General
Food and non-food items of all kinds, such as flowers, clothing, tools, and furnishings, are available at discount stores such as:
▫ Lidl
▫ Norma
▫ Netto
▫ Penny
Most of these stores are located in suburban areas, thus shopping usually requires a vehicle. Full-range retailers, also at the retail level, such as:
▫ Edeka
▫ Kaufland
▫ Real
▫ Rewe
These stores often offer goods at slightly higher prices but often have affordable private labels, although not in all areas. It’s advisable to pay attention to the price.
For areas like drugstore and textile, there are specialized discounters such as:
Other clothing stores include:
▫ C&A
▫ Zara
▫ H&M
▫ Adler
▫ Esprit
▫ s.Oliver
It should be noted that there are many more clothing stores, as well as pharmacies, grocery stores, and drugstores.
Repairs, Guarantees and Warranties
Almost everything can become defective through ordinary use or an accident. The more complex the device is (cars, electronics, and electronic devices), the more restrictive the options for individual repairs where it was bought.
Guarantees: with the purchase of a new device, the manufacturer normally provides a time limited guarantee that is noted in the packaging or the invoice; in most cases it is for one, two, or three years. In some cases the manufacturer must be notified of the purchase of the device through the customer returning a pre-filled out postcard contained in the packaging. Guarantees always apply only to defects attributable to problems with materials or manufacturing of the item. Defects attributable to ordinary use by the consumer are not covered. It is advisable to notify the place where you purchased the item of any defects. If that is not possible, contact the location indicated in the instructions found in the packaging. In any case, you should be prepared to provide the original receipt showing when and where the device was purchased. Attention: Never hand over your original receipts to anyone; keep hard copies or electronic scans.
Warranties: these apply primarily to used or pre-owned devices. These are usually guaranteed for one year by the company where the items, especially cars, were purchased. This includes the seller’s assurance that the device will function properly during the warranty period. Defects not due to ordinary use will usually be corrected at no cost to you. It’s understood that guarantees and warranties, including the right to return the item, can be regulated by law and are subject to change. It’s advisable to inquire about the actual status of your item at the store’s consumer return center if you can’t get verifiably correct answers through other means, such as Internet queries.
Repairs: repairs in the classic sense are occurring less frequently. With many defects, the devices are often simply completely replaced. This means that repairs undertaken beyond the period of guarantee and/or warranty can be very expensive and often exceed the value of the item. You should therefore negotiate a cost guarantee in advance that provides the basis for whether a repair can be undertaken if needed. Simple devices can often be repaired on site. As a rule this covers clothing (e.g., shoes) and accessories. Dry cleaners often offer this extra service for clothing. Establishments in shopping centers frequently offer this service for repairs of shoes or leather products, as well as other services such as exchanging batteries or duplicating keys.