As per title - use them up online before they get around to stopping this - i think they will refuse them in store
EDIT: order is now available for pick up - so it worked ok if you got in early!
Update:
They no longer work online.
Original Post: Dick Smith Enters Trading Halt (Voluntarily Administration)
Yes, thats why i put this post up - apparently they havent fixed the website - for once their online ineptitude is is actually a blessing
Just hope they dont start cancelling orders
Yep..will wait and see i guess - if they cancel, im pretty sure they have to refund - and if gift cards are no longer currency, i wonder how that will be handled
I work for a major logistics chain. All DSE orders currently in warehouse WILL NOT be delivered and no further pickups are to be done, so even if is honoured online, im confident in saying no logistics company will do the delivery.
Unsecured creditors eh? Good luck getting your money then :-(
Dick Smith receivers say gift vouchers and deposits will not be honoured
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-05/dick-smith-receivers-v…
Finally find the right post to reply to? Please do not spam the same message in multiple posts.
looks like gift card option has been removed online now?
yeah i couldn't find it. they've changed their checkout
I couldn't clear a $20 gift card.
I feel for this guy trying to sell $1k worth
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Dick-Smith-Gift-Card-worth-1044-i…
damn - i hope no one buys them - what's the legalities of trying to sell something on ebay that you know wont be usable?
Should've been a lot more negotiable on $1044! Not even a 10% discount, hell not even a 5% discount on such a large purchase
He listed on Gumtree mid-December. Putting aside the 'situation', he should've offered with a larger discount. Most $100 items sell for $80-$90, those gift cards should've been listed at $800-$900.
sounds kind of dodgy that he returned a laptop he purchased there and didnt get a full refund. They probably arent loaded with funds
This listing was ended by the seller because the item is no longer available.
maybe they have removed them now seeing they are useless.
A lot of upset people!
Not good I think buying gift card is not a good idea for OZ bargainers. It's complete loss to all the customers who hold the DS gift card. Big W is also forcing to buy their over expensive items and not selling other gift cards.
Big W is, as far as I know, still owned by Woolworths… and still uses the Woolies giftcard system.
If I understand "Big W is also forcing to buy their over expensive items and not selling other gift cards." correctly, you're saying Big W isn't selling Big W cards? or are they not able to sell other cards?
They are not selling any gift cards in exchange of egift cards. You buy woolworth group egift cards in order to buy fuel, groceries or other gift cards. Until mid December bigw egift cards were accepted by everywhere in ww group to purchase everything.
how can a business trade if they wont give refunds? and if they will give refunds, what's stopping someone from taking their gift card in and getting a refund?
don't worry answered my own questions:
https://www.moneysmart.gov.au/managing-your-money/banking/di…
interestingly - this is the link to 'latest gift card terms and conditions'
https://www.dicksmithgiftcard.com.au//App_Themes/10053/pdf/D…
the word refund doesn't appear in the terms and conditions…
It's illegal under the Australian Consumer Law to refuse a refund if the product is not fit for purpose or has a major fault.
It's illegal under the Australian Consumer Law to refuse a refund if the product
Not if they're in the hands of receivers…
You'll need to go back to the manufacturer…
jv is actually correct. have to go to the manufacturer or contact the administrators (good luck lol)
https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/shopping/refunds-and-returns…
Unless no manufacturer is stated, in which case Dick Smith would be assumed to be the manufacturer
in which case Dick Smith would be assumed to be the manufacturer
Then you become an unsecured creditor at the bottom of the list of all the other creditors…
You bought a plastic card.. you got a plastic card. It's purpose is to be a plastic card.
As such it is fit for purpose.
Life lesson learned, do not buy Gift Cards (and tell everyone you know to not buy Gift Cards), they're useless, pointless junk.
If you have to give plastic, then make it a "Gift Card" from the Reserve Bank of Australia please. Accepted anywhere in the country and you'll have bigger things to worry about if it becomes worthless overnight!
Agreed regarding the gift cards - that's been my sentiment about them. I got 10% extra value gift cards from Coles before Christmas and spent them straight away on highly discounted goods (not DSE junk), so I'm good. I wonder what happens to those who bought over gift cards over Groupon and haven't receive them yet.
@happychappy1:
It'll probably depend on whether Groupon have handed over the cash to DSE..
If they have, then I'm guessing Groupon will leave buyers in the cold, if not, then Groupon might (not that they have a good history of doing the right thing) refund.
I don't like gift cards either. It seems inefficient to purchase a card, use it then throw it away. They should be able to be topped up.
My wife used one at David Jones. The salesperson told her to write the remaining balance on the card so she'd know. She's got 10c left on it!
But your fit for purpose theory isn't right. The media on which the value is stored isn't relevant. Or is a $100 note simply a piece of plastic with same value as $5?
