Terms and Conditions

Scope, Definitions

(1) These General Terms and Conditions (hereinafter "GTC") apply to all contracts between the provider and its customers (hereinafter uniformly "customer") for the supply of digital products (in particular activation keys for software) as well as physical data carriers (DVD, USB) via the online shop at karinex.de.

(2) A consumer within the meaning of these GTC is any natural person who concludes a legal transaction for purposes that can predominantly be attributed neither to their commercial nor to their self-employed professional activity (§ 13 BGB).

(3) An entrepreneur within the meaning of these GTC is a natural or legal person or a partnership with legal capacity who, when concluding a legal transaction, acts in the exercise of their commercial or self-employed professional activity (§ 14 BGB).

(4) Deviating, conflicting or supplementary General Terms and Conditions of the customer shall not become part of the contract, even if known, unless their validity is expressly agreed to in writing.

(5) For supplementary services such as the bonus program, the referral program and the newsletter, the respective separate participation terms published for them apply, which can be accessed at karinex.de.

Contracting Party, Customer Service

(1) The customer's contracting party is:

(2) Customer service is available to you through the following channels:

(3) Availability: Monday to Sunday from 09:00 to 23:00 (Central European Time). Inquiries are generally answered within 24 hours.

(4) Communication via WhatsApp Business takes place exclusively at the customer's initiative. By making contact for the first time, the customer agrees to the processing of their data by Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd. Further information can be found in our privacy policy.

(5) An additional contact option is available via the page karinex.de/pages/kontakt. For telephone consultation, a free callback can also be requested via karinex.de/pages/kundenberatung.

Conclusion of Contract

(1) The presentation of products in the online shop does not constitute a legally binding offer, but rather a non-binding invitation to place an order.

(2) The customer can select products from the provider's range and collect them in a virtual shopping cart via the "add to cart" button. By clicking the "order with obligation to pay" button, they submit a binding request to purchase the goods in the shopping cart.

(3) Before submitting the order, the customer can change and view the data at any time. However, the request can only be submitted and transmitted if the customer has accepted these GTC by clicking the corresponding button, thereby incorporating them into their request.

(4) The provider then sends the customer an automatic acknowledgment of receipt by email, in which the customer's order is listed again (order receipt confirmation). This acknowledgment of receipt does not yet constitute acceptance of the contractual offer, but merely documents the receipt of the order.

(5) The contract is only concluded upon the provider's declaration of acceptance, which is sent in a separate email (order confirmation), but at the latest upon dispatch of the activation key or the goods.

(6) The provider is entitled to refuse orders without giving reasons, in particular in case of doubts about the creditworthiness, identity or legal age of the customer. In this case, payments already made will be refunded promptly.

Contract Text, Contract Language

(1) The contract text is stored by the provider and sent to the customer by email together with these GTC and the withdrawal instructions in text form. For security reasons, the contract text can no longer be viewed online after the contract has been concluded.

(2) The language available for concluding the contract is exclusively German. Translations of these GTC into other languages are for information purposes only; in the event of a dispute, the German version is binding.

(3) The customer can view their orders and invoices at any time via their customer account at karinex.de, provided they have set one up.

Products and License Origin

(1) The subject of the contract is the supply of activation keys for software (in particular Microsoft Office products) as well as, optionally, the supply of physical data carriers (DVD or USB stick). The activation keys are sent exclusively by email to the email address provided by the customer when placing the order.

(2) The activation keys offered by KARINEX are based on volume activation keys acquired within the framework of the EU principle of exhaustion. The legal admissibility of resale results from the following supreme court decisions:

• European Court of Justice, judgment of 3 July 2012, Case C-128/11 (UsedSoft v. Oracle)
• German Federal Court of Justice, judgment of 17 July 2013, Ref. I ZR 129/08 (UsedSoft II)
• German Federal Court of Justice, judgment of 11 December 2014, Ref. I ZR 8/13 (UsedSoft III)

(3) Note on the scope of delivery: The subject of the contract is the supply of an activation key that enables the technical activation of the software. A contractual relationship between the customer and Microsoft Corporation or its subsidiaries is not established through the purchase from KARINEX. The customer is exclusively a contracting party of KARINEX.

