Freebie Successes by Letter / Email - What have you recieved? (merged)

clutterydrawer

This wasn't mine, my friend did it...but it's genius...

You know those sweets that are shaped like teeth and toothbrushes? (You will if you have kids!)

She phoned to say her pack was all teeth and no brushes, and they sent her a big box of assorted packs of sweets to apologise

clutterydrawer

Oh i jsut remembered my best ever...failed to get tickets for a gig in time....so me and my two friends waited outside on the night with a handdrawn sign saying something along the lines of "please sell us your spare tickets"

No one had any, but the band saw and put us on the guestlist out of pity

i got a bag of really good hay for my rabbits too by emailing to say that i wanted to try a new type of hay without comitting to buying a whole bale.

kim_ley

I got two car seats a baby carrier and two travel cots, countless full size make up products, £30 sainsburys vouchers £50 amazon I won a fionda lbd worth £120 a MASSIVE chocolate hamper worth well over £60 and much much more

catmiaow

Come on people tell me your secrets. I get some stuff for free but not this good.

Silent_Mule

Virgin Trains deliberately conned me out of £360 - be warned!!!!

Here is the sequence of events:

1. I bought a ticket online at www.virgintrains.co.uk on Friday 21 November, for outbound travel on 25 November, return travel on 27 November 2008.
2. I was in New York when I booked the ticket so I selected e-ticket as the delivery method – believing that there was not enough time to have a physical ticket delivered.
3. In the early hours of Sunday morning I lost the credit card that I used to pay for the ticket, in New York (along with my mobile phone and a couple of other items).
4. I realised the loss on Sunday and reported the card missing on the same day. I know where it is but, as I was i mid-air, there was no chance of retrieving
5. Being aware of the requirement to use the same card as booked with the ticket, I called Virgin Trains (once on the ground) to ask what alternative identification could be used. I was told that there was no other suitable form of identification that could be used. I spent the next 45 minutes on an expensive 0870 number speaking to various people trying to explain that it was physically impossible for me to present that card as it was in New York and I was in London.
6. I explained that I could produce – the most recent credit card statement for the card; my passport; and my driving licence so as to, absolutely, beyond all reasonable doubt, establish my identity, along with numerous other cards linked to the same account. I was told that even if I took all of these I would be denied access to the train.
7. I was advised that I should get a crime reference number from the police. I pointed out that, as no crime had been committed, to do so would be to commit fraud, possibly perjury, and could be construed as wasting police time. Personally, I am not keen on committing any of those offences.
8. I was told that I should try to speak with the ticket office at Euston station.
9. I went to the ticket office and produced a) the e-ticket, b) a print out of the confirmation e-mail with my reference number, c) my driving licence, d) a copy of the credit card statement, for the card used to purchase the ticket, with my name and address on.
11. The ticket clerk informed me that there was nothing he could do but went to get his supervisor. (Fair enough, he's a junior and may want a senior opinion.)
12. The supervisor came and informed me that the only option was to purchase a new ticket.
13. I explained to the supervisor that I had been advised to check with the ticket office when I got to the station to see if anything could be done.
14. His response was “why would they tell you that?”.
15. My reply was, “I have no idea, but they did”. Er, I cannot be expected to understand why people at Virgin Trains would make a recommendation on anything.
16. Again I was told that my only option was to buy a new ticket.
17. I pointed out to him that, in my view, this represented a flaw in Virgin Train’s policies – for example, if I had been unfortunate enough to be mugged on the way to the station but still had my ticket Virgin’s policies would effectively add to my stress.
18. The supervisor agreed that this might be a flaw but that he was not able to do anything to help me. Again, my only option was to buy a new ticket.
19. I asked whether this represented a breach of contract by Virgin Trains and was told by the supervisor that, actually, I was the one in breach for having lost my credit card and that if I wanted to make it a legal issue I was welcome to but the law was on Virgin Train’s side. (So, if a customer loses a credit card, or has it stolen, it would seem that the view of Virgin Trains is that the customer is committing a breach of contract - interesting!)
20. At this point, I realised that the only way I would be allowed to board the train would be by buying a new ticket.
21. The supervisor left and I asked the clerk for a new ticket.
22. I was absolutely gobsmacked to be charged £360 – especially given that the original purchase had been £95.50 AND given the fact that Virgin Trains Customer Service advised me to talk to the station staff on the day! (A scam? Certainly seems that way.)
23. I then said “this is turning into a f***ing nightmare”. It is important to note that this comment was not directed in any way at the ticketing clerk (or anyone else) and was said in a calm voice. It was directed at the situation. I should also point out that this is not just a case of my word against one of their employees. I have a witness who has said that he will gladly stand up in court and verify my side of the story.
24. The ticketing clerk told me that if I swore again he would have me arrested, removed from the station, and I would be refused travel on this and ALL future Virgin Trains.
25. I asked on what grounds I would be arrested. I was simply met with the same comment, i.e. that if I swore again I would be arrested.
26. In the end I feel I was forced, unfairly, to buy a new ticket and that in the process I was made to feel worthless as a Virgin Trains customer

