Lunch with Saint Johnson in for Pepper Hudson. We all have a voice, use yours call oh to one double four six oh five six seven. Join the conversation on you kay talk.
We were chatting about vouchers and if you purchase vouchers and what your experience have been in purchasing vouchers. You can send us a What'sapp message Oh seven two five six seven one five six seven raises I prefer buying gift vouchers. I have so many gifts that I appreciate but don't quite use. I usually buy a standard amount. Also based on my relationship with the person. I hope I'm in your good books, Ray, because then I'll get a bigger voucher than the person you don't like, especially
for baby and bridal showers. She tends to buy a voucher. So there we go. Your experiences with vouchres this afternoon will be part of our conversation when chat to Wendy Nola. Welcome to Consumer Talk and consumer journalist Wendy Nola's in studio with us this afternoon. We're going to be discussing vouchers and a listener spent almost nine thousand ran on a birthday adventure voucher and after several weather related cancelations, she was getting no response to her refunds or requests.
And we're also going to be giving you an update on the issue that people raised with us word board vouchers for an independent spa at zeevan vachtdwein Estate, only to be told soon afterwards that the business had closed it down. Wendy, A very good afternoon to you and welcome to the show.
Thank you saying good to be here.
It must be a very nice market selling vouchers because it's one way of expanding your business.
It is.
It works for the businesses for sure. I mean it's it's lucrative because the retailers get their money upfront knowing that a sizeable percentage of people, for a variety of reasons, will not present them an exchange change for good or services within the valid validity period, which by law Consumer Protection Act has to be at least three years, which
is quite a long time. But there are still, and I put my hand up for this, still people who for whatever reason just didn't don't get round to redeeming the voucher in that time, so the money is kept at no service provided. But yeah, even eleven years since the three year ability period became a law, that's when the CPA came into into effect. There are still a number of service providers who will issue a six month or twelve month voucher, but that's quite rare these days.
But I get other there's still other dodgy practices going on with the issuing of of of vouchers which aren't legal. They inserted into the terms and conditions and say, but this is these are our terms and conditions. Well they're not valid if they're not compliant with the law of the land. So we just thought the various issues around vargers, let's mush them all together and chat about them today.
So when I walk up to an organization or a business that's providing I would, let's say a spa and I want to buy somebody a back massage, voulture or something, they're not allowed to put a six months, twelve months or thirty six months, not years, the years, and that is it.
So if you're buying a voucher for somebody, that's the first thing to check the validity date. If there isn't one, insist on one being put three years from the date that you stand there handing over your money.
Let's start with the story we picked up on last week. Oriel contact us contacted us near to the end of last week's show just to say that in June she bought two hot Air balloon ride vouchers at four one each as a birthday treat for herself and a good friend. Tell us what happened.
Then, okay, so, so Oriel's birthday was in early July. She made a booking for on that date and it had to be canceled. She made another. There were quite a few cancelations, and yes, taking bearing in mind that this is winter in Cape Town, we have rain, we have wind, and you know that's not ideal ballooning conditions, so obviously there are a lot of constellations, but they have after she just lost the appetite for this adventure. Her birthday was long gone, and then she asked for
a refund. She was directed to the company and the company question is Ballooning Cape Town, which is based in Stinebosch. She was directed to fill in a refund form which mentions that an admin fee will apply, but doesn't specify how much. Interestingly, but the form did disclose how long she could expect to wait for a refund of her eight thousand, two hundred grand, which was up to twenty
one working day, so essentially a month. Oriel submitted that form on the twenty ninth of July, so that month is long gone now. It was passed when she contacted us last week, and we have on the line. I hope to tell us a little bit more.
Oriel, a very very good afternoon to you, and welcome to Cape Talk. Oriel on the line this afternoon to tell us exactly what happened with the refund of the gift voucher. Oriel, very good afternoon to you, and welcome to Cape Talk.
Good afternoon, Thank you, Hi, Reil.
Tell Wendy, did you get an acknowledgment from the company at all to your I think it was several emails you sent after that form to say what's happening now?
Once I requested the refund, there was absolutely no response, no matter how I tried. Must to send ten emails and they just never got back to me. Their telephone numbers just rings. They never ever answered the phone since I inquired into our.
