Consumer rights when exchanging unworn clothing

I had a techy stand off in a clothes shop today. I was trying to take back some trousers that I'd bought three weeks ago and the assistant wasn't having any of it. There was nothing wrong with said trousers - just I didn't like them any more. They were atill tagged up and completely unworn. Apparantly after 14 days, I am not entitled to any kind of cash refund, only vouchers. So after I begrudgingly accepted the vouchers, I hassled every customer that came to the till and asked if they could exchange vouchers for cash. Eventually she relented and gave me the cash, and said I wouldn't have been entitled for a cash refund even within the 14 days (which a different assistant told me I could do when I first bought them).

So, what is the deal with German law here - isn't there any kind of 'cooling off period'?

Wow, talk about fight first, ask questions later! You were completely, utterly in the wrong and I feel damn sorry for the assistant - bet you made her day!

Next time, ask for their General Rules before making a stink. It could serve to de-escalate potentially aggravating situations.

Two weeks seems more than enough time to change your mind. 14 day has been the policy at most stores I've worked at back home so seems normal, as does the vouchers.

cool, I like feisty people. You got what you wanted, and what is the point of a voucher? You would never use it anyway. Smart idea about trying to sell it to other customers. The German Retailers are too anal about their rules, and its time that the customer fought back.

Yeah, there's feisty, and then there's giving someone a load of unwarranted hassle when they're just trying to do their job - without even researching it first. You think the sales assistant makes the rules?

you've been here too long, you are thinking like them

Would you like it if an uninformed, "begrudging", "hassling" patient came into your practice and gave you a load of crap about the quarterly fee then?! Because the German health practitioners are too anal about their rules, and its time that the consumer fought back, after all.

Sorry, wrong country.

The second assistant was correct as to the state of the law. 14 days cooling off only exists for distance selling (Internet, Mail Order etc.).
Discussed elsewhere, several times no doubt.

Thanks, always reassuring to know I'm a complete arschloch.

Unlikely complete - Every arschloch has a hole somewhere

Your RIGHTS as a consumer are not any worse in Germany than any EU country.
You do NOT have the legal RIGHT to your money back just becasue you changed your mind.

Any return of the goods and how the return of the goods should be compensated is at the good will of the retailer.
You can always ask any trader for their terms and consitions and if you don't like them, don't buy.

The retailer would have been well within their legal RIGHTS to have you physically removed from their store for your behaviour.

Yes they are - Germans are shit at service.

Who fucking cares "what the laws are." Only some German Rechtshaber who hasn't one iona of common sense would use that as a defense.

What if you were krankgeschrieben for the last 5 weeks and couldn't make it to the store?


Good will?!? Laugh! What a bunch of crap for a country who claims Der Kunde ist König.

Asking for terms in advance? Ah the old pre-emptive anal manuever.


What a bunch of speculation on your part. The story may have embelished some aspects, but you make is sound like she behaved like a drama queen.

She did behave like a drama queen.

Your RIGHTS are different to what you might like to expect as customer service.
Every time you buy something you are entering into a contract. Depending on the value of that contract you should be aware of the terms and conditions.

it doesn't matter where I shop in the world, i always check what the return policy is. some shops have no cash back policies etc.
having worked as a shop-assistant in UK and Germany, return policies seem stricter in Germany.

I work for a company with an excellent reputation for customer service.
A "change your mind" return policy is an utter nightmare to maintain and expensive.