The case in summary 25-year-old Celine Ellefsen has been seen by more than half a million while unpacking other people’s packages It is popular to buy surprise packages, but there are some rules the sellers must follow Packages that are not picked up are most often sent back to the sender, or passed on to the Salvation Army Environmental considerations are the motivation behind this scheme. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Shelves full of packages are not an unusual sight at Posten, but what happens to those that are never collected? They can end up in the hands of buyers like Celine Ellefsen from Stathelle in Bamble. At the time of writing, over half a million have seen her “unbox” her first postal package on TikTok. POPULAR: Celine Ellefsen from Stathelle in Bamble collects the packages that were forgotten. Photo: private – There are many people who have found very cool things, so one hopes that it can be one yourself. I got four designer glasses once, says Ellefsen. She has also packed up completely unknown things, and she has chosen to censor certain items. She won’t share what it was. – The trick is to be lucky really, but heavy things have always contained something good. People are queuing At Gamle Union Brug Antikk in Skien, there are treasures rich in history in countless colors and shapes. But the most popular treasure chests are located in the middle of the room. On top of them are the sealed packages that attract people from all over Vestfold and Telemark to the business. – It has been completely crazy at times. People of all ages have been queuing outside waiting for the doors to open, says Torstein Borgersen, the store’s self-proclaimed all-possible potato. The postal packages, also known as surprise packages, are orders that shipping companies are left with because they are never picked up for various reasons. Torstein Borgersen says that it is especially young people and families with children who empty the treasure chests. Personal information on the packages, such as name and address, must as a general rule be anonymised. Photo: Veslemøy Prøis / news – Sending goods back to, for example, China is a bit too much transport, I think, so this is a good measure, Torstein Borgersen believes. Every Friday there is a new delivery from various shipping companies to the antique shop. – It gets empty quickly, so we work hard to have enough packages. The heaviest and largest disappear first, says Borgersen. He believes it is the excitement that makes the packages so popular. – It’s like scratching a lottery ticket, only that you get something every time. The most expensive I’ve brought are Nike shoes, but then there’s also everything from remote-controlled cars to dildos. There is a lot of rubbish, but some gold in between. – Can be dangerous Consumer lawyer Thomas Iversen at the Consumer Council knows the surprise packages well. Basically, there is nothing in the way of reselling unclaimed packages, he says. But it is still not a lawless area, points out the consumer lawyer. The sellers are subject to certain rules. – It must be made clear that the packages contain random items and are not always suitable for all ages. RULES FOR PACKAGES: The legislation states that those who handle mail must have a proper procedure for handling undelivered packages that cannot be returned, explains Thomas Iversen at the Consumer Council. Photo: Even Bjøringsøy Johnsen / news According to Iversen, legally there is nothing wrong with the seller not knowing what the packages contain. But he warns that packages from certain countries can be dangerous. – We are experiencing an increase in packages imported from, for example, China, where the items do not meet the safety requirements found in Europe. Deviations often apply to plastic content, flammability and hormone mimicking agents. – And considering that the customer does not know where the product comes from, it can be a bit of bingo, says Iversen. Have you bought a surprise package before? Yes of course! No, this is not for me Never heard of this until now! Show result Donate to the Salvation Army Packages that are not picked up are most often sent back to the sender, says communications advisor Alexander Hømanberg in Posten og Bring. OWN DEPARTMENT: Posten has a separate department for undelivered parcels. They stay there for up to a year, explains communications advisor Alexander Hømanberg. Photo: Havard Jorstad But in those cases where the package is not returned, they end up in a separate department. – They stay there for up to a year before someone claims them, says Hømanberg. Some international customers do not want to receive the goods in return. The packages are then passed on to the Salvation Army. First and foremost, it is environmental considerations that are the motivation behind this scheme, explains Hømanberg. – In the worst case, it could end up with them being thrown away or destroyed, so I think it’s a great way to handle these packages. Hi! Do you have any thoughts on the matter, or tips for something else I should look into? Then I will be happy if you send me an e-mail.
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Selling the packages that were never picked up at the post office – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
