May 27, 2026, 6:38 am | Read time: 2 minutes
The Deggendorf Regional Court ruled that countdown timers in online shops are not automatically misleading, even if the price remains unchanged after the timer expires. A plaintiff argued that the timer creates artificial pressure and suggests a price increase.
Online retailers often use time pressure to encourage quick purchasing decisions from customers. A common method is a countdown timer that counts down the remaining time of an offer. The Deggendorf Regional Court has ruled that this practice is permissible, even if the price remains unchanged after the countdown expires.
Legal Dispute Over Countdown Timers
The case was triggered by an online shop that reduced the price of a jacket from 179 euros to 69.99 euros and used a countdown timer. After the countdown expired, the price remained unchanged. A plaintiff found this misleading, as the timer artificially created time pressure and suggested a real time limit.
The Deggendorf Regional Court dismissed the lawsuit. It ruled that the countdown timer alone is not misleading. Deception only occurs if the advertisement contains false or misleading information. This was not the case here, as the timer merely indicated the period of price validity.
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No Deception Through Time Pressure
The court found it crucial that no statements were made about the price after the countdown expired. Consumers should not automatically assume that the price will rise or fall afterward. There is a possibility that the price will remain unchanged.
The court clarified that the time pressure created alone does not constitute an unfair practice. The advertisement did not make any specific promises about a later price, so there is no deception, even if the timer deliberately creates urgency.
The decision of the Deggendorf Regional Court is not yet final. The case will continue at the Munich Higher Regional Court, where it will be further negotiated.