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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

For keeping an order that I’ve received a refund for?

163 replies

Phallicfriday · 18/01/2025 20:20

Long story short. Ordered DH a fairly expensive tech item for his birthday from large retailer. Item didn’t arrive and when I chased the retailer it was presumed lost and they sent a replacement. It was supposed to be on next day delivery but this didn’t materialize either. Week later I call again to be told the item was detained by customs and it would be returned to the retailer. They point blank refused to send another item and instead only offered me a refund. Feeling very frustrated as I still had no birthday gift, I reluctantly accepted and ordered a replacement on Amazon (which I haven’t received yet either). Since receiving the refund, both the ‘missing’ orders have turned up. I am overseas and so I imagine it would be a hassle/expense for them to arrange a courier to collect them for return? AIBU for just keeping quiet and keeping both? Appreciate that this is morally ambiguous and I am quite sure I will get lots of mumsnetters up in arms at my morally bankrupt thought processes but they are a large company and surely will have insurance to cover such losses? And who really gives a flying fuck if the insurance company are out of pocket a few hundred quid when they rob the living daylights out of us all? My only concern is if they can track / trace that they have been delivered and force me to return / repay? What would you do?

OP posts:
EmmaMaria · 18/01/2025 21:29

You need to come up with a better description that "morally ambiguous". How about "thief"?

Youcancallmeirrelevant · 18/01/2025 21:28

I would keep both without even worrying about it. Sometimes you get a bit of luck from the universe! Give it a month or so keeping 1 in packaging in case they message then do what you want with it

Soubriquet · 18/01/2025 21:27

I would keep quiet

littlemissprosseco · 18/01/2025 21:26

Morally ambiguous!

It’s totally wrong, eventually the company will get tracking details and will know it was delivered. I understand your thoughts on insurance, customer service etc…. But where’s the line between a small and large business??

Phallicfriday · 18/01/2025 21:25

Yes it’s a UK based retailer

OP posts:
Phallicfriday · 18/01/2025 21:25

BeMellowOchreZebra · 18/01/2025 21:16

Well you've got 6 years to get caught... so just make sure you put aside the money for 6 years or don't use the items for 6 years.

If they do eventually figure out they did arrive (depends who you ordered from, but most companies have a finance system which will track goods, refunds and payments, so they'll eventually realise they have neither item nor money) then you just hand the goods back or pay the full amount.

Would they really go to all that trouble, years down the line, to recoup a few hundred quid?

OP posts:
Phallicfriday · 18/01/2025 21:24

ShatnersWoodwind · 18/01/2025 21:19

These massive companies are forever screwing us over, they make fat profits and have bad customer service. The cost of these two items are a drop in the ocean for them. The losses have already been accounted for and for all you know have even been repaid through some kind of insurance set up. You keeping these items will have zero impact on the company, and it probably a nice bit of Karmic rebalancing.

These are my thoughts exactly

OP posts:
ShatnersWoodwind · 18/01/2025 21:19

These massive companies are forever screwing us over, they make fat profits and have bad customer service. The cost of these two items are a drop in the ocean for them. The losses have already been accounted for and for all you know have even been repaid through some kind of insurance set up. You keeping these items will have zero impact on the company, and it probably a nice bit of Karmic rebalancing.

BeMellowOchreZebra · 18/01/2025 21:16

Phallicfriday · 18/01/2025 20:51

I’m not justifying it. As I said, I’ve made my peace with it, and don’t really care if anyone thinks I’m morally bankrupt. I’m more concerned if I’m likely to get caught 🤷‍♀️

Well you've got 6 years to get caught... so just make sure you put aside the money for 6 years or don't use the items for 6 years.

If they do eventually figure out they did arrive (depends who you ordered from, but most companies have a finance system which will track goods, refunds and payments, so they'll eventually realise they have neither item nor money) then you just hand the goods back or pay the full amount.

BeAzureAnt · 18/01/2025 21:16

Phallicfriday · 18/01/2025 20:26

I guess I’m more concerned with whether or
not I’ll get found out? I’m close to making my peace with keeping them but I don’t want to get in trouble. Obviously my response would be very different if it concerned a small business / retailer or someone who couldn’t afford the loss / didn’t have insurance to cover such things.

Tell them. I had something like this happen with Amazon and they told me to keep the extra item. You’ll sleep better at night and won’t have worries. Mental peace is worth a lot.

Phallicfriday · 18/01/2025 21:15

BotterMon · 18/01/2025 21:12

Because it's theft but if you're ok with that then why on earth are you posting on here?

