The German company DefShop GmbH has been declared bankrupt at the beginning of December. The company operates a street fashion online store at Def-shop.fi. If you have a claim against DefShop and have paid for your purchase with credit or if a payment intermediary providing buyer protection was involved in the transaction, you should primarily contact such a party for compensation. Otherwise, you will need to submit your claim in the bankruptcy proceedings. Claims must be reported to the insolvency administrator in Germany by January 15, 2026, at the latest.
The European Consumer Centre Finland has received over 30 consumer inquiries regarding DefShop in the past year. The reports have particularly concerned issues with canceling purchases and the functionality of the online store’s customer service. Inquiries have also been directed to the Consumer Advisory Services of the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority.
Do you have a claim against DefShop?
A claim is a refund that you are entitled to receive from DefShop. It may be, for example, the purchase price you paid for a product that DefShop never delivered to you or for which there is a defect for which DefShop is responsible. It may also be a claim for damages.
Submitting a claim to the creditor, card issuer, or payment intermediary:
- If you paid for your purchase with credit, you can claim compensation from the creditor under the Consumer Protection Act. More information about creditor’s liability can be found on the website of the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority.
- If you paid for your purchase with a debit card, check with your bank if you have the option to get your money back.
- If a payment intermediary that offers additional protection for purchases was involved, you can also submit a refund request to that party. For example, Klarna and PayPal provide such buyer protection.
Submitting a claim in the bankruptcy proceedings:
- Claims can be submitted electronically in the creditor portal established by DefShop’s bankruptcy estate: https://def-shop-inso.de/. The website has both German and English versions.
- The bankruptcy estate will send instructions for using the portal via email to all known creditors. Once you receive this email, you can register your claim. The portal site provides instructions in both German and English for submitting a claim. Follow the progress of your case in the portal.
- If you are unable to submit your claim through the portal, you can send your claim by postal mail to Germany. The postal address is provided in the email sent to you by the bankruptcy estate.
- Claims must be submitted to the insolvency administrator in Germany by January 15, 2026, at the latest.
- Please keep in mind that the bankruptcy proceedings can take a long time, and it will become clear later how much money remains to be distributed to creditors.
If you have questions regarding your claim, you can contact the European Consumer Centre Finland. Please note that our customer service will be closed during the Christmas week from December 22 to December 26, 2025.
Our contact information: European Consumer Centre contact details – European Consumer Centre Finland