Warning One4all gift cards

murphy91

A friend bought a gift care for my birthday November 2012,
I lost the card but found in December 2013. Went to use it and was told there was nothing on the card.I tried to use it again and was told the same. I called the company to explain that I had lost it.
they were not in any way helpfu. Attitude more or less get lost.
Why would anyone buy a gift card from this company when you can go into any shop and purchase a gift voucher.
has anyone else had a similar experience with this company.

mattyprice4004

A lot of cards are only valid for 12 months - if this is the case, it's hardly their fault.

whitewing

Try putting your complaint in writing politely.

I buy them sometimes as they are valid in a lot of companies and can be easily obtained in our town.

wealdroam

murphy91 wrote: »

A friend bought a gift care for my birthday November 2012,
I lost the card but found in December 2013. Went to use it and was told there was nothing on the card.I tried to use it again and was told the same.

Have you seen their website FAQs?
You will see that the funds do not expire, but the card itself does... after the expiry date on the front of the card.

murphy91 wrote: »

I called the company to explain that I had lost it.

Have you lost the card?
Or did you lose it but have now found it?

murphy91 wrote: »

they were not in any way helpfu. Attitude more or less get lost.

What does that mean?
What did they say?
If they said that the money on the card has already been spent, and as you lost the card you cannot dispute that, how is that being unhelpful?
What did you want them to say?

If you had lost your wallet and when found you noticed a £20 note was missing, would you be asking the Bank of England for a replacement banknote?

murphy91 wrote: »

Why would anyone buy a gift card from this company when you can go into any shop and purchase a gift voucher.

Sorry, I don't know the answer to that.
Neither do I understand your second point about buying a gift voucher for a specific shop. Why would anyone do that?

murphy91

Thank you for your reply.I mislaid my card at home, but found it one month after it had expired. I tried to use the card in M&S and was told the card would not register. and I could not use it.
I explained my situation to One4All and they were in no way helpful.I did expect a little help.Its called good customer service.

whitewing

All you can do is see if they would be prepared to replace it as a gesture of goodwill.

wealdroam

murphy91 wrote: »

Thank you for your reply.I mislaid my card at home, but found it one month after it had expired. I tried to use the card in M&S and was told the card would not register. and I could not use it.

Ah... so you weren't told "there was nothing on the card".
In those FAQs I linked to earlier it says:

Retailers do not have access to check your balance at their tills. If they attempt to process the One4all Gift Card for more than the balance on the card the transaction will be rejected.

There is also information that webpage on what to do if the card has expired:

All physical cards have a limited time span and will need to be replaced to use the remaining funds on the card after this date. This date is printed as a "Valid Thru" date on the front of the gift cards. (Remember that any funds remaining on the card after this date remain available for you to spend, however you will need to apply for a replacement card to do so.) Furthermore, a charge will be deducted from funds remaining on cards monthly after the 18th month following the purchase date. The monthly charge is currently 90p or the remaining balance on card if lower.

murphy91 wrote: »

I explained my situation to One4All and they were in no way helpful.I did expect a little help.Its called good customer service.

So again I ask, what did One4All say?
As before, if they told you the money has been spent, can you not ask them where?
Does "good customer service" extend to replacing money that has already been spent?
Try and see it from their point of view as well.

Read the rest of their help page for other reasons why a card might be declined.

janeywoo1978

Intresting! Cash is KING!!!!!