To be beyond frustrated that Argos can't un-link old Nectar card?

[Squirtycreamandsprinkles]

I have what I assumed would be a fairly simple issue for Argos to resolve, but I've spent nearly a fortnight being fobbed off at every turn by Argos customer services staff. Not one of them will escalate or put me through to someone who might actually be able to help, it's just endless platitudes mixed with repeated confirmation that they don't understand the issue.

In a nutshell I had a Nectar card, and then Nectar had a data breach and my, and hundreds of other cardholders, points were stolen. Nectar cancelled the card, replaced it with a new card, and credited the stolen points back to me. This was about a year ago. I currently have about £100 in points on the new card.

A couple of weeks ago I wanted to spend my points at Argos. At this point I realised my new card wasn't linked to my Argos account. When I clicked on Nectar on the menu in my Argos account to add my new card, it said 'We can’t show your details right now. Please try again later.'

So I called them, assuming someone would easily be able to sort this out on the phone. Eleven days, multiple calls to both Argos and Nectar, live chat with both, on Messenger, the Nectar app and X, and apparently they can't.

I've established that the issue is likely because the old, cancelled and deactivated card is still linked to my Argos account. For some reason it seems it's impossible for anyone to un-link it.

So as it stands, I can't spend my points at Argos. I also can't collect the nearly 2000 points I earned on my purchase a couple of weeks ago. I'm being fobbed off with 'Contact Nectar' at every turn, who, inevitably, tell me I need to contact Argos. They're part of the same company and I'm beyond frustrated that they consider this to be acceptable customer service.

So, to the point - does anyone have a current email address or phone number for someone at Argos who might actually be able to fix this? I've seen others online saying they're having the same problem - it's clearly a known issue.

Complain on social media.

Do you grocery shop at Sainsbury’s?

Cant you just set up a new argos account and link the new nectar card?

I posted on X and they asked me to DM their argoshelpers account. They're who I've been dealing with for the past week, but they don't understand the issue and don't listen. I've had one person tell me three times to contact Nectar, despite having told him multiple times that I've done that - more than once - and they tell me I need to contact Argos! 🤯

This. Might be easier. Just ask Argos to close your old one too.

No - my mum does and she collects the points for me. She doesn't want her own account but uses my card for the discounts.

Why doesn’t she spend the points on her grocery shopping instead?

I could, but my purchase history is in my current Argos account. I also bought a laptop there nearly two weeks ago and want to add the points I should have received from that purchase onto my Nectar card. The customer services people on X have resolutely ignored my question every time I've asked them how to go about that.

I'd also need a new email address to set up a new account, and I just don't want the hassle of having to check a second email address for order confirmations etc. This shouldn't be a complicated thing to resolve, and probably wouldn't be if I could just speak to someone who wasn't copying and pasting or reading from a script! 😫

Because she doesn't need the money and likes collecting them for me 🤷‍♀️

I do have a separate email account for online purchases. It makes it much easier to manage them.

Well to save the hassle of this, which seems to be making you very cross, just use them on some Sainsbury’s grocery shopping for your own family

Open Argos app, go to “My account”, if you scroll to the bottom you’ll see “nectar”, you click that. Then “manage nectar account”. It’ll ask you to sign in again. You’ll see your nectar details and there’s button “unlink your nectar account”. Then link argos account with new nectar card (make new nectar account with new card).

And the nearly 2000 points I earned at Argos recently and need to have credited to my Nectar card...? Yes, I could just spend the money on groceries. I don't want to though - I want my Nectar card to link to my Argos account so I can collect and spend points as I choose, like millions of other people are able to do. I don't think that's really too much to ask?!

All of my emails go to my one email account, then they're organised into folders. I'd find it a lot more hassle having to check multiple email accounts and would inevitably lose track of things.

I was affected by the same data breach and got a new card too. This is what I had to do. It was a faff, but no problems since.

So there’s an issue with your nectar and your mum’s?

I suggest loosing the 2000 points, (£10) deleting your Argos account, and then creating a new Argos account with your existing email and adding the replacement card.

No? There's just the one account. She collects points on a second card for my account. She doesn't have her own. I want to link this account, which is my account that we both collect points on, to my Argos account.

Each to their own but for the sake of £100 I’d just spend it on Sainsbury’s groceries

Sainsbury’s Careline 0800 636262 Option 4 for Nectar

Oh I was so hopeful this would work! I don't have the Argos app, I just use the website. So I downloaded the app and followed the steps you described. I just get an error message though - the same one I'm getting on the website 😫

I want them to sort out an error on their own servers, so my card and Argos account work in the same way as thousands of others. I don't think I'm asking for anything particularly unreasonable?! Yes I could spend this money on groceries, but it also means I can't collect points on any current or future purchases.

My frustration has arisen from dealing with customer service agents who have no powers beyond copying and pasting their standard responses and refuse to escalate to someone who does!

Thanks but I've spoken to Nectar multiple times already and they just say they can't do anything and I need to call Argos (who say they can't help and I need to call Nectar...lather rinse repeat).

I am confused.
So every time your mum goes shopping you have to give her your card.

and she has raised the £100 in points

but you can’t spend them on the Argos website and you can’t get points?