Package mailed to friend and they thought it was for them

[MrEVILdrPorkchop2u]

DW made a huge OOPS! My DW ordered a Keurig for her father for Christmas. Because we were headed to Disney, she had it sent to our son's friends house. We were taking our son's friend so DW figured it would be easy when we got back she would grab it from the Mom. DW asked the son to adk his Mom. He said he did. Turns out he didn't and the Mom now thanked us for the gift. All I can say is Ughhhh!

 

[bumbershoot]

Your son's friend's mom thinks you guys sent her a coffeemaker? How bizarre. I don't even know what I would do or think in such a situation.

Wait, you took her son to Disney, and she thinks you would then send her a Keurig? Yikes.

 

[Allison]

Son needs to explain and straighten it out.

 

[undertheradar]

How old is the friend and are you close to these parents?

 

[kathie859]

DW made a huge OOPS! My DW ordered a Keurig for her father for Christmas. Because we were headed to Disney, she had it sent to our son's friends house. We were taking our son's friend so DW figured it would be easy when we got back she would grab it from the Mom. DW asked the son to adk his Mom. He said he did. Turns out he didn't and the Mom now thanked us for the gift. All I can say is Ughhhh!

Well that's just strange! I guess hindsight being 20-20, you should have asked the Mom is it was OK to ship father's gift to her residence so she'd know. I can't imagine expecting a kid to deliver such a vital piece of intel.

I wonder if now the friend's Mother feels the need to reciprocate?

 

[Maleficent53]

This will be awkward but I would just explain to the woman what happened. Apologize because YOU did not ask her if it would be okay to send a shipment to her house, and ask for the item back.

Hopefully she doesn't have it on her kitchen counter, ready to offer you a quick cup of coffee when she invites you in...

 

[MrEVILdrPorkchop2u]

Totally DW's fault for not asking the Mom, but DW had just gotten out of the hospital days before we left and wasn't thinking clearly. DS's friend came with us and he is a senior. Great kid who doesn't come from much. We are friendly with the Mom because our boys are best friends and play sports together. She commented how much she loves it. :-/ I just would have thought something wasn't quite right if I had been the one to receive it.

 

[Eastern]

At this point I would let her keep it. Lesson learned.

 

[TotalDreamer]

She must really think you guys are nice! It'll be awkward, but what choice do you have, but to explain what happened. Unless of course you let her keep it. I'm sure she'll be pretty mortified. I know your wife was sick and that's understandable, but you didn't want to make sure she'd be home when it was delivered? Or did her son cover that?

 

[nyrebecca]

I would be another who would just let her keep it. Honestly, I am sure it has been used quite a bit now and wouldn't be "new" anymore to give as a gift.

 

[MrEVILdrPorkchop2u]

Lesson learned. Hoping my FIL has a sense of humor LOL!

 

[mdsoccermom]

Why on earth would your wife have a package shipped to someone's house without checking with them first?

 

[HJAMom]

I would just let this be a RAK. Obviously you should have asked personally, and since you say they don't have much they will probably be super appreciative.

 

[sissy_ib]

Why did you have it sent to someone else's house at all? If if was sent USPS mail can be held at the post office and picked up when you return. If UPS or Fed-Ex why not wait until you returned? Or send right to FIL? I'm assuming it was also sent in her name since she opened it.
I'm in the camp of let her keep it. I agree, if she is saying how great it is she has used it already.

 

[Iforgetmypassword]

Why on earth would your wife have a package shipped to someone's house without checking with them first?

Agreed. Not the best thing to do.

 

[LJSquishy]

What a terrible misunderstanding. Unfortunately, it will have to be a lesson learned as it would be terribly rude and embarrassing (for both you and the mother who "received" the gift) to explain what happened. She clearly has already used it anyway. Even though it was a big mistake, it sounds like that family doesn't have a lot of extras so maybe you can look at it as an unexpected way to give to others. It sounds like the mother really loves her new Keurig.

I would be heartbroken if that happend to me because I wouldn't be able to replace it with another Keurig but I still wouldn't say anything. I do think it's strange your wife had it shipped there in the first place, but being in a rush can make us do strange things! What a bummer...I hope your budget isn't too shot from this.

 

[Firefly09]

If their son was coming with you to Disney, were you not in contact with them up until you left with planning logistics? I definitely would've emailed/phone/text with them and just let them know this package was on its way to their house.

Also, I have sent stuff to friends' houses to avoid detection by DH, but I always put it to myself at their address so my friends know the package is NOT for them.

 

[sk!mom]

Wow, that's awkward.

I would consider it a random act of kindness and mark it off as a lesson learned. I'd be mad at myself for making the mistake and not making the arrangements clear. It would be too embarrassing for all involved to ask for it back and since it sounds like she's probably used it, you couldn't regift it anyway. Just buy a replacement gift.

 

[AngieMouse86]

An expensive mistake! I'd never think of shipping something to someone's house though without telling the homeowner first, especially something costly.

Your son's friend's mom thinks you guys sent her a coffeemaker? How bizarre. I don't even know what I would do or think in such a situation.

Wait, you took her son to Disney, and she thinks you would then send her a Keurig? Yikes.

To me it seems though, if the kids are close enough to go on vacation together, the parents must be in contact often, and therefore maybe not unlikely they'd give them a gift..? I can see where the mom might not have found it odd. If it was from some random parent of some kid she didn't know....then it'd be weird.

At this point I would let her keep it. Lesson learned.

Agreed. It would be extremely tacky to ask for it back.

 

[mimmi]

Totally DW's fault for not asking the Mom, but DW had just gotten out of the hospital days before we left and wasn't thinking clearly. DS's friend came with us and he is a senior. Great kid who doesn't come from much. We are friendly with the Mom because our boys are best friends and play sports together. She commented how much she loves it. :-/ I just would have thought something wasn't quite right if I had been the one to receive it.

Maybe it's because English is not my native language, but to me the bolded sounds rather strange.
I looked up those machines on Amazon (we don't have them here, but I guess they are similar to Nespresso which is widely used over here), apparently they are between USD 120 and 180, would that be about right? It's not a tiny sum bot not a huge one either, so I would buy another one for FIL and be happy that the woman is thrilled with the present, it was your wife's mistake anyway.