To expect a longer expiry date.

[Whoisit101]

I had a big birthday last winter. It was a busy time with lots of visitors staying at my house, and some of us going away for a few days and a smallish party. I was lucky to have a few gifts some of which were vouchers. One friend bought me a couple of small gifts and a voucher from a local (i live rurally) homeware shop. I had put all of the money and vouchers together in a cupboard, then eventually transferred them to a pouch....or so I thought. A few months later I couldnt find my friends voucher and thought maybe i had thrown it out by accident. But today when I was cleaning out the cupboard I found the voucher ...but it had a 6 month expiry. So it is too late to spend it. Isnt this a very short time limit. Is this the norm? It's for £30 which isn't the end of the world but it just seems a very short time limit. For clarity if it was a year limit i would still be permitted to spend it.

AIBU?

Seems reasonable to me but no harm in explaining and asking if they will honour it

That’s annoying but as a small business I can kind of understand why, in terms of cash flow. If they are nearby, I would go and ask if they would extend it if you shop there and then. They may as a gesture of goodwill.

Every voucher that I have ever gotten has been AT LEAST 12 months. I have never seen one for 6 months, but then again businesses can set their own terms for them. I'd just be very careful to check the expiry upon receipt of future vouchers, I always check now. Is a bit weird though.

Yes small businesses tend to be more forgiving. No chance at a large chain.

I hate gifting vouchers, I’d rather give people cash for these reasons.

I would be inclined to go along to the shop and explain what happened. They wouldn't be losing any money by honouring the voucher even if out of date and it wouldn't be like "corporate rule says no".

I thought there was some law now about voucher expiry dates because of how much money businesses were making from expired vouchers and not having to provide the goods/service.

I've mentioned it before, but the law in Ireland is that all vouchers are valid for at least 5 years. It's very sensible.

Thank you for the responses. Good to know im not entirely alone being surprised at the 6 month limit. I will maybe approach the shop to see if they will honour it. I was thinking it might be something to do with it being a small business.

That would be great !!

From experience of working in a small business previously, it doesn't matter how long the voucher is valid for, a customer will always insist it is "a very short time". We had vouchers valid for a year and a lot of them were bought as Christmas gifts. People would phone up in May the following year with "my dog ate my homework" story all the time. .
Personally, I don't think 6 months is a short time, let alone "very short time" and the thing with vouchers is you either use them right away or they never get used. I have a bunch of them scattered around unused. It's just life.
Yes, you can very nicely ask the business if they'd honour it. I just wouldn't mention your opinion about their choice of a deadline.

But you've had the cash, so why shouldn't the business honour it? Why should it have an expiry date at all? Bit different if it's for an event or something where the price goes up, but if it's for a cash value, the business got the cash when it was worth more and the customer is spending it when it's worth less.

Its no different to shop offering refunds within a certain window. Why shouldn't you be able to return a dress which hung in your closet for 10 years with tags on? Same reason, really. Shops have the right to set policies on goods and services sold, including refund windows and voucher expiry date.

Iv found small businesses and beauty business only seem to do 6 months on their vouchers locally

There's a massive difference between a return and honouring a gift voucher. A return means they are refunding a previous purchase and restocking. A voucher there is no refund involved. The money is already in the bank. Obviously it can't be indefinite end date, the shop needs to manage cash flow, but a minimum of a year is reasonable.

A significant proportion of vouchers go unclaimed, that's part of the business model.

I would probably expect a longer period, but it's down to the buyer to determine whether it's a viable purchase.

Personally I avoid them, as they are easily lost, or not honoured if the business changes hands or goes into administration etc.

Thanks for responses. Just thought I would update. I called ina and thankfully the smallish shop was empty. She kindly but reluctantly agreed without any overzealous attempts from me. I also bought a couple of things over the price of the voucher to show good will. I am a customer anyway but will make a bigger effort to get my Christmas bits in there.

Thanks again.