(5) The provider guarantees the functionality of the delivered activation key at the time of delivery. Should a key not be activatable, a replacement key will be provided without delay. The details are governed by § 14 (KARINEX Service Promise).

(6) Trademark notice: The terms "Microsoft", "Windows", "Office" as well as all associated product names, logos and trademarks are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, USA. Their use in the KARINEX online shop is solely for product-descriptive identification pursuant to § 23 No. 2 MarkenG and does not establish any legal relationship between the customer and Microsoft Corporation.

Prices, VAT and Shipping Costs

(1) All prices in the online shop are quoted in euros (€) and include the statutory German value added tax of 19%. The VAT is shown separately during the order process and on the invoice.

(2) For deliveries to consumers in other EU member states, German VAT of 19% is likewise charged, provided that the EU-wide threshold of €10,000 pursuant to § 3c UStG is not exceeded. If the threshold is exceeded, taxation takes place in the respective destination country in accordance with the provisions of the One-Stop-Shop procedure (OSS).

(3) Deliveries to third countries (in particular Switzerland, Norway, United Kingdom) are tax-free export deliveries pursuant to § 6 UStG. No German VAT is charged. Any import duties, customs or taxes in the destination country are borne by the customer.

(4) Shipping costs within Germany for physical data carriers (DVD/USB):

• Hermes shipping – free of charge (insured, with tracking, delivery time 2 to 4 working days)
• DHL Express – €9.90 (insured, with tracking, delivery time 1 to 2 working days)

(5) The shipping of physical data carriers takes place exclusively within Germany. Activation keys are provided worldwide by email; no shipping costs are incurred for this.

(6) For orders from other EU countries as well as from third countries, only digital products (activation keys) are offered.

Payment Terms

(1) The provider accepts the following payment methods:

• Credit card (VISA, Mastercard, American Express, UnionPay)
• Apple Pay
• Klarna (instant bank transfer, installment purchase, invoice – subject to availability)
• SEPA direct debit
• Giropay, EPS, Bancontact, BLIK, Przelewy24 (country-specific)
• Instant bank transfer
• Prepayment / bank transfer
• Invoice (exclusively for verified business customers)

(2) When selecting the prepayment payment method, the provider gives the customer its bank details in the order confirmation. The invoice amount must be transferred to the specified account within 10 calendar days of the order confirmation. The receipt of payment by the provider is decisive for meeting the deadline. If payment is not received within this period, the order is automatically canceled.

(3) Bank details for prepayment:

(4) The invoice payment method is granted exclusively to business customers (§ 14 BGB) after a successful credit check. The provider reserves the right to refuse the invoice payment method in individual cases without giving reasons. In this case, the invoice amount is due for payment without deduction within 14 calendar days of the invoice date.

(5) Offsetting against counterclaims of the customer or withholding payments due to such claims is only permitted insofar as the counterclaims are undisputed or have been legally established, or arise from the same contractual relationship.

Delivery Terms and Delivery Times

(1) The delivery of activation keys takes place automatically by email to the email address provided by the customer during the order process after successful receipt of payment. Provision generally takes place within 60 seconds after payment confirmation.

(2) With the prepayment payment method, the delivery time begins from the time the full payment is received in the provider's account.

(3) Should the automated provision in an individual case not take place within the stated period, the provider will arrange manual delivery within 24 hours on working days.

(4) The delivery of physical data carriers takes place exclusively to delivery addresses within the Federal Republic of Germany. The delivery times result from § 6 para. 4. Decisive for the start of the delivery time is the day after receipt of payment or, in the case of a Klarna invoice, the day after conclusion of the contract.

(5) The customer is obliged to provide the email address given during the order process correctly and to ensure that emails from the domain @karinex.de can be delivered (spam filter setting). Delays resulting from incorrect email addresses or activated spam filters are not at the expense of the provider.

(6) If the provider is prevented from delivering due to force majeure, official orders or other unforeseeable events beyond its control, the delivery time is extended appropriately. The customer will be informed of this without delay.

