Are you a consumer and have a complaint about a good or service you bought online? Are you an online trader and have a complaint against a consumer?
Now you can complain using the Online Dispute Resolution website, developed by the European Commission and try to reach an out-of-court settlement. With a few exceptions, the service is available only if the consumer lives in a Member State and the trader is based within the EU as well.
Parties using the website need to choose a dispute resolution body to deal with their complaint. This is something that both parties involved have to agree on.
Each dispute resolution body has its own rules and procedures being usually simpler, quicker and cheaper than going to court.
Consumers and traders could do everything online in 4 main steps:
Submitting a complaint
Involves filling in an online complaint form and submitting it to the Online Dispute Resolution website. The other party receives it. Parties then need to agree on the dispute resolution body that will handle the dispute. They have 30 days to do so.
Agreeing on a dispute resolution body
Parties have 30 days to agree on the dispute resolution body that will handle the dispute. Once they do so, the website will automatically send the details of their dispute to that body. If parties cannot agree, their complaint will not be processed further.
Complaint handling by the dispute resolution body
The dispute is sent to a dispute resolution body. The dispute resolution body has three weeks to decide whether it is competent or not to deal with the dispute and inform the parties thereof. It may contact them for more information.
Outcome and closure of complaint
Once the procedure is over, the dispute resolution body will inform the parties of the outcome. This outcome varies per dispute resolution body.
National contact points are available for assistance to the parties throughout the process.
You could get more information and links to the national contact points at the Online Dispute Resolution website.