I am sorry but who puts unwanted presents on an auction site like eBay? Unwrapped.
It happens every year. Listing after listing of unwrapped presents put on eBay with disclaimers such as “these are from my ex” or “we just don’t want them”.
I cannot believe that somebody hates their ex SO much that not only do they not want the presents but they don’t unwrap them but are happy to auction them off for cash. Will they be keeping the cash? Yes, of course they will.
And if you wanted to get rid of some old tat from around your house in January what better way to do it?
And who bids on these? Up to £70!!!! They could be empty boxes for all anybody knows.
I can’t help thinking that this is all just a great scam.
These have been received by two sisters from friends and family and they just don’t want them so are flogging them. Why wrap them? Why not unwrap them and sell them individually?
Or this one:
Again, why not open them and sell them for what they are worth? They could be worth thousands?
Or do the decent thing and give them back.
Surely?
I can’t believe people would auction presents unopened! I’ve had a look since reading this post and find it unbelievable. For one thing I couldn’t leave a present unopened. Why even mention they are unwanted? I hope the givers don’t go on eBay too.
I saw that today, (I must confess, I read the Daily Mail, when I was having a coffee after dropping the children off before I came back home to work) I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks it’s a bit tacky!
I understand selling stuff you don’t want, but not even unwrapped stuff, and expecting people to bid on it? Weird.
Saying that, my in-laws gave me a rather hideous top for Christmas, but I am donating it to the local charity shop! 😉
OMG! I didn’t know that people did that! That’s so stupid, why would you bid on something with no idea what it is???
I think that is terrible! I would never ever sell wrapped presents and unless I really really don’t want the gift I wouldn’t sell unwrapped ones. I sometimes give unwanted things to charity but it is rare, I suppose I am either easily pleased or have friends and family that know me well!
..Welcome to the world of TOXIC FAMILIES/RELATIONSHIPS.
If there is no return address, and the gifts are sent to manipulate, get at the recipient, or to attempt to control them in some way, it seems wrong to just bin them, and it’s hard to actually face someone at a charity shop and feel you have to explain, why not sell them?
Opening gifts from a stalking ex, or a toxic relative, is engaging with them in some way, if you know what you got given, it’s contact that you don’t want, it’s an ‘IN’. By not opening the gift, they have failed to hit their target somehow. You remain free of them. The feeling of real palpable panic that is created when you get a ‘gift’ from someone who is either toxic or a danger to you is indescribable. To sell their attempt to get at you, to buy something else, or to help feed your family from the proceeds of a BAD LOT is not too hard to comprehend.
I had an address to return the unwanted gifts I got this year, so they went straight back in the post. There was no way I’d have accepted them in my house/life.
Agreed it could be a scam. Buyer Beware.
Hi Sarah
I totally get that and understand your reasons.
If these gifts fall into the category of being sent by a controlling ex etc I can’t imagine anybody taking the time to photograph and list them and then wanting to parcel them and go to the post office to send them off. And then what to do with the cash? Surely buying something else with the cash will be a reminder everytime you see that item, too?
Surely if it is a stalking ex you would either bin them or taking them to ask a friend to get rid.
I totally understand where you are coming from but I cannot see these gifts being in any of those categories somehow
I can understand perhaps selling on unwanted gifts – why not if you are never going to use them? No worse than recycling and giving to someone else. However selling them wrapped up is just weird. I smell a scam too.
For the first time ever this year I’m going to ebay a present that my mum bought me for Christmas. Bless her, she’s wonderful but she is dreadful when it comes to choosing presents for me. Smaller value gifts I’ve tended to hold onto for a couple of months then hand quietly into charity shops, larger value gifts have gone unused and unloved. This year one of the gifts was a voucher for a makeover and photoshoot. I hate makeovers, never wear makeup and my husband is a photographer. So I acted very grateful and I was grateful for her generosity.
But I unwrapped it, I thanked her. These things are just cons. You would at least open any present you received. If it was from someone you hated, you wouldn’t accept it.
Absolutely. I am not against the selling of unwanted gifts. That makes sense if it is something you detest or will never use.
However it is the unwrapped element I struggle with.
HOW CAN PEOPLE NOT OPEN PRESENTS?
That is the first question I have.
Anyone in the world could give me a gift and I would open it. Because I couldn’t not open it!
WHAT!? Unwrapped presents?! This is a blatant scam, who would buy these things? I for one would never leave a poor defenceless present unwrapped?! I would not sell it,I might need it, how would I know unless I opened it?! Some people!!!
I’ve never seen that? How weird. I would’ve opened them…sounds like a scam to me.