WARNING - WHSmiths gift vouchers rip off

dmg24

tomwakefield wrote: »

If that's the case, it changes matters, in my opinion. If, according to the terms, there is no time limit, then no time limit should be imposed, whether fair or unfair.

The OP said that the website stated that they do expire.

dmg24

BBurkill wrote: »

No matter how much its worth, its still in my bank...

And my goodwill comment was a TIC comment against a previous poster

But, instead of picking out bits of text and quoting them out of context, please do answer:

WHY SHOULD THEY EXPIRE?? What does it cost WhSmith to keep them open??

They expire for accounting reasons. The retailer cannot be expected to carry over your credit each year.

Freddie_Snowbits

BBurkill wrote: »

WHY SHOULD THEY EXPIRE?? What does it cost WhSmith to keep them open??

In business, the £50 voucher is a debt, which must be repaid at some time in the future, when the voucher is redeemed. While they would effectively have taken the cash on the day of purchase, they cannot forever hold onto the 'cash', as eventually this must be repaid at anytime (On demand). To put a time limit on this debt means, that after a period of time, in this case two years, the debt to the company is paid off and the £50 becomes theirs.

Just because the creditor (Voucher holder) did not take the opportunity to cash in their voucher in this time, is not the issuers fault. I offer 30 day vouchers at various times of the year for my business to encourage a through flow of work. If I made these with no expiry date, I would be not be able to control when some vouchers are redeemed

vetfred

BBurkill wrote: »

Why is it a fair amount of time?? If I had £50.00 in my bank and its intention was to buy something from WHSmiths at sometime, how long would WhSmith give me to spend it with them?? If I didnt spend it in two years, would they take the money out of my account??

Gift vouchers are technically an exchange for cash, where you hand over cash at no interest in exchange for a bit of plastic. Why should there be any time limit on using it?. Does it cost WhSmiths money to hold onto the cash deposited, or does it assist with their cash flow??

As for WhSmiths offering me goodwill and allowing me to shop with them.. I think I will politely decline the generous offer, and go to another retailer whom (in my view) offers me better terms.

And as you say the website does say "There is no time limit".. I think I missed that. I will go and check.

I cannot be bothered anymore with Smiths. Its fifty quid down the drain. Hey ho. But it made me realise just whose advantage the gift cards are designed for, and the terms and conditions are weighted against the consumer. Its pure cash for the retailer, in their account until spent.

It does raise the question WHY do they expire??

My post was to try and help you by directing you to text on their website which shows the apparent stance of Smiths in relation to current gift vouchers available on their website contradicts the one they have shown you, rather than to debate a rather strange comparison between being given 2 years to spend a voucher and having £50 in your bank account set aside for a WHSmith purchase.

Some people feel vouchers should be valid forever, some understand that there may be reasons why this is not the case. If something has a point at which it loses its validity then, once it's lost its validity, I would personally be happy to be given £50 to use in the store but if you wouldn't be happy with that anyway, then there's little point going back to their website to check anything I wrote really.

moggylover

heatherw_01 wrote: »

They should print an expiry date on the voucher if they expire!

In VERY large print;) . Sorry to all those who think you are doing something really okay in having gift vouchers that expire but I think you really need to check out your morals! If you have had the money, then hand over the goods. OTHERWISE, make sure that the notice regarding the expiry is as large as the advert trying to flog em!!!!;)

This is the second such thread that I have read since coming to MSE, and because of it I have read the T&C's more closely and three local businesses have missed out this year because I refused to purchase their vouchers. I explained why, got snotty attitudes about it being "bad business practice" to have the vouchers hanging around forever, and pointed out to them that since they have already taken the cash it is absolutely NO skin off their nose when they are used and that having an expiry date (which always seems to be well hidden and small;) ) they are merely scamming!

I suspect that there are many vouchers given out each year that sit about unused for some time - I suspect that some clever clogs actually sat down and analysed the data as to how many and how long and the optimum date at which to set expiry in order to "steal" the amount paid:D

Sharp practice as far as I am concerned is the "nicest" way I can put it - but it is theft to all intents and purposes and shops and businesses that operate this way should be ashamed of themselves.

madtrekker

BBurkill wrote: »

WHY SHOULD THEY EXPIRE?? What does it cost WhSmith to keep them open??

I think that it's probably for electronic record purposes. Since stores have started using the newer style gift cards (like a credit card), some kind of database needs to keep track of the remaining balance on each card. If they were valid indefinately, the datebase would get huge and unmanageable. Therefore, any cards with a balance unused after 2 years would be wiped from the database.

I know this is too late for you now, but for anyone else reading this, you can buy new gift cards with old ones so if you have some that are due to expire and you haven't seen something you want to buy, just swap for a new one of the same value.

nobblyned

Good article on the topic, if a little old:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2006/apr/29/consumernews.moneysupplement

Would appear that a number of consumer experts agree with the OP, on the basis of an unfair contract term, unless the expiry is spelt out clearly at the time of purchase.

They go on to wonder why no one has taken a retailer to small claims court. My guess would be that it happens but the retailers settle outside court so as to avoid setting a precedent.

OP, that looks like the route if you want to make a nuisance of yourself with WHS.

Heinz

BBurkill wrote: »

A five pound note is a credit note for five pounds.. And that never expires.

And I've found you don't have to spend it in one particular shop - lots of people accept them!

reehsetin

nobblyned wrote: »

They go on to wonder why no one has taken a retailer to small claims court.

I imagine because the holder of the voucher is not usually the purchaser, if they are not the same person than the holder did not have a contract with the retailer so cannot claim the loss of anything!

chuckley

BBurkill wrote: »

OK, Maybe I am a little steamed up.. And I do/did admit I am partially to blame for not using the cards. Maybe I should not have used the word "Rip Off". But my aim was to bring this to the attention of others such as I, who do not always read the small print and simply did not realise that the cards expire.

However, I still feel they should not expire and that the attitude of WHSmiths leaves a little to be desired, especially as I requested that the £50.00 be donated to Cancer charity, rather than them simply keep it themselves.

doesnt matter what u think. their have a giftcard policy, which the card/vouchers stated.

2 years and u didnt find time to spend?! how about magazines on a weekly?! magazine subscription?! dvds/games/cd's, back to school stationary?! xmas pressies... bd pressies...

ur life must be a hella busy if u couldnt find time to use them in TWO years...