Be careful what you Wish for. Get it? Because Wish is an online store, but it’s totally a monkey’s paw kind of deal cuz you never know what you’ll end up getting. Fine, fine, that might’ve been an awful pun, but we're not sorry because it’s the perfect segue to talk about online shopping. Specifically, how it can go disastrously wrong because we’re either looking for a bargain that’s too good to be true or we fall prey to low-quality products and scammers.
Our hard-working team here at Bored Panda has collected a whole bunch of examples proving once and for all that just because something looks fabulous on your computer screen won’t mean that it’s exactly what you’ll get delivered to your home. Scroll down to see the effects of misinformation, scams, and bamboozles. Remember to upvote the most epic fails and if you’re up for it—share your own tales about online shopping disasters in the comment section. We promise we won’t judge. We’ve been there—trust us.
Bored Panda wanted to learn more about avoiding online shopping swindles, so we reached out to the r/Scams subreddit team for their expert guidance. One of the moderators was kind enough to walk us through how shopping scams differ from other scams and how we can stay safe when making purchases on the net. Have a read through all their tips below and be sure to follow the subreddit for other great info on staying safe.
In the mood for some more shopping fails? Check out our earlier lists when you’re done with this one here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.
This post may include affiliate links.
I Ordered A Meditation Book From Amazon And Every Page Just Says "Inhale" And "Exhale"
My “Full Sized” Mjolnir Arrived. I’m Still Happy And I Refused To Let My Moment Be Ruined
Found This Online Couldn't Resist
If we said that the internet can sometimes seem like an evil den full of liars and con-artists, we’d probably surprise absolutely no one. It’s not all cat pics, wholesome stories, and heartwarming strangers online. Alas! The anonymous nature of the internet means that some people use it to gain others’ trust and scam them out of their money. And online marketplaces are no exception, even if they do have their own safeguards in place.
"I think online shopping scams are different because you lose that layer of dealing with a real-life person. When you have a real person in front of you, a typical person will feel shame or guilt at the thought of taking advantage of a person. With the internet, you aren't dealing with a person, but a username and avatar. It is much easier to act maliciously when you don't have a real victim directly in front of you," one of the moderators from the r/Scams subreddit, a community of nearly 256k people, explained to Bored Panda the difference between online shopping scams and other swindles.
Dad Made The Classic Mistake Of Buying Something On Amazon Without Checking It's Size. We Now Have Two 10 Foot Lamps
I Bought Some “Accent” Lashes. They Look So Natural
We Bought A Dog Pool. This Is What Arrived
"Online scams also use a lot of tricks to pressure buyers; low prices, pushes to buy now!, taking advantage of someone's kindness or naivete (re: advance check fraud, money mules, etc), or advertising one product and sending another (or nothing at all, by using a fake tracking number). Getting a person to make a decision via high-pressure tactics and preventing them from reflecting and making a sound decision is key," the mod said.
The moderator reiterated what we all know inside that if a deal sounds too good to be true, it really is. "If a deal is too good to be true, it is. If you see a pair of brand new Apple AirPods advertised for $50, you are not getting an authentic product. There are many counterfeit items out there on the market, and you need to verify authenticity before hitting buy," they told Bored Panda.
"Not only to avoid contributing to the counterfeit market, but because these knockoff products do not always go through the same safety standards of the real item; they may not be UL certified, they may use chemicals or ingredients that are not FDA approved and are unsafe for use on or in the human body, or could cause major harm to human life or property."
Ordered Online And Was Sent Only One Right Shoe. They “Fixed” The Issue By Sending Me Two More Right Shoes
Furniture For Hobbits
I Bought A Cat Tower Online That Turned Out To Be Much Smaller Than Expected. Trevor Is Still Trying To Be Appreciative Tho
They added that it's the same sort of situation with online rentals. "It is very common for scammers to lift photos and descriptions of houses for sale, mark down the rent as ridiculously cheap, then insist on getting the deposit sent via Western Union or other untraceable means; when it comes time to pick up your keys, the money is gone and there was no rental for you to move into, to begin with."
