General Terms and Conditions (GTC)

§ 1 Scope and Definitions

(1) These General Terms and Conditions (GTC) apply to all purchase contracts concluded between customers and us through our online shop at www.varroa-controller.com. The version in force at the time of ordering shall apply.

(2) A consumer is a person who concludes a contract predominantly for private purposes (§ 1 of the Austrian Consumer Protection Act, KSchG). A business customer is a person who concludes a contract in the course of their business activities, such as a commercial beekeeper or retailer. Provisions applying exclusively to either group are expressly identified as such.

(3) In dealings with business customers, any differing or additional terms and conditions proposed by the customer shall apply only if we have agreed to them in writing.

(4) Rentals through rental stations and purchases from distributors are not covered by these GTC. Please refer to § 3.

§ 2 Contracting Party and Contact Details

(1) The contracting party is ECODESIGN company engineering and management consultancy GmbH, Schwindgasse 4/2, 1040 Vienna, Austria. Austrian Commercial Register number FN 264189p, Commercial Court of Vienna. VAT identification number ATU61820300. Managing Director: Dr Wolfgang Wimmer.

(2) You can contact us by telephone on +43 1 40 35 611-30 or by email at contact@varroa-controller.com. Please also direct any complaints concerning orders to this address. We normally respond within three working days.

§ 3 Rental Stations and Distributors

(1) Our website lists beekeeping businesses and other companies that rent out Varroa Controllers (rental stations) or sell them (distributors). Both operate as independent businesses, acting in their own name and on their own account. Their own rental terms or general terms and conditions apply.

(2) Any rental or purchase contract is concluded exclusively between you and the respective partner. We are not a party to such contracts and do not act as representatives of these partners. We do not accept payments on their behalf.

(3) If you purchase a device from a distributor, your rights of withdrawal and statutory warranty rights are governed by your contract with that distributor. Whether and how our manufacturer’s guarantee applies to such devices is set out in the guarantee terms on the Withdrawal, Returns and Refund Policy page.

(4) Please contact the respective partner directly regarding availability, prices, delivery or returns.

(5) We publish our partners’ contact details with their consent and based on the information they provide. We update our listings regularly, although changes concerning individual partners may take some time to appear.

(6) Our liability as the manufacturer of the devices under the Austrian Product Liability Act remains unaffected.

§ 4 Conclusion of Contract

(1) The presentation of products in our online shop constitutes a non-binding invitation to place an order.

(2) The ordering process is as follows:

1. Add products to your shopping basket.

2. Enter your delivery and billing addresses and indicate whether you are ordering as a consumer or business customer.

3. Select your delivery and payment methods.

4. Review all information in the order summary, acknowledge these GTC and click “Place order with obligation to pay”.

By clicking this button, you submit a binding offer. Until then, you can correct any input errors using “Edit” or “Back”, or cancel the ordering process.

(3) We will promptly confirm receipt of your order by email. The contract is concluded when you receive this order acknowledgement.

(4) The contractual language is German.

§ 5 Prices, Taxes, Shipping and Customs

(1) All prices are total prices in euros, including VAT. Shipping costs are displayed on the product page and itemised separately before you place your order.

(2) For deliveries to consumers in other EU Member States, we charge VAT at the rate applicable in the destination country. This is already reflected in the price displayed during checkout. Business customers in other EU Member States with a valid VAT identification number receive an invoice excluding VAT, with the VAT liability transferred to them.

(3) Deliveries to countries outside the EU are invoiced without Austrian VAT. Customs duties, import VAT, customs clearance fees and other import charges imposed by the destination country are not included in the price. We inform you of these costs before you place your order. If the carrier collects these charges, you must pay them directly to the carrier. If we pay them on your behalf, we will show the amount in the order summary, where it can be calculated in advance, and itemise it separately on the invoice.

(4) We deliver to the countries listed during checkout and sell to all customers under the same conditions, regardless of nationality or place of residence. Customers living outside our delivery area may provide a delivery address within that area or collect the goods from our production premises.

(5) Varroa Controllers are shipped by freight carrier, while Duplex frame bags and accessories are sent by parcel delivery. Collection in person is available by appointment and is free of shipping charges.

§ 6 Payment

(1) You may pay using any of the payment methods offered during checkout: advance payment by bank transfer, credit card or debit card. We do not charge additional fees for the choice of payment method.

(2) For advance payments, the purchase price is due within seven days of conclusion of the contract. We dispatch the goods once payment has been received.

(3) Our invoices contain the information normally required for funding applications.

§ 7 Delivery and Transfer of Risk

(1) The estimated delivery time is stated on the relevant product page. If no delivery time is specified, we will deliver no later than seven working days after conclusion of the contract (§ 7a KSchG).

(2) If a product unexpectedly becomes unavailable, we will inform you without delay. If we are unable to deliver, we will promptly refund any payments already made.

