General Terms and Conditions (GTC)
Table of contents
- Scope
- Conclusion of contract
- Right of withdrawal
- Prices and payment terms
- Delivery and shipping conditions
- Retention of title
- Liability for defects (warranty)
- Liability
- Special provisions for food
- Applicable law
- Jurisdiction
- Code of conduct
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
1) Scope
1.1 These General Terms and Conditions (hereinafter "GTC") of inutec GmbH (trading under the brand "auteniq") (hereinafter "Seller") apply to all contracts for the delivery of goods that a consumer or entrepreneur (hereinafter "Customer") concludes with the Seller via the online shop auteniq.de. Deviating terms and conditions of the Customer shall only apply if the Seller expressly agrees to their validity.
1.2 A consumer is any natural person who enters into a legal transaction for purposes that are predominantly neither attributable to their commercial nor their independent professional activity. A business is any natural or legal person or partnership with legal capacity that, when entering into a legal transaction, acts in the exercise of its commercial or independent professional activity.
1.3 These General Terms and Conditions shall apply accordingly to contracts for the supply of goods with digital elements (if available in the product range), unless expressly stipulated otherwise.
2) Conclusion of contract
2.1 The product descriptions contained in the online shop do not constitute a legally binding offer, but rather an invitation to submit an order (invitatio ad offerendum).
2.2 The customer can submit a binding offer via the order form integrated into the online shop. After selecting the goods and completing the electronic ordering process, the customer submits a legally binding offer by clicking the button that concludes the ordering process.
2.3 The seller may accept the customer's offer within five (5) days, (i) by sending an order confirmation in text form (e.g., email), (ii) by delivering the goods, or (iii) by requesting payment from the customer. If the first of these alternatives occurs, the contract is concluded. If the seller does not accept the offer within the period, the customer is no longer bound by their offer.
2.4 When selecting a payment method offered by a payment service provider (e.g., Mollie/PayPal/credit card) during checkout, payment processing is handled by the respective payment service according to its terms and conditions. If the payment service initiates a payment instruction during the order process, the seller declares acceptance of the offer at the time the customer completes the order.
2.5 The contract text is stored by the seller and sent to the customer in text form (e.g., email) after the order has been placed. If the customer has created a user account before placing the order, the order details can be viewed there.
2.6 The contract language is German; the specific languages available are displayed in the online shop.
3) Right of withdrawal
3.1 Consumers generally have a statutory right of withdrawal. Further information can be found in the cancellation policy provided in the online shop.
3.2 The right of withdrawal does not apply, in particular, to goods that can spoil quickly or whose expiration date would be quickly exceeded, nor to sealed goods that are unsuitable for return for reasons of health protection or hygiene if their seal has been removed after delivery. Likewise, the right of withdrawal is excluded for goods that have been inseparably mixed with other goods after delivery, or for custom-made products manufactured according to customer specifications.
4) Prices and payment terms
4.1 Unless otherwise stated in the respective product description, prices quoted to consumers are gross prices including statutory VAT. Prices quoted to businesses may be shown net prices excluding VAT.
4.2 Additional delivery/shipping or forwarding costs, island surcharges, and any customs duties and import taxes (for deliveries outside the EU) will be shown during the ordering process and are to be borne by the customer, unless expressly agreed otherwise.
4.3 If prepayment/bank transfer is agreed upon, the purchase price is due immediately upon conclusion of the contract, unless a different due date has been agreed upon. Other payment methods displayed in the shop are also available.
5) Delivery and shipping conditions
5.1 Delivery will be made to the delivery address specified by the customer within the delivery area indicated in the shop. The delivery address entered during the order process is decisive.
5.2 Unless otherwise stated, goods delivered by freight carrier will be delivered "free to the curb".
5.3 If delivery fails for reasons attributable to the customer (e.g., default of acceptance, incorrect address), the customer shall bear the resulting reasonable additional costs. This does not apply to the initial shipping costs if the consumer effectively exercises their right of withdrawal. Return shipping costs are governed by the provisions of the cancellation policy.
5.4 Transfer of Risk: If the customer is acting as a business, the risk of accidental loss or accidental damage to the goods passes to the customer upon handover to the carrier/freight forwarder. If the customer is acting as a consumer, the transfer of risk generally only occurs upon handover of the goods to the customer or an authorized recipient. Notwithstanding the above, the risk also passes to the consumer upon handover to the carrier if the customer commissions the carrier himself and the seller has not previously designated one.
5.5 If the seller offers collection, the customer can collect the goods within the specified business hours at the specified address; no shipping costs will then be incurred.
