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AIBU?

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Original poster

to be furious with WH Smiths

58 replies

ChilliHobnobs · 20/10/2018 11:37

DD bought a gift card in there recently and tried to redeem it online; the code is illegible so we took it back today and the unhelpful woman in there just said 'oh, we're only the third party, you need to do some detective work online and find out how to get it sorted out' and refused point blank to help' after checking with the manager.

I'm beyond furious, DD has apparently lost £25 and all WHS could suggest was online detective work and phoning the company using the address on the back - yes, we're going to phone the States and ask for help of course.

OP posts:
Chalkhillblu3 · 20/10/2018 11:38

WHS is the most shite, expensive shop ever. The prices in their station and airport branches are unbelievable. Luckily it is going down the swannee.

Hoosey · 20/10/2018 11:38

She is wrong, your contract is with them as the retailer. I’d contact WHS customer services/complaints/Head Office.

Chocolatecake12 · 20/10/2018 11:39

Go back and ask to speak to the manager. Do you have the original receipt?

Flameless · 20/10/2018 11:40

Tweeting them is probably what I would do. There's a chance you'll get someone competent to deal with.

PumpkinSpiced · 20/10/2018 11:40

They sold you it - surely if you have POP then they can’t just fob you off.

Original poster
ChilliHobnobs · 20/10/2018 11:42

Yes, we had the receipt and the card and they couldn't have been more unhelpful. I've tweeted them and will contact Head Office - watch this space.

OP posts:
InsomniacAnonymous · 20/10/2018 11:42

I don't understand why W H Smith didn't exchange it for a card with a legible code. That's ridiculous. If WH Smith had been sent a card to sell that is faulty in that the code isn't legible so it's useless, then they need to sort that out with their supplier. The card is not fit for purpose if it's unusable, is it?

BlancheM · 20/10/2018 11:58

I'm surprised WHS is still going, it's gone right down the shitter.
I'd go back to the store, grab another gift card, take it to the till and ask for an exchange as your one is faulty.

davisday · 20/10/2018 12:09

Detective work Hmm

What an absolute idiot.

InspectorIkmen · 20/10/2018 12:13

Shittest shop ever. I went there recently to try to buy a small paint palette - something you'd think they'd stock given their extensive range of art materials. Asked the assistant and that was my first big mistake! She looked like she'd hated me since birth and that I was just one in a long line of her grudge against humanity! Her answer? "No. I don't even know what that is. What do you mean? Anyway, no" End of conversation.

They deserve to go under.

AuntyJackiesBrothersSistersBoy · 20/10/2018 12:16

I’ve NO idea how this store survives. None.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 20/10/2018 12:21

Could she go into the store with her gift card, (will it scan through the till?) and use it to buy another gift card that she could use online?

thenewaveragebear1983 · 20/10/2018 12:22

And yes, no idea how they survive. They’re just a glorified sweet shop

Sarahjconnor · 20/10/2018 12:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Topseyt · 20/10/2018 12:23

They should have exchanged the card. I would go back with the unusable card and the receipt and refuse to leave until they had sorted it out.

I am not sure they train their staff much. Service to customers is frequently shit, although to be fair some staff do try harder. They seem to be in the minority though.

Iaimtomisbehave1 · 20/10/2018 12:25

They really can't do anything about the gift card; it's for another company.. They just sell them. So they can't fix the code and they won't know how that company operates.

They should have exchanged it for another of the same gift card, but that's all they'd be able to do. If you have a gift card, you really need to contact the company it is for.

InspectorIkmen · 20/10/2018 12:27

No Iaim - that really isn't true. Otherwise what? If your Radio Times was missing a page would YOU have to take it up with the publishers? Your pen doesn't write so off you go to talk to Parker? DVD doesn't play? Fuck off and discuss it with Warner Bros? So no - they sold the product and it is they who have the contract with the buyer.

Onlineslop · 20/10/2018 12:29

She looked like she'd hated me since birth
This made me laugh

MatildaTheCat · 20/10/2018 12:33

Did she ask if you’d like a chocolate orange? WHS is truly crap.

Bellybootcut · 20/10/2018 12:34

I'm always nervous of buying gift cards now. You hear of this happening quite often. Can I just ask though, why did your DD buy herself one? What was the benefit of this rather than just spending the money directly with the company?

WhentheRabbitsWentWild · 20/10/2018 12:34

Shittest shop ever. I went there recently to try to buy a small paint palette - something you'd think they'd stock given their extensive range of art materials.

Dunno if you have got one now (I suppose you have) but Ryman sell paint pallets of various size .

SausageOnAFork · 20/10/2018 12:35

Was it a WHSmiths gift card or for someone else?
If it was for someone else then yes it isn’t really their problem and due to the way these gift cards are processed there was most likely nothing they could do. It’s not like a faulty product where they could just exchange it.
There should be a customer service number on the back of the card. Call them or customer service for the company the gift card is for.

I agree that Smiths are an utter shit show but in this case it wasn’t really their fault and not much they could do.

Iaimtomisbehave1 · 20/10/2018 12:35

@InspectorIkmen

And in all of those cases, they would exchange it. They wouldn't fix it for you.

And with this, they can't fix it for her. There is nothing they can do to make that code work. It's not a gift card for their shop; it's a third party so they don't produce the codes and they don't have access to that company's system. They cannot fix that issue.

But, like I said, they should have exchanged it for another card of the same type. Just like they would with every other item. So I'm not sure what your issue is?

However, I used to work in a shop like that. When we scanned the third party vouchers, they were activated. And it was impossible for them to be returned or cancelled. Because we didn't control those cards. So we would be physically unable to scan one as a refund and activate another card. But I, personally, would have taken the card, found the customer service number and found a solution on behalf of the customer.

araiwa · 20/10/2018 12:36

Is it a wh smith voucher?

Or itunes for example?

SausageOnAFork · 20/10/2018 12:36

Can I just ask though, why did your DD buy herself one? What was the benefit of this rather than just spending the money directly with the company?

It’s a way of spending cash online. If you’ve been given birthday money but you want it as iTunes credit or whatever then buying a gift card is useful.