Just wanted to see if anybody else has had any frustrating experiences with the eGift Cards from the Qantas Store? I recently converted my Frequent Flyer points for eGift cards. I purchased them on the 29th June 2017 and expected that I would have the benefit of a full 12 months before they expired (as clearly stipulated in their conditions). Alas, I was wrong. (…insert sad smilie here…) For some reason the expiry date was listed as 21st April 2018 i.e. I only had around 9 months and not the full 12 months as stipulated in their own conditions.
I wrote to the Qantas Store people (who promised to get back to me within 3-5 business days, but took over 10 days and further cajoling via another email). Julius Caesar from the Qantas Store Contact Centre, got back to me eventually with the following:
“ Upon checking your orders, the 2 Wish E gift cards, are valid up to 9 months only as per advertised in our website. Kindly see the link: https://www.qantasstore.com.au/p/WISH-eGift-Card/161368. Although it was issued 21 April 2017, it is valid until 20 April 2018, From the date of purchase June 2017 to 20 April 2018.”
I disagreed with Julius and said that I still contended that I was due the full 12 months from date of purchase as this is precisely what is stipulated in the conditions taken from the very link that was provided (https://everydaygiftcards.com.au/media/static/Docs/wish_tnc.pdf) to me by Mr Ceasar. The extract reads:
“Expiry Date means the date, being twelve (12) months from the date of purchase of the WISH Gift Card or twelve (12) months from the Dispatch Date of the eGift Card, after which any remaining funds on a WISH Gift Card or eGift Card will not be available for redemption”
I also requested that if there were any errors in the advertising of these products on the Qantas website, then they should be corrected asap. Notwithstanding any errors on the part of the Qantas Store, I kindly requested that they reissue these eGift cards with an appropriate issue date in order for me to enjoy the full 12 months that I believed that I was entitled to and as per the aforementioned conditions.
To date they have not reissued the cards.
My questions:
Has anyone else experienced a similar issue?
I checked the ACCC website and do think this amounts to misleading and deceptive behaviour, which is punishable under Australian consumer law. Am I correct in this assumption?
If you are a member of Choice use their Help service to see what they might be able to do.[quote=“TillySouth, post:3, topic:13237”] https://www.choice.com.au/choice-help-form
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Unlike other items in the QFF store, it appears that QFF is an onseller. Thus it would purchase the cards from EveryDayGiftCards so they are in stock, and then ship out when someone converts their points. The delay between purchase and shipping would be a maximum of 3 months, making the remainder before initial expiry of no less than 9 months.
If one purchsed them directly from EveryDayGiftCards, a near 12 would be expected.
@phb all giftcards don’t work that way,
they are not shipped activated and when sold are not “a near 12 would be expected.”
They are activated only when purchased and expiry calculated from date of sale.
Reseller this still applies.
As far as the Qantas store, I feel they are in their rights to offer a forked product or 9 Months
Woolworths would sell these to Qantas at a discounted rate in exchange for shorter life.
Other businesses do this too such as Research institutes that distribute eGift cards as payment for service.
Many of these have face value $x but last 3 months
Qantas acknowledged that the card was issued (or purchased) by Qantas on the 21 April 2017 (see quote below and the original post above) and on being issued would have had 12 months…but not the case as the card was send through a few months later reducing the time to spend date (based on date of issuing/purchase). A discounted shorter life is not applicable.
I suspect that Qantas purchses the gift cards in bulk (may obtain a discount when they do so) and send them out over a 2-3 period when points are converted. This is why their website and email indicates a minimum of 9 months.
I beleive Qantas would be classed as an onseller rather than seller, as they would purchase cards with an issue date and then onsell them with points converted from their frequent flyer program. If they were a seller, the issue/purchase date would have been the date the points were converted.
Its not important where the 3 months disappears.
it seems Qantas is selling the product clearly labelled and accurate.
They are entitled to sell the gift cards as 9 Months+
and they have no case to answer to the OP unless they fail to meet the 9 Months expiry
I have also heard that Woolworths has extended the expiry date of cards so if this happens, the end date is even less relevant…as long as it is done before the expiry.
