Mobile postage stamp must be valid for more than 14 days

The Deutsche Post mobile stamp normally expires 14 days after purchase. However, the short validity period is illegal. The district court of Cologne has now decided after a lawsuit by the consumer advice center.

Since 2020, Deutsche Post has been selling mobile stamps that consumers can use instead of the conventional franking of their letters and postcards.

However, the digital alternative loses within 14 days valid after purchase. Too short, explains the consumer center Federal Association (vzbv) now in a press release.

Mobile postage stamp: validity period is illegal

“After 14 days, Swiss Post simply keeps the money for postage codes that have already been paid for but not yet used, without providing anything in return,” says Jana Brockfeld, vzbv’s legal officer. “This extreme shortening of the statutory limitation period of three years is illegal.”

Consumer organization files a lawsuit

That is why the vzbv has filed a lawsuit. The district court of Cologne agreed with the opinion of the consumer advocates and decided that the short period of validity puts the users of the mobile stamp at a disadvantage.

Accordingly, according to the law, claims from purchase contracts usually become statute-barred after three years. However, the corresponding clause in Deutsche Post’s general terms and conditions deviates from this and is therefore unacceptable.

Post argues with consumer protection

Deutsche Post argues that the short validity is necessary due to the limited number of characters in the code. In addition, the company wants to avoid abuse. However, the judges at the Cologne Regional Court do not accept this explanation.

“Even if the company only used digits for the codes, there would already be 100 million different combinations. Since the eight-digit postage codes also consist of letters, there are actually many more possibilities,” says the vzbv press release.

The abuse argument does not go through in court either. The danger does not justify the short validity of the mobile postage stamp. It is up to Swiss Post to design its system in such a way that multiple use of the codes is recognized and prevented.

Deutsche Post is defending itself against the verdict on mobile postage stamps

As the FAZ reports, the Post sees the situation differently. The company has a different legal opinion, according to a company spokesman. The Post has therefore appealed the decision to the Cologne Higher Regional Court.

For consumers, nothing will change for the time being. However, since the mobile postage stamp is intended more for people who have to send a letter or postcard spontaneously and no longer come to buy a “real” postage stamp, very few people are likely to actually want to keep their digital alternative for very long.

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