Moral dilemma

[gonegirl2]

Not as dramatic as the title makes out but no idea how else to describe it.

I ordered a parcel online around christmas for a luxury candle retailing £48 for my aunt's birthday (well known brand). The candle ended up getting lost in transit so another was reordered and arrived last week. Today I have had an email to say my parcel will arrive today, it has the same tracking number as my original order, so I'm guessing the delivery company found the original parcel and are now delivering it today.

This is something I would love for myself, so much so that I almost bought a second for myself but realised I can't justify spending that sort of money on myself. I already know I can't handle the guilt and will be phoning the company to let them know the original order has arrived (though secretly really hoping they'll let me keep it!). DH, DM and friends I have spoken to think I'm crazy to tell them and told me to keep it! Don't think my conscience will allow it, I'm such a goody two shoes that I'm even convinced the police will be knocking on my door if I did

I guess what I'm asking is what would you do?

I'm staggered at the number of 'keep it' responses.

What if it was an iPad or something else of very high value? Would you keep it then without a second thought?

What if it was from a sole trader on Etsy? Would you wonder about how much of her/his days trade you've deprived them of?

Someone, somewhere has to bear the cost of this extra candle. Maybe Amazon or JL or Jo Malone or whoever can afford it, but do you imagine they don't build these losses into their pricing structure?

This happened to us with a three-seater sofa. Husband said keep it, I said no. Called the sofa company, they said keep it. A month later they went out of business.

For 10 years we struggled to find space for our extra three-seater sofa.

I'd email them

But legally you have to do nothing to return it. They have to come and get it if they want it. Which I doubt they will.

You don't need to post it at your effort and expense and wait for them to refund you. You also don't have to pay for the item and they shouldn't take payment from you if you do let them know it has arrived. You didn'r order two.

From a large company keep it. Smaller independent company I’d let them know.

I'd tell them-I'd be sure that they'd be able to tie it to the other one & realise that only one as been paid for.

I would call them and let them know. I have been in this situation and that is what I did.

I wouldn't keep it, that would make me a thief. I would inform the company and in my experience they would tell me to keep it.

I recently received, in error, a small item worth around £7 . It was in the parcel extra to the item I'd ordered. I rang the company and told them and they asked me to post it back. 10 minutes later they rang back to tell me not to bother, it wasn't worth the effort.
My sentiments entirely.

The problem with it being a candle is that once you've lit it you can't then box it up and pretend you haven't used it if they ask for it back, so unless you've got a spare £48.00 in the bank that you've willing to use to pay for it if they want it back, it would be best to sort out it's ownership with them now then you can use it without worrying about it every time you light it.

If you've been notified that the original candle's going to be delivered, presumably the company will have done too. So they'll know that you've ended up with two candles and only paid for one. Better to contact them before they contact you.

If you've been notified that the original candle's going to be delivered, presumably the company will have done too.
Not necessarily. It has the same tracking number as the original order, so the candle company may well just assume that only one delivery has ever been made.

I'd call the company as well. If they say to keep it, your honesty has been rewarded. If they want it back, you've done the right thing.

I'd email them. Advise that the second has arrived and if they want it back they need to arrange collection at a time convenient for you.

It will be noted as delivered then you will have to pay for the second surely?

I'd fucking keep it. Unless it's a small indie company? I really don't understand who it is you think is watching/cares.

I had a situation where I kept something of similar value without telling as the company were extremely unhelpful and rude and I didn't want to deal with them any further.

I've also owned up to another mistake and been able to keep something.

I would just keep it.

Im not sure if it's the fact that many poster's have loose morals, the op is unable to realise the correct most decent course of action for themselves or that it's a £48 bloody candle that bothers me most.
May be it's all of it.
The decent thing would be to let them know, we all know that but clearly op doesn't want to do that and is asking for permission to plead blissful ignorance to the companies mistake that has gone in her favour.
For those who say keep it would you advocate that if the shoe was on the other foot? Probably not.

This is not an issue. Keep it!

This happened when my husband ordered a set of steak knives with matching forks. The order didn't turn up, he contacted them and they sent out a replacement set. The original turned up a day before the replacement, so he rang them to say he now had two sets. They said just to keep it as it wasn't worth all the hassle to return them!

I'd fucking keep it. Unless it's a small indie company? I really don't understand who it is you think is watching/cares.

It's not about somebody watching! It's about having self-respect and being honest. Are YOU only honest if someone is watching?!!!

Are YOU only honest if someone is watching?!!!

Haha we’ve just studied this in psychology on my degree. Yes, most people are only honest if someone is watching.

Keeping it in my mind is theft, even if it's unlikely that anyone would actually prosecute you for a crime.

My DD ordered a present for a friend on Amazon and it didn't arrive, so she got a refund. The next day, it arrived, and I told her to let the supplier know, as I would rather teach her about being honest than how we should get what we can for ourselves if we can get away with it.

I really don't understand who it is you think is watching/cares

I care. I’m not big on keeping stuff that doesn’t belong to me.

@Daddaddad
It isn't theft. Legally or morally.
She didn't order two, or intend to obtain two dishonestly.
Were I her I'd email to let the supplier know it arrived. The ball is then in their court to collect it within an agreed period, at her convenience, should they wish to. That is consumer law.

Big companies factor mistakes like this into their costs. That's 37p of the £48 candle cost. Their profit on that must be insane.

I ordered an item online and it didn't arrive. There was no tracking info for the item, so they refunded me. Item arrived about a week later. I kept it and didn't tell them. If you do tell them and they want it back, don't incur any costs to send it back. Let them send a courier for it.