However, there is a solution to avoiding getting scammed when it comes to online rentals. For one, you can type the address into Google and see if it populates a real estate listing for the actual property for sale. "You may find a real estate listing on MLS, Zillow, or other popular property rental/sale sites. I ran into this recently with a too-good-to-be-true rental, and I was able to report the listing and notify the listing agent that their listing was being used in a scam," the r/Scams mod warned us that they themselves recently countered a scammer.
What I Ordered (Left) vs. What I Got (Right)
Etsy Shop Sent The Wrong Apron - Now I Have An Apron With This Random Guy's Face
A Mate Of Mine Ordered An Infinity Gauntlet From A Dodgy Website That Only Asked For Postage
Got his card cloned, had various credit accounts opened in his name and received this in the post weeks later.
Finally, consider upgrading to a credit card and using it instead of a debit one. "Credit card protections for most cards are much more forgiving than debit cards. You can generally get your money back faster if you were scammed or misled by a business, versus initiating an investigation through your bank. It is always smarter to pay by credit card (and pay off your balance monthly!)."
Mom Ordered Steps For The Dog. What She Thought She Ordered vs. What She Got
This Guy Accidentally Bought An iPhone Shaped Coffee Table Instead Of An iPhone
I Ordered A 6ft Tall Rainbow Tree From A Facebook Ad And This Is What Showed Up. I'm Crying From Laughing So Hard, I've Never Had This Happen In Real Life
At the end of the day, it’s a caveat emptor (“buyer, beware”) kind of world out there and it’s up to the customer to make sure that what they’re buying is legit. The risk is ours to take, unfortunately.
There are some ways to avoid potential shopping scams, however. It takes a bit of time and a bit of research, but it’s better than ordering a smartphone and receiving a brick. The first two rules for any situation, ever, are: if it looks too good to be true it probably is and trust your gut.
So Today I Received My AirPods From Amazon. God These Are Huge
The One On The Left Is What My Mom Ordered For Our Cats, The Right One Is What Arrived In The Mail
What I Ordered vs. What I Got
If you have any suspicions about a product ever—verify, verify, verify. Even if you don’t have any, do a small background check about the company and the seller. One thing to definitely be on the lookout for is weird payment methods like money orders, wire transfers, or pre-loaded money cards. Odds are that if you send your money to an iffy site using these, you’ll end up fleeced.
What We Ordered vs. What We Got (Feat. My Dog)
Online vs. When It Arrived
His XL Crate Arrived From eBay Today
That’s another point, though: avoid dodgy websites that promise luxury products. Do a bit of research about the company. See if things check out or if it’s simply one huge hustle. When in doubt, use verified online marketplaces, like Amazon, eBay, and others. Though, of course, there are some hustlers on there, as well.
My Friend's GF's Dad Sent Them A 4xl Cutting Board For Their Housewarming By Mistake
Shopping Online For Coffee Tables And Came Across This Review
Next Level
This is borderline scamming. They didn't add the sheet and matress and the colors are wrong.
That’s why it’s a good idea to look at the seller’s history on the site. Take a look at any customer reviews there might be and at the seller’s previous behavior if possible. If something feels off, consider being prudent and finding someone else to purchase the product that you want from.
Misunderstood My Last Amazon Purchase
We Ordered The Cake On The Left And Received The Cake On The Right. Elmo Has Seen Better Days
I doubt that even the Cookie Monster would be tempted to eat that cake on the right.
Friend Bought $600 Apple Watch Off eBay. This Is What Came
Some other warning signs to keep an eye out for include really low product prices and the use of flowery and over-the-top language meant to highlight just how amazing something is. And, above all else, listen to your gut. Otherwise, you’ll end up sharing your online shopping fails with all the others on the internet.
