A woman ordered a pair of Apple EarPods from Amazon and was shocked when she opened the box to find 10 pairs inside.
On December 16, @lizardfish_ posted a message on TikTok revealing that she received 10 Apple EarPods in error and wanted to know how this happened.
“I thought I ordered one, so I was wondering why the box was so big,” she said. “You guys, what is this?”
She opened one pair in front of the camera to make sure there were indeed EarPods inside, and they were. “Why do I have 10 of these?” she asked.
She clarified that she only bought one pair. “They’re only $19 total,” she said. “10 for $19. Am I being scammed?”
The caption on the screen read: “Amazon? Apple? Will I go to jail for this?”
She’s not the first Amazon customer this has happened to
Commenters were quick to say that this was not an unprecedented experience and that many of them had been through it.
“I saw a woman buy 25 tote bags from Amazon,” one commenter wrote. “If only we could all be so lucky, haha.”
Another added: “This is what they did to me when I ordered a Nexus hair care product and a full box was sent to me.” “Let’s just say I’m not even halfway there.”
Why did she buy 10 EarPods instead of 1?
One commenter speculated what happened. “You have a big case,” they wrote. “That box should be opened and stored individually. The box is stored as a unit. This must be done by at least 4 people [before] Shipping. “
There are many reasons why this error occurs, as Amazon’s fulfillment operations are large and complex. However, the previous commenter’s explanation is quite possible.
What was supposed to be a pair of EarPods may have started its journey in a larger box. This is a bulk box containing many identical units designed to be broken down into individual customer orders. If the box is not properly unpacked at the warehouse or fulfillment center, the entire item may be accidentally scanned and shipped as one item.
Reddit users familiar with Amazon’s system explained that such “master packaging” errors do occur when containers are not separated into individual units and passed through quality checkpoints, especially near the end of a shift or during peak shipping periods.
Additionally, a simple system or barcode glitch could incorrectly allocate inventory, or human error in the picking or packing stages could cause more orders to be shipped than ordered. Because these operations are automated and large-scale, small mistakes can have serious consequences.
Will she get in trouble for not returning the item?
Legally the situation is murky, but if the item was sent to the buyer and they didn’t do anything intentionally fraudulent, there’s usually no criminal trouble for the buyer. Under U.S. federal consumer protection rules, you are not legally obligated to pay for or return items you did not order, and sellers cannot demand payment simply because you received items in error. Essentially, it is considered a gift that you get to keep.
That said, there are subtle differences. If a package is addressed to someone else and you intentionally take steps to retain it without trying to correct the error, some state laws may consider it theft or misappropriation of property. Many states make it illegal to “knowingly take control of property misdelivered by another without reasonable efforts to notify the true owner.”
For Amazon in particular, its actual customer service policy for incorrect or extra items is often very lenient, as it often tells customers to keep the extra items but still receive what they ordered. Legally speaking, you can’t face fines or jail time just for having a shipment sent to your correct address, especially if you contacted Amazon and took reasonable steps to clarify what happened.
AllHipHop reached out to @lizardfish_ via TikTok private message for comment and Amazon via email for comment.
@ Lizard Fish_
10 pairs of Apple headphones only $19? ! What happened?
♬ Original Sound – pineappleonpizzaqueen
