Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Cancelled order but still sent? Aibu to keep it?

146 replies

BornInSydneyy · 11/12/2017 19:30

Cancelled an order the day after I purchased it. On live chat, they refunded me.

End of ... I thought.

Today it’s been delivered. I can’t be bothered with the hassle of returning it, aibu to keep it?

OP posts:
Inertia · 12/12/2017 10:01

I'd let them know via the live chat service that they've sent it in error and that they need to contact you to arrange collection at a mutually convenient time. It's their responsibility to meet the costs of collecting it though, and it needs to be at a time that suits you.

PineappleExpress · 12/12/2017 10:01

I had this happen. It was a Groupon thing and it took months of delays (and me forgetting I had ordered it) before I asked them to cancel it, as they said they were still waiting for stock, and refund my money. They refunded it all and later that morning the package arrived.
I emailed them straight away asking for the info to return it. They said not to bother and to keep it as an apology for it taking so long Grin

Zoesweet · 12/12/2017 10:10

I think if you keep it they will charge you again for that. If you want a refund and that's what they did, then they expect the item to be sent back unless they expressly tell you to just keep it. Some do let customers keep it.

SlothMama · 12/12/2017 10:17

If it's free to return just return it, if not get back in touch and tell them it's turned up and ask what they want you to do but tell them they need to pay postage.

It's theft and if it was a courier/royal mail they could get accused of stealing the parcel.

Farahilda · 12/12/2017 10:21

I've found that if you contact the company, and it's not a particularly expensive item, they'll tell you to keep it (I have done this a couple of times when I've received an extra item in with the order).

I think you do have to give the company the chance to retrieve their goods - not sure exactly what the legal parameters are for how long you have to keep the goods available. But you shouldn't have to pay anything for the return as it is not your error.

QuackPorridgeBacon · 12/12/2017 11:03

I would be so tempted to keep it but that's because i'm broke and something for free is always appealing and i'm not ashamed to say that. its just unfortunate that it is true. I would ring the company though and explain the situation and that if they would like to come and collect it that will be no problem but seeing as it is their error and not yours, you wont be making the effort to send it back. Especially at this time of year. Hopefully you get to keep it lol

SatsukiKusakabe · 12/12/2017 11:42

I would return it. Sometimes this has happened with Amazon and they’ve told me to keep it if it was their error, but I always make the effort to return and usually donate the extra thing.

Glumglowworm · 12/12/2017 11:44

Contact them, if it’s low value they will likely say keep it. If it’s high value then let them arrange collection at your convenience

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 12/12/2017 12:29

I had this happen to me with Emma Bridgewater - I ordered two mugs, only one turned up, and when I rang them, they said the other was out of stock, and I should have been notified - but as I hadn't, they would give me a £5 credit, and refund the missing mug, so I could order another one. All great so far.

I choose and order another mug, and a few days later, not one, but two boxes turn up - the mug I'd originally ordered, and had had refunded, and the the new one I'd chosen.

So I rang Emma Bridgewater again - I would not have felt right just keeping it - and their immediate reaction was to tell me to keep it - the customer service agent said they didn't think it was right to make me go to the effort of returning it, given that it was their mistake.

So I have a beautiful mug to keep, and a clear conscience - and can highly recommend Emma Bridgewater for their customer service!

ghostyslovesheets · 12/12/2017 12:32

Habitat did this to me twice

once they sent the package twice - lamp and a cushion

second time they sent a beautiful bowl rather than a small card game

both times they told me to keep the extra stuff!

Buddyelf · 12/12/2017 12:38

As a pp has said I would call them and tell them what's happened but that you want someone to pick it up - they will probably tell you to keep it anyway if its a big company.
This happened to me a couple of weeks ago. I made an order from a large toy shop and 2 boxes both the same size, both addressed to me arrived. One box was my order, one was something else I hadn't ordered. I called them as I was worried it was someone's Christmas present and they told me to keep it. The price of the item wasn't worth the hassle of returning and resending.

ConciseandNice · 12/12/2017 12:42

We got sent a £1000 laptop the other week, which we had cancelled because we'd found it cheaper elsewhere. Trying to get them to take it back was a right pain in the arse and that was a high value item. Crazy! We had to pay to send it back tracked in the end. They weren't interested.

ny20005 · 12/12/2017 12:47

Contact the company

They might ask you to donate to charity

Noofly · 12/12/2017 12:52

I have a whole pile of first year Spanish text books after Amazon accidentally sent me two. I contacted them and they told me to keep the spare.... and sent me another! This happened two more times until I didn’t report the last one in the hope that would break the mad cycle before I had Spanish text books from floor to ceiling. Grin

Agree with other posters - contact the company and see what they say.

shouldaknownbetter · 12/12/2017 12:58

I have a policy of 'their mistake = my gain'' with these sorts of things.

If that makes me a thief in some people's eyes I really couldn't give a shiny shit.

KidLorneRoll · 12/12/2017 13:03

Would anyone going with the "if it's a big company keep it" line like to explain why that is any more excusable than for a small company?

It isn't. It's still keeping something that you haven't paid for, and it's not like hundreds of so-called "big and safe" retailers have gone bust over the last few years or anything.

Avocado0nToast · 12/12/2017 13:28

This has happened to me a few times. They have always said just to keep it. At least you can keep it with it guilt that way! Make sure you say you want them to pick it up so you are not inconvenienced by their mistake Wink

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 12/12/2017 13:30

Not exactly the same, but having ordered a book on Papercutting (a craft where you cut pretty, filigree designs from paper) from an Amazon seller, I received a book called "The Homeowner's Guide To The Chainsaw" by mistake! Xmas ShockXmas Grin

I emailed them and they sent me the book I had actually ordered, and said I could keep or donate the other book - so it went to the charity shop!

rcit · 12/12/2017 13:31

I think you should prob tell them, unless it was £5 or less from Amazon in which case they'd probably just write it off.

CorbynsBumFlannel · 12/12/2017 13:35

I would ask them to collect it. If it's a low value item they likely won't bother.
I wouldn't be heading out to a post office in the snow to return something when it wasn't my mistake.

QuackPorridgeBacon · 12/12/2017 13:38

ConciseandNice If they weren't willing to work with you to get it back I would have kept it. No way would I have paid postage and tracking to send something back to someone who clearly weren't interested.

SciFiFan2015 · 12/12/2017 13:39

Honesty is the best policy. Ordered a gym mat in a special colour for a gift. It went missing. Ordered a replacement in a different colour. Company gave us a discount because it wasn't the colour we wanted for the gift. A few weeks later the original mat turned up. Was spotted by gift recipient who opened it and played on it. So we had two mats; one we really wanted, one we accepted as a replacement and both open/used. We let the company know and got to keep both and the discount!

JacquesHammer · 12/12/2017 13:42

I'm absolutely amazed the number of people who are brought up to have no moral compass.

Of course you advise them of the error. They might tell you to keep it, so you can do so with a clear conscience.

Schmoochypoos · 12/12/2017 13:42

I would imagine they’ll say keep it. Unless they are willing to send a courier to come and get it. It shouldn’t be your responsibility to take it to the post office.

We recently ordered some silly string online

Schmoochypoos · 12/12/2017 13:44

Posted too soon!

Anyway the silly string wasn’t sent, some gardening set was. So we called to tell them of the error. They said to keep the wrong item and oh sorry we can’t send your silly string as the courier won’t deliver aerosols!? Who knew!

I’d say call and see what they say- then you’ll have a clear conscience