Is alternate.fr legit?
Mostly. HasTrust rates alternate.fr Mixed (60/100), checked 2026-10-15: Some reviewers report slow processing (over 24 hours between payment and shipment) and waits of 10–14 days for exchanges; At least one reviewer reports still waiting for a refund; Replies to only about 30% of negative Trustpilot reviews, typically within a week.
alternate.fr looks like a legitimate, established electronics shop. It is run by ALTERNATE GmbH, a registered German company in Linden. The domain dates back to 2010, the company publishes full legal details, and checkout offers buyer-friendly options such as PayPal, credit card and Klarna. Trustpilot reviewers are largely positive about prices, order updates and smooth orders. Complaints mention slow processing, waits on exchanges and refund delays, and the company replies to only some negative reviews. One automated checker rates it only medium-risk because of blacklist detections.
What we measured
- ✓Domain registered 16+ years ago
- ✓On the public web since 2008 (Internet Archive)
- ✓Valid HTTPS encryption (certificate by Google Trust Services)
Why this score?
✓ Pros
- Full legal notice with company registration (HRB 2110, Tribunal de Gießen), VAT number and named managing directors
- Secure payment options with buyer protection: PayPal, credit card and Klarna
- Mostly positive Trustpilot reviews (4.3/5 from about 1,300+ reviews) praising prices, order emails and smooth service
- Wide range including PC parts, a PC-Builder configurator, refurbished items, gaming and toys
⚠ Cons
- Some reviewers report slow processing (over 24 hours between payment and shipment) and waits of 10–14 days for exchanges
- At least one reviewer reports still waiting for a refund
- Replies to only about 30% of negative Trustpilot reviews, typically within a week
- The company is based in Germany, so returns and disputes involve a foreign seller
- Technical and complaints departments are not staffed on Saturdays
- Trustpilot notes the company hasn't invited customers recently, so reviews may not be fully representative
- Some refund-delay complaints appear on Trustpilot
Why switch: A large, reputable French-market retailer to compare prices and delivery speed on the same electronics, with returns handled domestically.
A major French electronics retailer, useful if you prefer a France-based seller for returns and after-sales service.
What web sources say (not checked by us)
Third-party ratings
Facts
💬 Ask about this shop
Answers come from what we checked about this site — the AI only picks the topic, it writes nothing.
🛡️ Site safety check
What you should do
- Use a payment method you can charge back (credit card or PayPal) — skip bank transfer or "friends & family".
- Place a small first order before trusting it with a big one.
- Search the shop's name plus "reviews" or "scam" for recent experiences before paying.
🔍 What we checked ourselves
Each row is a check HasTrust ran, and the day it ran.
| Check | What we found | How | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| HTTPS certificate | Valid — Google Trust Services, expires 2026-12-24 | TLS handshake from our servers | |
| Domain registration | 2010-01 (16 years old) | RDAP registry record | |
| First seen on the web | 2008 | Internet Archive | |
| Popularity rank | #810929 on Majestic Million | Majestic Million list | before 2026-10-15 |
| Hosting | CLOUDFLARENET - Cloudflare, Inc., US | IP and AS lookup | |
| Registrar | INWX GmbH | RDAP registry record | |
| DNS | cloudflare.com | Nameserver records | |
| Contact & legal pages | email, phone, address, HRB, returns page | Read from the site's own pages | |
| Blocklist | Not listed | HasTrust blocklist |
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Checked 7 days ago. · How we score →
Shop policy, from their own pages
Their own policy page says: you can return items within 14 days; you pay the return shipping; refunds go back to your original payment method.
What their page says, word for word
- “Vous avez le droit de vous rétracter du présent contrat sans donner de motif dans un délai de quatorze jours.” — their page
- “Les coûts directs de renvoi des biens vous incombent.” — their page
- “Nous procéderons au remboursement en utilisant le même moyen de paiement que celui que vous aurez utilisé pour la transaction initiale, sauf si vous convenez expressément d'un moyen différent ; en tout état de cause, ce remboursement n'occasionnera pas de frais pour vous.” — their page
Read on 2026-10-15. This is what the shop states about itself, not a promise from us; we only show what we found on their page.
Frequently asked
Is alternate.fr legit?⌄
Mixed. HasTrust trust score: 60/100. alternate.fr looks like a legitimate, established electronics shop. It is run by ALTERNATE GmbH, a registered German company in Linden. The domain dates back to 2010, the company publishes full legal details, and checkout offers buyer-friendly options such as PayPal, credit card and Klarna. Trustpilot reviewers are largely positive about prices, order updates and smooth orders. Complaints mention slow processing, waits on exchanges and refund delays, and the company replies to only some negative reviews. One automated checker rates it only medium-risk because of blacklist detections.
Is alternate.fr a scam?⌄
Our check surfaced no major scam signals — still verify payment and seller details before you pay.
What is the alternate.fr trust score?⌄
HasTrust rates alternate.fr 60/100 (Mixed). Unsure
What is the return policy of alternate.fr?⌄
Their own policy page says: you can return items within 14 days; you pay the return shipping; refunds go back to your original payment method.
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