre Italy - Bolzano office)E-COMMERCE
Refund by Means of Chargeback
What to do if you do not receive the goods you ordered online and the seller refuses to refund the amount? Anyone who has paid by credit card, has a trump card: the chargeback procedure. To request a chargeback, submit the relevant request directly to the credit card company that issued the card with which the payment was made. Even if there is no legal obligation for credit card companies to approve the procedure in the event of non-delivery of the goods, the experience of the European Consumer Center (ECC) shows that in many cases consumers got their money back in this way. Further information is available on the website of the ECC. (https://bit.ly/3nyYftc)UNFAIR COMMERCIAL PRACTICES
Fine in the Millions against Apple
The Italian Market Authority (AGCM) has inflicted an administrative fine of 10 million euros on Apple for unfair commercial practices. By advertising some of its smartphone models, the company particularly emphasized the water resistance at a depth of between 1 and 4 meters and up to 30 minutes. What the consumers were not informed of is that the water resistance was only tested under laboratory conditions and not in normal use. Although the company advertised on the one hand with the water resistance, it also excluded the guarantee of damage caused by liquids in its conditions. (https://bit.ly/37sNrr9)TRAVELS
The new Re-Open EU app
A new free app on quarantine and travel rules has recently been added to the "Re-open EU" platform, which has been available since June and provides up-to-date information on health measures and travel restrictions in all member states as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.The information is available in all 24 official EU languages and offers valuable help for all users who (have to) travel in Europe despite Corona. It can be used on all Android and IOS devices (https://reopen.europa.eu/).
CASE OF THE MONTH
Already at the end of 2019, an Italian consumer had booked an all-inclusive package tour to Thailand from a German operator and paid almost EUR 3,500 for it. The trip would have started on March 23rd. At the beginning of March, however, it became clear to the consumer that she could not take the trip due to the travel restrictions imposed by the Italian government. Therefore she canceled explaining that there was an absolute impossibility for her to participate, but the organizer replied that, according to the contract, 90% of the travel price would be credited as a cancellation fee, as it was a special offer that did not allow rebooking nor reimbursement. Even when a worldwide travel warning came into force immediately before the planned start of the trip in Germany and the trip could not be carried out at all, the organiser did not allow itself to be softened.
The consumer turned to the ECC Italy, which forwarded the case to the ECC Germany. After this intervention, the organiser finally thought better and agreed to a repayment in installments. At the beginning of December the consumer got in touch again: the amount had now been repaid in full.