TikToker Ava Louise Received Used Hygiene Products From Amazon — But She's Not The Only One
Not cool, Amazon.
Frederic Legrand / Shutterstock Recently, TikTok influencer Ava Louise shared a shocking discovery she made in her Amazon package.
The 22-year-old’s video has garnered over one million views on TikTok after she shared her less-than-pleasant experience with Amazon.
Despite her previously questionable TikTok challenges, in her video, Ava Louise explained that she received a package she had ordered two days prior.
She said the package had not been tampered with and everything appeared normal... until she opened it.
Ava Louise discovered that Amazon had sent her used, blood-soaked feminine hygiene products.
When she opened the package, she “noticed a foul smell coming from the packaging.” The influencer said, “When I opened the packaging, I noticed dried blood and not one, but three blood-soaked period pads.”
After making this discovery, Ava Louise called Amazon customer service, who told her that the delivery had been packaged in an Amazon warehouse and not by an independent vendor. The influencer was also told by Amazon that “this stuff happens.”
She was offered a $10 credit towards future purchases and a refund on her order.
In her video, Ava Louise noted that she brought the incident to TikTok because “Amazon needs to be held accountable.” She speculated that the used products were packaged perhaps due to a worker protesting her working conditions, or an employee who was too scared to take a bathroom break due to fear of being fired.
The TikToker said she will be suing Amazon and is having the police DNA test everything to identify who put the sanitary napkins in her package. “Sending this in the mail is dangerous and illegal,” she added.
But Ava Louise isn't the first person to receive used hygiene products in their Amazon packages.
Many users responded to the TikToker, sharing their similar experiences. It turns out that several other people have received used hygiene products in their Amazon packages.
In January of 2020, a family in Jersey City, New Jersey received used diapers in their Amazon delivery.
Nassly Sales, the Jersey City mom, had ordered two boxes of diapers from the “Amazon Warehouse” section of the company’s site. This section of the site allows customers to purchase items that have been previously opened and returned at a discounted price.
The family revealed a similar experience to Ava Louise's after speaking with Amazon customer service.
“They were like ‘Okay, sorry for your inconvenience, we will give you a refund. You’re more than welcome to keep the stuff, you don’t need to return it,’” Sales said.
The family believed the substance in the package was fecal matter, but did not have it tested.
Amazon's response to these incidents has been subpar.
Amazon’s warehouse conditions have often been rumored to be uncomfortable and even dangerous for their workers.A UK reporter went undercover in an Amazon factory in 2018 and was able to expose some of the conditions Amazon employees suffer.
Many Amazon warehouse workers are forced to skip bathroom breaks, leading them to use bottles or wear diapers. The workers fear that if they are to take bathroom breaks, they will be disciplined for "idling" and potentially lose their jobs. Even Amazon drivers have resorted to urinating in water bottles.
In response to the backlash regarding their hazardous working conditions, Amazon introduced a WorkingWell Program, which aims to reduce workplace injuries and allow employees to feel more comfortable in their workplace.
The company even installed ZenBooths in warehouses to encourage workers to engage in mindful practices that can recharge their internal battery.
It still remains unclear how many ZenBooths will be placed in warehouses and how often employees will be allowed to use them without fear of termination or backlash.
Perhaps if, rather than installing "mindfulness" contraptions in their warehouses, Amazon actually gave their workers a living wage and free access to use a bathroom, these incidents might disappear altogether.
Livvie Brault is a writer who covers self-love, news and entertainment and relationships.