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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

WWYD - clothes shop dilemma

61 replies

ilikebooksandplants · 30/08/2020 12:25

I ordered a dress from a well known (massive) clothing company. Inexplicably they have also sent me a pair of children’s jeans sized 3-4. I did not order these jeans. I do not want these jeans. I have no use for these jeans. I didn’t pay for them either.

Would I be unreasonable to offer them for free on the fb group of the housing development I live in? I truly can’t be arsed to go into town to return them to the shop with all the hassle of covid, nor can I be bothered to go to the post office to return them either. I’m a busy woman and it will cost me money to go into town/to a post office to return them which I feel reluctant to pay when I did not ask for this situation to be thrust upon me.

YABU - take them back, the massive corporation deserves the £11 you thieving cow.

YANB - offer them out and give a local parent a bit of a freebie.

OP posts:
altiara · 30/08/2020 12:27

Give them out as a freebie.
I once tried to return clothes accideny went to me and they were just really confused and sent me away with them! (Never anything you would like!)

Original poster
ilikebooksandplants · 30/08/2020 12:35

That’s the thing. If I go into the shop and return them, it will cost me money and time and as I wasn’t even charged for them in the first place, it feels like there’s no benefit to me at all to do this, only cost. I also don’t want to make too many unnecessary trips into town due to the whole pandemic thing we have going on.

I definitely don’t want them to send me home with them. I am childfree adult and I do not want this shit cluttering up my house!

OP posts:
OchonAgusOchonO · 30/08/2020 12:41

Just contact the company and ask what to do with them. It's not really a big deal to take them to a post office if they want you to return them. However, I would say they will just tell you to dispose as you see fit as they probably don't have a process to deal with this.

PatchworkElmer · 30/08/2020 12:43

Contact the company and say you can’t get to a post office or shop. If they’re bothered, they’ll get Hermes to do a doorstep collection.

Thisismytimetoshine · 30/08/2020 12:44

Tell the company what happened and that you'll hold them until they organise to collect them (you're under no obligation to return them yourself).
They'll almost certainly tell you to keep them.

Pelleas · 30/08/2020 12:47

@Thisismytimetoshine

Tell the company what happened and that you'll hold them until they organise to collect them (you're under no obligation to return them yourself). They'll almost certainly tell you to keep them.
Yes, I once got sent 2 t-shirts when I'd only ordered one. I asked about returning the extra one & got told to keep it.
nosswith · 30/08/2020 12:47

Tell the company as I assume you will want to do business with them again.

user127819 · 30/08/2020 12:51

I think you should tell them. If they want them back they can arrange a courier to pick them up from your door. They probably won't bother, then they're yours to do what you want with.

Couchbettato · 30/08/2020 12:58

YABU because what you're proposing is illegal. Ask the legal forum, but I'm pretty sure that you have to inform the company, however it is up to the company to collect them, at a time that suits you.

Original poster
ilikebooksandplants · 30/08/2020 13:24

Is it actually illegal though, @Couchbettato? I didn’t go into the shop and take them, nor did I order them and refuse to pay for them. They were sent to me at my home - at this point I’ve actually had anything to do with the process. For all I know, this could be a new thing the company do, sending out random mystery gifts. What law am I breaking?

OP posts:
NooneElseIsSingingMySong · 30/08/2020 13:31

We had similar with Amazon when they gave us something we hadn’t ordered. We told them and they said keep the item so we sold it on. Morally I think you’re obliged to inform them but the likelihood is it’s not worth them having them back off you. I would inform them but I bet they’ll say keep it then you can give them again.

Potterpotterpotter · 30/08/2020 13:42

Iv had this before when I drove half hour to a store to collect a order.
When I got home and looked at it I had my whole order and someone else’s but with my invoice on top of hers.

The items were to big for me so I had no use for them but I wasn’t about to drive back to the store to return it as it was an hour round trip.
I ended up just giving them to a friend who was that size. Couldn’t be bothered with the hassle of phoning etc as it wasn’t my fault.

duvetaddict · 30/08/2020 13:43

Just tell them, I've had it happen several time's. If I'm returning stuff anyway I send it back otherwise they've always said keep it and I've donated it.

cariadlet · 30/08/2020 13:50

As others have said, offer to return them but you'll probably be told to keep them.

It would be illegal to keep them. You didn't order them and they are unwanted but if you receive something, know it isn't yours and still keep it then the law still sees it as theft. That's why people get into trouble if money is erroneously put into their bank account, they know that it's a mistake but spend it anyway.

Disfordarkchocolate · 30/08/2020 14:14

I have a baby outfit John Lewis sent me instead of some pastry cutters. I'm giving it away.

John Lewis were not helpful when I asked them what to do and as it was the hight of lock down I wasn't going out just for this.

Thisismytimetoshine · 30/08/2020 14:31

Why would you not inform the company of their mistake? They are legally entitled to reclaim the goods if they discover the error, so of course you're not actually entitled to keep them.
And of course receiving free mystery gifts through the post isn't a thing Hmm

user1494055864 · 30/08/2020 14:34

They can send a courier to collect if they want them. I would email them and say its not convenient for you to send them back.
I had an order sent to me twice by mistake, and they said to keep it.

julybaby32 · 30/08/2020 14:37

This happened to me once with a wardrobe (flat pack). They didn't want it back.

Palavah · 30/08/2020 14:38

@PatchworkElmer

Contact the company and say you can’t get to a post office or shop. If they’re bothered, they’ll get Hermes to do a doorstep collection.
This.

You seem rather angry about what is clearly a mistake that has caused you no harm.

vanillandhoney · 30/08/2020 14:41

Blimey, why are you so worked up?

Just ring the company and explain. They'll probably tell you to keep them but at least you'll have done the right thing by asking.

LolaSmiles · 30/08/2020 14:44

Tell the company, ask what they want to do but make it clear you don't want to be out of pocket for their error.
If they give a freepost return then going to the local post office/Hermes drop off is reasonable, assuming you're not living in the middle of nowhere.

They'll probably say keep it but at least you've done the right thing.

SisyphusAndTheRockOfUntidiness · 30/08/2020 14:54

They've essentially sent them to you as a gift, though. Surely? If you contact them & say you are willing to return them but it must be sorted a) by X date & b) entirely at the company's own expense & effort, not unreasonable given the current situation. I imagine they'll say to leave it. Or, you can just FB them as there is no proof that they sent them to you (see above re gift).

SisyphusAndTheRockOfUntidiness · 30/08/2020 14:55

FWIW, this has happened to me more than once. They never want them back. And they were all worth rather more than £11.

Original poster
ilikebooksandplants · 30/08/2020 15:22

@vanillandhoney And @Palavah why part of my OP seemed worked up/ angry? I was aiming for a slightly disgruntled tone about being given an extra task to do that I didn’t ask for but hardly think that means I’m wound up.

I thought I was rather jolly in my OP actually. I called myself a thieving cow in jest etc.

OP posts:
RogerBannister · 30/08/2020 15:25

‘I do not want this shit cluttering up my house!’

It’s a small pair of trousers. You need to go and lay down in a darkened room. Put some soothing music on, and maybe spray a little lavender mist around. You’ll feel so much calmer.

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