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Original poster

Present arrived in branded parcel :(

150 replies

propacrimbo · 20/12/2022 15:22

I'm so deflated, purchased husbands Christmas present and it was due to arrive tomorrow when he was out. Text from courier while I was out shopping to say it was about to be delivered today while he was in. Selected safe place but they bloody delivered to the front door and it's in a branded box with the contents plastered all over! So now he knows his big present, so frustrated. He lovessss Christmas and surprises so he's taken it well but I know is so gutted :(

Has this happened to anyone else this year? Make me feel better with your stories!

OP posts:
purplecorkheart · 20/12/2022 18:57

Neighbour had this a few years ago. A major toy shop chain sent out toys in just clear plastic bags. These were toys that were from Father Christmas.Thankfully the courier who delivered them is a dote and knows everyone in the area as he has been on this route for about 5 years and gave them to another neighbour. She was lucky as the kids were in house.

NeedAHoliday2021 · 20/12/2022 19:06

our delivery guy handed Dd her Christmas present in a clear converse box 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️

endlesswinter · 20/12/2022 19:09

I just buy Lego, they deliberately use plain brown boxes.

GreenIsle · 20/12/2022 19:19

I had this issue last week. Amazon delivered my packages when I was on the school run. Even though I put down a safe place they left big boxes with branded toys at my front door in full view. I pulled into my drive and had to tell my daughter to stay in the car a moment because she would see it all. To top this off some of the big Amazon delivery labels would not come off some of the boxes so I'm going to have to say the presents are from us (because she's 8 years old so can see the ) and not Santa. Stupid Amazon.

TakeYourFinalPosition · 20/12/2022 19:27

propacrimbo · 20/12/2022 16:48

It wasn't Amazon and I've checked the website and confirmation email, absolutely no reference to branded packaging. I've summoned my inner complainer and emailed asking for their reasoning for branded packaging at this time of year. Lesson learned at least and though it's not happened to me before I won't be making this mistake again.

Sustainability? It’s a massive waste of cardboard to put a box inside a box. Surely he could have not looked? I mean, they could have stuck some strategically placed delivery labels, but I’d guess some people would complain about that too…

moimichme · 20/12/2022 19:59

My DH has seen his 'big' gift this year, too. Initially I was a bit disappointed, but as others have said, he's not a child and I'm glad there is less packaging. One of the perils of him wfh for the foreseeable, I guess! We don't have a car so I'd rather not deliver large items to my work. Ah well. We'll have a Happy Christmas anyway.

JobSeekingMissile · 20/12/2022 20:01

I think at this time of year retailers should have more sense and there should definitely be a warning at point of purchase.
I recently had a pack of wipes from Amazon with the address label stuck on with super glue over the resealable bit you need to be able to open 🤔

Canthave2manycats · 20/12/2022 20:15

GreenIsle · 20/12/2022 19:19

I had this issue last week. Amazon delivered my packages when I was on the school run. Even though I put down a safe place they left big boxes with branded toys at my front door in full view. I pulled into my drive and had to tell my daughter to stay in the car a moment because she would see it all. To top this off some of the big Amazon delivery labels would not come off some of the boxes so I'm going to have to say the presents are from us (because she's 8 years old so can see the ) and not Santa. Stupid Amazon.

Surely these days even Santa shops at Amazon???😜

Bard6817 · 20/12/2022 20:18

Had planned for a sneaky away break to Capri for my gf and i, so i could ask her to marry me.

Told her it was a spa break we were going on,….

Car arrived and first thing the driver asks in his small talk, where you flying to?

WonderingWanda · 20/12/2022 20:29

QuinionsRainbow · 20/12/2022 17:46

Bit off-topic, but perhaps relevant - Amazon have just delivered (safely, thank goodness) DS's present of a 12" vinyl record shrink-wrapped in its sleeve, enclosed in a paper envelope, no stiffening or other mechanical protection at all.

They left one we ordered for dn in it's plastic shrink wrap no other wraping on our doorstep for my son to trip over in the dark.

pinkyredrose · 20/12/2022 20:36

shruggingitoff · 20/12/2022 18:52

@pinkyredrose it was an ooni pizza oven!

And he didn't want it?!

PlantsAndSpaniels · 20/12/2022 20:51

LovelyRachel · 20/12/2022 15:30

Beavertown did this to me

Same with Vocation and tiny rebel. Ended up giving him them as pre christmas drinks. Probably for the best.

