Dopey mistake- any comeback?

Mad_maxx

Thought I purchased a 10 euro cafe voucher a week ago, turns out I mistakenly added another zero so paid 100 euro, only realised what I'd done when I checked email Xmas eve

Phoned cafe and they were pretty unhelpful, told me to send an email, sent one but no reply two days later.

Mrs OBumble

It's Christmas, likely the accounts person who can sort this won't be back at work until 4 January.

I’m not sure if they are but gift cards might be covered under distance selling regulations which allow 14 days for a change of mind (obviously assuming it hasn’t been spent in any capacity)

if they haven’t replied to your email ring again!

Piollaire

Long shot but check the terms for what happens to the balance on the card after you make a purchase. It may be possible to get the balance in cash instead of being issued a revised voucher.

Mad_maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118385681#Comment_118385681

rang several times , just constant fobbing off

SteM

So you mailed someone on the 27th and have rang several times since Christmas eve? You're probably being fobbed off because the whoever you're ringing can't actually help and whoever you mailed is still on holidays. Did you mail an actual person's address or a generic 'customer service' address? Is it a coffee shop chain or small place?

The last 2 days were bank holidays, I wouldn't have expected to hear back from them during that time tbh.

Mad_maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118385855#Comment_118385855

the person who runs the cafe is either french of spanish so perhaps they are unfamiliar with policy in this area ?

its only one hundred euro but I would never spend that sum in a cafe and pastry outfit , if they cant reimburse me , Its not the end of the world , Was just wondering in general what policy is , its not unreasonable to enquire however in my opinion

SteM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118385922#Comment_118385922

Of course you should enquire, it's a lot of money. IMO the response you should expect from the cafe is based on the set up of the place though which you've been unclear about. Are you mailing the person you are speaking to on the phone? Is it a multinational? When you say 'fobbed off' what exactly is the person saying etc.

Mad_maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386074#Comment_118386074

spoke to the same person three times , she told me she " didnt know " when i explained and asked me to email , she gave me the incorrect email the first time , I phoned her again today and she wouldnt answer my question as to their policy in this area , she said she would answer my question via email

its a small cafe business , only two shops in Galway

SteM

I doubt a small shop would have a policy for a specific issue like this, it's unlikely to have happened before. If you're close enough just drop in to chat, you'll probably have more luck dealing face to face.

Mad_maxx

perhaps they have not encountered it before but they might still be obliged to operate under consumer rights laws ?

thats the crux of the matter , they might chance their arm telling me I have no comeback so would be good to know chapter and verse what is the law

Show them the consumer rights facts, nicely. That you are entitled to a cool-off period and are more than happy to recommend their business if they Co-operate.

I was trying to paste here from Citizens Info but you can Google and find it easily.

28064212

OP, did you buy them online/over the phone or in-person? Cool-off period doesn't apply if you bought in-person. If online/over the phone, you should be covered by the 14-day automatic right of return.

Who are you talking to in the shop? And by that I mean their title. If it's a cashier/low-level employee, there's really no point engaging further with then, they can't do anything for you. As said above, there's every possibility that the person/people who deal with this is off for Christmas, you're not going to get an answer until they return.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386272#Comment_118386272

I think nowadays even if you buy in-store you can avail of the 14 day no questions asked return.

either way it’s fairly apparent this was bought online as the OP said they accidentally typed an extra 0 to make a €10 voucher a €100 voucher!

28064212

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386283#Comment_118386283

There's no legislation I'm aware of that entitles you to a 14 day period unless it's distance-selling, which explicitly does not cover in-person sales. The whole point of the legislation is to give you the same opportunity to inspect the goods that you would have if it was in-store.

And the OP didn't say typed, they said added.

28064212

Deeec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118385733#Comment_118385733

Honestly you will not get this sorted until next week so stop ringing them - chances are the boss or accounts person are not working this week! The person you were talking to is probably low down the ladder and doesnt have the authority to refund you.

They will refund you - just stop being a pain the ass and contact them next week when normal work resumes. Also remember this was your fault not theirs!

