Aibu or 60% way too much too charge

[PricillaQueenOfTheDesert]

My DH received some vouchers from his boss for something quite a while ago. Sadly we misplaced the vouchers, but we knew they’d turn up.

I found the offending vouchers a few days ago tucked inside a book and they had gone out of date. An email to EdenRed to ask how we could go about exchanging them for some that were still in date resulted in a reply that said “we can exchange your £50 worth of vouchers but at a cost of £30”. So basically we send them £50and they will replace them with £20of vouchers.

That is horrendous,! I was expecting 10% maybe a bit more, but are EdenRed taking the piss to charge £30 for exchanging a few vouchers?

Ive replied and told them we won’t be bothering to return them, I think it’s a shitty attitude they have.

Lot of places wouldn't even allow that. I'm afraid a lot voucher type gifts are very much "use them or lose them". Not really the company's fault you misplaced them.

It's like buying a tin of beans. You forget they are at the back of the cupboard and when you find them they are out of date. You don't go back to Tesco and ask for a replacement because you didn't use them in time. They're just more expensive than a tin of beans. But would be the same if you bought theatre tickets, didn't go because you were ill, but expected the theatre to refund you even though the performance took place and everyone still had to be paid.

Least they're offering you something!

YABU. They're not obliged to give you anything, I'd have thought. You misplaced them and now they are out of date. That is your mistake, not theirs.

60% is excessive. Maybe try asking the same question on social media - it might shame them into making a better offer

You are cutting your nose off to spite your face if you would be able to use the £20 worth of vouchers.

As others have said it's not their fault that the vouchers have expired.

If they sold thousands of pounds of vouchers and several financial years later someone wanted to redeem those vouchers it would be a huge hit to the business in their current financial year, this is why they have an expiry date (this is also why we never give anyone vouchers- vouchers are just less flexible money with an expiry date)!

I think you're lucky personally. If I was the retailer I'd politely and professionally tell you that its not our fault you misplaced your vouchers and only found them after the expiry date. They are under no obligation to replace them in any way. But they have offered you £20 of vouchers as a good will gesture.

Take it, and in future take care of vouchers a little better

That's really gutting. But I suppose in most cases people would have nothing, so it's better than nothing. They are literally worthless unless you do it, but I do understand your frustration.

While they're not obliged to give you anything, it is in their best interests to keep people on side - what with being the sort of business that relies on people buying from them and people thinking well of them. You've got £50 to lose and they've got their good name. You'd think you could meet somewhere closer to the middle. Ask them again on social media and see what they say.

Its not really like a tin of beans though is it because with a tin of beans, something has been produced and paid for. With a voucher, you've paid, but haven't gotten any goods or services yet - just a promise of them.

I suppose it depends on how out of date they were. If they are within a few weeks, it seems pretty mean. If they were from last year they've probably written off the expense already so are in fact paying out of this years earnings in which case the heavy deduction makes more sense.

But this is why I hate vouchers (in general) and childcare vouchers in particular. I know so many people who have stockpiled them accidentally and cant use them now.

yabvu. you are lucky to get 5p tbh. vouchers are shit. bite their hand off

Some gift vouchers charge a fee for each month the gift card or vouchers aren't used, like an admin charge. Could that fee account for the large charge they are indicating?

Legally, they have every right to refuse to honour them-expiry dates on gift cards and vouchers mean that there are millions of pounds wasted yearly as many people don't redeem them in time.

Pop The principal is the same. Something has an expiry date and it's the customer's job (or in this case the recipient's job) to use that something within that expiry date.

Yabu. It's entirely up to them what they charge, nothing you can do about it. Technically your vouchers are worth nothing now, so it's lucky for you they're prepared to offer something.

That is really shit. I would rather go with Groupon than Eden Red.

I loathe expiry Dates on gift cards....

YABU

it's yours and DHs fault that you lost the vouchers and they've now expired. Vouchers are generally a use it or lose if thing.

Agree that it's cutting off your nose to spite your face not to bother exchanging them though, it's still £20 of vouchers you can use as opposed to currently you have unusable vouchers

YABU.

If they wanted the vouchers to never expire, that’s what they would supply.

Most vouchers expire at some point because they’re a liability which the company needs to be able to fulfil at the point they’re redeemed,

If they freely replaced them it would be like they never expired, which would mean the liability was there forever. If they turn over £10m p/a (for example) and there is £1m worth of vouchers out there, which has built up over years, it’s quite a risk to their cash flow.

YABU

So you'd still get something for nothing as you didn't buy the vouchers in the first place?

I had some Selfridges vouchers and when I went to the store recently to ask, I asked at the information desk when they would expire. I was reliably told that there was no longer an expiration date as it was against the law. Maybe worth looking up!

Delete the extra *to ask

YABU. I'm surprised that they are happy to exchange them at all.

Look into your rights as I know in America stores have to use them like cash, as in they can’t expire.

I never give vouchers for precisely this reason .

My sister works in retail and told me that a huge percent of vouchers issued never get claimed .

How long were they out of date by?

If only a few weeks I think £20 exchange is a bit mean.