(3) For consumers, the risk passes only when the goods are handed over to you or to a person designated by you (§ 7b KSchG). For business customers, the risk passes when the goods are handed over to the transport company.

(4) Freight deliveries are made to the kerbside following telephone arrangements for a delivery appointment. Please check the delivery for visible transport damage upon receipt and, where possible, record any damage on the delivery note. For consumers, failure to record such damage does not affect their statutory rights.

§ 8 Retention of Title

The goods remain our property until payment has been received in full.

§ 9 Consumer Right of Withdrawal

(1) Consumers may withdraw from a contract concluded through our online shop within 14 days without giving any reason. The withdrawal instructions, including the model withdrawal form and the rules governing returns and refunds, are available on the “Withdrawal, Returns and Refund Policy” page.

(2) You can exercise your right of withdrawal online using the “Withdraw from contract” button. This button is accessible from every page of the online shop throughout the withdrawal period. No customer account is required.

(3) Business customers have no statutory right of withdrawal.

§ 10 Statutory Warranty Rights

(1) Statutory warranty law applies: the Austrian Consumer Warranty Act (VGG) for consumers, and the Austrian Civil Code (ABGB) and Austrian Commercial Code (UGB) for business customers. The standardised EU notice concerning statutory warranty rights is available in our online shop (on every product page and in the order summary) and in your contract confirmation.

(2) For consumers, the following applies: We are liable for defects that exist at the time of delivery. The statutory warranty period is two years from delivery, and claims may be brought before a court for a further three months after that period. If a defect becomes apparent within one year of delivery, it is presumed to have existed at the time of delivery.

(3) You may initially choose between repair and replacement, unless one of these options is impossible or would involve disproportionate effort on our part. Before remedying a defect, we will inform you of this right to choose. If you choose repair, the statutory warranty period is extended once by twelve months (§ 10(2a) VGG). If repair and replacement are unsuccessful, you may request a price reduction or, except in cases of minor defects, termination of the contract.

(4) Warranty remedies are provided at the location to which the goods were delivered. For Varroa Controllers, we arrange collection and return delivery at our expense. Please report defects to contact@varroa-controller.com, providing your order number, serial number, photographs and a brief description of the problem.

(5) For business customers, the statutory warranty period is twelve months from delivery. Where the transaction is a commercial transaction for both parties, defects must be reported without delay in accordance with § 377 UGB. The presumption of defectiveness under § 924 ABGB is excluded.

(6) Statutory warranty rights and the manufacturer’s guarantee (§ 11) apply independently of one another.

§ 11 Manufacturer’s Guarantee

(1) In addition to statutory warranty rights, ECODESIGN company engineering and management consultancy GmbH, as the manufacturer, provides a voluntary 24-month guarantee for Varroa Controllers. The scope and procedures are set out in the guarantee terms on the Withdrawal, Returns and Refund Policy page.

(2) Your statutory warranty rights remain unaffected and apply independently of this guarantee.

§ 12 Liability

(1) We are liable in accordance with statutory provisions for damage caused intentionally or through gross negligence. We are also liable for personal injury caused by slight negligence.

(2) We are not liable for other damage caused by slight negligence. In dealings with business customers, liability for loss of profit and consequential damage is additionally excluded to the extent permitted by law.

(3) Liability under the Austrian Product Liability Act remains unaffected.

(4) The effectiveness of heat treatment depends on how it is carried out, particularly the timing, temperature and duration of treatment, brood conditions and mite infestation from the surrounding environment. Please use the device only in accordance with the operating instructions. We are not liable for damage to bee colonies or brood resulting from use that deviates from these instructions, unless the damage is caused by a defect in the device or incorrect instructions.

§ 13 Waste Electrical Equipment and Data Protection

(1) Electrical equipment must not be disposed of with general household waste at the end of its useful life. You can take your old device to a municipal collection point free of charge. Further information on take-back obligations under the Austrian Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Ordinance is available here.

(2) Information about how we process your personal data is provided in our Privacy Policy.

§ 14 Dispute Resolution, Applicable Law and Jurisdiction

(1) If you have a complaint, please contact us first so that we can work together to find a solution.

(2) Austrian law applies, excluding the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) and the conflict-of-law rules of private international law. Consumers habitually resident in another country retain the protection afforded by the mandatory provisions of that country’s law.

(3) Legal proceedings against consumers are subject to the jurisdiction rules under § 14 KSchG, generally the court at their place of residence. Consumers residing in another EU Member State may also bring proceedings against us in that country. For disputes with business customers, the court having subject-matter jurisdiction for 1040 Vienna shall have exclusive jurisdiction.

§ 15 Final Provisions

(1) If any provision of these GTC is found to be invalid, the remaining provisions shall remain valid.

(2) Amendments to these GTC apply only to orders received after their publication. We retain previous versions and make them available upon request.

Last updated: 15 October 2026 | Version 1.0