From May 28th: ​​This will be better for online shoppers – more transparency

Consumer advocates from Rhineland-Palatinate and Brandenburg point to important improvements for consumers who will shop on the Internet or conclude online contracts from May 28, 2022.

sales platforms

Because “Internet sites on which goods are bought or contracts are concluded must provide their customers with more comprehensive information from May 28, 2022”. The offer and its prices must be presented more transparently. In the future, sales platforms such as Amazon or Ebay will have to indicate whether a company or a private individual is selling something. This is important because there is no right of cancellation and there is usually no guarantee when selling privately.

Booking and comparison portals

Booking and comparison portals such as Check24 or Idealo, on the other hand, have to show whether they take on certain tasks for the providers listed on their portals. This should enable the user to immediately see who the right contact person is in the event of problems and questions. Comparison portals must also make a list of the companies they include in their ranking so that the user can see whether all providers are included. In addition, the comparison portals must explain which main parameters are taken into account during the creation and how much they influence the overall result.

Fluctuating prices thanks to algorithm

Important for pricing: “All online shops and online marketplaces are obliged to indicate if prices are personalized using personal data or characteristics by an algorithm”. The only exception is when prices vary over time, but these changing prices apply to all customers to the same extent.

Ticket resale

Websites where tickets are resold must list the original ticket price in addition to the price they charge. This should make usury prices for tickets immediately recognizable.

Item Ratings

From May 28th, 2022, providers must explain article reviews “whether and how they ensure that the reviews come from consumers who have actually used or purchased the reviewed products”.

exceptions

Contracts for financial services such as loans, insurance and pensions for individuals are exempt from the new information requirements for online trade.

This now applies to internet, telephony, changing providers, new and old contracts

From March 1st: Shorter notice periods for new contracts

Mobile & Internet: Your new rights as a consumer