German fashion e‑shops face widespread delivery delays and packaging flaws

A mystery‑shopping study by Shopreturns examined 20 German online fashion retailers and found that about half failed to meet promised delivery times, with some orders arriving up to eight days late. The same proportion of shipments arrived without adequate protective packaging, a shortfall that could increase return‑handling costs for retailers.

In the Czech Republic, consumer‑rights experts note that many online stores use complex checkout procedures to avoid forming a contract at the moment the customer clicks “Order and pay.” By withholding a final confirmation email, retailers can cancel paid orders unilaterally, despite legal provisions that grant consumers a clear right of withdrawal. Both reports underline recurring problems in European e‑commerce concerning order fulfillment, consumer protection and the legal framing of online sales.