Yeah, okay, so there's a phone number on the company's website, which I've also experienced is not functioning. There's the sales email address, which appears to be the only way to get hold of the company. And then there's the name of a restaurant in set and bosh, we're not going to name them where I believe they hold breakfast after the successful flights. If that's the word, what did you you? You've tried that route and where did that lead you?
Yeah? I contacted the restaurant and they gave me a gentleman's phone number, and he never ever answered his phone either.
Okay. I also tried that and it just went straight to voicemail, one of those annoying messages that say you you may not leave a message, so there's no record that you ever phoned. Okay. So I sent a media query via that that sales email, asking essentially, does the company have any intention of refunding you minus that mystery admin fee? And the answer was kindly note that we can,
unfortunately not disclose any information about any of our clients. Okay, the clients is you, and you came to me asking me to take up your case. But be that as it may, Ballooning cape Ton said, we they are, however, free to share with anyone they wish. The refund for the client you mentioned was successfully processed and she received an email from the payment gate where we use with that confirmation kind regards ballooning cap to on team. So no, still no names ever mentioned there.
So when we.
Last spoke, OIL, that was yesterday I think it was, and you said you'd received the payment notification and that was that great. After I sent my media query do you have that money in your account now?
No?
Okay, I just.
Checked the bank account at five minutes to two and there's no payment.
Okay. Well, hopefully it's just a delay between the banks and that's all it is. So we'll have to keep tabs on that one. But hope, I'm hoping that that's a successful refund. What is your learning out of this?
Oil never ever? Again? No, I told you I'm an adrenaline junkie and I was so excited to be able to do this for my birthday. And you know, I felt comfortable in the beginning because they were sending, you know, good email. But every time I inquired about the telephone number, I mean, you'll notice on the emails, but I sent you numerous times I asked, why don't you answer your telephone? And they never ever responded. One day I even sent an email saying why don't you respond to my question
about your telephone number? And I didn't get a reboku.
Well all exam said, what you do get is your money and this will have to be to be continued for next week. But yeah, there is just to say that there is often a day or two delay between between I understand that, so hoping that's all it is. Thank you so much forgot joining us, I really do you, mrsed welcome.
Thank you.
What are then the lookouts for anybody buying a voucher, whether it is just a spa voucher or a gift voucher for something, because I've got to watch that message. Yeah, Wendy, it says Hizin on the gift vouchure thing. I actually think experience vouchures are a great option, which is what we were talking about now, a ballooning experience. A lot of people have too much stuff, but an experience is
something you will always remember. I didn't know what to buy my husband for his forty ninth birthday a few years ago, and decided to buy him an experienced flight in a gyrocopter. The person says, little did I know it would change his life forever. He literally got out of the gyrocopter and said, I want to become a hell copter pilot.
So that's the one I was hoping it wasn't going to be an accident story. I was holding my breath there. That is a wonderful experience. So yes, things to look for would be And I've had cases like this where people have bought these experienced varchers so on the so, there are two ways to do a voucher. You can make it the supplier can make it out to a monetary amount or to the list the goods or service listed as a helicopter ride, a full body massage, whatever
the case may be. What you must always check if you're buying vouchers is check their t's and sees that they are compliant with the law. So what they can't do is if the person, particularly if they were deemed towards the end of that three year validity period, they arrive and say right, I'll have that helicopter flipball, I'll have that massage, and then the spa says, well, actually the price has gone up since this arture was bought, So you're going to have to pay extra, absolutely not.
They have to hold provided for that service that's listed on the vulture. They have to provide it in full for three years. It's the reason why a lot of these places have started, especially spas. They'll make art, which is not that not everyone who wants to know that put a crude you know, a monetary amount. You'd rather say facial whatever then. But but the spas are protecting themselves from losing art. Although I think all the vouchers that don't get redeemed more than makes up for this.
