Under German warranty law, the seller answers for defects. The consumer advice center in Lower Saxony puts it plainly: Bei Mängeln ist der Verkäufer Ihr erster Ansprechpartner – nicht der Hersteller. For defects, the seller is your first contact, not the manufacturer. A customer reported a faulty fridge-freezer to the online shop of the electronics chain Media Markt. The shop replied by email that he should contact the manufacturer directly. The Federal Consumer Organization sued. In July 2026 the regional court of Ingolstadt held that customers could read the email als habe Media Markt mit der Reklamation selbst nichts mehr zu tun, as if Media Markt no longer had anything to do with the complaint. Further violations can cost up to 250,000 euros.