27.05.2025 14:52
In Giresun, N.Y., a Bağ-Kur retiree, filed a complaint with the Consumer Arbitration Committee after the calves he purchased online died within three days and he was unable to reach an agreement with the seller. The committee ruled that the seller must refund the 10,000 TL deposit due to the sale of goods that were contrary to the contract. However, N.Y. is still engaged in a legal battle for the 30,000 TL that was paid in cash.
N.Y, a Bağ-Kur retiree living in Giresun, contacted an internet site selling small and large livestock. N.Y, who agreed to buy 3 calves that were said to be 1.5 months old after speaking with the people on the phone, sent a deposit of 10,000 lira to the seller from her bank account.
N.Y, who claims to have made a cash payment of 30,000 lira during the delivery of the animals on April 18 last year, found that one of the calves she purchased died the next day. Despite calling a veterinarian, after the other 2 calves also died one day apart, N.Y contacted the seller to request a refund.
After failing to reach an agreement with the seller, N.Y's application led the Giresun Provincial Consumer Arbitration Committee to rule on October 9, 2024, that the 10,000 lira deposit sent from the woman's bank account should be refunded on the grounds of "goods contrary to the contract due to not being in accordance with the sample and model agreed upon by the parties or lacking the objective characteristics it should possess." N.Y, who filed a criminal complaint for the refund of the 30,000 lira she claims to have paid in cash during the delivery of the animals, is continuing her legal battle.
"WHEN THE ANIMALS WERE UNLOADED FROM THE TRUCK..."
N.Y stated in an interview with AA that she saw the calves on an internet site selling large and small livestock and contacted the seller to purchase them from Samsun. Explaining that she bought the animals as an investment by taking out a bank loan for breeding, N.Y said, "I bought the calves saying they were 1.5 months old, but they turned out to be 10 days old. When the animals were unloaded from the truck, they had diarrhea. I told the people who brought them, but they said, 'They drank a lot of milk.' It turned out the calves were sick and had contracted an infection. The veterinarian gave them injections, but we couldn't save them. I filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office. I was a victim; I don't want others to be, so they shouldn't buy without seeing." she said.
"A DECISION THAT WILL BE A MODEL FOR MANY ARBITRATION COMMITTEES"
Mahmut Şahin, the President of the Consumers Union, stated that online commerce has increased in recent years and that consumers have experienced grievances in some transactions made through remote sales.
Emphasizing that consumers need to be more careful in their online shopping, Şahin made the following warnings ahead of the upcoming Eid al-Adha: "We advise all consumers to buy their sacrificial animals by going to see them in person from any livestock dealer or from animal markets. The animal should be checked for health, and its weight should be verified because there is a lot of abuse in remote sales, and sick animals or those not yet ready for sacrifice are sold at high prices to make a profit. We recommend that they be purchased in person to avoid falling into this trap."
Evaluating the decision made by the Giresun Provincial Consumer Arbitration Committee, Şahin said, "All consumers who experience such an incident can apply to the arbitration committee and get their money back. I congratulate the Giresun Consumer Arbitration Committee for making a decision that will be a model for many arbitration committees."
Şahin noted that the 30,000 lira paid in cash to the seller could not be refunded due to the lack of any documentation and added that consumers should apply to the Provincial Consumer Arbitration Committees within 14 days after experiencing grievances, emphasizing that proving the amount paid to the seller through documentation is very important.