German consumer complaint agency?

[Bill58]

Can any of our members furnish me w/ a link or email address (better) to a German government consumer protection/ complaint agency?

I'm declaring "war" on Arsenal Photo. They've had my $$$ for 4 months and claim the shipment of 3 lenses was lost in the mail (which I doubt), but now won't reply to my emails.

I'm not happy.

 

[IGMeanwell]

http://www.bundeskartellamt.de/wEnglisch/index.php

http://www.bmelv.de/nn_754188/EN/00Home/homepage__node.html__nnn=true

Tip: Google is your friend... search "Germany + Consumer Protection Bureau" ... there you have it

 

[dll927]

Speaking of "Arsenal", I see their ads on e-bay, and still can't understand why their prices seem so stratospheric. They are way out of line with anything within the U. S. I realize Europe is Europe, they have different taxes, etc., but I'd have to be pretty desperate to buy anything from them.

 

[jgeenen]

Arsenal Photo and SHPhoto are related - at least they share the Managing Director. That might help.

If you'd like to contact a German consumer complaint agency, contact a "Verbraucherzentrale" (see http://www.vzbv.de/start/index.php?page=english for reference). Those are organised regionally - contact "Verbraucherzentrale Bayern" for Bavaria (e-mail info@verbraucherzentrale-bayern.de).

The mentioned "Bundeskartellamt" ist the German Federal Antitrust Agency and will not help with individual customer's complaints.

 

[AusDLK]

I visited the SHPhoto retail store in Nuremburg last September.

It was a crowded, old school kind of camera store. Lots of Leica goodies, old and new, to look at.

It seemed totally on the level to me.

Buying anything in Europe is expensive since the $$$ to Euro exchange rate is so rotten for us $$$ earners.

 

[arothaus]

Can any of our members furnish me w/ a link or email address (better) to a German government consumer protection/ complaint agency?

I'm declaring "war" on Arsenal Photo. They've had my $$$ for 4 months and claim the shipment of 3 lenses was lost in the mail (which I doubt), but now won't reply to my emails.

I'm not happy.

Hello,

regarding to german law the seller of an item has got to take the risk of the shipment. If the item gets lost in the mail, they have to replace it or give you the money back. Only if the seller is not an dealer but a private person they can shift the responsibility of a lost item in the mail to the buyer.

Regards,
Andreas

 

[jaapv]

No problems here with SHphoto- they were not too expensive - fast and the items exactly as described - So maybe it is a tangle that can be unravelled by a simple phonecall.

 

[Bill58]

Many thanks to you guys--wish me luck. I feel like I'm dealing w/ a crooked evilbay seller, but at astronomical prices!

 

[dll927]

Buying anything in Europe is expensive since the $$$ to Euro exchange rate is so rotten for us $$$ earners.[/QUOTE]

True enough, but that's if someone over here makes the purchase. Is the price the same in Euros over there as in dollars?

 

[Bill58]

A happy ending: After months of pleading, then less than complimentary emails from my end, which got me nothing, I finally sent a missle to the German Consumer Protection Organization (email/ website graciously furnished by RFF Members IGMeanwell and jgeenen) and that did the trick. I got my money back last week!!!!!

I'm grateful to everyone (esp. IGMeanwell/ jgeenen) who helped me.

Also, thank God for RFF.

 

[IGMeanwell]

Cool ... glad to help