European consumers are Department of Cross-border Trade in the EU at the Norwegian Consumer Protection Authority. They help Norwegian consumers shopping from other EU countries if something goes wrong.

Last year and so far this year, they have seen an increase in complaints about payment services Klarna and now they warn against using the service.

Klarna told NRK that it did not realize that it would be difficult for consumers to get their money back if something went wrong.

It took a year before this problem was resolved

One of those who discussed the challenges with Klarna was Helene Moss (40).

In 2021, he bought a wool coat with Klarna invoicing solution from what he later considered a rogue online shop in Sweden.

The coat was a bargain purchase, but returning it and canceling the monetary demand of NOK 3,000 proved difficult, according to Moss.

– After repeated return attempts, the online store refused to accept the item, and I also got nothing with Klarna. I spent a lot of unnecessary time and resources to solve this case and several agencies were involved.

– The item was purchased in November 2021 and only completed in November 2022, so it took a full year, Moss said.

Klarna froze the payment claim, but refused to remove the money claim. After Moss took the case to the Financial Complaints Board, the case was settled and Klarna removed the claim for the money.

– I hope Klarna provides good buyer protection. But to this day, that doesn’t mean you get it.

– Klarna should have stricter rules about who can use its services. I “I think it’s become too easy for rogue sellers like today,” Moss said.

Klarna admits it made a mistake in the Moss case, but still believes buyer protection should have prevented it.

Seeing an increase in complaints against Klarna

Although the issue has been resolved, the director of Forbruker Europa, Linn Hogner Jahr, believes it took a very long time.

European consumers are seeing an increase in inquiries from consumers shopping through Klarna. The consumer network intermediaries on behalf of consumers in matters relating to travel, fraud, online shopping and overseas housing.

8 percent of the mediation cases they handled this year were Klarna, amounting to 40 cases.

One The problem that is often complained about is that the goods do not arrive, but Klarna still chooses to charge consumers for the purchase.

– “We believe it is too difficult to get money back if a problem arises with a purchase,” Jahr said.

Klarna will not be interviewed by NRK. They indicated that they have a strict routine for checking stores that use Klarna as a payment solution and wrote the following via email:

– What the director of European Consumer said is not true. Of course, no one should pay for goods they have not received. This is why there is Klarna buyer protection, which ensures that you as a consumer do not have to pay for goods you purchased that were faulty or not delivered.

– This is the most fundamental idea behind Klarna for over 18 years. “We therefore place great importance on our customers feeling safe when shopping with us, and act immediately if we get any indication that one of our partners is not meeting our standards,” said Geir Østby, head of Klarna in Norway.

– Practice the case

Jahr at Forbruker Europa recommends that people pay by card.

– Banks are very good at complying with regulations and they pay out quickly if you use a complaint card, Jahr said.

European consumers believe that Klarna markets itself as a safe alternative, but consumers report that if a problem arises in connection with a purchase, it is difficult to deal with Klarna.

According to Jahr, Klarna often blames its sellers.

– They rehearsed the case and were unwilling to take responsibility, he said.

Jahr pointed out that Klarna is subject to a series of regulations when acting as a credit provider. As a rule, consumers can ask for a refund if there is a problem with their purchase, such as an item not being delivered, or something wrong with the item.

Helene Moss still uses Klarna, despite previous challenges.

– I’m very happy with that arrangement. But after my experience with Klarna, I carefully check the online store’s returns scheme and reviews before I shop, she said.