Gift Card Not Working

[dedee]

Hi

I purchased some gift vouchers from a well known supermarket for another store.

I tried to use them but they are not working. They have definitely not been spent.

I called the company whose vouchers they are for and they have referred me back to where I bought the vouchers from.

I have gone back and forth between both companies and they are referring me back to each other.

When I bought the vouchers it took ages for the transaction to go through which I thought was strange.

Can anyone who works in a supermarket or if you had this problem could you please advise.

Thank you

From a legal POV your contract is with the supermarket so they should be the one to resolve the issue. Can you get some kind of statement or something from the retailer showing the gift card was never spent/doesn't work that you can take to the supermarket to get a refund?

Your best bet is probably to put a complaint in writing to the supermarket customer services though - attach photos of both sides of the gift card, photocopy of the receipt and, if possible, screenshots from the website where it hasn't worked.

Hi Sebastian. Thank you for your reply.

I have said this to the Sainsburys and they are just repeating the same thing to me.

I have even sent a DM via Twitter to their head office and the same is happening.

I have contacted Amex and raised a claim with them but that will take a while i believe.

I will try what you have suggested.

Thanks again

Did the supeemarket print out the wee slip when they activated the card?

I've had this problem before and it turns out they weren't activated when they were bought.

Take all proof you have that you paid for the card (receipt, activation slip if available and credit card statement) and they hopefully will be able to sort it out for you - they have to have a robust procedure as, believe it or not, people just steal the cards and then go back claiming they don't work and hope to get a cash refund.

And you can't activate them at self service tills, needs to be at a manned till

There will be a person/department that deals with the gift cards, whether it's external to the supermarket or not, the supermarket will try and put you off, over and over. Some shtores will be better than others. Escalate until you resolve it.

It used to be Blackhawk for morrisons.

@dementedpixie

Did the supeemarket print out the wee slip when they activated the card?

Hi. Yes i have the activation slip. When i bought them it took ages to go through the till which surprised me.

@BarbaraofSeville

I've had this problem before and it turns out they weren't activated when they were bought.

Take all proof you have that you paid for the card (receipt, activation slip if available and credit card statement) and they hopefully will be able to sort it out for you - they have to have a robust procedure as, believe it or not, people just steal the cards and then go back claiming they don't work and hope to get a cash refund.

Hi. The manager said they checked their systems and it has gone through. I dont believe them though

@Flavabobble

There will be a person/department that deals with the gift cards, whether it's external to the supermarket or not, the supermarket will try and put you off, over and over. Some shtores will be better than others. Escalate until you resolve it.

It used to be Blackhawk for morrisons.

Hi. Yes they are definitely trying to do that. I will not let this lie until it is resolved

Thank you all for your replies

They (Sainsbury's) should have a helpline they can call if you give them the paperwork.

Hi Thanks, I have had a response from Next via Twitter but it isn’t resolved yet. I am waiting for them to reply to my last message.

Does anyone know what the authority code on activation voucher looks like because mine is just zeros.

I've had repeated problems with Sainsbury's gift cards (my employer links to an organisation where you can buy gift cards at 3 to 4 % discount). I tried numerous Sainsbury's cards each one didn't work at self-service tills. When lockdown started I gave up as I didn't want to use a manned till. I complained and had the balance transferred to a non-refundable card which worked. I get similar discounts at other supermarkets all work first time every time.