But they they will put their full body massage one five hundred rand or whatever the case may be. Rather sorry, yeah, they'll put their amount rather than the service. So whatever your whatever, your one thousand, five hundred rand will buy your the person you've gifted it to three years down the line, well that's what they can buy. So that's that's one way that the industry got around having to take a knock when the voucher was held onto you know for two to and a half to you know,
right up to the three year cutoff. So just check that and if the I mean there was there was one case I did a we spoke of so somebody who bought her husband, I don't know, an experience on a racetrack and the voucher said. Vouchers are valid for their experienced purchase for twelve months from the date of purchase, but in the cases of vouchure is not redeemed within
twelve months, the valual or revert to the original paid value. Therefore, to book the original experience after the first twelve months, the price increase a price increase may need to be paid. I mean, I challenged them on that, and they're back down, because that's illegal. If you're providing an experience or on a racetrack, it's been paid for, it's valid for three years. If the person comes after year one or year two,
you can't. They can't then be made to pay in So this is something that I'm starting to see creep in a lot and it's really not acceptable. And the other thing to look out for is, yes, the val just you cannot redeem the voucher for any promotional deal. So if they're advertising a special, there's nothing in the Act that precludes that you've bought you have a you have you have you have the right to present it
when you when you choose to present it. And if there's a booking, there's a booking of there isn't there isn't. But yeah, this can't. This cannot be sitting in the terms and conditions, so look out for that as well.
So there are I mean my eyes opening now to quite a number of things which which people out there are doing which is actually an illegal thing. For instance, if you buy something on a promo deal, there are a number of websites and a number of sites that offer you one day only on this particular thing and stuff like that, and that's those vouchers should then stay valid for three years.
That's a tricky case which I which I remember group on in that cave Blaze the trail, and now we have many many forms of it. So there's a bit of a compromise deal. There's are specifically promotional deals you know by they in nature valid for a short period of time. So what should work then, and most of them do comply with with this. If you don't book that experience within three months, say you don't lose your spend, you lose your right to claim that particular special deal.
But the company that issued the voucher to you, must give you credit for that vouture and enable you to redeem it on something else from for three years from the date that you purchased the voucher. And I think that's pretty fair.
I think that's a fair deal. Chanting this oftenoon to Wendy Nolan, we're chatting about vultures. If you had any good experience or bad experiences with vouchures, we'd love to hear from you on too. One four four six five six seven on one seven two five six seven one five six seven. We'll also a little later give you an update on the issue of people who've bought vouchures
for that independent spa. And I remember listening to this conversation which you had with and as the even Vajuaan estate, only to be told soon afterwards that the business had closed.
Consumer talk with Wendy Dollar. You can join the conversation.
Join the conversations or no. Seven two five six seven one five six seven. We've got to WhatsApp message here saying my experience paragliding voucher was canceled thirteen hours after purchase and still no response from my email and no phone number available and that comes from Monique. When these are the sort of key signs you can.
First of all, yeah, way before you give your money, you're giving your money to someone in advance of you know you've you've particularly got three years at which to redeem it. So you need to do a bit of history on the company, I believe, so you don't waste your money. Look at recent reviews for example, especially these adventure ones. And if there's no phone number, that's a big problem because you've always hope for the best, plan for the worst if something goes wrong. How am I
going to get hold of this company? Is there an a is there a contact phone number? Is there an email address? And so this is very unusual if you pay your money over and you've got no means of contacting the company. But please, I mean I don't I'm very happy to do a little bit of sleuthing as
far as possible to try and find out. So send me an email, give me what you know with the dates of when you paid and how you were notified that the well, I'm gathering they're not saying the company is closed down, as in the case we're going to be talking about after the break, but that just that the I mean, that's extraordinar Were there any excuses? What was the thing just canceled? Sorry for you nice, have a nice day. I mean, there had to be more than that. So let me see what I could do.
Another ONSAP message that has just come in. I regularly buy vouchures as a gift. At this SPA voucher is only valid for three months from the date A question is is it legal?
One?
Wow, definitely not. That's what I was alluding to earlier, and I said I don't get me of these. Now it's more the more subtle things of them introducing terms and conditions that aren't strictly legal. But there's very unusual for spas to be and be talking about spars without an R. To be clear, this beauty spars. It's very unusual for them, fourteen years on since the CPA came into effect, to be still sticking with the three months.
Absolutely absolutely not legal. Please do email me with the details there so that I can send them a nice email and go.
Back to them and say Wendy says that it's valid for three years and not three months. Because you know, people need to know their rights, they need to be educated about you know certain things, and they need to know their rights and only when you when you purchase something, you need to make sure that there are none of those loopholes or pottholes that you you know, and you're giving your money. Are you paying upfront for a varger so.