Pearls Of Wisdom: Be Cautious When Ordering Online
What I Ordered vs. What I Got
Ordered A Body Pillow Got A Wrist Rest Instead. I'm About 7.5 Bananas Tall
Bought This Beauty During Quarantine For $60. I Was Stoked To Get My Hands On One Since They Were Sold Out Everywhere
After a claim several disputes, we got the refund. We had to eat the cost of return shipping.
Ordered Some Reclining Camping Chairs Online
Mother-In-Law Bought My Wife A Cozy Blanket From China. Dog For Scale
This Guy Bought A Smartphone Online But Received A Stone
I could almost understand if he had received two tin cans and some string, but a rock???!! If only he could use it on that seller / scammer.
What Was Ordered vs. What Was Received. Pretty Disappointing
My Dad Bought A Drilling Machine On Wish. This Just Arrived
Turns Out I’m Not Very Good At Online Shopping
After 2 Months Of Waiting, I Finally Got My Mystery Tent Box
I Ordered A Rug For The Fireplace
Ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! more like some sort of slipper you wear to keep the floor clean!
I Ordered Gummy Vitamins On Amazon And Live In Arizona
Ewwwwwww, how the hell that it melted so fast, even in Arizona heat?
The Ice Cream Cake I Ordered For Valentine’s Day Said “I Love You” But Some Of The Letters Fell Off During Transit
Self-Explanatory. I Mean Wtf
Bought A Dog Pool Online. Dimensions Didn’t Quite Check Out. Petey For Scale
What I Ordered vs. What I Received
Never Trust Facebook Ads. What We Ordered vs. What Arrived
What My Mom Ordered My Wife For Christmas vs. What Arrived
Ordered A Halloween Mask And This Is What I Received
Thought I Ordered A Decent Sized Rug Off eBay And This Bloody Turns Up
What could you even use that for? A furry coaster? You need another three then.
Amazon Shoe Order. Different Colors, Different Texture And Two Left Feet
Finally Caved And Bought The Kids A Box Of 60 Oreo Packs Through Amazon. Today It Arrived And This Is What We Got
What I Ordered vs. What I Got From Wish Yesterday - Apparently The Store May Have Encountered A Fulfillment Issue
A 2020 Version Of The Candle I Ordered
This $40 Doll That My Mother Got Online
Expectation vs. Reality. Do not purchase from phoebetoy.com. Buyer beware!
What I Bought From Aliexpres vs. What I Got
Geralt after the player got the pirated version of Witcher 3. (For those who don't know, in this game, the main character Geralt can make out with beautiful women. But if your copy is pirated, Geralt will make out with pretty hideous ladies instead.)
When Ordering Flowers For A Special Occasion Make Sure To Go With A Local Florist. Not To Name Any Names, But Avoid Things Like 1-800-Flowers. This Cost Over $100
When You Order A Ppe Kit Online But They Send You A Bee Keeper's Suit
My Mom Ordered A 6 Ft Pre-Lit, Flocked Christmas Tree. What She Got
I Ordered A Karambit Online And This Is What I Got
I Ordered A 40$ USD Rgb Gaming Mouse Pad And Got This
My Dad's Experience Buying "Litter Pickers In Bulk" On The "World Wide Web"
Still can pick up small turds, like the people selling these products
Wish.com vs. Reality
Buddy From Work Got A Great Deal On A Vise Online The Other Day, It Came In Today
Mom Bought A Frying Pan On Amazon. I Wasn't Disappointed
Scored A Sweet Pair Of Jeans Off eBay At A Steal Of A Price. Just Found Out Why
Ordered A PS5 Controller Off eBay, Wtf Is This
But The Vibes Are Still Good, Right?
Ordered Upholstery Nails And Received Something Slightly Different. But Do You Think This Will Effectively Bring Out My Thunder?
I Bought This From The Official Website Too
Buy another one. I bet it's gonna be a picture of a phone case with a picture of a phone case. Phone-case-ception.