A €10 euro voucher would be pretty stingy - who buys a €10 voucher? - at least make it €20 that they could bring someone to lunch with them.

Mad_maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386350#Comment_118386350

None of you're business what I spend on gift vouchers

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386350#Comment_118386350

99% certain I know the business in question and they aren't on some form of holidays. They are back open after Xmas and the people running it are hands on and always in there.

OP they probably don't have to refund you but they might out of goodwill. Very much up to them. Highly unlikely, as an independent operator, that they've any policy in place for such an occasion. Your best bet would be to go in and politely chat with them and see if they'd do anything for you.

Mrs OBumble

OP right now café owners are literally climbing the walls trying to find staff who don't have Covid or meant to be isolating.

Stop being an a$s, go and chat nicely to them in the middle of NEXT WEEK if you email hasn't been answered by then.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386584#Comment_118386584

How is the OP being an ass exactly?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386313#Comment_118386313

yeah I’m not 100% sure so I’m only guessing.

also okay, if you want to be that pedantic I just cba with you anymore. Do you often go and ask for a voucher and say €100 when you meant €10 like cmon.

28064212

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386604#Comment_118386604

Pedantic? I asked the OP a very simple clarification which has significant implications on what they may or may not be entitled to, and gave accurate advice to them. You, on the other hand, came in with nonsense that you presumably couldn't be bothered doing a 5 minute search on

Deeec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386442#Comment_118386442

We are in those days post christmas where most places are operating on a skeleton staff - it is normal for owners who are mostly hands on to take some down time after a busy pre chistmas - everyone needs a break sometimes. Some coffee shops near me havent even reopened yet, some are struggling for staff with covid others are taking a break. Im pretty sure if the Op waits until next week he will get his refund. Its evident that the owner is not on the premises at the moment ( as Im sure they would have spoke to him on the phone if they were) or is not checking emails this week - nobody could blame them for taking a break. He is more than likely speaking to a waitress when he calls the premises who cant make the decision to refund him.

Mad_maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386442#Comment_118386442

OK so they aren't bound by any consumer rights legislation?

Mad_maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386584#Comment_118386584

Fourteen days will have passed by Monday

Mad_maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386604#Comment_118386604

No, only when I purchase online and hit an extra zero by mistake

Mad_maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386626#Comment_118386626

Unusual that a waitress would have their mobile number listed on the website?

Deeec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386655#Comment_118386655

Well if she is taking orders from customers ( you do understand people do phone coffee shops with orders ) she will be using the business mobile.

Deeec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386650#Comment_118386650

If you paid by card maybe ring your bank and try and recall the payment. If you only paid it last week it probably isnt even showing up in the coffee shops bank account yet.

magicbastarder

will a bank recall a payment unless you give them good cause to believe it's fraudulent?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386725#Comment_118386725

Yes. The chargeback process is a pain in the arse anyway so ideally the cafe will just return the excess €90.

you can absolutely setup a chargeback case to visa/Mastercard in this case. Purchased by accident is definitely a reason they’ll submit one, but be aware also the final decision rests with visa or Mastercard, the bank is simply putting the request to them on your behalf they have absolutely no input in the decision.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386624#Comment_118386624

I’m talking about the OP adding an extra 0 rather than typing as I originally said.

typed or added it’s entirely obvious it was purchased online or over the phone. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never gone to a store to buy a gift card and I personally had to enter the amount.

Mad_maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386699#Comment_118386699

thats not how it works , the merchant has to approve of a reimbursement , the bank has no power to enforce here

Mad_maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386725#Comment_118386725

no

Spook_ie

Not sure if gift voucher/cards are covered by distance selling or not, but they do have another set of regulations specific to gift vouchers/cards which people should be aware of

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/consumer/shopping/gift_vouchers.html

silver2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386283#Comment_118386283

Stop spreading total and utter RUBBISH.

silver2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386699#Comment_118386699

More rubbish.