You need to failure? Yeah? So, so I would urge people who are doing the buying of the vouchers for their sakes, they don't want to waste their money and for the person that they're gifting it to to look very carefully at the validity date and also the terms of conditions. If there's anything about promos don't qualify or you'll pay more after year one or whatever the case may be, rather skip that service provider and move on to another who is going to comply. So the first
rule of first, what's the word I will say? For us to benefit from these wonderful consumer protection laws that we have, we have to know about them right and then knowing about them, we can ask the right questions and then avoid those service providers who have chosen to be in business but not to honor the Consumer Protection Act.
Just after the news, we will follow up on a story we had earlier this year about a SPA voucher which couldn't be redeemed because the SPA had gone out of business, and that will be coming up just after. He's chatting this afternoon to Wendy Nola, our consumer journalists about voutures and if you have any experiences, don't forget to send us a WHAT'SAP message to oh seven to five six seven one five six seven.
Eight eight Talk Consumer Talk WhatsApp on seven to two five six seven one five six seven.
Twenty five minutes to three o'clock. A very good afternoon to you. Welcome back to this show again. We are chatting to Wendy Noler this afternoon and we'll give all Wendy's details At the end of the show. We were chatting about vouchers and we switched over to another conversation that we had. Wendy, you have a follow up on a story that we had earlier this year about a SPA voucher which couldn't be redeemed because the SPA had actually gone out of business. Give us the background to that show.
It was the show we hit did on Wednesday, the twenty third of July, and we reported that several people had paid the spa at the Evenwacht state considerable sums of money three nine hundred rand in one case for full day's spoils was Chap's wife, you know, treatment, gift arches and the rest, and within days or weeks they were told that the services had been suspended. That was
the wording they got in a letter. So the Evanvach director Denise Johnson told us that the Baquena Spar, which was rebranded more recently as Infinity, had leased the premises on the estate since twenty sixteen, and while the estate was aware that they were experiencing difficulties because they were behind in their rental payments, they had undertaken to payback the areas and business was expected to pick up after
the rebranding. Then came the surprise closure. Denise told us that the estate only became aware of this on the last day of that spase trading about the next chapter. What now for the people that were holding these varchers, Denise told us in that show twenty third of July, I've had a very positive meeting with the potential new SPA operator. If they enter into an agreement with us between the two companies, we will attempt to honor all
bookings that have not been refunded. As I have no access to the database or list of guests, we are keeping a record of all inquiries we receive, so there was a glimmer of hope and we handed over the details of the people who had contacted us. But having got word back it was last week from one voucher holder that there had been no further developments. He'd had no contact. I went back to Denise to ask for a progress report. She said, I'm still in negotiation with
the potential SPA operator. They need to source funding and investors and be sure that the business model will work well. So there's nothing that we can do to expedite the process. She said, while they have agreed in principle to rent the premises with the purposes of running a SPA, I hope to have a final confirmation by next week, so that should be by the end of this week. She says.
We've discussed the process of assisting guests who booked and paid on the basis that the new operator will offer either a reduced packaged package half or for their SPA, depending on the booking, and we will subsidize fifty percent of the costs. This is entirely a gesture of goodwill. I do not want to make promises to any guests, Denise said, until we are sure that we can carry the financial costs of this offer. So that's fair enough.
She added that the state that Zevinvacht had been the subject of some distressing social media posts and emails insinuating that we have stolen their money. There is no legal or financial obligation on Zevinvacht or the new spa operator to offer any services to these guests. Their recourse is one hundred percent against Infinity Day Spa and Wellness, and they are welcome to institute any form of legal proceedings
against them at their discretion. Denise has shared with me a contact name and email address, which I will share with anyone who asks me for it or fair So.
There is no obligation on Zevenvach itself because this practically was a tenant of theirs and wasn't pretty much, yes, contracted into any part of their business.
Yeah, yeah, And I think it's fairly common with you.
Know, spas and hotels to do that.
Exactly. They have it's an outside operator and they have an agreement between them. But you know what happened there and then continue to solve archers up until the last week of you know, before they went before they said sorry, we've stopped operating. Is no reflection on or the responsibility of the estate in this case. But you know, you can understand from consumer's point of view, they they've driving into the estate. They're associating the experience with the estate.
