Vouchers

syklops

I was not too sure where to put this. It is not a specific issue as such, but I would like peoples thoughts on the whole issue of vouchers. If the mods feel this is not the right place for it, feel free to move it, just not to After Hours. I dont want what could be a good discussion littered with yore ma's, and other annoying memes.

I recently saw a boards deal which was vouchers for a cookery lesson. The voucher entitles you to a lesson, and was only have the price of a normal lesson, which is very good value, but it said the voucher was only valid for 6 months. I posted on the thread stating that i thought it was silly having such a limit on a voucher. My argument being that I might be inclined to avail of such a voucher as a Christmas or Birthday present, but both Christmas, and my family's birthdays are more than 6 months away. They replied back that it was a summertime offer hence the 6 month limit which is fair enough, but it got me thinking about the whole issue of vouchers in general.

I often get vouchers for Christmas or birthdays, but I always find I end up with cards with between 3 and 5 euros left on them, for stores where the only thing you can get for 3 euros is 13 plastic bags. Unless I spend it on something, it becomes free money for the store in question.

Why is there often such restrictive terms on them, and why do we give people vouchers, when it is often better value for money to give them cash? Cash is considered cold, but is it? Or is it just a myth perpetuated by companies who offer vouchers?

whippet

I feel differently about vouchers.

For instance, I will always get my mother vouchers for BTs or Dundrum Shopping centre .. why?

Well, if I were to give her the cash equiv, this would go straight in to her purse and end up getting spent on groceries.

My mother does not need money for groceries, she needs to spoil herself. By getting her vouchers for a fancy shop I know that the money will be spent on something nice for her.

dudara

I have no real problem with dates on vouchers. By having an expiry date, it gives the business a chance to realistically plan their cashflows, revenues, expenses etc.

If a voucher was indefinitely dated, then a business could be presented with it 10 years later and have to honour it. I think that's too much to expect. (Even the government doesn't ask us to keep documents for more than 7 years!).

I've no problem with a lifetime, as long as that lifetime is clearly communicated and reasonable. Like anything, you should check the T&Cs before you buy.

Like another poster mentioned, cash gets frittered away in day to day spending. Although they have limitations, gift cards do mean that the person has to spend the card on something they want. It's really a personal choice thing though.

syklops

whippet wrote: »

I feel differently about vouchers.

For instance, I will always get my mother vouchers for BTs or Dundrum Shopping centre .. why?

Well, if I were to give her the cash equiv, this would go straight in to her purse and end up getting spent on groceries.

My mother does not need money for groceries, she needs to spoil herself. By getting her vouchers for a fancy shop I know that the money will be spent on something nice for her.

Very good point, which I had not really thought of.

jor el

It's like buying a present they really want, without having to think about it, and just letting them get it themselves. If you know someone likes BT (for example), then getting them the voucher ensures that you are getting them something they want in BT, rather than buying them something there and having them not like/want it.

How many presents have you gotten that you wished the giver hadn't bothered with? Vouchers mean you get something that you want, and not just pay the money into your bank account for spending on the usual day to day stuff.

An expiry date is for the shop's benefit, so that they can control/know how much of their money is floating around at any time.

XxMCRxBabyxX

syklops wrote: »

I often get vouchers for Christmas or birthdays, but I always find I end up with cards with between 3 and 5 euros left on them, for stores where the only thing you can get for 3 euros is 13 plastic bags. Unless I spend it on something, it becomes free money for the store in question.

Could you not just use that towards something and pay the balance with cash?

mickoneill30

XxMCRxBabyxX wrote: »

Could you not just use that towards something and pay the balance with cash?

That works fine for me. I got some One4All cards recently. If you're left with a couple of quid on it you can check easily enough what the balance is then when you go into the relevant shop tell them you want to pay X with the card and Y with the voucher.

Definitely possible in Atlantic and Eason as that's where I spent two. Probably possible everywhere.

mw3guc

I can't be the only one with a pile of expired vouchers that I forgot about - or even worse, a few where the business has gone to the wall before the opportunity to redeem
I do not buy vouchers any more and have (hopefully) communicated my lack of interest in them to anyone close who would likely buy them for me.
I have also had a few experiences of trying to book massage/beauty/hotel breaks with vouchers and found the businesses unwilling/unable to accommodate my preferred options - something I don't feel would have been the case with cash. Redeeming a voucher brings no new income so your requirements are not high priority.
Having said that, my family is quite innovative and we've created our own vouchers with specified treats/gifts that have no expiry date but can be redeemed whenever suits the receiver. Sometimes, they don't even involve any exchange of cash - like babysitting, gardening, ironing etc. Great recession busters