6) Retention of title
If the seller makes advance payment, the delivered goods remain the property of the seller until the purchase price has been paid in full.
7) Liability for defects (warranty)
7.1 The statutory provisions regarding liability for defects apply, unless otherwise specified below.
7.2 B2B Provisions: If the customer is acting as a business, (i) the seller has the right to choose the method of subsequent performance, (ii) the limitation period for claims based on defects in new goods is one year from delivery, and (iii) for used goods, rights based on defects are excluded. The limitation period does not restart if a replacement delivery is made under the warranty. Statutory rights of recourse remain unaffected.
7.3 Obligation to give notice of defects: If the customer is a merchant within the meaning of Section 1 of the German Commercial Code (HGB), the commercial obligation to inspect and give notice of defects pursuant to Section 377 of the HGB applies. If notice is not given in a timely manner, the goods are deemed to have been approved.
7.4 Consumers are requested to report any delivered goods with obvious transport damage to the delivery person as soon as possible and to inform the seller; this does not affect their statutory rights.
8) Liability
8.1 The seller is liable without limitation in cases of intent and gross negligence, in cases of injury to life, body or health, in cases of assumption of a guarantee and in accordance with the provisions of the Product Liability Act.
8.2 In cases of simple negligence, the seller is only liable for breaches of essential contractual obligations (cardinal obligations); in this case, liability is limited to the foreseeable damage typical for this type of contract.
8.3 Furthermore, liability is excluded. The foregoing provisions also apply in favor of the seller's legal representatives and agents.
9) Special provisions for foodstuffs
9.1 Pre-contractual food information (distance selling): The seller provides the information required under Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 (Food Information Regulation) on the respective product page before the order is placed. This includes, in particular: the name of the food, the list of ingredients including allergens, the net quantity, nutritional information, where applicable, information on origin/provenance, the name/address of the responsible food business operator, special storage/use conditions, where applicable, the alcohol content, and where applicable, instructions for use. The information on the label of the delivered goods is also binding.
9.2 Best before/use by date: Goods with a best before date (BBD) are safe to eat at least until that date; goods with a use by date are highly perishable and can no longer be sold after this date. The specific remaining shelf life is indicated on the product page; products with a short shelf life are clearly marked.
9.3 Cold Chain & Storage: Any cooling and storage instructions (e.g., "store in a cool, dry place") must be strictly followed. After the transfer of risk, the customer is responsible for maintaining the cold chain and storing the goods properly. For refrigerated goods, the right of withdrawal may be excluded according to section 3.2 (perishable goods).
9.4 Hygiene Seal / Returns: For health protection reasons, food products whose seal has been removed after delivery are excluded from returns, unless there is a material defect. The same applies to opened/partially used containers.
9.5 Bulk Packaging & Partial Removals: With bulk containers (e.g., 1 kg jars, canisters, ham hocks), shelf life and quality may be reduced after opening. Partial removals and signs of use due to consumption do not, in themselves, constitute a defect.
9.6 Natural product character: In the case of natural products (e.g. honey, olive oil, raw ham), batch-typical sensory variations (color, consistency/crystallization, cloudiness/deposits, taste) are possible and do not constitute a defect, provided that the usual commercial quality is maintained.
9.7 Images & Serving Suggestions: Product images are for illustrative purposes only; decorations/serving suggestions are not included. The product description and label are authoritative.
9.8 Deposit/Empty Containers: If individual products are subject to a deposit system, this is indicated on the product page; deposit refunds are made in accordance with the conditions stated there.
9.9 Returns (freight forwarding goods): For palletized/particularly heavy packages, the seller will state the expected return shipping costs in the cancellation policy or upon request in advance.
10) Applicable Law
All legal relations between the parties shall be governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, excluding the provisions of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). With respect to consumers, this choice of law applies only to the extent that it does not deprive them of the mandatory protection afforded by the law of their habitual residence.
11) Place of jurisdiction
If the customer is a merchant, a legal entity under public law, or a special fund under public law with its registered office in Germany, the exclusive place of jurisdiction for all disputes is the seller's registered office. The same applies to businesses with their registered office outside Germany, insofar as the contract concerns their commercial activities. The seller remains entitled to bring legal action at the customer's general place of jurisdiction.
12) Code of Conduct
Sellers can voluntarily adhere to codes of conduct (e.g., Google customer reviews, Trusted Shops quality criteria). Where applicable, the content is available online.
13) Alternative Dispute Resolution
The seller is neither obligated nor willing to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board. The EU ODR platform was discontinued by the EU on July 20, 2025; an ODR link is no longer available.
As of December 29, 2025