Although the SPA itself has got different branding and it's a completely independent company. Some people, you know, they can't get hold of the SPA, but so they will target in this case that the estates eten say you stole money. So just to make it clear that wasn't the case and all is not lost completely the stage, it's just the feedback the update rather that we promised and so to be continued. We'll keep on monitoring this.
There there's a nice gesture to say, listen, we'll cover fifty percent of the cost and you know we because obviously you need to backtrack now again from reputational damage to the estate, isn't it.
Yeah, So that's that's that's what they're obviously seeking to do. But while making it very clear that it's it's you know it wasn't their wrongdoing, and they have no obligation to do it, but they obviously feel bad that people had that experience and invested and trying to do what they can to make it, you know, to make it right with the people that were that were harmed.
A few what's up messages that have come in, you know, one says that the longer it takes for the consumer to redeem the voucher, the company gains interest from the money paid and it works for them, so they can't say the cost of the service is increased or they'll lose out if you come over longer period.
Yeah, but what kind of interest less It's not it's going to be a big shortfall there. But essentially within their power then to say, well, we'll issue the voucher and the value to the value of three nine hundred or whatever the case may be, and you know, if you don't redeem it in the first six months, well then you know when you come with your voucher to the value of three nine hundred and is going to get you less. And that's why a lot of them
have opted for that. But the point is, if they're still just going with the practice of listing the experience as what the voucher exchange will be, and you arrive for it and you know you're two times nine months. They can't then say, oh no, that facial is now going has gone up by fifty percent in the last three years, so we need a payin from you. That is what a really strong message I want to get across is they are not at liberty legally entitled to do that.
Another one I mentioned, and this is a lovely one, High Wendy, what are the rules around this? The listener wants to know and your WhatsApps on seven two five six seven one five six seven. I bought my husband a voucher for cooking lessons with a chef four thousand rand for eight lessons where the chef would come to our house and cook with us. It's one way of getting your husband yes willing. A few weeks later, when I gave my husband his gift, he was unimpressed with
my KIF and I tried to get a refund. The chef refused and there were no terms and conditions on on this particular gift. And is it legal?
So yeah, absolutely, The Consumer Protection Act doesn't title the supplier to refuse to give a cash refund. It's got to be redeemed for services because that was the purpose for which it was bought. So unfortunately she should just have the little found we say thank you. I'll take those lessons.
And this brings me to the question whether vouchures are transferable, because I think a number of varcheress will indicate and stipulate quite out of categorically this is this vouture is not transferable.
I need to call up the Act, but I think they might be within their arts to do that. Let me, if we're reading out other WhatsApps, I'll have a quick look. I did look in the break, but we were I didn't quite get there.
Another what's a message saying, Hi, Wendy. Do vouchers you get from say, Cape Union, mart or Willies? Do they actually expire from Gareth? And obviously Gareth within three years if you haven't used it, that does.
Exp I think he's referring to loyalty vouchers and those are exempt because the Act refers to prepaid vouchers, card or whatever other mechanism, though the keyword is prepaid. So if you're being awarded vouchers and thank you so much for this question for prompting me to give this information. If if it's you haven't paid for them, it's just to thank you and asked to have a loyalty present, then they can make it valid for whatever period they
feel as appropriate. So this section doesn't apply because it's not prepaid.
Again for that question, Gareth, there's your answer. Your voucher from Cape Union Mat or Willies for instance, he's not prepaid.
He didn't say it was a loyalty thing, so I'm assuming that's what he meant. If it was paid for voucher. I can't imagine Willie's not not comply, or Cape Union Mark for that matter. If it was paid for as a gift or then absolutely you it must be valid for three years. Incidentally, not everybody buys vouchers for as gifts. I've had feedback from people who say that they buy vouchers as a way of saving, Like I don't know, so like instead of just putting into savings, I can't
it might go to thing else. I'll buy themselves a voucher from a particular retailer and and no so and then when they need it, they when they need to buy whatever school clothes or whatever, then they will pull out the voucher and go and do it. But I would say labor is a good way to do that. You can you can buy something, put something on labor
that you don't need now, for example, for summer. You can lay by it now, you know, because certainly look, look are we dressed nawsa and you could buy something some clothing for summer. By the time you've paid it off with no interest over three months, you know, and not needing to wear you don't need this gratification and then you can paid off in you But it.
