Thanks ladies for your replies.
I guess it's just a matter of getting used to looking for expiry dates on gift cards. Not something I'm used to because of the legislation in Canada. Oh well.
I would love it if companies changed their policies on expiration, but as Sanddy_Dogg said, it's not something they would willingly do. There would have to be pressure from governments or consumers. I think I'll expend my energy fighting another battle...although I wouldn't have minded spending Dh350 at Dubai Mall :(
All gift cards have expiry dates on them. I can remember being given WHS ones for xmas and they always were valid for a year or six months.
If you don't like it, don't buy them.
Until people stand up and say no ,companies will get away with this.
Surely a gift card is the same as cash or credit card so why should companies have an expiring date on a gift card, after all ,they already have the money in the bank and making interest.
Expired gift cards are free money for the companies. The card purchaser has paid money for the card and if it expires it's more profitable for the company to be given money for nothing than it is to be given money in exchange for goods. I can't see why they'd want to change that.
Until people stand up and say no ,companies will get away with this.
Surely a gift card is the same as cash or credit card so why should companies have an expiring date on a gift card, after all ,they already have the money in the bank and making interest.
Amazon e-gift cards have an expiry date of a year after issue. You need to read the T&C, is all.
Until people stand up and say no ,companies will get away with this.
Surely a gift card is the same as cash or credit card so why should companies have an expiring date on a gift card, after all ,they already have the money in the bank and making interest.
5.Redeeming Unspent Funds 5.1You should use all of the value of the Emaar Gift Card prior to the expiry date (which is 12 months from the purchase date). No extension of validity can be applied.
5.2Any remaining balance on the Emaar Gift Card after the expiry date will be forfeited for the benefit of the Issuer.
http://www.emaargiftcard.com/About/Terms.aspx
Hey Samz.. Had a similar problem with a MAF gift card on the weekend..I checked with the customer service and they said there's nothing that can be done..so had to use it for stuff I didn't want :( anyway when I checked the website later on realised that there was an option to extend the validity for a small fee! Which the guys in the mall customer service never mentioned.so best check the website FAQs in any case .
I have a feeling it says clearly in Emaar's terms and conditions that the card has an expiry date - some are six months and some are 12, so I don't think you'll get far with that :(
I received an Emaar gift card from work and tried using it yesterday at Dubai Mall. Turns out it just expired on May 2. It has Dh350 on it- ouch! :(
I called up the number on the card to ask about their 'expiration policy.' The lady said that these cards are valid for 12 months. I asked if it could be extended by just 5 days; she replied in the negative. I then asked to speak to a supervisor but the lady wouldn't budge. I then called the customer service desk at Dubai Mall and hit the same brick wall. They won't even let me talk to someone in a position of authority. I was out of country for most of the last year due to a complicated pregnancy so didn't have a chance to use it.
I've never heard of a gift card expiring. In Canada they passed a law declaring that store credit and gift cards do not expire; you can use them to infinite and beyond.
Had anyone run up against this issue? Any suggestions as to whom I can call?
TIA