If a birthday or an anniversary is coming up soon and you do not know what to buy, gift vouchers are the ideal solution. However, to avoid wasting money, when buying a vourcher it is important that we know our rights and responsibilities.
A gift voucher can be exchanged for goods or services up to the value written on it. Usually, it can be used at a specific shop or chain of shops and cannot be re-exchanged for cash.
How the value of the voucher can be utilised is usually written in its terms and conditions. Hence, prior to buying a gift voucher, it is important that we look at these conditions.
The first thing we should look out for is whether the voucher has an expiry date. If so, we should make sure that the person we are giving it to has enough time to make use of the voucher. Naturally, the longer the expiry date, the better it is.
Once the voucher expires, the seller is no longer obliged to accept it. The consumer may ask for an extension but such a request should ideally be made before the voucher expires and not after. We should also check where the voucher can be used.
For a wider choice, we should purchase gift vouchers that can be used in a chain of shops or a shopping centre.
If it can only be used in one shop, we will need to make sure that the person receiving it can find something they like.
It is also important to ask what happens if the receiver of the voucher does not spend the total amount. Usually, the change left from the voucher is given back in the form of another voucher or a credit note. We cannot demand that such change is given out as a cash refund. If it is specified on the voucher that it has to be used at one go, it needs to be used accordingly.
A problem we may face is that the shop that issued the voucher might go out of business. To avoid such a scenario, we should use the voucher as soon as possible. If we still have unused vouchers from a shop that closed down, it will be difficult to get their value back.
If the shop changes owners, the new owners probably won’t have purchased the previous owner’s liabilities, including accepting vouchers issued by previous owners. However, there’s no harm in trying to speak to the new owners.
Another problem we may face is that of losing a gift voucher. If this happens, the shop is not obliged to replace it. Unless the gift voucher is personalised, losing a gift voucher is just like losing cash. If, on the other hand, the voucher is issued in our name and is not transferable to another person, the shop may be able to issue a new one and cancel the original voucher.
Whenever we give a gift voucher to someone, we should also give them the terms and conditions on how to make use of it.
If the seller of the gift voucher does not honour its terms and conditions or tries to impose new conditions after the voucher has been purchased, we have legal rights and may insist with the seller to have the conditions of the voucher honoured.
If we do not reach an amicable understanding with the seller, we can then file a complaint with the Office for Consumer Affairs within the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority.
odette.vella@mccaa.org.mt
Ms Odette Vella is senior information officer, Office for Consumer Affairs, Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority.