Use your gift voucher as soon as you can
December 29, 2014
Our recent research found that almost 1 in 4 consumers have, at some stage, let a gift voucher expire. We’ve some tips on using your voucher to make sure you don’t miss out:
- Spend the voucher as quickly as you can because the longer you keep it the greater the chances that you may forget you have it or lose it. Using the voucher quickly also reduces the risk of you not being able to use it if the company you have the voucher for were to go out of business.
- Check the terms and conditions that apply to your gift voucher. According to our research more than one in four (28%) don’t check expiry dates and one in two (53%) don’t check the terms and conditions of use of their gift vouchers.
- Check the expiry date and use the voucher before it expires. If you let a voucher expire, retailers don’t have to accept it, but it is still worth trying as they may do so as a gesture of goodwill.
- Check if any fees or charges apply to your gift card. Our research found that nearly seven out of ten (69%) consumers don’t check fees and charges. Some gift cards apply monthly maintenance charges after one year which eats into the balance of your gift card if you don’t use it.
- Find out what the store’s policy is regarding leftover balances. Do you have to spend the gift voucher or card amount all in one go or can you use it a few times?
