Problems with your package: this is what you must do to claim it, according to the OCU

Online shopping is the order of the day. Nowadays it is possible to buy anything, be it clothes, food, appliances or electronic devices, from the comfort of your home. It is no longer necessary to spend hours from store to store looking for these items, nor do you have to travel to pick them up.

However, beyond all the advantages it offers, this purchasing method also entails certain risks. By not being able to physically check the condition of the product and whether it is real, it is possible to fall into a scam. Another problem that customers who buy online may encounter is the failure of the parcel companies and the delay in the delivery of the packages, a defect in the packaging or the purchase never reaching its destination.

Therefore, if you ever find yourself in this situation, you should know that you can complain to the company in charge. The Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) explains the steps you must follow to correct this problem, some instructions that will vary depending on whether you are the recipient or sender of the package and also what setback you have had.

1. Contact the seller

The seller is responsible for ensuring that the product arrives and does so in good condition. Therefore, if you have to make a claim, you can contact them through the telephone number that appears on their website or via email.

2. If they ignore you, complain in writing and add evidence

Compile all evidence, such as the purchase receipt, emails exchanged with the company, photos of the package and its contents (in case it was delivered in poor condition), photos of the delivery note on which it is advisable to note any disagreement if the problem has already been detected at the time of delivery.

3. Seek an extrajudicial solution

Another option is to request arbitration at the Consumer Arbitration Board in your locality, as it is a free and fairly agile procedure. But the business can reject submission to arbitration, unless it is adhered to the system.

4. Consider claiming through judicial means

If mediation is not successful and the seller refuses to submit to arbitration, you can go to trial, as long as you have evidence in favor of your version. Remember that for claims of up to 2,000 euros you do not need a lawyer or solicitor, so it will hardly cost anything.

1. Complaint to the company’s customer service

Complain to the courier company you used, making as always a friendly first attempt, followed by a formal complaint if they have not given you a satisfactory solution within a short period of time. The claim process has a maximum period of one month and you must use the form due to problems sending the package.

2. If the answer is not favorable, look for other ways

Another option is to go to arbitration, but to transport arbitration. The Transportation Arbitration Board of your community is competent in these cases. Its procedures are free and agile and its resolution is binding. Companies cannot refuse arbitration when the amount in dispute is, at most, 15,000 euros (as long as this option has not been excluded before contracting the shipment, as some companies do).

3. Consider resorting to judicial means.

If you do not get a satisfactory response with the previous measures, like the recipients of the package, you can also resort to judicial means. It is a simple option and with a very low cost, if the claim is less than 2,000 euros, it is not necessary. neither lawyer nor attorney.