Attention: Vouchers to existing customers can be advertising!

In the case of a gaming chair, the District Court of Frankfurt (Az.: 2-03 O 372/17) has decided that sending vouchers (by e-mail) to existing customers can be an advertisement and can therefore be admonished.

If the shipment is made without the consent of the recipient, it shall be deemed to be inadmissible. So far nothing new! An exception under Section 7 para. 3 Although UWG is generally considered if there is a customer relationship due to a previous order, if the voucher offered, and therefore the advertising, refers, however, to the entire range offered and not to similar goods with regard to the earlier order, the exception is not relevant.

In the current case, the following e-mail was sent to the former buyer:

“Dear Sir … some time has passed since your last purchase. We would be pleased to welcome you again in our shop. For this we give you a 5 euro voucher, which you can redeem according to your wishes in our shop. (…) Simply redeem your voucher on your next order by (…) (…) Best pick: About 150,000 items await you – all in one shop! (…) Your Test Winner Shop: Awarded Several times for customer satisfaction (…) Visit our bargain outlet! Here you will find special items, residual items and B-goods at special bargain prices. (…)”

This is now the second decision of German courts (after the BGH decision to request a customer evaluation), which significantly complicate customer ties for online shops. As always, it is advisable to use legal assistance in the evaluation of your own online shop, and not only in the creation of a general terms and conditions, which are often available in the GTC generator.

Author: Marian Härtel

Marian Härtel ist Rechtsanwalt und Fachanwalt für IT-Recht mit einer über 25-jährigen Erfahrung als Unternehmer und Berater in den Bereichen Games, E-Sport, Blockchain, SaaS und Künstliche Intelligenz. Seine Beratungsschwerpunkte umfassen neben dem IT-Recht insbesondere das Urheberrecht, Medienrecht sowie Wettbewerbsrecht. Er betreut schwerpunktmäßig Start-ups, Agenturen und Influencer, die er in strategischen Fragen, komplexen Vertragsangelegenheiten sowie bei Investitionsprojekten begleitet. Dabei zeichnet sich seine Beratung durch einen interdisziplinären Ansatz aus, der juristische Expertise und langjährige unternehmerische Erfahrung miteinander verbindet. Ziel seiner Tätigkeit ist stets, Mandanten praxisorientierte Lösungen anzubieten und rechtlich fundierte Unterstützung bei der Umsetzung innovativer Geschäftsmodelle zu gewährleisten.