Mobile stamps, in the form of postage codes, should not become worthless just 14 days after purchase, according to a ruling by the Cologne Higher Regional Court. Deutsche Post DHL had appealed against a previous ruling that Swiss Post should not limit the validity of mobile stamps to 14 days. Mobile stamps were introduced in autumn 2020 as a replacement for mobile phone postage, allowing customers to pay for postage using an eight-digit code instead of a physical stamp. Deutsche Post originally stated that the code would become invalid after 14 days, regardless of whether it had been used, and also excluded the option for customers to get a refund. However, the Federation of German Consumer Organizations successfully sued, arguing that this was an unreasonable disadvantage for consumers. The court agreed, and Deutsche Post’s appeal was rejected. The Cologne Higher Regional Court stated that while a shorter validity period may be reasonable, limiting it to just 14 days is not. The court also argued that the expiration of the postage code without replacement is an unreasonable disadvantage for consumers. The Postal conditions and terms currently exclude a refund or the issuance of a new code. The ruling was welcomed by consumer organizations, who called it a consumer-friendly decision.
