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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To pay for an item accidentally received for free

47 replies

surreymum89 · 06/12/2021 18:35

Would you inform a company if you received an item and were not charged for it or would you see it as a lucky freebie ?

I feel said item would be tainted with some guilt if I don't fess up , friend says they live for moments like this !

What would you do?

OP posts:

TidyDancer · 06/12/2021 18:36

What's the value of the item and are we talking a small independent business or something like Amazon?

Iamanicepersonreally · 06/12/2021 18:38

I'd probably just keep it unless it was something expensive. And yes, I know that morally, the cost of the item is irrelevant.

nomorespaghetti · 06/12/2021 18:38

Might help - www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-30294748

AdventStar · 06/12/2021 18:39

I would tell them. Chances are they will tell you to keep it for free.

I would certainly not pay to send it back though, like I've seen on here a few times. They can send someone over to get it if they want it back.

nomorespaghetti · 06/12/2021 18:39

Tbh I’d probably keep it!

Original poster

surreymum89 · 06/12/2021 18:43

Just to be clear , I ordered the item , something just went wrong at the payment process wasn't charged but still received order, god knows how that error can happen.

It's £100 and a personalised item, which is why I would feel guilt as is something special.

OP posts:

DramaAlpaca · 06/12/2021 18:43

In the last week I've received two parcels addressed to me from the same retailer, both containing items that I didn't order. I've told them by email but they haven't responded so I might end up keeping them. I certainly won't be paying to send them back.

AdventStar · 06/12/2021 18:45

@surreymum89

Just to be clear , I ordered the item , something just went wrong at the payment process wasn't charged but still received order, god knows how that error can happen.

It's £100 and a personalised item, which is why I would feel guilt as is something special.

You should feel guilty if you choose not to pay for it, tbh.

Alfixn · 06/12/2021 18:46

I personally would ring them and offer to pay, although i would secretly hope they would tell me to keep it for free my conscience would definitely get me otherwise.

My husband would be less likely to ring them and tell them about their mistake...

0palescent · 06/12/2021 18:46

I'd be feeling a mix of guilt and anxiety about being asked for the money later. I'd contact the company and hope for a freebie 😅

cecinestpasunepipe · 06/12/2021 18:49

In those circumstances I would contact them and offer to pay, but keep an eagle eye on my bank account to make sure it doesn't come out twice.

SusieBob · 06/12/2021 19:29

@TidyDancer

What's the value of the item and are we talking a small independent business or something like Amazon?

Makes no odds of it was expensive or cheap or from Amazon or ma and pa's little corner shop.

I'd always offer to pay because the alternative is scummy.

LethargicActress · 06/12/2021 19:33

As it’s personalised and you seem to want to keep and use it, you should offer to pay.

If it weren’t for that, I’d say you’d be fine to just tell them that they can arrange to collect it if they want it back.

Toottooot · 06/12/2021 19:33

I received an order from a pretty well known company last week with the wrong item worth £120 - I was told to keep the incorrect item and they will send my correct order.

freelions · 06/12/2021 19:34

Just to be clear , I ordered the item , something just went wrong at the payment process wasn't charged but still received order, god knows how that error can happen.
It's £100 and a personalised item, which is why I would feel guilt as is something special

In these circumstances I would absolutely offer to pay. If it was a low price item that I hadn't ordered my answer may be different.

ArblemarchTFruitbat · 06/12/2021 19:34

I received two identical t-shirts once after only ordering one. When I let them know, they told me to keep the extra one .

CrimbleCrumble1 · 06/12/2021 19:36

They’ll probably take payment eventually.

WonderWomansBoobs · 06/12/2021 19:37

DH received a random parcel the other day worth about £30. Neither of us had ordered it and no invoice or information of any sort in it. No idea why. We decided to just keep it. Not our problem and both of us too busy to be doing detective work on where it's from, contacting them etc.

Cryalot2 · 06/12/2021 19:38

I always offer to pay or return item.

Everyone is different though.

AngelonTopoftheTree · 06/12/2021 19:39

@surreymum89

Just to be clear , I ordered the item , something just went wrong at the payment process wasn't charged but still received order, god knows how that error can happen.

It's £100 and a personalised item, which is why I would feel guilt as is something special.

It may still Debit, keep an eye on your account. I've paid for a couple of things via PayPal and the deliveries have turned up before it's showing on my credit card.

Yogaandcocoa · 06/12/2021 19:39

Something like this happened to me on a smaller scale. I orders a few items from Next. I received a duplicate of one of them in a different size. I called and the person on the phone did t even ask what it was just said someone would collect. Driver came but couldn't take it as needed a label or something.

I emailed Next a couple of weeks later but they didn't get back to me. It was months ago now so I have the item away. I didn't want it but I thought a phone call and an email was enough to try to rectify their error.

Item cost less than a tenner.

tangyandsalty · 06/12/2021 19:39

This happened to me, a product worth about £200. They sent me the wrong one, followed up by the correct one. I emailed them to let them know and they said they'd arrange to collect it but they never did 🤷🏼‍♀️ I sold it on eBay a year later.

TwinklyBranch · 06/12/2021 19:42

This happened to me once, I'd ordered a couple of pairs of boots but didn't actually pay for one due to a mix up when collecting. I went back to the shop to tell them and pay up. They were very grateful but clearly thought I was crazy! I couldn't have coped with the guilt every time I wore them otherwise!

cloverleafy · 06/12/2021 19:49

Well, M&S accidentally sent me a set of curtains at the weekend that I hadn't ordered (amongst a lot of clothes I had ordered). I contacted them to let them know. I had no use for the curtains which probably made it an easier decision, but I've contacted retailers for similar things in the past.

Once customer services said I could keep them, I did happily sell them on Facebook for half their RRP.

TakeYourFinalPosition · 06/12/2021 19:56

I ordered the item , something just went wrong at the payment process wasn't charged but still received order, god knows how that error can happen.

So legally it’s not unsolicited goods, and they can pursue you for payment for up to six years. They might not; but it’s quite likely that they’ll have a record of your order and personalising your items…

I’d tell them and hope that they told you not to worry about it, but expect them to take payment. You might be able to negotiate a discount for inconvenience.

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