Media Expert is one of the largest electronics retailers in Poland — over 500 stores and an online shop. As a consumer you have exactly the same rights as with any other store: 2 years of protection under the Consumer Rights Act, regardless of the manufacturer's warranty or Media Expert's internal policies.
Your rights when filing a complaint with Media Expert
The legal basis is Art. 43b of the Consumer Rights Act. Equipment you purchase must conform to the contract for 2 years from the date you receive it. If a defect appears during this time — a cracked screen without impact, component failure, factory defect — you can file a complaint directly with Media Expert as the seller, bypassing the manufacturer.
Media Expert often directs customers to the manufacturer's service centre or suggests using an extended warranty. You do not have to agree to this. You have the right to file a non-conformity claim directly with the store.
What you can demand
Under Art. 43d §1 of the Consumer Rights Act you may demand:
- Repair — the equipment must be repaired free of charge and within a reasonable time
- Replacement with a new, defect-free unit
If repair or replacement is impossible, the store refuses, or the defect returned after repair — you have the right to a price reduction or refund under Art. 43e §1 of the Consumer Rights Act.
14-day response deadline — the key time limit
Media Expert has 14 calendar days to respond to your complaint (Art. 7a of the Consumer Rights Act). If it does not respond within this period, the complaint is automatically deemed accepted. That is why filing in writing — by email or registered post — is essential.
How to file a complaint with Media Expert
- Gather proof of purchase: receipt, invoice, or order confirmation from your Media Expert account
- Describe the defect: when it appeared, how it manifests, whether the product was used as intended
- State your demand: repair, replacement, or refund
- Cite Art. 43b and Art. 43d §1 of the Consumer Rights Act
- Send by email or registered post to Media Expert S.A., keeping a copy
The store tells you to wait — what to do step by step
You filed a complaint, two weeks passed, you got an SMS saying "service work is in progress," and the store staff told you to wait another 30 days. This is a very common scenario — and you have specific tools to deal with it.
Step 1: Check whether 14 days have passed since you filed. An SMS about "service work" is not a response to your complaint — it is just a status update. If the store has not formally addressed your demand (repair / replacement / rejection) within 14 calendar days, the complaint is automatically deemed accepted (Art. 7a of the Consumer Rights Act).
Step 2: If 14 days have passed — act in writing. Do not go back to the store for a conversation. Send an email or registered letter with the following:
"Due to the store's failure to respond to my complaint dated [date] within the statutory 14-day period, pursuant to Art. 7a of the Consumer Rights Act the complaint is deemed accepted. I hereby demand fulfilment of my original request — [repair/replacement] — within 14 days of receiving this letter."
Step 3: If 14 days have not yet passed. A vacuum cleaner, steamer, washing machine, or fridge is everyday equipment. The law requires repair within a reasonable time without excessive inconvenience to the consumer (Art. 43d §2 of the Consumer Rights Act). Waiting over a month for a household appliance qualifies as excessive inconvenience — you can demand in writing that the store replace the unit with a new one instead of continuing the repair.
In both cases the key is the same: always in writing. A verbal conversation at the store does not exist legally — the store can later claim anything. An email with a read receipt or a registered letter gives you a date and proof.
If Media Expert refuses or delays
If the store rejects the complaint or fails to respond within 14 days you can:
- File a complaint with the Trade Inspection (Inspekcja Handlowa)
- Contact the Consumer Rights Ombudsman in your district
- Apply for mediation at the Permanent Consumer Arbitration Court at the Trade Inspection (Stały Polubowny Sąd Konsumencki przy Inspekcji Handlowej)
- Take the matter to civil court — claims up to PLN 30,000 follow a simplified procedure (Art. 505¹ CCP)
Manufacturer warranty vs. statutory complaint
Media Expert may suggest using the manufacturer's warranty (Samsung, LG, Bosch, etc.). These are two completely separate routes. The manufacturer's warranty is a voluntary commitment with its own conditions. A non-conformity complaint is your statutory right — no terms of sale can remove it.
Choose the route that benefits you most. The statutory route is usually better: 2 years of protection, the presumption of defect at the time of purchase, and a mandatory 14-day response obligation.