Note, I have to travel to Manchester every week; New York every month; Nigeria on a frequent basis. I shall do everything in my power to ensure that I never use a Virgin service of any sort ever again! EVER! And, as CEO of my company, I am making it corporate policy that we never use virgin unless there is no alternative and then that we book through another provider so as to at least deprive Virgin of any commission and thereby reduce their profits by as much as humanly possible.

In my view this lack of ability to utilise another form of identification with the e-ticket:

a) Represents a flaw in Virgin’s policies that cause unnecessary stress and suffering to innocent passengers
b) Penalises people who, more than 24 hours before departure, genuinely try to sort out a logistical problem


I would also think this whole process is an abuse of position. I am the CEO of a multinational company and were I to treat my customers in this way I would soon lose them. I can only imagine that either a) the process has not been properly thought out, or b) the fact that they have a captive audience means that they don’t feel that they need to pay due attention to the needs of their customers.

(And all of this stress has been caused because I had the temerity to lose my credit card!)

Interestingly, every single person I have relayed this story to has a similar tale of woe relating to Virgin Trains. That does lead me to believe that Richard Branson has more than an inkling and has allowed this abuse to occur in his watch. It makes me feel that he is not to be trusted in any of his businesses.

Anyone know what my legal position is? Under Gordon Brown's watch, I suspect I have no rights! (Apart from voting against Labour in the next election!)

pinkpr1nc3ss wrote: »

After a mix up with Virgin trains which was mainly due to the person I spoke to not speaking very good english and me have a strong scottish accent I complained. I got my money back and have been offered 3 complimentary train tickets. I've just to let them know at least 14 days in advance of my journey where and when I'd like to go :T:T:T

I've written to Tesco today to complain about a tin of rice pudding being off when I opened it last night despite it being well in advance of its date. I enclosed the label too which smelt as bad as the product inside the tin, I'm sure they'll thank me for that :rotfl:

redroo555

yes, we need to know what you said to get such good gifts!!!!!

hayleythedaisy

I'm not sure if this is a blag or a nuisance... but back when BT home hubs were the super cool thing I managed to get 4 - by not being in for the 1st delivery! How fab!

Also got 5000 points at boots (£50) just by sweet talking the girl when her till broke in to re scanning my points voucher when she had to rescan my stuff.

OH got a free Ipod - first delivery never turned up, so they refunded and delivered again.

Got loads of free stuff with a magazine because a hitch on their website meant it was showing the wrong subscription promotion, got 6 issues, free hair porducts worth over £30, make up worth over £28, a Vase :-S and 4 disposable cameras with development tokens.

Among others....

calender2008

catmiaow wrote: »

Come on people tell me your secrets. I get some stuff for free but not this good.

yeah!! spill the beans!!!:D

discobaby

kim_ley wrote: »

I got two car seats a baby carrier and two travel cots, countless full size make up products, £30 sainsburys vouchers £50 amazon I won a fionda lbd worth £120 a MASSIVE chocolate hamper worth well over £60 and much much more

How on earth did you manage to blag all that free baby stuff Kim-ley and a £120 dress, please give me some of your skills or send me your dress lol

InfamyInfamy

Years ago I belonged to a make up club. They had a special offer on that if you introduced a friend you got a then (1980s) state of the art hairdryer with all the accessories. I sent off a mates details and then waited over 3 months with no reply. So I phoned & complained & waited. Then I wrote and complained & waited. Then 3 hairdryers arrived in the space of a week!!!

Yesterday in Sainsburys my son wanted a memory card for his phone which looked to be reduced to £8.99. We bought one but when I looked at the reciept I had been charged £14.99. I complained & it looked like it had been put in the wrong place BUT she refunded me £6 odd. It was reduced anyway so would have been £17.99 and I got loads of extra Nectar points!!
:j