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?

Sorry but have to agree with what has been mentioned previously, if you were such a “goody two shoes” you would have made contact with the company already to tell them - it wouldn’t be a moral dilemma at all!

The situation you’re referring to has happened to me before and I contacted the company to ask how they would collect the second product that had been delivered - I received an apology for any convenience caused (by the situation caused by Hermes) with no mention of returning the item.

Sorry but have to agree with what has been mentioned previously, if you were such a “goody two shoes” you would have made contact with the company already to tell them

Top be fair to OP she did say the parcel hasn't yet been delivered so until she knows for sure what is being delivered she can't contact them can she?

I've had this scenario twice and twice the company has said not to send it back! They don't want the hassle and double courier costs. Wait until you know there's two and have them in your house, then call and see what they say. You may be able to enjoy your candle with a perfectly clear conscience.

I had this happen with a jacket from hollister. I owned up and they let me keep it (I had reordered in a different colour after the original was 'lost')fingers crossed!

Call them. Quite apart from the theft issue, you're not going to enjoy using the candle if you're constantly worried about it. The chances are that they'll tell you to keep it anyway.

if you were such a “goody two shoes” you would have made contact with the company already to tell them - it wouldn’t be a moral dilemma at all!

What is she supposed to tell them? "I don't yet know whether you are going to deliver a second candle but, if you do, what should I do about it? " That would be pretty ridiculous. Why would OP not wait till she knows for sure?

I'd have to let them know. We've had similar before with stuff getting 'lost' and then turning up, and it's never sat right with me not to let the company know. Quite a few times we've been told to keep the extra item anyway.

It's happened to me on a couple of occasions; I've let the seller know and asked for a returns label. Both told me to keep the item.

Just an update for you all, the parcel was finally delivered and was indeed the candle. I called the company straight away and have been told I can keep it! So excited about having my very own Jo Malone candle which I could never have justified buying for myself! And now I get to enjoy it guilt free

Thank you for all of your responses, happy Wednesday everyone!

Yay!

I had duplicate items from Amazon (expensive text books) and when I contacted their customer services they told me to keep them. I think it is right to check first though.

I had something similar. I was collecting an item i had delivered to store (had received email saying it’s available). Went to collect and it wasn’t there (it was just one of a few items that hadn’t arrived). There were some in store so I asked to have one of those as I don’t like that close to the shop. They said ok and gave me one from store.

I then got an email saying my item was ready to collect. I couldn’t collect it in good conscience so left it.

Then the money (for item I had received, Abu it £35) was refunded to my account.

I called customer services and they said they can’t do anything as there isn’t a way for them to take the payment back from me.

So... I think if you called Customer Services they’d tell you to keep it anyway or they can collect it.

Thanks for the update, OP. So, you have a clean conscience and a candle (and the approval of the angelic half of posters on this thread) .

PS I have to say I have no comprehension of how a candle can cost £48 (but then I'm just a man ).

Pleased for you. My husband ordered wine online just before Christmas from Spain. The box of 12 bottles arrived one morning, and later on another box of 12 different bottles arrived. The carrier had made a mistake with the labelling, husband’s name and address but also someone else’s name and address. Husband emailed the company, we had the box by the front door for a couple of weeks waiting to be collected but eventually after sending another email, the company told him to just enjoy it. Too much hassle making the arrangements for carrier to collect and I expect the intended recipient had already received another box.

Definitely let them know, assuming it arrives. Anything else would be stealing!

Fair enough to insist on a courier coming to pick it up. Hopefully they'll let you keep it.

I had this scenario and ended up with two (decent) trampolines! Company said to keep them so i sold one and was quids in. Seems crazy but all above board!

What scent was it?

Keeping is theft.

I asked for a returns label from one company when they send the wrong thing but still usable (think hand-wash not hand cream) and they said to keep but my conscience wouldn't let me not inform them; I'm not a thief.

Sorry OP I didn’t RTFT when I commented but that’s a good outcome for you

Just seen the update - honesty is rewarded by a free conscience!

It would make me look again at those who advocated theft though.

Glad for you, OP. Much nicer to enjoy it with a clear conscience!

They will know you have it once the courier delivers it. Ring them, bet they tell you to keep it.
Integrity is how a person behaves when they know or believe that no one else is looking. Do you have integrity? Or not?

RTFT @windycunyryside She did call them

Well done, OP - you did the right thing and have now been rewarded for it, with a clear conscience!

People saying to just keep it - how would you feel if you received two of a very expensive item you'd ordered one of, the company realised that you had two of them and figured that, as you hadn't contacted them or returned one of them, you must actually want to keep the duplicate and therefore simply charged your card a second time?

How would you deal with that and explain yourself? Contact them to tell them furiously that you are NOT willing to pay for two of them - and how very dare they think they can charge you twice when you only ordered one; but that you were however willing to keep them both anyway?

It's up to them to arrange and pay for collection/returning if they want it back, but it is theft if you don't tell them. What would you say if you found a handbag on a park bench? Keep it and enjoy the contents yourself, telling yourself that, if the owner wanted it, she wouldn't have left it in the park? Would it make a difference if you managed to trace the owner and found it belonged to a single mum in a HA flat or somebody loaded in a mansion with 3 Lamborghinis parked outside? It shouldn't, as it was never your property in the first place.

I would contact them if it is delivered. I had a similar incident where Hermes delivered some pricey craft things I had ordered to the wrong address. When I contacted the company, they offered to send out the items again with next day delivery (through Hermes!) or my money back. As I had had a number of incidents with Hermes, I opted for my money back. Hermes then delivered the items which they had delivered to the wrong address the very next day whilst I was at work! The company had also refunded the money back into my account. I contacted the company and explained the situation and they said I could keep the items as they’d already resolved their case with Hermes.
Still made me feel a bit uncomfortable getting the items free though, so I kept the items but gave money I had been refunded to our local ‘open door charity’ who offer decent hot meals and a place of safety to the vulnerable and homeless in my community. I felt I aught to pay it forward, I had received the items I wanted eventually, and the money would make a big difference to the charity.