Because I’m interested in what other people would do (less in your judgement) and if I’m likely to get caught.

OP posts:
BotterMon · 18/01/2025 21:12

Phallicfriday · 18/01/2025 21:00

But why when I can keep it for free?

Because it's theft but if you're ok with that then why on earth are you posting on here?

Phallicfriday · 18/01/2025 21:08

CallMeFlo · 18/01/2025 21:05

Because letting them know is the honest and right thing to do but clearly that doesn't bother you. Not even sure why you started the thread since you clearly plan on keeping the item.

None of us can tell you if you'll get caught. Hopefully you will

Chill out. Why are you getting so invested? Fair enough if you wouldn’t do it, you’re obviously a ‘better’ person than me but there’s no need to be vindictive. I wouldn’t question it if it were a small business or if they hadn’t provided such an abysmal service to begin with but they aren’t and they did

OP posts:
henlake7 · 18/01/2025 21:07

Id tell them.
Closest Ive got to this is not telling a company when they sent me 10 times the amount of pet food I'd ordered. But the order clearly stated the original amount so nothing documented to prove the error.
If something has been shown to be paid for and delivered then it's probably better to own up rather then be chased up later.

tweedledee12 · 18/01/2025 21:07

Definitely, 100% keep it - see it as compensation 😆
It's happened a few times in various forms to me, and we've always kept it...I too am morally bankrupt

CallMeFlo · 18/01/2025 21:05

Phallicfriday · 18/01/2025 21:00

But why when I can keep it for free?

Because letting them know is the honest and right thing to do but clearly that doesn't bother you. Not even sure why you started the thread since you clearly plan on keeping the item.

None of us can tell you if you'll get caught. Hopefully you will

Phallicfriday · 18/01/2025 21:00

MumonabikeE5 · 18/01/2025 20:57

Cancel Amazon order and tell original company it has arrived and pay for it again. Not that complicated.

But why when I can keep it for free?

OP posts:
Phallicfriday · 18/01/2025 21:00

AMurderofMurderingCrows · 18/01/2025 20:55

Did you sign for the items or did the delivering courier take pics of the items on your doorstep?

No didn’t sign for anything, they dumped the boxes in my garage. No idea if they took pics as the orders show as refunded and therefore no delivery updates etc available

OP posts:
Ghruch · 18/01/2025 20:57

It is human nature to consider keeping it btw. I was in an almost identical situation a few weeks ago and wrestled for a while. But I knew I couldn't live with myself if I just kept the item so I called the company and re-paid for it.

MumonabikeE5 · 18/01/2025 20:57

Cancel Amazon order and tell original company it has arrived and pay for it again. Not that complicated.

Ghruch · 18/01/2025 20:55

It's not morally ambiguous. You are only diminishing yourself if you do something that is plainly wrong. As for whether you are likely to get caught. Who knows? It all depends on whether the company is likely to look into it.

AMurderofMurderingCrows · 18/01/2025 20:55

Phallicfriday · 18/01/2025 20:51

I’m not justifying it. As I said, I’ve made my peace with it, and don’t really care if anyone thinks I’m morally bankrupt. I’m more concerned if I’m likely to get caught 🤷‍♀️

Did you sign for the items or did the delivering courier take pics of the items on your doorstep?

Phallicfriday · 18/01/2025 20:51

Mercurial123 · 18/01/2025 20:46

Keep it if that's what you want to do, but don't justify it to strangers on the Internet.

I’m not justifying it. As I said, I’ve made my peace with it, and don’t really care if anyone thinks I’m morally bankrupt. I’m more concerned if I’m likely to get caught 🤷‍♀️

OP posts:
loveyoutothemoonandtosaturn · 18/01/2025 20:51

I'd keep it.

MathsMum3 · 18/01/2025 20:49

Phallicfriday · 18/01/2025 20:26

I guess I’m more concerned with whether or
not I’ll get found out? I’m close to making my peace with keeping them but I don’t want to get in trouble. Obviously my response would be very different if it concerned a small business / retailer or someone who couldn’t afford the loss / didn’t have insurance to cover such things.

It's not "morally ambiguous" at all. You have received goods you have not paid for, and you need to inform the supplier of such. If they tell you to keep items because return postage is so expensive, then all's good and you're in the clear, but you would be unreasonable to assume this.

As regards insurance, the reason we all pay such high premiums is because people like you are happy to defraud them.

You admit yourself that your only concern is getting caught out in some way, so yes, YABU and should should at least attempt to do the right thing.

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