Is it a marketing ploy? A publicity stunt? A prankster with lots of money to throw around? A benefactor with bizarre tastes? Or something else?
Whatever it is, university student unions across Canada are perplexed by the anonymous Amazon-delivered packages they have been receiving over the past few months.
That includes the Trent Central Student Association (TCSA) at Trent University in Peterborough, which tells kawarthaNOW they have been receiving the packages from the online retailer since last November.
“This past week we’ve gotten packages every single day,” the TCSA says via Facebook message. “We receive several packages each week. Sometimes one item a day, sometimes multiple.”
CBC News first reported on Saturday (January 27) that several university student unions have been receiving the packages, including Ryerson in Toronto, the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Dalhousie in Halifax, St. Francis Xavier in Nova Scotia, Wilfrid Laurier in Waterloo, Royal Roads in Victoria, and the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg.
The items arrive in Amazon packaging, but without any indication who sent them. Some of the products include sex toys such as vibrators, digital scales, smart phone and tablet cases, charging cords, wireless earbuds, turntables, and more.
The TCSA says they have also received similar items, as well as “dog toys, essential oil diffusers, a beading kit, and a watch.”
Ryerson University’s independent student newspaper The Eyeopener first reported the packages in a story from January 16th. According to the story by Alanna Rizza, the student union at Ryerson began receiving the packages in September, shortly after orientation week.
Some of the other university student unions have contacted Amazon to find out who is sending the packages, but Amazon has been unwilling to share customer information for privacy reasons. However, the company did confirm that some of the items were purchased using gift cards, which are untraceable.
CBC News has also contacted Amazon about the mystery packages, which requested photos of some of the shipping labels. CBC says Amazon is still investigating.
