July 25, 2023, 3:11 am | Read time: 3 minutes
What happens if the new sofa you carefully chose doesn’t look good in your living room? Can you simply return it? The furniture industry explains your rights.
Returning a purchased sofa is often not as easy as it seems. If you don’t like it after buying, you can’t just take it back to the store and exchange it. Legally, however, you do have the right to return it–under certain conditions.
Returning a Sofa Bought Online
Don’t like the furniture? Such products are also subject to the statutory 14-day right of withdrawal for online purchases. The withdrawal must be made within 14 days of receiving the goods, and they must be returned, according to the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM). However, the period is extended if the seller does not properly inform the consumer about the right of withdrawal. In that case, the buyer has 12 months plus the usual 14 days to withdraw.
There are exceptions to the right of withdrawal, including custom-made goods (Section 312 g Paragraph 2 of the German Civil Code). This can be important for sofas, as many seating arrangements can be customized–from the fabric of choice to the favorite color and dimensions that fit your living room. Whether certain sofas are considered custom-made is ultimately decided by the courts, according to the VDM.
Who Pays for Return Shipping?
The buyer, if the seller has properly informed them, according to the VDM. Unless the company offers to cover the costs. There is another exception, explains the legal department of the Association of the German Furniture Industry: The seller is obliged to collect the goods at their own expense if they were delivered to the buyer’s home and cannot be returned by mail.
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What to Do if the Sofa Is Damaged?
The legal situation is different if the furniture is defective. In that case, you can claim the warranty and return the sofa. It is legally guaranteed, and you have up to two years after purchase to report a defective item. According to the VDM, the seller must generally bear the return shipping costs for warranty claims.
More on this: When New Sofas Can Be Claimed
Return After Purchase in a Furniture Store
For furniture purchased in so-called brick-and-mortar stores like a furniture store, there is no general right of exchange, return, or withdrawal. Unless it is agreed upon in the purchase contract.
In the case of defects, however, the buyer also has statutory warranty claims. You can ask the seller to fix the defects or deliver a defect-free sofa. If this fails, the buyer can reduce the price or withdraw from the purchase contract, according to the VDM.
with material from dpa