Consumer's Telegram Dicember 2017

Insert of n. 93 - Editorial office: Centro Europeo Consumatori (European Consumer Centre, Bolzano - Italy)

E-COMMERCE

Consumers must fight online traps
European Consumers are more and more imperilled by obtrusive and misleading advertisements on the internet. Therefore, it is important to maintain a constant eye over such offers, so that one does not find oneself in the situation of buying unwanted products and subscriptions. The European Consumer Centre Network (ECC-Net) has just produced a video that should help consumers to identify frauds on the internet which you can watch: www.euroconsumatori.org. If you have any questions or problems you can contact the European Consumer Centre (ECC) by calling 0471/980939, by sending us an e-mail: info@euroconsumatori.org and you find more information about online shopping on the internetsite.

CAR

Winter tires in Europe
Christmas shopping in Germany, winter holiday in Austria, skiing holidays in France. When travelling by car the question arises: Are winter tires mandatory? In collaboration with the European Consumer Centre Germany the European Consumer Centre in Bolzano/Bozen informs about current regulations concerning winter tires in Europe. For more information about this issue please consult the website of ECC Germany in English.

HOLIDAY AND TRAVEL

Air Berlin: News about insolvency proceedings
On 1st November 2017 the insolvency procedure of Air Berlin opened at the local court in Berlin-Charlottenburg. Since the proceeding information on the corresponding site was updated, the European Consumer Centre Italy summarizes for you the most important new features on: www.euroconsumatori.org.

E-COMMERCE

ADR und ODR: Solving complaints online, fast and cost-efficiently
In Europe one in five consumers faces a problem regarding the purchase of products and services. 66% of these purchases are carried out online. Especially in e-commerce it is important that complaints can be solved online, fast and cost-efficiently. The ODR-platform is an interactive website to solve disputes concerning online purchases. This platform has been provided by the European Commission and is free of charge and easy to use.


Case of the month
An Italian consumer got involved with a very extraordinary offer of a French trader: intelligent vases. They are intelligent because one can alledgedly operate by remote control the watering of houseplants by using an app and through sensor. After the order the vases were promptly delivered. The problem the consumer had to face, though, was the so called app that had to be installed on the personal mobile phone but did not work. Technical solution proposals of the seller were not successful either. As further contacts failed, the consumer asked the European Consumer Centre (ECC) Italy for help and the staff forwarded the case to their French colleagues. Finally, ECC France agreed with the dealer to take back the "intelligent" vases and to refund the entire price the counsumer had paid.