Argos Giftcard Issues

lateandlive

Hi All,

We recently moved into a new house, and as it was our first property my parents bought us a selection of electrical items from Argos. Amongst them was a Russell Hobbs microwave (item number 400/7470 if you're interested!) which we installed and used.

After around a month to 6 weeks it gave up the ghost and stopped heating things. To the naked eye it works fine; the ONLY thing wrong with it is that food comes out as cold as when it went in.

Unfortunately, the receipt seems to have been thrown away in the boxes and boxes of stuff that's gone to the tip during the move, however we did still have the giftcard itself and the microwave was in noticeably good condition.

My Mum approached Argos in store, and queried the problem, to which the cashiers reasoning was that they couldn't trace the giftcard because it was useable in other stores in their group and not just Argos. Having emailed them, this seems to be the case - although it's a swipeable, individually numbered card they can't trace anything it's been used to purchase. This was confirmed when I contacted their customer servuces department.

Whilst I can appreciate the amount of giftcards they sell (and therefore data they'd have to store!) - does it not seem a tad pointless in a company of that size not to be able to trace them if you're going to bother numbering them?

I worked for 6 years for a large retailer, and although we personally couldn't trace the giftcards we used in store, I could phone Head Office and they could. Surreal!

Timalay

A bank statement can be used a proof of purchase (if they paid by card).

jb66

It's not in there interest to trace them I suppose

unholyangel

Hmmm would an argos receipt state it was paid by gift card (and the gift card number).

If it did, and your parents can remember the date/time they bought the item, they could ask the store in question to check their copy of the receipt. The problem you may have is convincing them to do this

Although, directgov website does say:
You will need some ‘proof of purchase’ to return faulty items to a shop such as:
a receipt
a bank statement
the shop’s packaging
a witness – someone who saw you buy it

I've skimmed through the SoGA and cant see anything to contradict this.