A third-party seller on Amazon was caught charging £199 for same-day or next-day delivery of a home-cooling product priced at just £14 during the UK's red-weather alert heatwave. The heatwave, expected to peak on June 25, 2026, saw temperatures soar to 36.1°C in Gosport, Hampshire, the hottest June day on record, surpassing a 50-year record.
Red Heat Health Warning in Effect
A red heat health warning for extreme heat, signifying “a risk to life for even the healthy population,” remains in effect for much of southern England and Wales. British Weather Services' senior meteorologist Jim Dale said: “The heat index, which is a combination of temperature and humidity, could well be 10°C more than the actual air temperature. So when we say 40°C, if it ever reaches that, it will feel like 50°C, and that's why there's going to be a problem.”
Amazon Investigating Seller's Exorbitant Fee
The item in question was a hose for a portable air conditioner, ordinarily priced at £12. These hoses consist of a large white tube positioned out of a window to ventilate and cool a room. A screenshot shows the product listed with a £199 delivery charge. An Amazon spokesperson said: “Amazon has not raised delivery fees. This relates to one seller, who we're urgently investigating. No customer should have this kind of experience. Our Fair Pricing Policy strictly prohibit sellers from charging excessively high prices on products and shipping and we take swift action against any seller who does not comply with this policy, up to and including account suspension.”
The seller, identified as guangzhou jincongdianzishangwu youxiangongsi (also known as Manolyee), has no verifiable contact details online. The same £199 delivery fee was also applied to cooling pet mats, neck cooling fans, and children's toys.
Customers Complain of Late Deliveries Despite High Fees
Reviews on the seller's page reveal numerous customers paid for same-day or next-day delivery but did not receive orders on time. One customer stated: “Paid over £200 in delivery charged to receive item on the same day because of red weather alert today and tomorrow. It hasn't arrived. Very disappointed. Won't be using Amazon again.” Another said: “I ordered it because it was supposed to be next day. I log in today to check on time only to find that the next day is not 24 June, but July 9. Cancelling my order now.”
Amazon replied to both customers, saying: “The fulfilment issues associated with this order were not due to the seller.” Amazon confirmed both customers received refunds after their orders could not be fulfilled. The steep delivery charges emerged as fans, air conditioning units, blackout blinds, cooling blankets, and other goods sold out across multiple platforms.
