Lom Bok refusing to give change from gift vouchers

stark2

I recently bought £150 of gift vouchers for my wife from Lom Bok and we just went to try and spend some of them. There weren't all that many items that she wanted right now and so she was just going to get a bowl that cost £25.

No problem we thought, handed over one of the 3 £50 vouchers that she had, and were told that they would not give any change at all. Not in cash, nor vouchers nor store credit of any kind. This despite the fact that I could just as easily have asked to have the vouchers in £10 or £25 denominations when I bought them, and was genuinely trying to be helpful to them in taking the larger denominations.

Is this really legal? I understand that they can say they won't give cash back as change, but can I really be in a situation whereby I have to spend an exact multiple of £50 to avoid getting ripped off by either paying over more cash to top up a voucher, or giving up any change we should be receiving?

Does anyone have any ideas of how best to tackle this? I was wondering what would happen if I bought something for £150 and then took it back - would they not have to give store credit which I could then use in smaller divisions?

EDIT: As an aside, these were bought on a credit card - what chance I can get the transaction reversed through them?

~Beanie~

Most retailers don't give change from vouchers and it usually states this on the back or in the T&C's somewhere.

If you bought something for £150 and took it back, they do not have to give you store credit or a refund unless there is something wrong with the item. Could be worth a try taking something back and asking for smaller denominations but it is a risk.

I doubt that the credit card co will be interested, there isn't actually any problem with the vouchers and the company haven't gone bust or anything have they.

Can't your wife just hang on to them until there is something that she wants?

advent1122

I never understand the gift voucher malarky.
Buying them for your wife is just plain odd.
I usually give gift vouchers as presents. The vouchers I give contain the queens head and can be spent in any shop, you also get given change. It is called cash.

RobertoMoir

stark2 wrote: »

Is this really legal? I understand that they can say they won't give cash back as change, but can I really be in a situation whereby I have to spend an exact multiple of £50 to avoid getting ripped off by either paying over more cash to top up a voucher, or giving up any change we should be receiving?

This is how voucher schemes normally work. I haven't seen anything in your description of the situation that I would describe as unusual, other the fact that you're not aware of common retail practice (and presumably, T&Cs printed on the vouchers you've purchased... actually, that's a point. It does mention in the T&Cs for these vouchers that this how they work, right? If not then you might have some grounds for complaint.).

stark2 wrote: »

Does anyone have any ideas of how best to tackle this?

Frankly, chalk it up to one of life's lessons and move on.

stark2 wrote: »

I was wondering what would happen if I bought something for £150 and then took it back - would they not have to give store credit which I could then use in smaller divisions?

What would your reason for returning something be? I don't think you can require them to take goods back because you've 'changed your mind'.

stark2 wrote: »

EDIT: As an aside, these were bought on a credit card - what chance I can get the transaction reversed through them?

Well you could ask your credit card company this. The worst they can do is say no. With the greatest of respect, I kinda hope that is what they say, because frankly I think you're the one at fault here. Sorry, I know that isn't what you want to hear, but I have to call it how I see it.

pulliptears

In fairness to the OP, when I have used a £50 voucher before I have received change in vouchers.

OP states the store does issue lower denomination vouchers so it wouldnt be a huge stretch for them to take the £50 voucher in exchange for the £25 bowl and give her a £25 voucher in change.

RobertoMoir

So have I pulliptears. But depending on the T&Cs of their voucher scheme they don't have to do this. I personally wouldn't go back to a place that behaved in this manner once I had used the vouchers up, but the OP wanted to know if what they were doing is legal, not if it made people feel warm inside.

Essentially vouchers are monopoly money, and (within broad limits) the people running the scheme get to set the house rules for a game on their board. Think of all those modern "voucher" schemes with a charge card that have even more awkward T&Cs and the like.

stark2

Pulliptears is seeing this from my angle, but I accept everyone's point of view here. I accept that gift vouchers are fundamentally a rip-off, even if these aren't particularly any worse than any others. However, the refusal to even give change in gift vouchers is something I have never come across before. There is nothing in terms and conditions on the voucher about the situation, and nothing on the website terms and conditions which the voucher refers to.

There has to be some law the governs what is and isn't allowable with gift vouchers when not specifically referenced in terms and conditions. If the answer is always "well, they didn't say anything about giving change in their terms and conditions therefore they can do what they want" then some sort of reasonable expectation must be that change is given in store credit/vouchers.

Also, if terms and conditions aren't available at the point of sale, how can a customer be held to have accepted them?

For me, this goes beyond the usual crappy deal that you get with vouchers and in to a whole new and unreasonable level and I don't think it's acceptable.

pulliptears

RobertoMoir wrote: »

So have I pulliptears. But depending on the T&Cs of their voucher scheme they don't have to do this. I personally wouldn't go back to a place that behaved in this manner once I had used the vouchers up, but the OP wanted to know if what they were doing is legal, not if it made people feel warm inside.

Essentially vouchers are monopoly money, and (within broad limits) the people running the scheme get to set the house rules for a game on their board. Think of all those modern "voucher" schemes with a charge card that have even more awkward T&Cs and the like.

Oh aye, dont disagree, but it does seem a tad stringent. Never heard of this store before, but it may be worth a letter to head office asking to change the voucher into smaller denominations.

FWIW I hate vouchers myself, always seem to end up buying something I dont really want or need for the sake of it.

I know you can sell them on, so maybe ebay them or try this site?
http://www.creditnotes.co.uk/why_sell_vouchers.asp

RobertoMoir

stark2 wrote: »

Pulliptears is seeing this from my angle, but I accept everyone's point of view here. I accept that gift vouchers are fundamentally a rip-off, even if these aren't particularly any worse than any others. However, the refusal to even give change in gift vouchers is something I have never come across before. There is nothing in terms and conditions on the voucher about the situation, and nothing on the website terms and conditions which the voucher refers to.

There has to be some law the governs what is and isn't allowable with gift vouchers when not specifically referenced in terms and conditions. If the answer is always "well, they didn't say anything about giving change in their terms and conditions therefore they can do what they want" then some sort of reasonable expectation must be that change is given in store credit/vouchers.

Also, if terms and conditions aren't available at the point of sale, how can a customer be held to have accepted them?

For me, this goes beyond the usual crappy deal that you get with vouchers and in to a whole new and unreasonable level and I don't think it's acceptable.

I've seen this (refusal to give 'change' of any kind I mean) before. What I would say is that if this isn't made clear then I think you certainly do have grounds for complaint. That's quite different from the T&Cs being available and you not reading them (of course, no one does until afterwards!). I'd suggest a letter to head office if the fork and spoon operators in the local store aren't helpful.

lynzpower

have you ran this by consumer direct to see if its legal?

pulliptears

Interestingly, they sell the vouchers on their site:

http://www.lombok.co.uk/Gift-vouchers-PVOUCHERS/

All it says is:

For security reasons the maximum amount that can be purchased in one transaction is £200.
Gift vouchers can be redeemed instore or via phone. Vouchers cannot be used to pay online at present.

Been through the terms and conditions on the site as well and it doesnt mention OP's problem anywhere.