Effing John Lewis!!!

[CallmeAngelina]

DH ordered me a surprise present from John Lewis.
It was just delivered - wrapped in thin plastic, visible for the whole world to see. No box. WHY??????
Surprise ruined!!

If you are an adult you really don’t need “surprises”. Get in with your day.

Seriously? What a pile of crap. Why is that so any mumsnetters think all joy in life should cease as soon as you turn 18? “Adults shouldn’t want presents, adults shouldn’t want surprises...” So odd. I feel really sorry for people with lives like that, must be very boring and flat..

OP, I think it’s shit that your surprise was spoiled - even if they wanted to reduce packaging, they could have sent it in an opaque wrapper. I hope you enjoy it anyway.

Your DH should have read the 'small print' where you have to tick a box if it's a gift so they put it in a box.

Thanks, Starling, (and others). I will enjoy it, and I know there will be other surprises on the day (just to piss off some posters even more ). Of course it's a first world problem, and I'm grateful to dh for thinking of it at a time when I've not been looking forward to Christmas at all really.

Your DH should have read the 'small print' where you have to tick a box if it's a gift so they put it in a box.

I've never ticked this box because I assumed that it's more about not enclosing the receipt etc. As I've never before received an order with no packaging, it wouldn't occur to me that I needed to ask for it to be packaged up.
After this receiving this last one unwrapped and reading this thread, I'll be making sure that I do.

Ah that’s a shame. He should’ve stated it was a gift when ordering. He’ll know for next year! Pour a drink and remember how lovely it is to be cared about in the first place, that will cheer you up. It’s not John Lewis’ fault though.

Your DH should have read the 'small print' where you have to tick a box if it's a gift so they put it in a box.
Yes, I understand the concept of "gift-packaging," but as I've said many times, every parcel I've ever received from a whole range of retailers (including John Lewis) comes in opaque wrapping of some kind.
This is nothing to do with reducing unnecessary packaging.

It seems an odd choice to me. Ecologically, a cardboard box that can be recycled must be better for the environment than one use plastic? Also would protect the item better.

He’ll know for next year!
He's not 12, fgs! He orders stuff online most weeks of the year. This has NEVER been an issue before.

I think it’s also a tiny bit annoying when the packaging has the name of the retailer on it which makes it blatantly obvious what’s been bought. My husband and I do surprises for Christmas and I have had a Levi’s parcel and Emma Bridgewater parcel at the door!!

It’s not John Lewis’ fault though

Actually, it is! They sent the parcel and didn't wrap it as they have with every other thing we've ordered from them.

I think I'm part of the minority but I totally get you! I LOVE surprises and I hate them being ruined. Ignore everyone else 😋 they're just jealous

To all of you saying that the OP was being unreasonable...

She didn't know that her husband was getting it for her.

She presumably knows that it was for her because either her husband told her after it was delivered without a box or she used her intuition and knew if she didnt order it for herself then her husband must have ordered it for her.

One would normally expect an order from a company such as John Lewis to cpme in an opaque bag or box. Would any of you be happy if all your christmas presents arrived with no packaging before the 25th? Or are you all the kind of people who turned the house upside down looking for where your mother had hidden your gifts when you were kids?

According to some on here I should leave them out for him to stumble across because, you know, he's an adult

As he's an adult you should obviously take all his gifts back and give him nothing on Christmas Day. If he gives you anything, look confused and say 'I'm not a child' and then get on with your day. Or something.

Shame he didn't send your JL surprise present to Waitrose click and collect. He then could have picked it up and gift wrapped it himself for you.

"...went to great lengths to source something..."

Impressive.

Should have had it sent to his work address or a friend if you can’t bear up have a surprise ruined. Or gone to store himself to collect it and kept it hidden somewhere in the house.

“He went to great lengths...” are you serious? He clicked a few buttons on one of the most well-known retail sites. It’s hardly a challenge.

Do couples buy each other things anyway? Don’t you have shared finances?

Why would he traipse all the way to the next town on a busy December Saturday to pick up something when it could be delivered in a FUCKING BOX to his own house?
And he's more than capable and happy to wrap it up himself.

Sorry but I'm with the others.

You have a husband who loves you enough to do something special for you.

I'd happily swap and be happy with the transparent packaging.

And by the by, Amazon has been doing this (though seemingly sporadically and at random). I ordered a pair of hair strighteners and they came as is with just a dispatch label taped on and wet from the rain.

Any hint of expectation of a present or a surprise always brings the carpies out wanting to know how old you are. Ignore them, OP. Of course you weren't being unreasonable. I've taken in countless packages over the last week or two, with orders for a DIY project as well as Christmas, and every single item has been packaged in such a way that it needed to be unwrapped to discover what it was. As is the norm.

All the one would expect more from JL is risible. A high street & online shop
It’s not a niche by invitation or appt luxury retailer
And no it doesn’t warrant a snippy complaint to customer service

Was it a dehumidifier? I had one delivered from John Lewis with no outer packaging. Try explaining that to an excited husband who'd asked Father Christmas for one.

Do couples buy each other things anyway? Don’t you have shared finances?

Not that it's any of your business, or relevant to this thread, but we absolutely have shared finances, apart from separate "pocket money" accounts which are partly for gift-buying for each other.

“He went to great lengths...” are you serious?

Yeah, 'coz that's the most relevant part of the thread, after all. It's a turn of phrase, fgs.

@Brecon concealed packaging it’s not the norm,it may be your experience but it’s not universal
As I said I had a JL delivery last week,came in a clear bag.displaying the contents

Was it a dehumidifier?
No!! That would lead to a divorce.