Gift Card Not Topped up at Till Paid in Cash

lukehb

Hi.

I use a Starbucks card because I have gold membership, and get freebies. I usually top up in app, but last Friday, the app was not working, (but I still had access to the card via the iOS Wallet function), so topped up using cash at the till.

I was not given any receipt when I did this, which seemed odd, and obviously, as the app wasn't working couldn't confirm if the top-up had gone through on my phone. Asked if there was another way to check that the balance had gone on, and was told no, but as I wanted to purchase a drink at the time anyway (for which I also didn't get a receipt), the fact I was able to do so seemed to prove that the balance had been updated.

However, a few days later in another store, tried to use the card (via wallet) and got told that there was no balance left on the card. I loaded the app, and refreshed, and indeed, there was no record of the transaction.

I contacted Starbucks, but they said that there is "no record of the transaction" so cannot credit the account.

I think what happened (though I can't be sure) is that when I mentioned that the app wasn't working, the member of staff saw it as a quick and easy way to pocket £10—the scanner beeps whenever you scan the phone/card whether there is anything going through the till or not, so just had me scan the phone a couple of times, even though he never actually put anything through the till, and pocketed the cash. He knew that there wouldn't be any way for me to check quickly, and even if I did, he could just say "the app isn't working properly right now, it'll take a while to show up, but the money is on the card".

I'm writing back to Starbucks, but just wondering if anyone knows a specific piece of regulation that covers topping up gift cards that I can quote at them.

Luke

RoonilWazlib_2

Not specifically. Consumer rights act covers the purchase but you are going to have to prove it, which from your story appears to be next to impossible.

unholyangel

Theres no legislation as such - you'd basically make a claim based on contract and have to prove on the balance of probability that they do owe you the amount in question. Basically it would be your word against theirs & for £10, court action isn't worth it. In fact, they tend to take a dim view of cases brought on principle alone for trivial sums.

However, try also contacting the store and asking them to check their receipts. Do not allege theft because there is no evidence to support it at this point - all you need to say is that on x date at x time you added £10 to your balance via their store in xxxx as the app wasn't working, that you weren't given a receipt and the balance has failed to load onto your account so would they please locate their merchant copy of the receipt. If you can assist on this matter, the time & date should help narrow your search along with my purchase of xxxx totalling £x made immediately after/approximately x minutes after I paid the £10 to my balance.

I look forward to hearing from you. blah blah

The store don't really have any obligation to do this, so keep your initial communication to them short & sweet - ideally not much longer than the above.

societys_child

Do not allege theft because there is no evidence to support it

Wise words.

LadyDee

I had something similar with a top-up for my payg phone. It's not clear from your post whether you used a self-service or whether it was a cashier? If it was a cashier, then it's possibly what happened with my top-up.

I was charged the £10 (as shown on my receipt) but no credit appeared on my phone. Apparently this was due to the cashier mistakenly swiping my top-up card one way, when it should have been swiped in another way.

Is it possible this could be a similar situation?

Quickly sorted out by CS.

NotRichAtAll

It's not clear from your post whether you used a self-service or whether it was a cashier?

Seems pretty clear to me they spoke to a cashier

the member of staff saw it as a quick and easy way to pocket £10

LadyDee

NotRichAtAll wrote: »

Seems pretty clear to me they spoke to a cashier

And your helpful suggestion for the OP would be?

Fosterdog

LadyDee wrote: »

And your helpful suggestion for the OP would be?

You do realise that you also didn't make any suggestions, helpful or otherwise in your post don't you? You just tried to give an explanation of what could have happened even though in your case it was clearly a mistake and a transaction had been added but when OP has contacted Starbucks they can't find a record of the transaction at all meaning it can't possibly be the same scenario.

NotRichAtAll was nearly pointing out that where you said it was not clear whether it was self service or cashier that OP made it perfectly clear that there was a cashier involved in the transaction

arcon5

It's a good point about the way the card was swiped. If swiped up instead of down. I have this with Halfords trade card, swipe down the card number doesn't exist, swipe up accepts it - probably swiped up when originally registered.

Go back in store and speak to the manager or person and ask them to check the balance by swiping up aswell as down

LadyDee

Fosterdog wrote: »

You do realise that you also didn't make any suggestions, helpful or otherwise in your post don't you? You just tried to give an explanation of what could have happened even though in your case it was clearly a mistake and a transaction had been added but when OP has contacted Starbucks they can't find a record of the transaction at all meaning it can't possibly be the same scenario.

NotRichAtAll was nearly pointing out that where you said it was not clear whether it was self service or cashier that OP made it perfectly clear that there was a cashier involved in the .:mad:transaction

Well, at least I was attempting to be helpful, rather than picking through other people's posts

Bogalot

LadyDee wrote: »

Well, at least I was attempting to be helpful, rather than picking through other people's posts

That's exactly what you did!