£400 item delivered to my Dad by mistake

[ForMellowPanda]

Last week my Dad received a parcel with his correct name and address on the packaging, however inside was a brand new item which costs around £300 to £400 to buy. The wrong parcel had been delivered, the item my Dad ordered costs around £15. No signature was required but a photo was taken with parcel on doorstep as nobody was in the house at the time of delivery. The tracking number is the same number as what it would have been if the correct parcel has been delivered.

The item delivered if something my Dad would love to have and use but I know morally it is the wrong thing to do. Can I ask what you would do in this situation? My Dad has not used the item at all since it was delivered last week.

I would do the exact same. I'm sure if the OP's dad were to make an expensive error in the future he would want it sorted fairly.

Is it from a big corporation or from a small one person company?

Contact the company but don't go out of your way to facilitate collection. Hopefully they won't bother this time of year.

Where is it from? If Amazon or something, contact them saying that the wrong item has been delivered and could they send the right one. Often they just let you keep something that’s been delivered by accident.

You can tell the seller that it's availble for collection for the next x number of days, not sure how many it should be. If it was a small trader I'd do all I could to get it back, if it was Amazon I'd not be trying very hard at all, but I'd try.

Is he sure he hasn’t been charged for it?

I’d have to tell the company.
If the orders have been mixed up another customer may be trying to prove to the seller that their tracked delivery item was for a low value item, instead of the £400 one they paid for.

This can be a scam. If somebody turns up at the door asking for it tell him not to give it to them.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5675332/unexpected-parcel-scam

My FIL once received a case of wine when he'd only ordered one bottle. The company told him he could keep it as it was too much hassle for them to arrange collection and it was their mistake.

Depends where it’s from. A hairdresser once failed to process my card transaction correctly for a £500 service and only after contacting them twice to let them know did they realise what had happened and arrange payment. I could’ve easily gotten away with it but knew the self employed hairdresser would’ve taken the hit and felt bad. However, had I had a £500 product through the door from Amazon I probably wouldn’t bother letting them know to be perfectly honest.

I would definitely tell the company. I was brought up by the kind of mother who would tell the check-out person if an item hadn't rung through. I couldn't keep a valuable item sent in error without letting the seller know.

Companies quite often let people keep things sent by mistake as it can be so much hassle (courier costs, admin overheads) to get it back.

I was cheerfully given a delightful freebie by the bloke fitting our kitchen, and when I remonstrated he said, 'Nah, I've still got half a dozen of those left - I ordered one and they sent ten and when I told them, they said to just keep them.'

A friend had similar with expensive hiking boots - I can't recall the details but she was wearing the same make for bloody years.

Well I clearly lack morals! I think it would depend where he ordered from? If it's somewhere like Amazon or Tesco or any big company I'd keep it without a moment's hesitation. If it's from someone's personal shop on eg Etsy, I'd let them know. Those are my own personal moral boundaries 🫣

Loving all the PPs trying to justify what is basically theft.

So theft is okay as long as it's from a big corporation?

Never mind the innocent person sat at home without their £400 product I guess!

I think you ought to send it back. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't.

I would let them know, and I’m very happy to facilitate collection but I won’t traipse off to a post office with it.

This could well be a scam. Be careful if someone turns up for it. Deny its there.

All these people trying to justify depriving a seller of £400 - shame on you.

Someone stole my wallet last week and spent £93 on and another £90 at Tesco - apart from the fact that I don’t buy from places with unethical practices, so the first purchase really, really bothers me - I needed that money, that I earned, because I’m not rolling in the dough. But that’s fine too I guess? Wonder why I even bothered the police with it given that finders keepers seems to be the new rule for people? Some people on here need to recalibrate their moral compass.

Legally, it’s not covered under the unsolicited goods act as he did order from them, so they’ve got six years to recover the item or the value of the item from him.

I don't understand what you're asking. Are you asking for permission to steal it and use stolen goods? If you are, that defies any logic, moral or social compass and zero emotional intelligence.

There's someone out there currently looking for that item, they may well have saved very hard for it and it may be intended as a gift for someone special, or to mark a special occasion or congratulations. You have NO idea!

Either way they'll be currently arguing with the company, telling them they never received it, getting batted back and forth between the seller and the delivery company, both of whom are saying no refund or replacement because it was delivered and flagging up proof of delivery which was to your father who is now well on his way to being a thief with your blessing!!!!!!! 😡

Morally bankrupt and unforgivably selfish!

It’s is Amazon. Screw em keep it. In fact if it’s anything other than a. Small business. Keep it.

Exactly.

At the end of the day, someone has spent £400 on an item they've not received but the seller will probably be saying "well it was delivered so that's that!"

Its interesting as mumsnet always claim companies never want it back but when I was delivered items from a supermarket and it contained items I hadn't bought, I called them and they did actually come back and it wasn't even anywhere near £400

Exactly. It's unbelievable how many people have no moral code or consideration for others whatsoever.