Purchasing gift vouchers may be a safer and faster choice for those who are unsure of what gifts to buy. The receivers of the vouchers may choose their own gifts and therefore there is no risk that we may buy them a wrong product. However, if the necessary precautions are not taken, consumers may still end up making a wrong purchase choice which can result in loss of money.
The first responsibility consumers have is to choose the right shop from where to buy the gift voucher.
For a wider choice, consumers should opt for gift vouchers that can be used in different outlets. If consumers decide to buy gift vouchers that can only be used in one shop, then it is important to check that the shop has products that the receiver of the voucher would want to buy.
Before buying a gift voucher, consumers should also remember that these vouchers come with terms and conditions of use. One of these is the expiry date. This date may vary from a few months to a few years; this is a decision at the discretion of the issuer of the gift voucher.
If there is no expiry date written on the voucher, it usually means there is no time limit by when the voucher must be used. However, such vouchers should still be used within a reasonable time as there is always the risk that the shop that issued the voucher closes, in which case the voucher would become worthless.
An important condition worth paying attention to is how the value of the voucher can be used. Consumers should look out for terms and conditions that explain what happens when the value of the voucher is not used all at one go. This is especially important when consumers buy vouchers of a certain value. In this case, if all the voucher’s value needs to be used on the same purchase, it is advisable for consumers to buy multiple vouchers with different values.
Vouchers come with terms and conditions of use. One of these is the expiry date
It is also worth checking if the gift voucher can be personalised. As vouchers might be lost, having a personalised voucher would make it possible for the seller to cancel the lost voucher and issue another one.
Before buying a voucher, consumers should also look out for any limitations on the voucher’s use. These may, for instance, stipulate that the voucher cannot be used when the seller has a special promotion or discounts.
It is the responsibility of consumers buying gift vouchers to ensure they are well informed about all these terms and conditions. Consumers are also responsible to forward this information to the receivers of the vouchers. So, ideally, all the terms and conditions should be clearly written on the gift vouchers.
Should consumers find themselves in a situation where the seller of the gift voucher does not honour the agreed terms and conditions, or tries to add new conditions, consumers may insist with the seller to honour the original conditions. In situations where no agreement is reached with the seller, consumers may seek the assistance of the Office for Consumer Affairs.
Odette Vella, director, Information and Research Directorate