Right of Withdrawal for Consumers

(1) Consumers (§ 13 BGB) have a statutory right of withdrawal in accordance with the following provisions and the withdrawal instructions attached to the conclusion of the contract.

(2) Withdrawal period for physical data carriers: For the delivery of physical data carriers (DVD/USB), the withdrawal period is 14 days from the day on which the customer or a third party named by them, who is not the carrier, took possession of the goods (§ 355 para. 2, § 356 para. 2 No. 1 BGB).

(3) Withdrawal period for digital products: For activation keys and other digital content, the provider voluntarily grants a withdrawal period of 100 days from conclusion of the contract, insofar as the statutory right of withdrawal has not already expired pursuant to paragraph 4.

(4) Expiry of the right of withdrawal for digital content: The right of withdrawal for the supply of digital content not on a physical data carrier expires if the provider has begun performance of the contract after the customer

• has expressly agreed that the provider begins performance of the contract before the expiry of the withdrawal period, and
• has confirmed their awareness that, by giving their consent to the commencement of performance of the contract, they lose their right of withdrawal (§ 356 para. 5 BGB).

The customer gives this consent during the ordering process by activating the corresponding checkbox. The provider confirms to the customer the conclusion of the contract and the consent given with the order confirmation in text form.

(5) The right of withdrawal also expires irrevocably as soon as the activation key has been used to register or activate the software. Activation cannot be technically reversed; a subsequent withdrawal is therefore legally excluded.

(6) To exercise the right of withdrawal, a clear declaration (e.g. by email to shop@karinex.de) of the decision to withdraw from the contract is sufficient. The customer may use the model withdrawal form attached to the withdrawal instructions, but this is not mandatory.

(7) The consequences of withdrawal result from § 357 BGB. In the event of an effective withdrawal, the provider refunds all payments made by the customer without delay, at the latest within 14 days of the day on which the declaration of withdrawal was received. The same means of payment used by the customer in the original transaction is used for the refund, unless expressly agreed otherwise.

(8) For physical data carriers, the provider may refuse the refund until it has received the goods back or until the customer has provided proof that they have sent back the goods — whichever is the earlier point in time.

(9) The customer bears the direct costs of returning physical data carriers.

(10) The customer only has to pay for any loss in value of physical goods if this loss in value is due to handling of the goods that is not necessary to check their condition, properties and functioning (§ 357 para. 7 BGB).

(11) The detailed withdrawal instructions and the model withdrawal form are available at karinex.de/pages/widerrufsrecht and are also provided to the customer with the order confirmation in text form.

Usage Rights and Hardware Binding

(1) Upon successful activation, the customer acquires a non-exclusive, temporally unlimited right of use to the respective software within the scope of the underlying license terms of the software manufacturer. The End User License Terms (EULA) of Microsoft Corporation apply additionally; they can be accessed at microsoft.com/de-de/useterms.

(2) The activation key is single-use and applies exclusively to one activation per device, insofar as the license terms of the software manufacturer do not provide for any deviating arrangement.

(4) The transfer, sale, rental or other transfer for consideration or free of charge of the activation key to third parties is prohibited after the first activation has taken place. A transfer of the right of use prior to activation is permitted within the framework of the EU principle of exhaustion (cf. § 5 para. 2), provided that the customer retains no copies.

(5) In particular, the following are prohibited:

• the multiple activation of a single key on several devices
• the publication or transfer of the key to undefined third parties
• the circumvention of technical protection measures of the software
• the use of the key for unlawful purposes

(6) In the event of a violation of the above usage terms, the provider is entitled to block the activation key and to withdraw from the contract. Claims for damages remain unaffected by this.

(7) The provider expressly points out that the customer is responsible for compliance with the EULA provisions of the software manufacturer. Any disputes between the customer and the software manufacturer regarding the interpretation of the EULA do not affect the contractual relationship between the customer and the provider.

Customer's Duties to Cooperate

(1) Before purchase, the customer must inform themselves on their own responsibility about the essential functional features, system requirements and license terms of the respective software. The customer bears the risk of whether the selected software corresponds to their individual wishes, needs and purposes of use.