What I Ordered vs. What I Got, I Can't Stop Laughing
Pretty Mild, But Still Frustrating
The USB Cable I Ordered Arrived Today
Ordered A Pickle Rick Pipe Off Wish.com
Seller Pictures vs. Reviewer Pictures On Wish
My Friend Ordered A Baby Yoda (Grogu) This Is What They Got
Boo Ordered An Inflatable Fishing Boat
Ordered Size 8 Men's Shoes And Got This
The Amount Of Carrots Included In My Subscription Meal Kit
Always Double-Check The Dimensions When You Order Something Online
You Guys, What My Friend Ordered vs. What She Got
"Big Tongue Sleeping Pad" Gengar. My Boyfriend's Favorite Pokemon Is Gengar So I Ordered This, Because It Was The Biggest Gengar I Could Find. When It Arrived It Was... Well, Not As Advertised
Buying Clothing Online From China
What I Ordered And What I Got
In the upper comment I wrote that I would order a chonky seal instead of large Umong Us plushie. Well...I've changed my mind. :P
My Girlfriend Ordered Me A Back Scratcher, What Came Was Comical
Don’t Buy Mayo Online
BF Didn't Read The Clamp Size Carefully Before Ordering Online
At least the reality surpasses the expectation, it's usually the other way around.
Never Order Off A Facebook Ad. Seems Sus
Disco Pants From Amazon
What I Thought I Was Ordering vs. What I Received
My “Bounty” Paper Towels Finally Showed Up That I Ordered At The Beginning Of Quarantine In March For 45 Bucks Before Shipping
We’ve Warned Mom About Buying Items From Facebook Ads And This Is By Far The Worst Outcome. Not Even Big Enough For My Cats To Enjoy (Hand For Scale)
These Sunglasses I Ordered
Ordering Paper Towels From Some Random Website
What Was Expected vs. What They Got. Wish For The Win!
Aliexpress Is Awesome
What animal did you think the first photo came from??? Are there still T-Rex's wandering around?
So I Went And Bought This
This Iron Man Blow Up Toy
Pre-Ordered The Game 2 Years Ago
My Dad Made The Classic Mistake Of Buying Something On Amazon Without Checking The Dimensions
What do you mean you don't want a keyboard that only a hamster could type on?
This Was An Expensive Cake, Ordered By A Friend Of My Sister-In-Law
What I Ordered vs. What I Received
Ordered A Cute Suncatcher. Received This Instead
Ordered Four “Online Exclusive” Ceramic Tiles From Lowe’s (They Were Not Available In Stores). They Arrived Today. All Four Were Smashed To Pieces
Hot Sauce I Ordered Showed Up Today
Maybe I Just Need To Water It And It'll Grow?
Ordered A Sink Rack For $30. Delayed 3 Months For Covid Delay. Came In Today. Fits A Whole Bar Of Soap If You Can Believe It
wow the one you should have got looks brill! I'm getting one (hopefully!) too.
Saw This On Aliexpress (Fixed)
What Is Advertised vs. What I Got
I Bought A Game-Worn Muggsy Bogues Jersey
Expectation vs. Reality. Ordered Off Of Facebook For My Friend
Ordered This Mask Online. Ad vs. What I Received
Haha... was thinking of buying it, so glad now I did not... thanks for the warning
Mil Ordered From A Dodgy Website Showcasing Realistic Puppy Toys. Right Is What Arrived
That on the left is not realistic toy, that's obviously a real dog.