Walrus6 · 20/12/2022 21:06

For those with labels stuck on boxes - try a hair dryer over the sticker then once it’s really hot, peel carefully

YummyCookie · 20/12/2022 21:42

Yep this happened last year with DD's Barbie dream house! It was her main present and was there when DH opened the door.

WisteriaLodge · 20/12/2022 21:52

Yep same here OP, ordered an Air Up water bottle for DD, bloody thing arrived today with Air up on each side of the box, I was out when it arrived and DH left it on the side for DD to see, (I don't think she did) I should have warned DH but I didn't think for a minute that it would come in a labelled box, really annoying!

uhtredbebbanburg · 20/12/2022 22:09

I know what you mean. Not a big present as such but 16 year old DD is always stealing my good tweezers so I bought her a nice pair of her own from Tweezerman and she received it at the door since she was home from school. It just ruins the surprise and the brands / shops should know better!

123boom · 20/12/2022 22:11

Air up did this so my dd now knows her present. Such a shame

wherearebeefandonioncrisps · 20/12/2022 22:21

I once took delivery of a steam cleaner. It was just wrapped in cellophane.

I'd once mentioned getting one but thought we'd just buy one.

Hadn't banked on getting one for a Christmas present.

I was at bit deflated.

IntheSnowySnowyMountains · 20/12/2022 22:22

Not quite the same but I had a rubbish day too gift-wise. I opened a package from M&S thinking it was part of my order. Nope, Christmas present for me from a relative, not even sure who - not wrapped as M&S don't do gift wrap. We live abroad in a country with no tax-free gift allowance - also got two packages sent by another relative, with €40 tax/customs fee to pay... ouch!

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 20/12/2022 23:34

The OP's scenario, and the many many other ones on here illustrate the pitfalls of internet/online shopping. This NEVER happened when people used to go shopping in the high street. Back in the 1990s and noughties, I got DD's Christmas presents from Toys R Us, Mothercare, Woolworths, Early Learning Centre, and a few big stores like Asda and Tesco, and when she was a bit older, Game Store and HMV.

Ordering the vast majority of your gifts online is going to massively increase the chance of your husband and children seeing the items when they're delivered. It's the price you pay for the convenience of online shopping.

Raindancer411 · 20/12/2022 23:45

Husband ordered me a nice bean to cup coffee machine and it was meant to turn up one day and turned up early when I was answer the door. DH was so upset as it was on the box. I did get a smile and a laugh out of him as asked where on earth was he going to hide that from me (no where other than the loft and it was heavy), and he said he hasn't thought that far ahead... was a few other questions I asked and all answers were he hasn't thought it through lol

Vetoncall · 21/12/2022 01:55

WellTidy · 20/12/2022 16:09

Amazon did this to me last year. Bought a new magimix Nespresso machine for DH. No packaging options, and when it came it was in the Nespresso box with a big picture of the machine in the front and sides. With an address sticker slapped in the middle. No external packaging at all!

Same thing here a few weeks ago. Bought DP a fancy, very expensive coffee machine on Amazon on an early Black Friday deal, thinking I'm being all organised getting his main present sorted early. It was to be a complete surprise for him. No packaging options were given at the time of buying, it never crossed my mind that it wouldn't be in a usual Amazon brown box, but it arrived with just a label slapped on the actual box for the product... and of course it was delivered on a day that I was at work and he was WFH. I was gutted, it completely ruined the surprise obviously, I've bought other stuff for him but it was his main gift. I order loads from Amazon and normally it's overpackaged if anything; sod's law this would be the one thing out of the dozens that I've bought all year that they don't bother to put in a box 🙄 I've still wrapped it though and he's going to act surprised when he opens it 😄

Suemademedoit · 21/12/2022 03:00

Empty the box, OP, and put something else inside. Keep the actual gift until Jan 17 or some other random date and give it to him then. Surprise!!

Rcnotro · 21/12/2022 07:32

The ONLY two things I’ve had delivered this year without external packaging happened to be my dc presents from Father Christmas, the two things it was most important that didn’t get seen! Luckily they didn’t see them and I was able to whip them upstairs quickly!

cheeseislife8 · 21/12/2022 07:37

I ordered an electrical item from amazon as a gift, and it came just in its actual box with an address sticker on! So annoyed