(2) The setup of a functional hardware and software environment that is also adequately dimensioned taking into account the additional load caused by the software is the sole responsibility of the customer. This includes in particular:

• a compatible operating system in the version required by the software manufacturer
• sufficient hardware resources (processor, memory, hard drive space)
• a stable internet connection for activation and updates
• up-to-date security software and firewall settings

(3) The customer must observe the notes on installation and activation of the software contained in the product description and in the provider's activation instructions.

(4) The provider expressly recommends that the customer, before installing and activating the software:

• perform a complete data backup of their system
• make regular data backups during use
• regularly check the data processing results for plausibility

(5) The installation of the software is not part of the contract. The provider owes exclusively the provision of the functional activation key. For questions about installation, customer service is available for support in accordance with § 2; however, there is no entitlement to individual application support unless this has been expressly promised in the product description.

(6) If the customer violates the above duties to cooperate and damage or disruptions arise as a result, the customer cannot assert any claims for defects against the provider insofar as these are based on the breach of the duties to cooperate.

Retention of Title

(1) The delivered goods remain the property of the provider until the purchase price has been paid in full (§ 449 BGB).

(2) For activation keys, the right of use remains subject to the suspensive condition of full receipt of payment within the meaning of § 158 para. 1 BGB. The provider reserves the right to technically block or invalidate an activation key transmitted in advance in the event of default of payment.

(3) In the event of conduct by the customer that is contrary to the contract, in particular in the event of default of payment, the provider is entitled, after setting a reasonable grace period, to withdraw from the contract and to reclaim the goods.

Liability for Defects (Warranty)

(1) The statutory rights regarding defects apply (§§ 434 ff., §§ 327 ff. BGB).

(2) Towards consumers, the limitation period for claims for defects is 24 months from delivery. For digital products and activation keys, §§ 327 ff. BGB apply.

(3) Towards entrepreneurs, the limitation period for claims for defects is 12 months from delivery; this does not apply to claims for damages arising from injury to life, body or health, or in cases of intent and gross negligence.

(4) In the event of defects in an activation key (e.g. faulty or already used keys), the provider will, within the scope of subsequent performance, at its discretion provide a functional replacement key or refund the purchase price. The customer is obliged to report a defect without delay after discovery.

(5) Unauthorized manipulation of the activation key or the software by the customer or third parties leads to the loss of the rights regarding defects, unless the customer proves that the defect was not caused thereby.

(6) If the activation of the key does not take place within the withdrawal period pursuant to § 9, the functionality of the key is deemed confirmed, provided the customer does not inform the provider of any problems within a reasonable period.

(7) If the customer acts as a merchant within the meaning of § 1 HGB, they are subject to the commercial duty to examine and give notice of defects pursuant to § 377 HGB. If the customer fails to fulfill the notification obligations regulated there, the goods are deemed approved.

KARINEX Service Promise

(1) In addition to the statutory liability for defects, KARINEX grants the following voluntary service promise, which does not restrict the customer's statutory rights:

(2) Should a delivered activation key not work or already be used, KARINEX provides a replacement key free of charge – as often as necessary until a functional key has been successfully activated.

(3) The prerequisite for making use of the service promise is contact via shop@karinex.de stating the order number as well as a brief description of the activation problem. If necessary, the provider will assist the customer with activation by telephone or live chat.

(4) The service promise does not apply in cases where the customer is responsible for the defect themselves, in particular in the case of intentional false statement of the order data, manipulation of the key, hardware changes pursuant to § 10 para. 3, breach of the duties to cooperate pursuant to § 11, or activation in breach of the software manufacturer's license terms.

Limitation of Liability

(1) The provider is liable without limitation for damages arising from injury to life, body or health, in all cases of intent and gross negligence, in the event of fraudulent concealment of a defect, in the event of assumption of a guarantee for the condition of the goods, and under the provisions of the Product Liability Act.

(2) In the event of slightly negligent breach of essential contractual obligations (cardinal obligations), the provider's liability is limited to the foreseeable damage typical of the contract. Essential contractual obligations are those whose fulfillment makes the proper performance of the contract possible in the first place and on whose compliance the customer may regularly rely.

