Consumer Protection B.C. (CPBC) has issued a directive to Amazon, instructing the online retail giant to pay nearly $20,000 in penalties, legal costs, and issue a $511.25 reimbursement to a British Columbia customer following an investigation into a non-delivered order complaint. The ruling, dated October 14, found that Amazon breached the B.C. Business Protection and Consumer Protection Act by failing to refund the customer for the missing item. CPBC emphasized that packages must be directly handed to the consumer and cannot simply be left at the doorstep or entrusted to another individual without the customer’s explicit consent.
This incident has sparked discussions regarding liability for lost deliveries, especially in cases where packages are pilfered by “porch pirates” after being left unattended by delivery personnel. Unlike typical scenarios where customers report thefts to law enforcement, this particular customer lodged complaints both with the police and CPBC. According to the ruling, on August 29, 2024, the customer purchased a portable dual display and a portable digital data storage unit totaling $582.75. Amazon notified the customer via text that the package had been delivered to a resident on the same day. However, upon contacting Amazon, the customer claimed neither they nor their housemates had received the shipment and requested a refund.
Amazon defended its decision to deny the refund by alleging potential “return abuse,” citing three previous refund claims by the customer for non-delivery over the past year. The company maintained that the current order had been successfully delivered, although lacking photographic evidence. CPBC asserted that Amazon bore the responsibility to prove delivery to the customer and dismissed Amazon’s presumption that delivery acceptance by a resident equated to authorization.
Consequently, CPBC mandated Amazon to pay fines of $10,000, legal fees of $9,369, and refund the customer $511.25, deducting $71.48 covered by credit card payment from the total order amount. It is noted that Canada has specific regulations addressing unauthorized credit card transactions. Amazon has a 30-day window to challenge the ruling, with the company currently reviewing the decision and withholding comments.