Ordered An Ornament That Was Described As Ceramic In The Description (Top Pic) What I Got Was The Other 2 Pics
That happened to my mom. She bought what appeared to be a resin cookie and got a flat metal cookie for $20
Ordered A Blanket With Photos Of Our Deceased Dog For Christmas. Received A Very Nice Blanket - With Someone Else's Dog In It
My Mom Ordered My Sister A “Realistic” Baby Grinch For Xmas
My Fiance Tried To Have Our Groceries Delivered Today. She Wanted Five Bananas But Somehow The Woman Misunderstood And Bought Thirteen Pounds Of Bananas
Can't Quite Believe My Eyes
“This Custom Furniture Piece Will Be Made To Order Just For You”
Cake That We Ordered From Fred Meyer vs. What They Made
I Ordered These Beautiful Knit Gloves For My Daughter
You can bet the pic on the left depicts a one-off pair of hand-knitted gloves
These Body Scrub My Mom Ordered
Not the same, of course. But those puff up in water. They're not really flat.
These Shorts My Friend Ordered From An Instagram Ad. Just A Little Bit Different From The Advertisement
This Will Teach Me To Trust Buying Shoes Online From New Websites
The Cloud Lamp I Ordered vs. What I Received
I Ordered 10m Of Wallpaper Online And Received Ten 1m Rolls
What I Ordered vs. What I Got. Be Careful What You Order Online
The Two Images On The Left Are What I Ordered. Cup Holder, Phone Holder And Other Cool Features. What I Got Is On The Right. Last Time I Order From An Instagram Ad
Omg, my mom ordered the same thing from FB for my kids & we got the bottom one(s). They were so awful, we just tossed them. Held nothing but a laugh. LOL
Waited 9 Months For This Custom Bird House
Expectations vs. Reality
People really buying stuff from aliexpress and wish for 3 dollars and then are shocked they don't get the designer thing shown in the photo
A number of these things are just the garbage of the near-future even if they had been what they looked like in the ads. Just stay off Wish, Amazon, aliexpress people. Shop locally if you can, order online from someone local as a 2nd option - foreign websites should be a last resort when you can't get what you need (do you really need it?) and support your local economy at the same time.
Load More Replies...It is the 3rd World ripping off the 1st World for things they don't really need at ultra cheap prices. The damage caused to the environment and child labour and the fact that people buy this crap in the first place is the real issue.
Why do people continue to buy things from Wish, Ebay, etc. Just stop. They are just all scams at this point. Even Amazon does this s**t. Need to stop buying from these places if they are not vetting their sellers. Not like any of this is a shocker. Plus, all that worthless trash is just adding to the endless pollution, the environmental impact of production, transportation, and then disposal. Not to mention the human labor abuse that produces worthless s**t. Why is this still allowed? Damn.
I've never had any problems with Amazon or eBay as they have a money back guarantee. It's Wish and Aliexpress that are the scammers.
Load More Replies...Why are people still ordering stuff from wish or aliexpress?!!! It's 99% crap.
When you’re buying something, check the size. Also check to make sure the price seems reasonable. At the bare minimum, check the reviews.
What I learned from this: check size. Check reveiws. Use reliable sites.
Do people not read the customer comments before ordering? If there are none that should be a major red flag.
Have seen plenty of Facebook ads where ALL revies were 5 star.... They monitor that s**t
Load More Replies...I agree that those pics are misleading but reading the measurements in the description would save a few people from buying
A lot of the clothes you buy online - even on Amazon - are knockoffs of things that took hundreds of hours to make. They use the picture (generally stolen from the artist's website) and do a mass reproduction which they then sell at $19.99 or so. Pay cheap, expect a ripoff. Any why does anyone buy electronics from eBay? Or at least, without checking the buyers' reviews?
Payback for the "Shut up & take ma money!" contingent. Still....
I could have put 5 funny things I received on here! But I always use paypal and they have my back!!
This type of thing should be prosecuted to the full extend. Such garbage!!
128 reasons to return to brick-and-mortar stores. What you see is what you get!
Stop buying cheap plastic s**t from the other side of the globe. Waste of energy, resources, and will just end in landfill. So irresponsible!
