Should I Demand A Refund Or Swallow My Pride?
Andrew writes: I've been having a huge problem with Visa. On November 28th, my wife ordered a $150 giftcard for me as a Christmas present, and we were told it would take up to a week to be delivered. Since we hadn't received it by the 7th of the December, We called and asked a support representative about the card. The rep was nice and reordered another card for us that day, and agreed to have it sent to us via Fedex NextDay Air. On the 15th of December, we received the first card. We contacted Visa support again to see if we would be able to use the initial card, however it had been deactivated.
Again we waited, and on the 20th of December, we contacted Visa to have the complete amount refunded rather than still wait for the second giftcard to appear. The representative on the phone was not only unhelpful, but also acted as if we weren't entitled to a refund. We spoke to a supervisor who assured us we would receive a full refund within 7 to 10 business days.Andrew, you may be caught in the grips of a "Revenge Refund." A "Revenge Refund" is a refund you pursue despite the fact that you'd probably be better off just keeping what you've got. It stems from a need to punish a company that wronged you, and it's not really healthy.On December 28th received an envelope that was sent priority overnight with a Postage Date of December 24th, in it was the 2nd giftcard. We contacted Visa customer support on January 3rd, and again on January 15th, each time contacting a supervisor and being assured we would receive a refund. We have the 2nd giftcard, but I'm against using it.
Ideally I'd like to receive a full refund, as I don't want Visa getting the fee from purchasing the card, and I'd like to avoid the credit fee paid by the merchant. Is there any way I can get this resolved or do I have to swallow my pride and just use the card?
Unless the fee Visa charged you was significant enough to cause you financial hardship, you might want to consider letting this one go. Your time is worth something. In the future, don't give Visa your business. (We don't recommend those "credit card" gift cards anyway.)
Maybe you could just tell a few hundred thousand of your closest friends how Visa treated you? We hear there are some websites out there that could help you out with that...
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Comments:
Just use the card. You paid for it, you received it (not in a timely manner, but you did get it). Of course in the future, you'll know from who not to purchase one of these, won't you? Welcome to the game of life.
Revenge refund is right! How many hours is the guy going to utterly and completely waste so he can get his six dollars? Ugh.
Chalk it up to a bad experience and shop elsewhere in the future, there are more important thing in life than causing some poor sap in India a bit of grief.
You should demand your wife to never waste her money on 'debit card' giftcards ever again, that's what.
Andrew doesn't have a problem with Visa, he has a problem with a bank that sells Visa debit cards. While as a member of the Visa network said bank may benefit a little from merchant transaction fees, it earns ALL the interest on the $150 Andrew is leaving unused. Use and use up the debit card, and take solace that however late they sent it, the card vendor is still out the cost of shipping FedEx overnight.
(Well, probably. They may have been smart enough to track everything and gotten a refund for it arriving on the 28th rather than the 26th.)
Andrew, I'm sorry your wife doesn't love you enough to get you a better gift.
Chalk it up II: Hassle free if he'd waited a little longer. Patience...
Good advice all around.
Still, I understand the impulse for a revenge refund. The last time I indulged in a revenge refund, I used my monies from the Microsoft settlement to buy an Apple product. Petty? Yes, but it still felt good.
Oh come on, why hasn't anyone suggested a chargeback yet? :)
If you're going to give your spouse money as a gift, why would you do it in the form of a gift card? Money as a gift seems a little silly to me anyway, since our finances are done together. Although we have done the "I'll take you shopping for _____" gifts. I bought my husband a projector one year, and I knew it would work out better if I let him pick it out.
@ SAMURAILYNN
I see your point, but I have a wife who will not spend money on herself, and sometimes if she needs clothes, shoes, a purse,etc. It is easier for me to buy her a gift card so that I know she'll spend the money on herself. This is the stuff she'd rather go out and shop for with a girlfriend than me anyways.
Then with the extra time I would have used shopping I can cook a nice dinner :)
I think this is a remarkably unromantic and thoughtless gift. If you want to get a gift card or gift certificate, why not from a specific store at least? This just says, "I care about you so much that I gave you cash".
I don't understand why people buy gift cards. Give me a pretty check with cartoons on it if you don't like giving cash.
@deadlizard: Because then I have to go to the bank to cash a check.
@samurailynn: I think a gift card ensures that the person will spend money on something one can show off...cash could be spent on gas or food, which can't be boasted about.
@deadlizard:
I feel more comfortable with cash than a check. Someone loses your check and now someone else has your account number. At least with cash if someone loses the cash your out nothing but that person you gave it to is out that amount of cash.
My mom went the Visa gift card route this xmas. She refuses to do it again. She gave my aunt one, she tried to use it and was told by the cashier it was invalid because they couldn't ring it up right, nor could the manager. She went back and had to teach them how to ring it up. I tried to use mine at a KFC. I was told they dont accept them, even though they take visa and it is a visa card for all purposes. Every other food establishment has taken it.
People are just dumb. Cash > everything else.
I'm not sure how you paid for this card, but if you had paid with a credit card, you might as well just put a stop payment on it and force VISA to deal with you instead of the other way around.
Next time ask your wife to just give you cash.
Cash - it's always the right size, color, and style. (OK - maybe not SIZE)
You never have to exchange it - except for something you WANT.
Why would you order a Visa gift card by mail? You can buy them at Walgreens.
@ToddC: What exactly is romantic and thoughtful about a gift card to a specific store?
I like you so much that I gave you a card that can only be used at one store!!!!!
I admire this guy being willing to tell the world that his wife got him cash as a holiday present. I'd be major bummed and doing some serious questioning of my relationship if that's the fate that had awaited me.
I don't think there is anything wrong with store or mall gift cards, but I do not like credit card gift cards.
I would much rather receive a gift card from my wife than her try to pick out something I might not want. Cash I would probably spend on food or snacks.
Even better, which some people mentioned, is if you significant other says "why don't you get that .... you have been talking about".
Have question, if you purchase something using the Visa card (they earn their fees) then return the item, does the retailer get the visa fees reimbursed--so Visa gets nothing?
@socalrob: We're dumb because basically cashiers at many places aren't trained to use them properly, and many computer systems do not check the balances for these gift cards. I would suggest the consumerist comes up with a how to on how to use these, and then pushes the story to CNN or * shudder* FOX on teaching the public how these actually work. Essentially the person using it needs to know what the balance on the gift card is at all times. I've had so many people who will simply hand me the card and then when it comes up declined, they'll say " But it had money on it." I'll ask them "How much?" and they'll say "isn't there a way you can check that?" I'll say "No." and then they'll get upset or just end up using cash or their actual credit card instead.
Pay the Visa bill with the Visa gift card?