Can you refuse to accept an order in Japan?

About 2 weeks ago, I ordered chocolates from my friend's favorite chocolate company for her birthday (expensive - 3,000 yen). I set the delivery date to July 12th, but I made a mistake - on that date her birthday will be over and on top of that she will have left the country. So on that same day I emailed them to ask to change the delivery date to July 8th. No one responded. I emailed two more times but no response. I called once, but no one answered.

Finally, today I called again and got someone. I said I just want to cancel the order, since no one is responding. They told me there is nothing they can do to cancel the order OR change the date, and that I will receive the chocolates on July 12th and must pay for them then (including cooling fees). The delivery date is 8 days away so clearly they haven't sent them yet - they are simply refusing to cancel my order.

Can companies do this in Japan?! It seems absurd to me, but I got tired of talking about it in Japanese and eventually hung up.

Is there an option to refuse to accept the order when it comes?

Thank you.

The shop's reaction seems a bit too inflexible - but maybe it was a special product, with only a certain quantity made on specific dates or something? Maybe freshly made chocolates from a very popular shop or something? Did the order page (if you placed the order via internet or mail order) specifically say that no change/cancellation allowed?

From the way you write, I am assuming that the order will be sent to you (not to your friend's), and that you are supposed to pay cash-on-delivery?

If you refuse to accept it, the poor delivery company guy would have no choice but to take it back... and after that might contact the shop. In the eyes of the shop, if they had mentioned "no order change/cancellation please" in advance, you cannot argue that you tried to cancel it.

Maybe just accept it, and treat yourself to some nice chocolates?

As far as I know the website didn't say anything about no cancellations - then again my kanji reading is not so good, though I can speak pretty fluently. An email I received said that if I wasn't the person who placed the order I should contact them immediately so they can cancel it. I guess I should have gone with that line... haha.

Anyway thanks for the advice, I live in a rural area and I know all the delivery men so if it's going to cause stress for them I guess I'll be eating some fancy chocolates!