The op made the error. The coffee shop did absolutely nothing wrong.

Op can only depend on the goodwill of the coffee shop unless purchased online.

If purchased online simply inform them by email (there should be an email address on their website) that you wish to cancel the voucher under distance selling regulations and this request is being made within the 14 days cooling off period.

Ringing the cafe and trying to argue it with a staff member is not the way to do it

mondeoman72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386974#Comment_118386974

i agree with this. As long as the shop provides the voucher purchased, there are no grounds for a chargeback. I also do not believe distance selling works for vouchers. Politely go in and speak to the boss. Annoying a cashier over this is silly, I doubt they can do much themselves. You need to get the right person.

Mongfinder General

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386350#Comment_118386350

And you just know that there are people reading this hoping that the OP gets stung for the full €100 because of choosing such a low value denomination voucher.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118387037#Comment_118387037

And maybe that’s all the OP could afford? Like whatever happened to the thought that counts?

fuck me. Since you’re all loaded anyone wanna get me a cafe voucher or a grocery voucher maybe could do with one after Santa’s bill.

give me strength you didn’t buy enough of a voucher..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386963#Comment_118386963

Maybe calm your ass down guy, I said I think as in I may be wrong, so don’t take my word for it.

listermint

Only really solution is walking in for a chat. I'd give up the phone calls at this point. Probably more receptive in person and can't fob you off.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386595#Comment_118386595

They are hassling a likely minimum wage employee over something which is outside the employee's control.

During a week when such employees are stressed and having to work extra hard due to covid.

Degag

OP, you said in your third post that it's "only" €100 and "not the end of the world. Relax, chill until after the 4th and then if you don't have a response, call in to the cafe or escalate.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118387680#Comment_118387680

Hardly fair to say they’re hassling over a few phone calls. Maybe they are min wage but I don’t see how that has any bearing on a phone call to someone who’s accidentally out €90 at Christmas time. I imagine that’s quite stressful too, that feeling goes both ways. OP was advised to email, which they did, received no reply & just rang again to make sure, which it seems was the right thing to do given they claim the staffer gave the wrong email.

I’d be pretty frantic myself was I to overspend by €90 on a gift card for something like a cafe, while I’d easily spend it that wouldn’t be affordable.

We don’t know the details of why the OP is so desperately wanting it back asap, perhaps they’re worried that if they don’t keep on top of it the 14 day cooling off expires and they’re left toothless, they might need it for groceries, rent, petrol, god knows. But because someone wants their money back and to that end has made a few phone calls to the business having not received a reply, (which I also interpreted there being no mention a reply wouldn’t be for a while, I’d definitely mention it myself anyway), they’re an ass?

Some fair moans on this site my god. From petty insults to jabs that the GIFT card wasn’t “enough money” y’all surely love to make the greatest of assumptions of someone, based on nothing, just to take out some frustration or whatever the hell it’s for.

Grolschevik

Or get a nice pastry and ground coffee hamper. I'm sure they could pull it off for you.

silver2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118387118#Comment_118387118

You thought totally and utterly wrong. And it's this type of rubbish comment that other people pick up on and then make utter fools of themselves in a shop.

Believe me, it happens more often than you think. "Someone online said I am legally entitled to a refund"

Maybe correct your post instead of trying to justify it.

Degag

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118387780#Comment_118387780

To be fair, that's the customers fault, not the poster.

Mad_maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118387747#Comment_118387747

the lady I spoke to twice on the phone was the manager , she emailed me this evening , told me it was my own fault and that vouchers are not covered by EU law in terms of cancellation etc.

live and learn I guess

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118387800#Comment_118387800

Not completely true..

From citizens information you could chance your arm and see if they’ll give you the cash back. You’d just need to spend some amount, so grab a coffee. Ask them to reimburse you the balance in cash if they argue remind them it’s part of new legislation brought in on all gift cards sold after Dec 2nd 2019!

edit: they DO have the final say and could of course just give you another voucher but it’s no harm to chance it they might just give you the cash back to let it die.