(3) In the event of a slightly negligent breach of non-essential contractual obligations, the provider's liability is excluded.

(4) The above limitations of liability also apply to the personal liability of the legal representatives, vicarious agents and employees of the provider.

(5) The provider is not liable for damages caused by improper use of the software by the customer, by incompatibility with the customer's hardware/operating system environment, or by data loss due to a lack of data backup. The customer is obliged to make a complete data backup of their system before activating the software.

Default of Payment for Business Customers

(1) Business customers (§ 14 BGB) fall into default without a reminder if they do not pay within 30 days of the due date and receipt of the invoice (§ 286 para. 3 BGB).

(2) In the event of default of payment, the provider is entitled to demand default interest in the amount of 9 percentage points above the base interest rate of the German Federal Bank (§ 288 para. 2 BGB).

(3) In addition, the provider may assert a flat-rate compensation in the amount of €40.00 pursuant to § 288 para. 5 BGB. This flat rate is offset against any owed compensation insofar as the damage is based on costs of legal prosecution.

(4) Reminder fees are charged on the following scale: 1st reminder €5.00, 2nd reminder €10.00, 3rd reminder €15.00. The assertion of further claims for damages remains unaffected.

(5) The assertion of further claims for damages remains reserved.

Data Protection and Communication

(1) The provider processes the customer's personal data exclusively within the framework of the statutory provisions, in particular the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG). Details result from the privacy policy, which is available at karinex.de/policies/privacy-policy.

(2) When using the communication channels WhatsApp Business and Live Chat, personal data is transferred to the following third-party providers:

• WhatsApp: Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd. (Ireland), with possible data transfer to Meta Platforms Inc. in the USA
• Live Chat: Tawk.to Inc. (USA), with data processing in the United States of America

The use of these channels takes place exclusively at the express initiative of the customer and is deemed in this respect to be consent within the meaning of Art. 49 para. 1 lit. a GDPR. Detailed information on data processing is contained in the privacy policy.

(3) The customer can at any time request information about the data stored about their person, request its correction, deletion or restriction of processing, and object to the processing (Art. 15–21 GDPR).

(4) The provider uses the services of Trusted Shops GmbH, Subbelrather Str. 15C, 50823 Cologne, for review management. After completing an order, the customer may receive an invitation to leave a review. Participation is voluntary. Further information on data processing by Trusted Shops is available at trustedshops.de/datenschutz as well as in the KARINEX privacy policy.

Applicable Law, Place of Jurisdiction

(1) For all legal relationships between the provider and the customer, exclusively the law of the Federal Republic of Germany applies, to the exclusion of the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG).

(2) For consumers who have their habitual residence in another EU member state, the mandatory consumer protection provisions of the law of that member state remain unaffected (Art. 6 para. 2 Rome I Regulation).

(3) If the customer is a merchant, a legal person under public law or a special fund under public law, then Hamburg is the exclusive place of jurisdiction for all disputes arising from or in connection with the contractual relationship. However, the provider is also entitled to sue at the customer's general place of jurisdiction.

(4) Note on consumer dispute resolution: Pursuant to § 36 VSBG, the provider is neither willing nor obliged to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board. The former platform of the EU Commission for online dispute resolution was discontinued as of 20 July 2025; a link to this platform is therefore no longer provided.

Final Provisions

(1) Should individual provisions of these GTC be or become wholly or partially invalid or unenforceable, the validity of the remaining provisions shall not be affected thereby. The statutory regulation shall take the place of the invalid or unenforceable provision.

(2) The provider reserves the right to amend these GTC at any time. Changes are communicated to the customer in text form; they are deemed approved if the customer does not object in writing within six weeks of receipt of the notification. The customer will be specifically informed of this consequence in the notice of amendment. For contracts already concluded, exclusively the GTC valid at the time of conclusion of the contract apply.

(3) There are no verbal side agreements. Amendments and additions to this contract require text form.

(4) These GTC are available at all times at karinex.de/policies/terms-of-service for retrieval, storage and printing.