I bought a clock in a furniture shop. I didn't notice what was wrong with it until I got home. It has 4 vintage pictures on it. And the city names. London, Paris, New York and Rome. It has the eifeltower, the bigben, the statue of liberty and the Leaning Tower of Pisa ,which isn't standing in Rome. But in Pisa.on them. I now know why it was 50% discount. It's still a nice clock though. And it's funny when people suddenly notice it. And point out that the Leaning Tower isn't in Rome..
I'm assuming there has to me a massive price difference for these sizes. Do people just think they're getting for a good price or something?
The balance of power has once again shifted to the scammers. They’ve found Amazon & Ebays soft underbellies. Chinese cheats, mostly.
Saw a cute dress and blouse in an ad... Googled the company, read the horrible reviews and warnings from the BBB... definitely did not order!!!
People really buying stuff from aliexpress and wish for 3 dollars and then are shocked they don't get the designer thing shown in the photo
A number of these things are just the garbage of the near-future even if they had been what they looked like in the ads. Just stay off Wish, Amazon, aliexpress people. Shop locally if you can, order online from someone local as a 2nd option - foreign websites should be a last resort when you can't get what you need (do you really need it?) and support your local economy at the same time.
Load More Replies...It is the 3rd World ripping off the 1st World for things they don't really need at ultra cheap prices. The damage caused to the environment and child labour and the fact that people buy this crap in the first place is the real issue.
Why do people continue to buy things from Wish, Ebay, etc. Just stop. They are just all scams at this point. Even Amazon does this s**t. Need to stop buying from these places if they are not vetting their sellers. Not like any of this is a shocker. Plus, all that worthless trash is just adding to the endless pollution, the environmental impact of production, transportation, and then disposal. Not to mention the human labor abuse that produces worthless s**t. Why is this still allowed? Damn.
I've never had any problems with Amazon or eBay as they have a money back guarantee. It's Wish and Aliexpress that are the scammers.
Load More Replies...Why are people still ordering stuff from wish or aliexpress?!!! It's 99% crap.
When you’re buying something, check the size. Also check to make sure the price seems reasonable. At the bare minimum, check the reviews.
What I learned from this: check size. Check reveiws. Use reliable sites.
Do people not read the customer comments before ordering? If there are none that should be a major red flag.
Have seen plenty of Facebook ads where ALL revies were 5 star.... They monitor that s**t
Load More Replies...I agree that those pics are misleading but reading the measurements in the description would save a few people from buying
A lot of the clothes you buy online - even on Amazon - are knockoffs of things that took hundreds of hours to make. They use the picture (generally stolen from the artist's website) and do a mass reproduction which they then sell at $19.99 or so. Pay cheap, expect a ripoff. Any why does anyone buy electronics from eBay? Or at least, without checking the buyers' reviews?
Payback for the "Shut up & take ma money!" contingent. Still....
I could have put 5 funny things I received on here! But I always use paypal and they have my back!!
This type of thing should be prosecuted to the full extend. Such garbage!!
128 reasons to return to brick-and-mortar stores. What you see is what you get!
Stop buying cheap plastic s**t from the other side of the globe. Waste of energy, resources, and will just end in landfill. So irresponsible!
I bought a clock in a furniture shop. I didn't notice what was wrong with it until I got home. It has 4 vintage pictures on it. And the city names. London, Paris, New York and Rome. It has the eifeltower, the bigben, the statue of liberty and the Leaning Tower of Pisa ,which isn't standing in Rome. But in Pisa.on them. I now know why it was 50% discount. It's still a nice clock though. And it's funny when people suddenly notice it. And point out that the Leaning Tower isn't in Rome..
I'm assuming there has to me a massive price difference for these sizes. Do people just think they're getting for a good price or something?
The balance of power has once again shifted to the scammers. They’ve found Amazon & Ebays soft underbellies. Chinese cheats, mostly.
Saw a cute dress and blouse in an ad... Googled the company, read the horrible reviews and warnings from the BBB... definitely did not order!!!