gift voucher validity...

[joko]

I have just found a couple of gift vouchers that my brother bought me about 6-7 years ago (could be more or less) i am amazed id forgotten about them.

there is no expiry date on them, or any date ata all - so can i still use them?

They are m&S and id been planning to give my mate some m&s vouchers for her wedding because thats what she wants but i dont want to give her these and then have them refused when she goes to use them...

thanks

[Barmaid]

M&S phased out gift vouchers a few years ago in favour of gift cards so your mate will know they've been lurking somewhere!!

I went in with some old vouchers I had found and I was told that they will always be valid.

[woofgang]

Go to marks, tell them the story and ask to exchange for a gift card.

[Marijn]

My friend had some undated vouchers for £30 for HMV, they told him at the shop they'd expired but he didn't know until then. You could take them in and ask, to be on the safe side. Personally I think it's better to give money because that doesn't run out. He was really disappointed to lose the £30. I wonder how much money shops make with all these people forgetting to ust their vouchers on time.

[joko]

yes they are gift vouchers

ive just looked at the m&s site and the picture they use - featuring a fan of gift vouchers - these are identical to the £10 ones...?? so surely they must still sell them?

i may try that woofgang ...

cheers

[joko]

ah that seems to be for the business customer! how odd

[joko]

just phoned them, they said i can still use them

cheers all

[Buenchico]

I can answer this one from direct experience.

My aunt used to give me M&S vouchers for birthdays and for Christmas. I recently found a total of £35 worth of them in a drawer. Knowing that an elderly friend of mine loves M&S shopping, but preferring cash myself, offered the vouchers to her for £20. I told her that all of the vouchers were at least 10 years old, but some were probably closer to 20 years old, so I gave her the vouchers on the understanding that she'd only have to pay me if she was able to use them.

My friend phoned the Ipswich branch of M&S and was told that they couldn't see any reason why the vouchers couldn't be used. When she visited the store she found that the more recent vouchers could be recognised by the electronic tills but a manager had to be called to allow the older vouchers to be processed. However M&S did honour the full value of all of the vouchers.

If your vouchers are only 6 to 7 years old, they're almost certainly of the newer type (which can be scanned at the tills) but, even if they're not, they're still valid.

Chris

[Steve1725]

I am not a lawyer, but I would have thought if you were told you were not allowed to use them then you could ask for your money back instead regardless of how old they are.

I do remember from my retail days that there are different types of vouchers for example, gift, prepayment and discount. VAT is due on a gift voucher when it is sold unless you are issuing your own prepayment vouchers. A discount voucher is usually given away for free, whereas with a prepayment voucher you are making a payment up front and you don't know what the VAT implications are until you choose the items you are buying.

Because of the VAT complications, I never see the point in giving gift vouchers when you can give real money.

[Steve1725]

Perhaps I should have pointed out that a prepayment voucher can also be used as a gift voucher if you choose to! When I used gift voucher I was referring to vouchers that you buy from a voucher dealer and sell them in your shop.

See, I said it was complicated.