Inadmissible

VKI successfully sued against Amazon Prime clauses

According to the VKI, references to current prices "must not be structured like a labyrinth".(Bild: Alexey Novikov - stock.adobe.com)

The consumer advocates of the Association for Consumer Information (VKI) have successfully brought an action before the Vienna Higher Regional Court against eight clauses on membership fees, payment methods and the right of withdrawal of the fee-based Amazon service "Amazon Prime". However, the ruling is not yet legally binding.

One of the clauses judged inadmissible by the Higher Regional Court contained a provision on the right of withdrawal. It stipulated that customers who change their membership settings must contact customer service or use the model withdrawal form.

This contradicts the existing regulation for distance selling and mail order. Withdrawing from a concluded contract is therefore not bound to any particular form. "Such a withdrawal is therefore also possible verbally or in an informal email," said the VKI in a press release on Tuesday.

Another inadmissible clause related to the membership fee, which was not transparent. It was unclear which amount of the fee currently applied. "References to current prices must not be structured in a labyrinthine manner, but must be easy and comprehensible to view," said the consumer advocates.