If You’ve Received Something You Didn’t Order, Keep It

By THC Staff | December 1, 2016

 

Around the holidays, packages are constantly being dropped off on doorsteps due to the popularity of online shopping. Of course, with the influx of orders, there are bound to be some mistakes here and there. But what do you do if you receive items you didn’t order? One woman reported to The Consumerist that she received four iPods when she only ordered one, and she was told what many people would hope to hear: “Keep them!”

According to the FTC, even if she had not contacted Walmart at all, she would have been in the right. The Consumerist writes that the Federal Trade Commission considers items sent to your name that you did not order a gift, and you have no obligation to send them back.

For some people, keeping the unordered goods almost feels like stealing. If it bothers you that you received an extra item, you can contact the company to see if they would like for you to send it back. The FTC says to make sure they offer to pay for the shipping so you don’t pay for their mistake. Often, companies will tell you to keep the item or donate it. You can always pay your good fortune forward!