In a dispute over the validity of so-called mobile stamps, Deutsche Post suffered a defeat. A clause in the general terms and conditions, according to which this type of franking is only valid for 14 days after purchase, is invalid according to a judgment by the Cologne district court, as the Federal Association of Consumer Centers (VZBV) announced on Monday.
For two years, customers have been able to buy the mobile postage stamp in the “Post & DHL” app. They receive a code made up of numbers and letters, which they write on the envelope with a pen – this will later identify the letter as franked when it is sent by post. The service is intended for people who are on the go and don’t have a paper stamp at hand. The mobile postage stamp is just one of the group’s niche products.
Consumer advocates are angry that the franking is only valid for two weeks. After expiry, “the post office simply keeps the money for postage codes that have already been paid for but not yet used, without providing anything in return,” said VZBV legal expert Jana Brockfeld. “This extreme shortening of the statutory limitation period of three years is illegal.”
Swiss Post sees it differently. “We have a different legal opinion here and have therefore appealed,” said a company spokesman. For consumers, everything will remain the same for the time being: Since the judgment is not yet final, the clause in the General Terms and Conditions will continue to apply with the 14-day period. However, most users who bought the code in the app shouldn’t wait that long to send the letter with the combination of numbers and letters anyway.