Website ODR resolves problems with online purchases

Today the European Commission launches a new website: the Online Dispute Resolution (ODR). This digital platform helps consumers to resolve complaints about online purchases in Europe in a less expensive, uniform and faster way than resolving disputes through a court.

A confident woman standing with one arm bent and fist raised, smiling with excitement and joy.

Consumers can file a complaint about an online purchase in their own language via the ODR platform.  The platform refers the consumer to an alternative dispute resolution body (ADR body). This ADR body will handle the complaint online and within ninety days. If the consumer and the trader are not able to find a solution via ODR they can still go to court. However, this is not the intention of ODR.

Increase consumer trust

60 percent of the traders do not sell any products or services to consumers abroad due to restraints and in fear of problems that might arise. The European Commission wants to change this. Thanks to ODR consumers and traders will be more confident in trading online and across borders. In addition, this platform stimulates an uniform complaint handling within Europe.

ODR contact points

All the EU Member States have an ODR contact point. In The Netherlands the European Consumer Centre (ECC) hosts the ODR contact point. The ECC informs consumers about their rights and obligations when doing a cross-border purchase in another EU Member State, Norway or Iceland. The ECC also advises and assists them when they have a dispute with a trader in one of these countries.

Note: The information on this page may no longer be up to date, as it was published in 2016.