B.C. regulator fines Amazon $10,000 in ruling that limits what ‘delivery’ means

A British Columbia regulator has ordered Amazon to pay a $10,000 penalty over a failed delivery, ruling that it’s not good enough to leave a package on a doorstep or with another person unless the buyer consents.

Consumer Protection BC issued a decision last month on a complaint that alleged Amazon failed to deliver an order for electronic equipment under a “distance sales contract” in August 2024.

The decision issued on Oct. 14 says the unnamed consumer alleged Amazon failed to deliver the “portable dual display and portable digital storage unit” within 30 days, then denied a refund of about $580.

Amazon told officials at the regulator that it suspected “return abuse” because the customer had requested three refunds in the past year, pointing to evidence the goods had been handed over to someone who lived at the address.

The online retailer said the complainant had a “pattern” of claiming non-delivery of goods, but the adjudicator found there was no evidence presented to demonstrate the complainant’s “pattern of conduct.”

“Prior claims of refunds, even if established, are not determinative of the matter at hand and carry little weight in the absence of supporting evidence,” the decision said.

The adjudicator’s decision said the word “delivery” isn’t defined in B.C.’s Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act, and Amazon was obligated to ensure delivery to “the rightful consumer.”

The decision said that without the buyer’s express agreement, “delivery” doesn’t mean leaving an item with someone else at the address or at a front door or porch.

Consumer Protection BC found Amazon’s submissions were “focused on its own commercial interests at the expense of the consumer protection purpose of the legislation.”

The regulator also found Amazon’s “conditions of use … imposed blanket risk on consumers without regard to their statutory rights.”

“Together, these practices demonstrate an inattention to the consumer interests the (Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act) is designed to safeguard, and a preference for business convenience over legal compliance,” the decision said.

The regulator said imposing the penalty on Amazon was appropriate to correct its failure to comply with its legal obligations and reinforce the law’s consumer protections because they “cannot be subordinated to commercial convenience.”

The regulator ordered Amazon to refund the complainant, pay a monetary penalty of $10,000, and was ordered to pay more than $9,000 in legal and investigation costs.

“When you buy something online, you should know exactly how it will be delivered because it’s clearly outlined and you’ve agreed to it,” Consumer Protection BC spokeswoman Louise Hartland said in a statement. “It is not good enough for an online retailer to simply drop packages at the door or hand them to another person if the consumer has not agreed to this. This kind of delivery may be allowed, but only with the customer’s understanding and consent.”

The company can request a reconsideration of the decision under the legislation, and if it’s unsatisfied with the result, it can seek a judicial review in B.C. Supreme Court.

Amazon did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the decision.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2025.