Coolblue scraps delivery promise after being reprimanded

Coolblue is no longer promising customers that orders placed before 11:59 p.m. will be delivered the next day for free. The online store is changing the wording after the Dutch Advertising Code Committee ruled that the promise was misleading and unfair.

“Be honest”

The Dutch Consumers’ Association had filed a complaint because Coolblue did not always meet the promised delivery time. The committee had already reviewed the delivery claim seven times in recent years and reached the same conclusion each time. According to the consumer organization, Coolblue failed to make any changes despite this, prompting the association to initiate a new complaint procedure this spring.

“Online retailers must be honest about delivery so that consumers know what to expect,” says Sandra Molenaar, director of the Dutch Consumers’ Association. “Especially since fast delivery is an important reason for many consumers to choose a particular online retailer.”

The case touches on a broader discussion about delivery promises in e-commerce. Fast delivery is an important selling point for online retailers, but regulators say it can be misleading when companies consistently fail to fulfill that promise.

Request a refund

The Dutch Consumers’ Association advises customers to request a refund of delivery charges if an order arrives later than promised. According to the organization, this also applies when a store advertises delivery as free, since the costs are usually included in the product price.

A recent ruling by an Amsterdam court supports this reasoning. A garden center promised to deliver an order within four business days but took ten days to do so. The court ruled that the company must refund the 20-euro delivery fee it had charged.