# Don't buy gift vouchers. "Game" in Grafton Street.



## SlurrySlump (1 Mar 2004)

*Don't buy gift vouchers. "Game" in Grafton Street.*

My son got a Christmas present of a gift vouchers for "Game" in Grafton Street. This Saturday he wished to purchase an item for €7 Euro and presented a gift voucher for €10. They refused to give him any change saying it was not their policy to give refunds on gift vouchers. He then asked for a €3 gift voucher in lieu of cash. They said that they didn't do gift vouchers in that denomination. 
Can you imagine any business that MISERABLE.


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## rainyday (1 Mar 2004)

*Re: Don't buy gift vouchers. "Game" in Grafton Str*

I think most outlets have similar policies for gift vouchers.


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## fatherdougalmaguire (1 Mar 2004)

*Re: Don't buy gift vouchers. "Game" in Grafton Str*

But surely that doesn't make it an acceptable practice?

Did the voucher have any sort of terms and conditions attached to it? When the voucher was purchased was the purchaser advised of this policy?

On the face of it, it looks like your son was charged €10 for a product which was advertised at €7. I'd be inclined to at least rattle an email off to the ODCA. They don't seem to deal specifically with this aspect on their [broken link removed] but it would be worth getting them to look into it.


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## rainyday (1 Mar 2004)

*Re: Don't buy gift vouchers. "Game" in Grafton Str*



> When the voucher was purchased was the purchaser advised of this policy?


Did the purchaser ask about this policy?


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## WaterWater (1 Mar 2004)

*Gift Vouchers policy.*

Refusing to return €3 in change to your son really suggests to me that gift vouchers are a waste ot time. I mean who asks when buying these things, for a copy of the shops terms and conditions relative to gift vouchers.
If your son had presented a gift voucher for €20 on a €7 purchase, would the shop have given him back a €10 voucher and kept the other €3 for themself? 

Surely to God the shop could have given back the €3 change or 3 x €1 vouchers in lieu. 

I wouldn't give them my business.


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## broke (1 Mar 2004)

*phone card expired*

This isn't about gift vouchers but it annoyed my just the same.
Some weeks ago I bought an International Phone Card from First National.  When I went to use it last night, having previously only used a few cents but activating it nonetheless, I was told my card had expired.

Now I had seen the "pin number valid for 60 days" notice written on it, but like not redeeming the full value of a gift voucher as in the case mentioned in the earlier message, it really isn't fair to take my money and give me nothing (well, very little) in return.  :mad


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## <A HREF=http://pub145.ezboard.com/baskaboutmoney.s (1 Mar 2004)

*Re: phone card expired*

Too late now but maybe the lesson of this story is to buy vouchers in small denominations (e.g. 2 x €5 instead of 1 x €10)? I have a few gift vouchers to hand and all of them state clearly that no change or money in lieu will be given. I thought that was pretty standard.


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## extopia (1 Mar 2004)

*Re: no change for gift vouchers*

Doesn't make it right though. Gift vouchers are never sold at a discount to face value so in effect they are the same as cash. And from the shop's point of view, they're even better: cash in advance, with no guarantee that it will ever have to be redeemed (how many of these things end up being lost, I wonder?)

Not to refund the change, although commonplace, is mean-spirited and anti-customer.


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## <A HREF=http://pub145.ezboard.com/baskaboutmoney.s (1 Mar 2004)

*Re: no change for gift vouchers*



> Doesn't make it right though.



Where a consumer buys them and explicitly or implicitly agrees to the stated terms & conditions then it does make it right from the retailer's point of view.


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## Elcato (1 Mar 2004)

*Re: no change for gift vouchers*

I have always regarded vouchers as no change given and the way around it is to buy something(s) that are over the voucher price and add the cash difference to it. I presume he did something like this ?? Regarding the rights and wrongs its a fair point to expect a voucher in change I guess. As an aside I actually gave a €20 voucher to Dunnes for less than that and the girl in the checkout gave me cash change.


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## machalla (1 Mar 2004)

*Re: no change for gift vouchers*

I would expect to be given change back from gift vouchers.  A gift voucher is in effect cash.  If I hand someone a €10 note and buy something for €7 I expect €3 in return.  If they do not give back the change then they are stealing that money from you effectively (especially if they do not even offer you the difference in store credit or vouchers). 

On another note I wouldn't waste my time buying from game overall.  They used to be reasonable to deal with but in the last couple of years ther attitude seems to have changed.  

www.play.com or www.cdwow.ie are generally much better on prices than game anytime.  Or Amazon are another possibilty.


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## XXXAnother PersonXXX (1 Mar 2004)

*.*

There are two things, Credit vouchers and Gift vouchers.

Credit vouchers can be given in cases where a return was made without a receipt. It helps prevent fraud. Gift vouchers are purchased. (generally as gifts)

When I used to work in a shop, cash change was given for gift vouchers and credit vouchers were given in change for credit vouchers. The customer generally tried to pay in part with a credit voucher and the rest in cash, to use up the full value of the credit voucher.

