Why no-one should buy Vouchers for Presents...

DUKE

Aaaah I was beginning to think that it was only me who loved a voucher Mrs_Ryan, I spend mine right away too

I saw a programme on TV about this :eek: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/millions-wasted-as-people-dont-spend-gift-vouchers

Izadora

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

If the likes of Amazon and others can offer a 10 year expiry and even no expiry date(Ikea and BHS I believe),then I do not see why gift vouchers have such a short expiry date.


Just a way to make extra money out of customers.

It's very often, especially in the case of smaller or independent companies, to do with budgeting rather than trying to make more money. Companies need to know that an accrual has an end-date so as to make it slightly less of a pain to keep track of it.

Mrs_Ryan

DUKE wrote: »

Aaaah I was beginning to think that it was only me who loved a voucher Mrs_Ryan, I spend mine right away too

I saw a programme on TV about this :eek: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/millions-wasted-as-people-dont-spend-gift-vouchers

I don't always but i really badly needed these boots and had been waiting for the voucher so I could buy them

PasturesNew

Vouchers often fit the lifestyle of the person doing the giving, not the recipient, making it harder for the recipient to try to get round to spending them.

Cash is better.

Why force the recipient to go to specific shops, that might not be on their radar (or even in their town), to have to spend £X in one go ....

They're annoying.

Cash.... cash .... cash.

sarahjuice

I agree OP. Gift vouchers are a nice little earner for companies as we discovered recently when we found just over £100 worth of vouchers we have received as gifts but have now expired. We live out in the sticks and do the majority of our shopping online and a lot of gift vouchers (that we had anyway) were only redeemable in store.

As others have said, there is no expiry date on cash and if done creatively, can be given as a gift with the intention of what it is to be spent on.

74jax

I love getting vouchers for things and buy vouchers for friends, but they tend to be the kind where we 'do' something. Not an Amazon card with say £20 on.


I tend to pre-book what the voucher is for and make a certificate saying we're doing this on whatever date it is.


I think it depends how well you know someone.


A voucher wouldn't hang around with me, I'd have it booked as soon as I can - I love anything like that, much better for me than an actual gift to keep. I just love doing things with the person who has given me it.

Anatidaephobia

I'm not against vouchers and always make sure I use a voucher when I'm given one - but I do always remember articles in the news about gift vouchers and shops going into administration which would make me think twice about buying one for someone.

Gift vouchers isn't something I often give someone anyway. I sometimes buy a relative iTunes vouchers which I know will get used pretty quickly. Once I gave someone a voucher to go to an expensive restaurant she really wanted to visit and she booked lunch there pretty soon after she got the voucher. Other than that, I can't actually think of any occasion over the last few years where I've given anyone a voucher though.

I would like if it people gave me Amazon vouchers that I'd spend on Kindle books but nobody ever does lol.

edwink

I would like cash or vouchers to be honest because I get thoughtless presents, honestly I do and I am not being mean. I was given an electric meat carving knife but I am a vegetarian!! Another year I was given a cardigan 2 sizes too small, no receipt and our town didn't even have the particular shop it was purchased from. I have been given Cruise Ship biscuits but I never eat biscuits. And lastly I was given a pair of those tote type socks that have that sticky plastic on the bottom so they grip the floor but I can't stand them because I have a balance problem.

So yes I would love a little money or vouchers to choose what I like. Not lots of money just a little amount.

Spendless

I am getting vouchers for a few family members. They bridge the gap of not wanting to give cash and not being able to think of a suitable present. One will be an itunes and the other 2 vouchers ones that can be spent in more than one place.

Anatidaephobia

edwink wrote: »

Another year I was given a cardigan 2 sizes too small, no receipt and our town didn't even have the particular shop it was purchased from.
...
So yes I would love a little money or vouchers to choose what I like. Not lots of money just a little amount.

Totally empathise with this. I have six different people who regularly buy me clothes for birthdays and Christmas and four of those people get the wrong size every single time and don't get gift receipts (the other two get it right about 70% of the time and one of them always puts the gift receipt in with the present).

It doesn't seem to matter that I regularly tell them what dress size I am. It doesn't matter that if partner finds out his sister/other relative is going to buy me clothes, he makes a point of telling them my size (and recently has even told them "everyone always gets the wrong size, they always buy her size Y but she's actually size X" and they say "oh no, really? I'll get the right size"), they still buy the wrong size. One of my OH's relatives removes labels and price tags so they can't be exchanged. Last year I was given something I really liked but couldn't return or wear, so I bought the correct size myself then sold the wrong size on ebay for a loss which was annoying.

I suppose it's vaguely flattering because they usually buy a couple of sizes smaller that I actually am but it's frustrating because I feel like the presents end up wasted particularly when the same thing happens year after year; I don't want them to think I don't appreciate their gifts because they never see me wear them.