Shops that sell “mystery parcels” might be one of your missing packages from eCommerce sites like Lazada and Shopee.

Have you ever ordered from Lazada or Shopee, and realized that your packages have gone missing and are nowhere to be found? There’s a recent rise of a business that involves “mystery parcels”.

These packages are usually those that are usually either unclaimed or returned by the buyer. However, the recent rise of these mystery parcels in the Philippines came at a time when local groups filed a complaint to DTI regarding missing packages and delayed deliveries.

While mystery parcels have been there since 2021–it was even featured on a Public Affairs TV show–it still remains to be seen if this kind of business is legal or not. The reason for that is these parcels might be stolen–and were not shipped to the buyers intentionally.

These mystery parcels can be a burden to both seller and buyer, as both lose money every time a package goes missing–though there are instances that eCommerce platforms like Lazada and Shopee make the effort to refund the items to the aggrieved parties.

We do hope that both the government and eCommerce platforms look into this matter, so that they can address the instances of missing packages that don’t make it to the buyer–but end up elsewhere.