What I would suggest, is that if an item comes to €7, pay €10 gift voucher and €10 cash. €13 cash should be given in change. (If the shop really wants to display such dire customer service)


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## ParkLane (1 Mar 2004)

*Not a great shop.*

My own son has stopped buying from Game. He says that their products are way over priced. Even with exchange rates and postage costs he says that it is cheaper to purchase on line. He was looking for a particular product from Game some time ago and the staff member he spoke to didn't know if it was in stock, didn't know if they would be getting it in, and didn't take his name and phone number to ring him when and if it came in. He went back to the shop a week later and there it was on the shelf.


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## sueellen (1 Mar 2004)

*Re: Don't buy gift vouchers. "Game" in Grafton Str*

Smyths   are usually quite a bit cheaper for games and they also have a free discount card available.  As far as I can recall  you have to purchase the discount card with Game.

The main reason for the price difference appears to be the usual over the top transfer from stg. www.game.co.uk/


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## sol (2 Mar 2004)

*games*

xtravision are usually quite cheap too.


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## EAMONN66 (2 Mar 2004)

*Re: Don't buy gift vouchers. "Game" in Grafton Str*

game in newry are way cheaper than the branches in dublin 

eg splinter cell for the xbox (2nd hand)  £12.99 - over 30 euro in liffey valley


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## DT (2 Mar 2004)

*gift vouchers*

Anytime I've presented a gift voucher in Golden Discs and the item costs less than the value of the voucher, they've always given me change (although it has always been change of less than €5.00). 

Having a policy of giving change (or vouchers in lieu of change) when paying with gift vouchers is reasonable.  Game are being unreasonable and their position on this is a sure-fire way to alienate customers!


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## daltonr (2 Mar 2004)

*Re: gift vouchers*

What's so great about Gift Vouchers?

You trapse all the way into a shop and hand over cash to buy a voucher.  Why not give the cash to the recipient then they have a voucher that they can use in ANY SHOP, no hassle with vouchers expiring, none of this nonsense with not getting change.

WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!!

I've heard all the arguments about Cash being impersonal, it looks as if you haven't put any thought into it.  Well for the marginal extra interest you appear to have paid by opting for a voucher, is it really worth the hassle like above for the recipient?

-Rd


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## Welcome1 (2 Mar 2004)

*Vouchers*

If you are buying gift vouchers, try to get them for a shopping centre instead of a specific shop.
Jervis, the Square, Stillorgan and Blanchardstown Shopping Centres do them, there may be more.
Means you can use the vouchers in any shop instead
of just one named shop. 

You could always sell the vouchers that you don't need/want for cash. Current rate is minimum 20% discount depending on the shop(s), expiry etc. 

Dixons have 6 months expiry on their vouchers! 
Most have a year and some (Argos) have NO expiry date.


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## sueellen (2 Mar 2004)

*Re: Money -v- Gift Vouchers*

*"Why not give the cash to the recipient"*

OK daltonr I've woken up.  Put your money where your mouth is I'll accept your money any day no offence taken if I don't get a voucher :lol


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## daltonr (2 Mar 2004)

*Re: Money -v- Gift Vouchers*



> I'll accept your money any day



I guess the J.R Ewing gravy train has left the station.

-Rd


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## hernandez (6 Mar 2004)

*they are a joke*

indeed gift vouchers are a joke.
There should never be an expiry date on gift vouchers.  Its unfair that someone has paid good money for them and that they can suddenly become worthless.
I would advise people not to get gift vouchers.  They are a con and limit the recipient to certain shops.
Give them cash.  no matter who might think thats impersonal i bet everyone would agree that they would prefer cash to vouchers.


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## Sarsfield (7 Mar 2004)

*Good value vouchers!*

I have some £25stg vouchers for Habitat.

The Stephens Green branch is accepting them at an exchange rate of €1.50 to the £.  Better than the official rate


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## rainyday (7 Mar 2004)

*Re: Don't buy gift vouchers. "Game" in Grafton Str*

Here's an alternative suggestion - Spend 5 minutes researching what the recipients likes & dislikes, and buy an actual present accordingly. I always feel like the donor didn't bother their ass thinking about me when I recieve cash or a gift voucher.


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## daltonr (8 Mar 2004)

*Re: Don't buy gift vouchers. "Game" in Grafton Str*



> Spend 5 minutes researching what the recipients likes & dislikes, and buy an actual present accordingly. I always feel like the donor didn't bother their ass thinking about me when I recieve cash or a gift voucher.



5 MINUTES!!!!!
Rainyday,  have you considered switching careers and becomming a professional shopper.

-Rd


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## sueellen (8 Mar 2004)

*Re: Don't buy gift vouchers. "Game" in Grafton Str*

*"5 MINUTES!!!!!
Rainyday, have you considered switching careers and becomming a professional shopper"*

No point I got there before him!


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