Gift card warning

Scorpian

my mother suffers with dementia and purchased gift cards from M&S for family Christmas presents in2007. She is going into a home and we found them when clearing her house. I contacted M&S explaining the situation in the hope that they may have some compassion for a dementia sufferer but their response was far from compassionate.
I realise they are within their rights but I will never buy gift cards again as your money is easily lost if you fail to use them in a set time.

meer53

Most gift cards have an expiry date on them.

pondskater_2

meer53 wrote: »

Most gift cards have an expiry date on them.

Great little earner though, isn't it!

bluenoseam

pondskater wrote: »

Great little earner though, isn't it!

Not particularly, given the fact that at most a fraction of 1% of all gift cards will fall under this scenario it's a small "earner" - but it's certainly not a retailers issue if the gift card isn't used. Ultimately OP appears to be bashing M&S for being CONSISTENT, much as that will be annoying to her it's the right way of conducting business.

Sooler

bluenoseam wrote: »

Not particularly

only £300m a year
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2881396/Shops-pocket-300m-year-gift-cards-never-use.html

:xmassign:

brightonman123

might be worth trying a chargeback via bank, though after this time, unlikely..


#nameandshame them on twitter, as they've had free cash earning 0.1% all this time!

keyser666

brightonman123 wrote: »

might be worth trying a chargeback via bank, though after this time, unlikely..


#nameandshame them on twitter, as they've had free cash earning 0.1% all this time!

Chargeback under what?

Ectophile

In defence of the companies that sell gift cards, there is a legitimate reason for putting an expiry date on them.

Whenever you buy a gift card, they get your money, but they are also left with a liability on their books. If you buy a £20 gift card, then they have £20, but they owe you £20 worth of goods.

Every year, they have to produce accounts which list any liabilities they owe. If gift cards had no expiry date, then every lost gift card would add to an ever-growing pile of debt on their accounts.

But that doesn't really excuse those gift cards that have monthly charges in the small print, meaning that the money is long gone well before before the card's stated expiry date.

mattyprice4004

brightonman123 wrote: »

might be worth trying a chargeback via bank, though after this time, unlikely..


#nameandshame them on twitter, as they've had free cash earning 0.1% all this time!

I don't think a chargeback 7 years later for a retailer that's done nothing wrong will work.

Rogerandwendy

Typical big business making millions from loyal customers. No loyalty or compassion towards their customers.
Avoid these parasites.
Good post, let's name and shame these despicable scumbags.

marleyboy

I would never buy Gift vouchers as cash is always king and transferrable in ANY shop. This aside, I am aware of a use by date on vouchers, they have NO EXCEPTIONS.