An Illinois TikTok creator says he has spent months buying 110-pound anvils on Amazon.com and sending them back for free, a viral stunt he claims will "overthrow Amazon.com."
Illinois Creator’s Viral Stunt Tests Amazon's Free-Returns Policy Limits
The videos have earned millions of views but little evidence of corporate damage, while critics say the gambit mostly creates waste and headaches for delivery workers and small sellers.
Posting as "Johnbo Stockwell," the comedian shows a string of Vevor anvil purchases, each just under $230 and same-day return labels.
"Until someone does something about it," he says, he'll keep ordering and shipping them back. Amazon's policy generally lets customers return most items within 30 days if they're unused, with many listings offering free returns.
Workers Reveal Why The Effort Doesn’t Hurt Amazon Much
Netizens are not all amused. Reddit forums for Amazon employees and UPS drivers called the bit wasteful and suggested it likely hurts a third-party seller more than the e-commerce giant. One thread pointed to a marketplace merchant tied to the 110-pound model.
The prank also revived a familiar debate over "free" returns. Security researchers and retail analysts note that viral refund schemes often generate social-media clout while pushing real costs onto merchants through shipping, processing and write-downs on returned inventory.
A Cybernews report of Stockwell's clips flagged the environmental toll and warned that convenience economics tends to land hardest on small businesses.
Return Fraud Has Been On A Consistent Rise
Industry data suggest the behavior is not victimless. Retailers absorbed roughly $100 billion in return fraud in 2023, and an estimated $24.5 billion during the 2023 holiday season alone, according to figures cited by trade groups and analytics firms. Those losses can trigger tighter policies and higher prices for everyone.
Amazon, meanwhile, has been squeezing logistics costs and expanding automation, all trends analysts say could blunt some abuse but won't erase the expense of heavy, boomerang shipments.
Photo: bluestork / Shutterstock
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