The Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) is free service provided by the European Commission to allow consumers and traders in the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein and to resolve disputes relating to online purchases of goods and services without going to court.
The Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) is a platform provided by the European Commission to allow consumers and traders to communicate in relation to their dispute and the website is for both online consumers and online traders who wish to settle disputes out of court.
If you trade online in the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you have the following obligations in relation to the ODR platform. These obligations APPLY TO ALL ONLINE TRADERS whether they intend to use the ODR platform or not:
- You have to clearly provide your e-mail address on your website. Providing only an interactive contact form is not sufficient.
- You have to provide a link from your website to the Online Dispute Resolution platform ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr.
This link has to be visible and easily accessible on the website.
Why use ODR to resolve disputes with consumers? Here are 4 reasons to consider:
Read these ODR user guides to understand each step of the process and deal with a complaint as a trader:
I received a complaint
As a trader, you have received a notification by email that a consumer has lodged a complaint against you through the system.
The email asks you to connect to the system to view the complaint.
You can either accept or refuse the complaint.
If you accept it, you and the consumer must reach an agreement on the dispute resolution body to which the complaint will be sent.
If you refuse the complaint, the consumer is notified of your decision.
First sign in and view the complaint. To accept it, click on “I suggest a dispute resolution body”. To refuse it, click on “I do not suggest a dispute resolution body”.
You may need to translate a text or a document.
You can also add a representative to a complaint.
Respond to a consumer complaint here.
I want to create a complaint
If you want to file a complaint against a customer about an online sale, you need to register to the ODR system as a trader organisation and fill in the complaint form.
To create a complaint, you first need to register in the system and create your organisation. If you are already registered, you just need to sign in .
As a local administrator you can also manage users within your organisation.
Once on your dashboard, click on “Create new complaint”. You first need to reply to few questions to ensure that your complaint is eligible for this site. In the complaint form, provide the consumer’s details, describe your complaint and enter your personal information (in a specific form each time).
If you wish, you can save your complaint as a draft . You can edit the draft complaint later and submit it.
A representative can submit a complaint on your behalf.
Create a complaint here.
You will have 30 days to agree on a dispute resolution body to handle your case, learn more . Failing that, the consumer will be advised on other tools to protect their rights and obtain redress.
Read the full user guides on ODR here:
