 Shopping in Estonia
This material provides some useful hints on special aspects of shopping in Estonia. It should be a little help to make your stay in Estonia as convenient as possible.
Currency
The Estonian currency is the Estonian Kroon (abbreviated EEK), which has the fixed exchange rate against the euro (1 EUR = 15,6466 EEK). The Estonian Kroon is freely convertible.
Pricing - All prices must be displayed in Estonian Kroons and the displayed price should be the ultimate price and always include VAT. As assumed Estonia will adopt the euro in the beginning of 2007 and therefore it is recommendatory to display the prices in euros as well as in kroons.
- Traders are required to provide truthful information on the price tag before consumers acquire goods or use services. If the seller claims that the price indicated on the price tag is wrong, it should be treated as deceiving consumers and as a violation by a trader. In such situation you can give up a purchase, but cannot insist on getting the item for the price indicated on the price tag.
- The seller must issue a receipt to you if the total amount to be paid is 300 kroons or more. If the total amount is less than 300 kroons then the receipt shall be given to you at your request.
Tax
On most goods and services an 18% value added tax - VAT (Käibemaks - abbreviate KM) is charged in Estonia. The VAT differs in some exceptions - books (5%), accommodation services (5%), medicinal products (5%), etc. VAT should always be included in displayed prices.
Methods of payment
Most common payment methods in shops, restaurants, etc are cash, debit and credit cards. The seller has a right to ask for your identity card (or other forms of identification) when you pay with credit or debit card.
In some shops or restaurants (especially in countryside) traders still accept only cash.
Deposit
Deposits are established for glass packaging; plastic packaging and metal packaging specified for beer, low-ethanol alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beverages.
Deposit of glass packaging and big plastic packaging is 1 EEK.
Deposit of 0,5 litre or less plastic packaging and metal packaging is 50 cents.
The packaging, which has deposit, is marked with special deposit marks. Sales
In Estonia the sellers usually sell at discount in the middle or in the end of the season. The discount is called "allahindlus". Discounts may also be marked as:
"soodusmüük" (sale)
"lõpumüük" (final sale)
"tühjendusmüük" (everything must go)
"sulgemismüük" (closing down sale)
Opening hours
Shops' general opening hours are:
Monday - Friday: 10:00 - 18:00 / 19:00
Saturday: 10:00 - 16:00, Sunday: closed
The big shopping centres are open: Monday - Friday / Saturday / Sunday:
10:00 - 20:00 / 21:00
Banks' general opening hours are:
Monday - Friday: 9:00 / 10:00 - 18:00
The bank offices in big shopping centres are open longer - until 20:00.
Saturday: 10.00 - 15.00 , Sunday: closed
Type of size
In Estonia is used European size system for shoes and clothes. But you should still try the clothes and shoes on, before the purchase. Every manufacture may have its own size system.
Exchange
The exchange is a seller's voluntary action, so you have no legal right to exchange the purchased goods.
Your rights as a consumer
Time limits - All consumers, who buy goods in Estonia, have a right to a legal guarantee of 2 years on products. Within the first six months of purchase, any lack of conformity or defect shall be presumed to have existed at the time of delivery, unless proved otherwise. After the first six months, it is up to the consumer to prove that the lack of conformity existed at the time of delivery.
It is important to keep the receipt, because the guarantee is only valid if you present the original proof of sale.
Legal guarantee - Within these 2 years of legal guarantee the consumer is entitled to have the goods brought into conformity free of charge. In the first place, you may require the seller to repair the goods or you may require the seller to replace them, unless this is impossible or disproportionate. Any repair or replacement shall be completed within a reasonable time (approximately within two weeks) and without any significant inconvenience to you, taking account of the nature of the goods. If it is impossible or disproportionate, you are entitled to ask for a price reduction or to have the contract rescinded.
The trader may also give you some voluntary guarantees, but it does not restrict your statutory rights (the legal guarantee).
Consumer Protection
Should you need assistance free of charge concerning your purchase in Estonia, please do not hesitate to contact the European Consumer Centre of Estonia.
If a trader has refused to settle your complaint or you do not consent to the solution proposed by the trader, you can submit a written complaint to the Consumer Complaint Committee through the European Consumer Centre. The consumer complaints committee is an independent institution, which operates at the Consumer Protection Board and settles disputes between consumers and traders. Committee functions as the ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution). Tourist information
http://visitestonia.com
http://www.tourism.tallinn.ee
http://www.turismiweb.ee/en/
http://handbook.infoatlas.ee
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