Amazon has been fined $10,000 by Consumer Protection BC after the regulator ruled that leaving a package on a doorstep—or with someone else at the address—does not meet the legal definition of “delivery” without the buyer’s explicit consent.
The ruling stems from a complaint filed by a British Columbia consumer who ordered electronic equipment from Amazon in August 2024 and never received it. When the buyer requested a refund of roughly $580, Amazon refused, claiming the items were delivered to someone at the listed address and suggesting possible “return abuse.”
However, the regulator found no evidence of fraudulent behaviour, stating that Amazon’s claims lacked proof and that prior refund requests were irrelevant without supporting documentation. The adjudicator noted that B.C.’s Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act does not define “delivery,” but clarified that the term should mean ensuring the goods reach the rightful consumer, not just any person present at the address.
In the decision issued on October 14, Consumer Protection BC criticized Amazon for prioritizing its “own commercial interests at the expense of consumer protection” and for using conditions that unfairly shifted risk onto customers. The regulator said the penalty was necessary to remind the e-commerce giant that consumer rights “cannot be subordinated to commercial convenience.”
Amazon was ordered to refund the customer, pay the $10,000 fine, and cover more than $9,000 in legal and investigation costs.
Louise Hartland, spokesperson for Consumer Protection BC, emphasized that online retailers must clearly define how deliveries will be made — and secure the customer’s consent. “It’s not good enough for an online retailer to simply drop packages at the door or hand them to another person,” she said.
Amazon has the right to seek reconsideration of the ruling or apply for a judicial review in B.C. Supreme Court, but the company has not yet commented on the decision.