All currencies have a risk that the issuer won't be in a position to honor it. DSE gift cards had a higher risk than Australian currency.
I got my daughter a starbucks card. I was able to shout her a cup of coffee internationally. That was okay I guess.
@SlickMick:
Absolutely it is relevant cause that's what you're buying.. because the "Purpose" is defined by a small novel of Terms and Conditions that are specifically written to allow the vendor to wheedle their way out of honouring the card in any situation..
One of those Terms and Conditions is that they are under no obligation to honour it if they go into Voluntary Administration.
As per my "joke" about the Reserve Bank of Australia Gift Card, I'm fully aware that cash is also just a promise, but the Terms and Conditions are significantly shorter and significantly less risky.
I think the lesson is that if you bought a gift card before Christmas, you used should have used it immediately to prevent a situation like this where the company stops accepting them. The writing was on the wall.
too true, but for the general non-ozbargainer out there.. this would suck.
Yep, it definitely sucks. I've always said that gift cards are stupid gifts since they do less (than cash) and can expire at any time. I think future gift card deals should include a warning like "use immediately, or they may become worthless" and don't use them as gifts, etc.
Gift cards have the bonus of at least showing someone you know roughly what they like. You know they like electronics, but not sure what exsctly, so you buy a gift card for an electronic shop so some form of thought has gone into it. Cash is a thoughtless gift
@butterbuts: Cash is smarter, provided you give a decent amount. Gift cards are stupid limited forms of money - no thought whatsoever, besides restricting how and what you can use it for. Everyone needs cash, but not necessarily want to spend in a particular store. If you wanna get them electronics, do some research and figure out what they would want.
@butterbuts:
Gift cards are even less thoughtful!
Cash with a card to say, "I thought you could put this towards XXXX, feel free to buy it wherever you wish" is way more thoughtful than
"I thought you could buy XXXX with this, but you MUST buy it from HERE, and before this Date, so forget about shopping around for a specific brand or the best actual device for your needs, you'll have to make do with the brand/items that HERE have in stock and the price HERE are charging."
I am someone who is hard to buy for as there are multiple things I like. It is more thoughtful to think 'Hey, they like this store but I;m not sure what to buy them, but I'll get them the gift card. You then have to go to store and actually buy it. Cash on the otherhand, you just think '$50 will do and they can buy whatever they want'. Zero thought involved. Cash is not thoughtful, end of story.
Cash is the least thoughtful present you can give. End of it.
To me, presents shouldn't be something you need, it should be something that you wouldn't usually buy yourself. This is coming from someone who buys most of their own stuff in the end, so I love getting random gifts.
Also, no one in their right mind thinks the way you presented it.
@butterbuts: Maybe for you if you were quite well off and didn't need anything. However, there are many others who need to work to make ends meet. Giving them something like cash would help them out immensely. Giving them a gift card is like saying you're screwing with that person by limiting how, on what, and when credit is available. It's telling them what they can and cannot do - quite condescending if you ask me. On the other hand, everyone appreciates cash as it much less restrictive and doesn't have a short expiry date.
Who in their right mind would choose a gift card over cash?
@happychappy1: I guess I'd be happy to receive either, but if it's gift cards it should hopefully be Coles/ww because they're more useful than other stores where you could potentially find a better deal online.
@butterbuts:
What a cop out!
There is no more thought applied to buying a Gift Card than to giving cash.
If there is thought that "X might buy Y with this Gift Card", the EXACT SAME thought can be applied when giving Cash!
To make that point I'll even write in the card as above "Put this towards Y".
A Gift Card is a ransom note.
"The store has the cash I could have given you, but you have to go there and most likely fork over some of your own money to get the full value of what I paid (cause everything in the store is $xx.95 and this is a $50 card). And if you don't go to the store within 6 months, the Cash gets it in the neck!"
If you've not at least once in your life thought to yourself one of the following;
"Great, now I have to buy something from this store of this value"
"Great a $20 voucher in a CD shop where everything is $30 or more"
or when actually in store thought
"there's nothing here I would actually buy with my own money"
after receiving a gift card, then you are a very unique individual!
If you have, then you received a thoughtless (or at least not fully thought through) gift.
@happychappy1: I think that's why chinese people are giving money to each other in a small red envelope.
+1 The first time was a clever financial scam, this time there were plenty of signs that the business was staving off bankruptcy.
So glad i used my gift cards on Christmas decorations! !!!!
Wow… he's listed it twice… Must be keen to sell them…
This listing was ended by the seller because the item is no longer available
DSE just refused to accept my gift card in store… $60 lost:( glad I've spent another $280 worth of gift cards this morning.
$60 lost
They may accept them later at the same or a reduced value, so not all is lost yet…
Also, how did you pay for it? You may be able to do a charge back…
Hold onto your gift card.
