If Newegg/Amazon/etc accidentally sent you something you didn't order, WWYD?

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Dec 10, 2005
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It's amazing how law-and-order this place is when it comes to people whining about getting traffic tickets, but what a bunch of scumbags people turn into when they get a chance for free stuff.

Of course you contact the company and arrange for them to get the item back at their expense. If they ship a label and arrange a pickup, they get the item.
This.

What kind of jerk-off would not at least make an attempt to correct the problem?
 

SparkyJJO

Lifer
May 16, 2002
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Contact them about it. It takes what, a minute to shoot them a message about it? Don't tell me you don't have time for that since you spend gobs more than a minute on this forum anyway. Saying you don't have time makes you a bald-faced liar ;)

If they say "oh our mistake, keep it" then cool, I did my part. If they say "oops here's a shipping label, send it back please" then I'd do that too. Either way, I've done the right thing by letting them know.
 

T_Yamamoto

Lifer
Jul 6, 2011
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Contact them about it. It takes what, a minute to shoot them a message about it? Don't tell me you don't have time for that since you spend gobs more than a minute on this forum anyway. Saying you don't have time makes you a bald-faced liar ;)

If they say "oh our mistake, keep it" then cool, I did my part. If they say "oops here's a shipping label, send it back please" then I'd do that too. Either way, I've done the right thing by letting them know.

I don't have anything. I'm just asking a what if question.
 
May 13, 2009
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Corporation like Newegg, Amazon,etc? Keep it without question.
Individual or small business? Return it.
 

zokudu

Diamond Member
Nov 11, 2009
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It's amazing how law-and-order this place is when it comes to people whining about getting traffic tickets, but what a bunch of scumbags people turn into when they get a chance for free stuff.

Of course you contact the company and arrange for them to get the item back at their expense. If they ship a label and arrange a pickup, they get the item.

Who here is law and order about traffic. All I ever see in those threads is "Fuck the police" and "Speed limits are too damn low". There are maybe 1-5 posters who feel like traffic laws are worth obeying. Though maybe I haven't read a ton of traffic threads recently.
 

Anubis

No Lifer
Aug 31, 2001
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tbqhwy.com
amazon has sent me something i didnt order once and the wrong item once, both times i contacted them, 1 they mailed me a return lable for the 2nd the told me to just keep and sent me what i ordered (was only billed for 1)
 

torpid

Lifer
Sep 14, 2003
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Who here is law and order about traffic. All I ever see in those threads is "Fuck the police" and "Speed limits are too damn low". There are maybe 1-5 posters who feel like traffic laws are worth obeying. Though maybe I haven't read a ton of traffic threads recently.

Also, as far as "law and order" goes, I believe the laws in the US indicate that an item received but not ordered can be treated like a gift legally and you are under no obligation to return it. So this seems consistent to me even if we assume that ATOT actually is "law-and-order" about things.

http://ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/products/pro15.shtm
 

SlitheryDee

Lifer
Feb 2, 2005
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Also, as far as "law and order" goes, I believe the laws in the US indicate that an item received but not ordered can be treated like a gift legally and you are under no obligation to return it. So this seems consistent to me even if we assume that ATOT actually is "law-and-order" about things.

http://ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/products/pro15.shtm

I knew about this, but I'm for doing the right thing when I can.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
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Also, as far as "law and order" goes, I believe the laws in the US indicate that an item received but not ordered can be treated like a gift legally and you are under no obligation to return it. So this seems consistent to me even if we assume that ATOT actually is "law-and-order" about things.

http://ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/products/pro15.shtm

That applies to a merchant randomly sending you something, not the merchant making a mistake with the order.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
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Not the same thing as this. Your first link explains that one should contact the merchant and get them to issue a pickup, which is what most of use are siding with.

If the merchant doesn't pick up the item, you can consider it surrendered. The spirit of the law is not to punish the merchant for honest mistakes, but to prevent them from shipping items that you did not contact them about in hopes the difficulty in returning and/or the assumption that they were free makes things difficult on the individual.
 

torpid

Lifer
Sep 14, 2003
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Not the same thing as this. Your first link explains that one should contact the merchant and get them to issue a pickup, which is what most of use are siding with.

That is what I would do as well. However, my first link suggests this approach but clearly says you are not legally obligated to do so.
 

DougK62

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2001
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This has happened to me twice with two different vendors. Both times they asked me if I had a use for the item and when I indicated that I did they just told me to keep it. Any good vendor will do this as long as it's not something expensive or custom.
 

kalrith

Diamond Member
Aug 22, 2005
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I'd contact them and inquire about it, but I would not pay myself to ship it back.

This. I ordered the Harry Potter Blu-Ray box set last year from Amazon UK. They sent me two. I contacted them to ask what to do, and then said to ship it back (on my own dime) and then they'd reimburse me. I then said that I'd be happy to ship it back if they sent me a ppd shipping label.

Once they were paying for the return, they realized that shipping would cost more than the product and said that I could keep it. I sold it to a friend for half what I paid, and therefore got the set for about $23!
 

torpid

Lifer
Sep 14, 2003
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You are confusing what the spirit of the law is based on.

The law says what it says. It should not be and is not up to the consumer to take corrective action. There are too many scenarios that could make it impossible or extremely inconvenient for the consumer to take corrective action. The reason they suggest writing a certified letter is to make a clear and permanent record showing that you received something you didn't order in case they try to claim otherwise. Notice how they don't say that there is a specific required amount of time to give them.

Note that no one seems to be saying that this is what you SHOULD do. I would attempt to return it. I am just noting that under the law you do not have to do anything.
 

slayernine

Senior member
Jul 23, 2007
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slayernine.com
I've contacted a company about a double shipment before and have been told to keep it.

If they told me to pay for it, send it back and I pay for shipping or they just made it a huge hassle I would hold on to it for about a month and then sell it if they don't pursue it further.

If they had a problem with that I would give them back the profits or work out a deal with them. Mis-shipments are just a giant PITA and I prefer to deal with companies that don't regularly screw up.
 

slayernine

Senior member
Jul 23, 2007
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slayernine.com
You are confusing what the spirit of the law is based on.

Did somebody call for the spirits of the law?

spirits-of-the-law.jpg