Why there is no online sales of new vehicles in Slovenia yet
Online shopping is becoming an increasingly important way of sale. However, the online sales of new vehicles are not established in Slovenia. The reason for this is the disproportionate requirements in the Consumer Protection Act.
The public hearing of the amendment to the Consumer Protection Act has recently concluded, and was also given their opinion in the Section for Passenger Motor Vehicles as part of the comments prepared by representatives of the economy in various sections at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia. This law does not differentiate between online sale of clothing and cars.
What does that mean, he explained to us Slavko Ažmanwho participates in the section, but also a member of the board of directors and the head of the Sustainable Mobility Section in the Partnership for the Sustainable Economy CER and the head of business management in Porsche Slovenia. “The current diction in the law means that the buyer has the opportunity to withdraw from the contract on an online purchase of clothing or cars, return the goods and receive the purchase price. The law allows the consumer to register the purchased vehicle when purchasing, drive 14 days, then return it and get the returned purchase price. Although the car becomes a used vehicle at the time of registration and its market value decreases significantly, its cost is only a ‘postage’. And that is why we do not have online sales in Slovenia, « emphasizes Slavko Ažman.
Disproportionate legal requirements
Therefore, they also suggested a solution that would eliminate the resulting obstacles. Namely, the Consumer Protection Act already provides for 13 exceptions to the consumer’s right to withdraw from the contract concluded. The interlocutor says that this is now applied to custom-made goods, quickly perishable goods, sealed audio or videos, and computer programs, newspapers and magazines. « As a fourteenth exception, when a consumer can no longer withdraw from a distance contract, the purchase of new motor vehicles if the vehicle has already been registered, regardless of the type of license plate, including temporary and test registration and registration for exports. »
In advance, however, they respond to the dilemma that this would significantly limit the consumer’s rights, which is not permissible. “This is not true, since the consumer does not have these rights in practice, because it is because of the disproportionate legal requirements in Slovenia there is no online sales of new cars and there is no possibility of withdrawing from the purchase of a new vehicle already registered. In addition, according to the new arrangement, the buyer would have the opportunity to examine in detail the item of purchase, which is perfectly comparable to the possibility of examining when purchasing at a car show, « explains Ažman.
Anyone can make a test ride
How would the buyer then try the vehicle well before purchasing, as the car must be registered for driving? “Let me emphasize that this is why all customers have the opportunity to take a test ride with a specifically registered test vehicle from a car show – even before they even decide to buy. All customers have the option of test driving, most car providers also allow the test driving booking online, ”explains Slavko A-Man.
Therefore, they also disagree with the arguments that the law is already dealing with all the necessary exceptions, so change is not necessary, as they are not true in their opinion. « It is by no means logical that the consumer cannot return the read in Slovenia, for example, to return the car and registered vehicle without any obligation, although its market value is lower by thousands of euros. »
It should be remembered that, according to the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport, the proposal for the amendment to the Consumer Protection Act includes the transfer of three European directives that upgrade the transparency of information on the sustainable nature of the products, the right to repair and protect consumers in concluding financial services contracts. In terms of this, the companies are imposed on the company that they must send a reminder to the consumer about the possibility of withdrawal from the contract and of the withdrawal procedure in the event that the consumer receives prior information less than one day before the contract becomes binding on it.
For all types of contracts concluded remotely through the web interface, the so -called contract can be re -introduced, which allows the consumer to complete an online notice of withdrawal through the web interface, and then sends him a certificate of receipt of a notice of withdrawal from a permanent data carrier.
