BHS Aggressively and Covertly Trying to Sell OAPs Store Cards – Who do I complain to?

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barbarawright wrote: »

I'm 48 and I certainly didn't grow up with store cards. You don't think it's a little patronising to assume that all 72 year olds are incapable of understanding personal finance? This lady seems very capable indeed since she's managed her life without credit. It does amaze me when I see so many threads that seem to assume anyone over 60 is a complete idiot.

I agree with your post except that I am older than you and when I went to purchase something in M and S more than 30 years ago, they signed me up for their store card, so I have grown up with store cards

chris-j

I know most will know this but I am surprised a 48 year old was not brought up on Store Cards.
Store cards were probably at their peak in 80's and 90's where each store group (M&S, John Lewis, Burton Group, Storehouse, Frasers) issued their own branded cards which were only usable in their stores and some affiliates. These were true Store Cards. Lates 90's they started moving to Store branded Credit Cards which they pretty much all issue now and some staff still refer to these as Store Cards - they do tend to offer loyalty offers when used within the issuing store.
I think the big problem with BHS is that cashiers push these all the time. If OP has big issue still then suggest he goes into BHS and takes something to checkout and when they push card to him let them go through the spiel then see how inaccurate they are and complain.

shortcrust

WD40 wrote: »

I'm sure there are people in their hundreds who are financially savvy (there's a Wall St trader who's 104, according to a documentary I saw). The point is that she was being offered a Barclaycard credit card, the only difference between that and a credit card being that it's only valid in one shop.

It's obviously company policy to deny it being a 'credit card'. The whole setup stinks, quite frankly.

She was lied to, fact. The person who did it seriously deserves a punch in the face. If it had been a man, I would personally do it and take whatever consequences. The bad publicity resulting from any subsequent legal action they might take would be my revenge. I'm just gutted it's not a man.

I'd got some sympathy until this. How depressingly pathetic.

opinions4u

mo786uk wrote: »

they push the credit option because they make more than £30 in commission - its not surprising to think they over simplyfy things or mislead in order to get peopel to sign up

Regardless of what the store card company pay BHS your Mum was given the chance to save £30.

its not uncommon for older folk to be too trusting and take poeple at their word and/or not understand complex financial products.

It's not complex.

Mum gets store card. Shopping costs £30 less.

Mum gets bill. Pays bill in full. End of story.

The wording on the form, usually in bold print just above the customer signature said something along the lines of:

This is a credit agreement regulated by the Consumer Credit Act.

I'm not in favour of excluding over 70s from credit. I'm not in favour of shop staff failing to make customers aware of ways to save money. I'm not in favour of assuming all elderly people are confused and stupid.

Ragamuffin234

BHS are appalling, and anyone wanting to complain should write to:

[EMAIL="customer.service@arcadiagroup.co.uk"]customer.service@arcadiagroup.co.uk[/EMAIL]

dzug1

WD40 wrote: »

…

Should I go straight to the FOS or BHS first? I can’t see the latter giving any apology as it’s obviously company policy to lie to vulnerable ladies such as my mother.

Thanks in advance.

You cannot go to either. Neither should discuss the case at all with you. It's your mother who has to do the complaining.

OK you can write the letters for her if thats what she wants

And she cannot go to FOS until she has exhausted BHS's own complaints procedure.

Smedders11

So you're annoyed that your mother was offered a £30 discount? You clearly just getting angry for no reason. As people have said, it's BHS's store policy to try and sell the cards to any customer -don't begrudge someone doing their job. I'd personally be annoyed if my mother was discriminated against and not offered the option.

Besides, store cards are usually a little bit better than 'proper' credit cards as they can have good rates (Argos cards 3-, 6- and 9(12?)-month interest-free period).

You need to get over your anger and realise that your mother wasn't preyed upon, but was simple offered a store product. The subsequent circumstances are unfortunate due to the distress it caused her, but that is not BHS's fault.

SingleSue

sophieschoice wrote: »

Don't be ridiculous. They haven't grown up with store cards. If stores push the 'loyalty' factor they think they're getting a Nectar or Clubcard.

My mum certainly knows what they are and would be aghast (and rather annoyed with me), if I thought of her as some little old lady who couldn't think for herself. Mum may have been a housewife for pretty much all her life with dad arranging the lion share of the finances but she reads pretty widely and now knows more than dad!

N1AK

sophieschoice wrote: »

Don't be ridiculous. They haven't grown up with store cards. If stores push the 'loyalty' factor they think they're getting a Nectar or Clubcard.

My Grandparents are in their mid-80s and perfectly cpable of understanding, choosing and using both credit cards and or store cards. Not everyone is the same and I agree with some other posters who think it would be acceptable for age (ignoring other factors) to be sued to discriminate.

With respect to OP. It took an hour on the phone to calm down and re-assure her that a Barclaycard rejection letter wasn't a big deal. While I'm sorry that your mother had a stressful experience it's not her age, but her upbringing, history etc that made it such a stressful experience.

Finally, having dealt with examples of similar stories with elderly relatives before I'm afraid I have a limited belief in the version of events they often recall. I've overheard conversations that very clearly included statements to then be told adamantly that it wasn't said by great aunts (often made worse by their refusal to use hearing aids).

bengal-stripe

sophieschoice wrote: »

Don't be ridiculous. They haven't grown up with store cards. If stores push the 'loyalty' factor they think they're getting a Nectar or Clubcard.

Isn't it you who is being ridiculous?

Nobody (over the age of 21) has grown up with loyalty cards. The first loyalty card (Tesco) was introduced in 1995.

Barclaycard (the first main-stream credit card) was introduced here in 1966 and store accounts (with or without a card) have been around since Victorian times.