Dundrum Shopping Centre Gift Vouchers: mygiftflexcard.com €3/mth charge

Received the following in an email this morning:

"I was given some gift tokens for Dundrum Shopping Centre recently and found out some interesting information about their "Schedule of Fees" (yes you read correctly!) for their new "GiftCard" scheme (aka plastic gift token).

Basically when you buy one of these new "GiftCards" you are CHARGED a "MAINTENACE FEE" of EUR3 PER MONTH for the privilege of having the "GiftCard". You are charged this fee every month (its deducted from the money you put on the card), from the second month after the card was purchased and until the card balance reaches ZERO! (Unless you have paid an "INSURANCE FEE" at the time of purchase - whatever next insurance for gift tokens!) In other words if you bought a card at the beginning of the year for say EUR40 and didn't use it til the end of the year you'd have very little left as most of it would go on the maintenace fee!!

If you don't believe me check out www.mygiftflexcard.com for their terms and conditions!!

You might want to remember this if you are considering buying one of these cards for Christmas etc., especially as it appears that other stores who operate card based gift tokens e.g. Brown Thomas and Roches Stores do not have such a "MAINTENANCE FEE"!!.

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE!!"

Anyone able to check the veracity of this?? Seems a bit bit much that they would charge a monthly fee for a gift voucher...

Re: Dundrum Shopping Centre Gift Vouchers

Appartently ( accoring to Dundrum Shopping Center) the card works like a debt card and is subject to the same banking charges as any credit or debit card.

Re: Dundrum Shopping Centre Gift Vouchers

I had one and it works like a debit card and there are charges for it. I still have the leaflet I got with it and was pretty shocked to be honest, as if the place isn't expensive enough!!. Bring back the old normal vouchers I say!!. I wouldn't get one for someone as a present now after having one as I think it's a bit of a farce and €100 does not go very far up there anyway.

Re: Dundrum Shopping Centre Gift Vouchers

A friend rang up and was told

the first 3 months maintenance is free on the card and after that you pay the €3.00 per month alternately exchange your card for paper vouchers and there's no charges

M

Re: Dundrum Shopping Centre Gift Vouchers

I honestly do not understand the facination with gift vouchers.

CASH is a voucher that is accepted everywhere, and doesn't have any additional charges, doesn't expire, is less likely to get lost.

For peats sake people end this voucher nonsense once and for all. The only reason vouchers exist at all is that the sellers know that they get cash and in many cases the voucher is never redeemed. Wooo Hooo Free Money.

And as if that wasn't good enough, they now want to make sure the vouchers are never claimed by taking back the value a little at a time until it's all gone.

I wonder how many people handing these cards out this christmas will include a copy of the terms and conditions so the misfortunate recipient isn't caught out when they in turn try to use them the following christmas to buy presents, and find they're worthless.

Basically when you hand out these gifts what you're saying is...."I was going to buy you a present....But I decided to buy one for Brown Thomas instead."

If you see someone buying one of these things, please please slap them. It's for the best.

-Rd

Re: Dundrum Shopping Centre Gift Vouchers

Yes i got this e-mail as well today - a total disgrace!

Re: Dundrum Shopping Centre Gift Vouchers

this was on liveline - Joe duffy today - they are getting bad press.

good enuf 4 for them!

Re: Dundrum Shopping Centre Gift Vouchers

Hi all,

There was a piece in The Star newspaper today about the gift vouchers - I think that is what sparked the Joe Duffy discussion. What a rip off. The Centre's management said that there is normally an issuance fee but that has been waived!! Big bloody deal. €3 a month is daylight robbery. No doubt dundrum or the crowd that operate these gift vouchers are smiling all the way to the bank with the interest they are making out of the money for the gift vouchers.

It is a good thing this has been publicised now as a lot of people will be preparing for Christmas and will be thinking of buying vouchers for people.

Re: Dundrum Shopping Centre Gift Vouchers

What's the position on bringing these back to the store and asking for cash.

If someone gives me one and I object to the terms and conditions and don't want to shop there, can I or the original giver get a refund.

No doubt it would be less some charge. But is it even possible.

It would gall me to let the card sit there unused and see all the money go the these conmen, but it would almost gall me as much to spend it in any store that would engage in this.

what to do....

-Rd

Re: Dundrum Shopping Centre Gift Vouchers

Update!

I just heard on today fm news @ 9 that Dundrum shopping centre is cancelling the charge on gift credit cards.

v

That is very true.

This is part of the statement from the centre:

"Dundrum Town Centre has negotiated for the removal of this recurring €3 fee on behalf of its customers and it will no longer be applicable to the card. This in no way affects the balance on the card and customers will be entitled the full value of card with no deductions. Customers wishing to transfer the balance from their gift card to the paper voucher system can also do so at no charge."

Power to the people!!!

> Dundrum Town Centre has negotiated for the removal of this
> recurring €3 fee on behalf of its customers and it will no
> longer be applicable to the card.

Don't you love spin? It should have read:

Dundrum Town Center recognises than in it's ongoing attempts to screw money out of it's customers It went too far on this occasion.

We fully expect to keep finding new and improved ways to screw you, but we'll be more careful to do it in more subtle ways so we don't get too many of you annoyed at the same time.

We would have gotten away with it if it was for you meddling kids.

-Rd

Ha ha only reading your reply now RD, hilarious.

Delighted also to hear about them having to change it.