WH Smith Gift Cards Rip Off

BlindJak

My mate bought me a £20 WH Smith gift card for my birthday and I immediately jumped on the website to buy some books. Having settled on three totalling £22.25 I tried to check out only to find that there is no place to enter the details of the gift card.

I phoned Smiths customer services and they confirmed that Gift Cards are not accepted via the website and I would have to use it in store. However, in store does not offer the same prices as the website and the same three books would cost me £30.97. IMO, this is a rip off as it erodes value and rips off the customer.

I’m sure that in the pack you buy there is ever such tiny print that explains this but lets face it when people buy gift certificates they expect that they are good across the whole company. And you can bet your life that this is not explicitly stated by the till staff at the time of purchase.

Once I warned my pals about this one also mentioned that Boarders do the same thing. So my advice is to not by vouchers this Xmas unless you’ve checked it can be spent across the whole business.

uktim29

BlindJak wrote: »

IMO, this is a rip off as it erodes value and rips off the customers.

IMO you're going over the top a bit!

BlindJak wrote: »

So my advice is to not by vouchers this Xmas unless you’ve checked it can be spent across the whole business.

My personal advice is don't buy vouchers because they're rubbish. If you're not going to buy a gift why not enclose a £20 where you can actually spend everywhere!!!!!

pig_let_cool

Im not sure i actually know of any store that accept gift cards online aswell!

Giftcards are used like cash, you cant spend cash online (in the physical form)
I wouldnt expect them to accept them so im not sure what your complaining about, at the end of the day youve got £20 for free here! dont be so ungrateful! you can still get something!

BlindJak

uktim29 wrote: »

IMO you're going over the top a bit!



My personal advice is don't buy vouchers because they're rubbish. If you're not going to buy a gift why not enclose a £20 where you can actually spend everywhere!!!!!

Fair enough, it’s all about opinion, but they have the £20 and make sure it can only be spent in store where products are more expensive. Thereby eroding the value of the £20 (it buys you less) and as the voucher is bought in expectation of it being used throughout WH Smith (although no doubt the rules are hidden in small print) it seems like a rip off to me.

BlindJak

pig_let_cool wrote: »

Im not sure i actually know of any store that accept gift cards online aswell!

Giftcards are used like cash, you cant spend cash online (in the physical form)
I wouldnt expect them to accept them so im not sure what your complaining about, at the end of the day youve got £20 for free here! dont be so ungrateful! you can still get something!

It's not that I'm ungrateful for the gift. I'm chuffed with it and let my mate know. And I will invariably by something else instead. What has caused me to get my knickers in a twist is that Smiths are over charging customers for whom they know have no choice in the matter. It’s not like I can vote with my feet, take the card and spend it on Amazon instead is it? Or even Smith own website for that matter!

DCFC79

How is the gift card a rip off, did it say on the card you could use it on the website ?, did you not think about checking first if it could be used on the website ?, maybe someone could confirm this but isnt the online store different from the high street store whioch would explain why the prices are cheaper on the internet

uktim29

DCFC79 wrote: »

maybe someone could confirm this but isnt the online store different from the high street store whioch would explain why the prices are cheaper on the internet

Yes it is, just like 99% of other companies out there WH Smiths online business is a seperate business to their high street one.

poppy_f1

pig_let_cool wrote: »

Im not sure i actually know of any store that accept gift cards online aswell!

Giftcards are used like cash, you cant spend cash online (in the physical form)
I wouldnt expect them to accept them so im not sure what your complaining about, at the end of the day youve got £20 for free here! dont be so ungrateful! you can still get something!

both dorothy perkins and debenhams allow you to use their gift cards online, however debenhams you cant have more than 1 payment type, so cant pay by gift card and the remainder by CC which sucks imo

vikingaero

Atomised wrote: »

It's time retailers let customers use their vouchers online! Most of the big shops refuse.
I can only think of Tesco's which lets you use clubcard vouchers online (I think)

Wait until you see an offer of the week and use it instore then.
The books I like are never on offer

Clubcard vouchers aren't really the same as Gift Vouchers.

John Lewis/Waitrose/Ocado allow you to use their GVs online.

Surely it works both ways. Sometimes things are cheaper instore, especially if they are clearance, and sometimes things are cheaper online.

hollydays

It would never occur to me to ty to use a gift voucher online.Whats the chances of you wanting something for exactly the same value.

omen666

Pay for the books with your debit/credit card, get them for the knockdown price of £22.95 and save £9 on the high street price and then voila you still have a full £30 in vouchers to spend instore on a subscription to Steam Railways monthly or Razzle.