Was summer yesterday, I know this is this is cape down in September. It got to be diving for my long Johns and everything this morning. Another question that's coming Wendy, and we're talking to Wendy Nod. If you have any experiences in terms of vouchers, we'd love to hear from you. I know seven two five six seven one five six seven or a know to one for six five six seven. This one says I had a very bad experience with the high end hotel regarding a high tea voucher bought
during COVID. The time period, Yeah, obviously is very important. So post COVID when trying to redeem, to redeem the voucher, they stopped the high t and I struggled to get them to honor that particular vutuer. I personally went through because no one answered the emails and no one returned the phone calls as promised. And finally they consented, but I said I would have to pay. They said I would have to pay extra as the price had gone up since issuing that vouchure.
Well, she's left at the timing there, so yeah, bearing in mind that there was only a three year validity So say she bought the voucher and many of us were encouraged to do this to keep restaurants and the lack afloat because obviously no yes, et cetera. So the validity period would have been three years. Say it was issued in Winny things really bad, say June of twenty twenty, it would have expired in June of twenty twenty three.
So yeah, I would imagine. She doesn't say, but if the vow she was still within that three year validity period and she paid for a high tea, then they couldn't ask her to pay in if it's now past that three year and she wasn't able because they didn't have the high tea within the three year period. Then I would say to be fair and given that it was COVID and everything else that might be applicable to pay us to have a small pay in to associate around them. So I don't I don't have the timing.
Sometimes I don't. I don't think that one can expect an organization to honor a voucher. And I did infinite them. You know what I'm saying, you don't have legally it's three years done. So make absolutely sure when you buy that voucher that the expiry date is three years from the time that you've actually bought it. And we chatting to Wendy Nola this offten were chatting about voutures. If you have any bad experiences a good experiences about buying a voucher, we'd love to hear from you.
Talk WhatsApp seven two five six seven one five six seven.
Coming up ten minutes to three o'clock. We have Wendy Nola in studio and we chatting about gift vouchers. There are a number of good to know things when it comes to gift vouchers. And the purchasing of gift vouchers. If you missed this earlier part of the conversation, don't forget it will be on primemedia plus dot com. When do we chatting about the transferability of vouchers and you.
Said you'd seen on some of these vouchers not transferable, Well, this is what the Act said. It's Section sixty three of the Consumer Protection Act, available online for those who want to check it out for themselves. So it starts off by saying what we said earlier. This it only applies to transactions in which a supplier accepts consideration from
a person in exchange. It's paid only paid for, not a loyalty voucher, and the supplier expressly or implicitly agrees to provide goods or services to any any person who subsequently presents that certificate. So it's definitely transferable, and that shouldn't be used as a means of keeping your money
and not supplying anything. So, for example, the woman who bought the chef lessons for her husband, she's definitely at liberty to say, okay, well I will I will he has the voucher I presented, and I will take the lessons from you, thank you very much, or give it to her sister, whoever is interested, the person who's who has possession of the voucher, and obviously they can do the checks to see that it wasn't you know, presented before.
Is then entitled. Because I'm talking about digital ones, you can just you know, forward them. They would they would obviously check that it hadn't been redeemed before, and yeah, so they are transferable.
There we go. Vouchures are transferable, so those cooking lessons can go to somebody who appreciate well, appreciate it. And your husband is definitely not going to be cooking. That's a no note going to voice that in from Trisha's Afternoon and I seven two five six seven.
My husband was given a book voucher to the value of four hundred rand for her birth his birthday, and when you went to redeem it, there was no use it by day to honor it or anything like that. Exclusive books said that it had expired like maybe two or three weeks beforehand, and they refuse to acknowledge it. And he tried to challenge them and said, but don't
these vouchers not have a use by date? And the lady said no, I'm just wondering if it doesn't state on the actual voucher got to be used by a certain date, does it have we got anything to go back to them for and say you've got to honor this. I'm just curious to know this.
Thanks Trish Wendy Thresh.
That's very interesting one, because you know they should all have expiring dates on them, the only way you would. I mean, they obviously were able to ascertain when the voucher was purchased, right, and that's why they saying, well it expired your three years was up two or three weeks before. But how are you, as the recipient of the gift voucher to know that three years is a
long time to remember? So I would like to investigate this, and I'd certainly like to see a copy of the voucher or card or whatever he was given as a gift trash if you could email it to me and I will take it from there. But yet, there's short answer is yes, the validity date most definitely needs to be stated on the card. It can't be guesswork on the part of the recipient.
