BEIJING: A Chinese woman who bought handmade doll’s eyes online has received the goods 10 years after placing the original order.
The woman, surnamed Li, posted online that she recently received the custom-made products she bought online in 2015. She had completely forgotten about the order.
Li received a text message from the online shop on Nov 25, notifying her about their arrival. She paid 515 yuan (US$73).
The shop told her it would take two years for the eyes to be handmade overseas. Li agreed and confirmed receipt of the order in advance.
The order then slipped her mind as she was too busy with work.
Li received the items on Nov 27. The seller also gave her one pair of doll’s eyes for free.
However, Li said her doll hobby had changed over the past decade. She still goes to exhibitions and buys dolls, but would no longer wait for more than three months for delivery.
She had also already sold the doll that the eyes were made for and was not sure what to do with the eyes.
Li said she was able to receive them because she never changed her phone number.
The seller explained that delivery was delayed because hand-making takes time and the overseas maker demands top quality and would not sell flawed products.
She added that the supply of the raw materials needed to make the eyes fluctuated, prolonging the delivery time.
The seller had also stopped distributing the maker’s products in the past decade, but she had kept in contact with them about previous orders.
She said most of those who made orders 10 years ago had received the items they ordered.
The case triggered a heated online debate.
“The seller kept to the spirit of the contract,” one online observer said.
“The true spirit of contract should be delivering the bought goods in two years instead of 10,” said another.
“The buyer ended up with doll’s eyes she no longer needed any more. The seller should compensate for the delay,” said a third. - South China Morning Post