Once they have a better picture of the business they may let you spend it or it might be the case like borders where they will honour the value of the card so long as you spend double on purchases.
somebody above said you an still use them online
that doesn't make it true…
ye i know, considering online buyers are saying their purchases aren't being fulfilled, but wishful thinking. You could play safe and buy batteries and shit liek that. if they come through, then you can never have enough batteries lol.
Sorry I missed the boat but was there a really good deal on DSE gift cards? A lot of ozbargainers seem to have hundreds in gift cards for Dick which given the reputation in recent months you think they wouldn't?
I spent all my DSE gift cards before December. Let this be a lesson to all those who buy gift vouchers/cards.
Another tip: you can convert Woolworths gift cards into cold hard cash very easily ;)
care to elaborate?
Check their returns policy ;)
what about return policy?? pay gift card refund by cash? lol
point 6 is a very good tip. II remember this happening with Borders.
I just managed to squeeze in an online order using my $50 gift card this morning before they put a stop to it. Keeping fingers crossed that they honour the purchase.
Latest from SMH. They will not honour gift cards and any deposit paid is not refundable. I will not buy anything from Dick Smith online from now, will still buy instore if good price, no way going to hand over my money without getting the goods straightaway.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/dick-smith-goes-into-v…
no way going to hand over my money without getting the goods straightaway.
make sure you have the item in your hands during the transaction at the register… Just in case…
Just have to use a credit/debit card, and use the credit option. So you can claim a chargeback when the sneaky salesman grabs and hides your brand new iPad under the table.
I am so glad I did not preorder the Pebble Time Steel back when it was on sale. They wanted me to pay in full right away and they did not even give me an ETA on when the order would arrive. If I had done that, I would be out of $200.
I did that! They only asked for a 10% deposit, which I paid. Picked it up insotre maybe 3 weeks ago after a number of delays for total price of $211, they had a 15% off smart watch dealie on. Glad I got it at last before this shit happened.
I feel for the poor staff. The grief they are gonna cop over this will suck.
That's what i was willing to do too. A 10% deposit is reasonable but paying it in full is not especially when they couldn't guarantee anything. I'm glad i didn't get it though because the Sony smartwatch will be announced this week.
I feel for the poor staff. The grief they are gonna cop over this will suck.
I'm sure all the good deals they managed to get a hold of before actual customers will dull the pain.
Am I the only one not to notice that the website does not feature the words Administrators Appointed. Is that illegal?
does not feature the words Administrators Appointed.
Have they taken over yet ???
Not illegal. Only required on public documents and negotiable instruments.
so which TV is best to buy?
Wait for the closing down sales?
It's been at least a few hours since I've received any spam from them.
Have they not paid their ISP ?
And its a bloody great big relief jv………..
Don't suppose there's any chance of grabbing Xbox Ones yet?
Oh my! There was a 10% off gift vouchers recently wasn't there? Not to mention those bought for Christmas.
Good timing Dick.
They better actually pull a decent sale this time around. Whole store 90% off sticker price.
And still nothing worth buying.
Literally. You give them $50 and they transfer title to the store.
Argh brought the kids $2700 of giftcards for christmas to buy back to school macbooks - shoot me now!
If you purchased them via paypal or via bank card you might be able to do a chargeback via your bank, i would be contacting the bank asap about it.
If not, perhaps think about lodging a claim via the small claims court as 2700 bucks too much to just write off.
i also brought 1700 of gift card. :(
To where?
Unfortunately small claims isn't going to help. Short point is that you cannot commence or maintain proceedings without the leave of the Court (and by that I mean
Supreme Court or Federal Court) which you need to obtain in separate proceedings, the filing fees for which will pretty much exceed your gift card amount.
In any event, you won't realistically get leave. This isn't the type of situation in which leave is granted and is actually the situation the law is designed to avoid (eg a company's administrators being bombarded with claims).
Monitor the situation and lodge a proof of debt. As others have said contact your bank or credit card company and see if they have any refund or insurance policies.
Some stores were still allowing giftcards to be used yesterday afternoon eg. Malvern, Vic.
As previously mentioned, if you paid via Paypal your purchase is covered. If you paid via Credit Card you could apply for chargeback through your Bank. Certainly worth a go. Next time, put an IOU in their Christmas card :S
Argh brought [sic] the kids $2700 of giftcards for christmas to buy back to school macbooks - shoot me now!
Well at least you can get $25 from Kogan.
:D
http://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/49429-dick-smith-for-…
I hope they can still work online as they are officially refusing them.
"In a statement this morning, Stewart said it will be “business as usual” for Dick Smith’s 393 retail stores in Australia and New Zealand but Dick Smith will not be honouring any outstanding gift vouchers or refunding customer deposits “due to the financial circumstances of the group”.
He said affected customers will become unsecured creditors of the company."