The good to those out of this conversation when the in terms of vultures, there's a couple of things that we have highlighted in terms of what people should definitely look for in this case with the with Trish is what is the when did you purchase the voucher? Did you actually hold onto his seat? Because sometimes you know, you give the person the varcher, but you hold onto the re seat and the expiry date. So what are those good to those in terms of a vucher.
When if you're doing the buying, check that it's not doesn't state it's not transferable. Check that it doesn't state that goods and services on promotion are not included. There's no exclusion for that in the act. And check that they don't have some sneaky little clause that says if you deem after year one or after your two, you will pay significantly more for that service that's provided, be it a adrenaline junkie type adventure thing or relaxing day
at the spa, whatever the case may be. So check that's not there. I mean, just about every bit of advice or every topic we discussed we discuss on this shows and ends with please read the small print. So and still people don't but our persist anyway, and no hope that maybe one or two are persuaded. So yeah, I think that's that's the basic thing. The abilidity data is the thing to check first of all, and if there isn't one, to ensure that they put one on there.
That state's expiry dates three years from the.
Go and go online and check the reviews of the company, so that you know this company has been around for so many years. They look for recent reviews, recent reviews, look for other people's experiences with this particular company, and that will that will obviously tell you whether or not you will enjoy the experience or whether or not you should be purchasing a voucher, because you know, we've seen companies that have been in existence for thirty forty years go go under these days.
Yeah, well, the case of the SPA, I mean, it's been in operation since twenty sixteen, I think it was, it's nearly ten years, so there was trust and all the rest. So these people didn't see it coming, the people who bought the vouchers right at the end there.
I have a voucher from a prominent photograph shop in the gardens which my kids gave me for a birthday in twenty twenty three, so we don't know exactly which month in twenty twenty three. I thought I lost it, but I found it when we moved this year. As for the CPA, is that still valid?
Definitely sometime in twenty twenty six. That expires six Definitely the whole of twenty twenty five and up into the month it was it was purchased in twenty twenty three. Yeah, very much. Still better go go and go shopping, go shopping.
Yes, we got an email from Rosie asking I misplaced a gift card from Saubey, which is quite nice. And it expired in February already. And once again we don't know whether it was three years or whether there was a limited.
Twenty Oh, they'll be There'll be three years.
It will be three years. Yeah. Is there anything that one can do regarding this or is just your own misfortune and you've lost out on the deal?
Well you could you can plead for I mean, if it was a few days, I would say you might have a chance, But you know, February I would say, no, you had the full three years. And I mean, I've done this myself. It's an awful feeling. I feel worse for the person that paid the money for my pedicure. And I mean, I did try several times to make a booking, but it was always high season, all the tourists here, and I just couldn't do it. And I feel terrible, But I'm not going to go to the
spar and say, well, it's your fault. And you know, I could have made middle of winter bookings and I just just slipped in my mind. So unfortunately, and this is the thing. The companies that issue gift vouchers do it because it's good business for them, because they were There is a percentage, and I don't know what the average is, but I would say it's not too small. And for whatever reason, people lose them, people forget people, whatever, They just don't redeem them. They move and they've got
that money for nothing. So you know, it's a good idea to buy their voucher if it's you know, if it gets redeemed. If it isn't, it's just always of your money. But you've got no control over that as the buyer. You just got to hope that the person you give to read.
Read the fine print. Read the fine print, and in capital letters, read the fine print. My gapsolutely show Wendy where can people get hold of you?
Okay, so the best way for me is to go into my website Weendy Nola dot COSA. Because on there, if you click on consumer complaint, you will be directed to a form which I've tried very hard to populate in a way that prompts you to give me all the information that I would need to take up your case without having to send you an email back and ask for basic information like what was the account number? When did this happen? You know whatever. So so that's
the best way. Otherwise, it's consumer at Nola kno W l e R dot co dot c DA.
Wennie Nola, thank you so much for your time this afternoon and we were chatting about vouchers. Remember this conversation will be up on the website at Primedia plus dot com.