SHOPPERS will be given a lifetime to use gift cards after a drastic move by one of the nation’s biggest retailers to dump controversial expiry dates.
Many disgruntled customers have been caught out by failing to redeem gift cards before their end date but they now will have huge flexibility to use them whenever they please.
Woolworths has revealed it’s putting an official end to expiry dates for good — not just on new cards — but also on cards already issued.
From March 31 all customers holding active Woolworths Group gifts cards will be able use them at any time, a move applauded by consumer groups.
Previously these cards had a one-year expiry date.
This change will also apply to all Woolworths cards purchased on or after March 31, 2017.
Consumer group Choice’s spokeswoman Erin Turner said it was about time shoppers were given freedom to use what is effectively their money at their own will.
“Woolworths’ decision to ditch expiry dates for gift cards is great news for shoppers,’’ she said.
“We hope other businesses follow the lead of companies like Woolworths and get rid of expiry dates.”
In NSW the government has introduced a mandatory minimum expiry period of three years for gift cards and gift vouchers sold to consumers in NSW, this becomes effective at the end of the month.
And following the supermarket giant’s move includes popular beach and surfwear store City Beach.
They announced they would be implementing the same changes — no expiries on gift cards — from the end of this month.
Woolworths’ head of financial services Chris Cramond said change needed to happen to prevent leaving customers disappointed if they failed to use their card in time.
“After talking to more of our customers about this in recent months we’ve decided to go one better and scrap gift card expiry dates for good,’’ he said.
“It means one less thing to worry about for our busy customers who will have complete flexibility to use gift cards as and when it suits them.”
The changes will include WISH and Woolworths store gift cards which can be deemed at Woolworths supermarkets, Big W, Dan Murphy’s, BWS, Cellarmasters and Woolworths petrol.
It will also including the Essentials gift card and Groceries gift card.
The move should prompt more retailers to also ditch expiry dates.
Queensland Consumers’ Association’s spokesman Ian Jarrett said the move should prompt more retailers to also ditch expiry dates.
Woolworths said cards already in circulation will continue to show an expiry date but they will not apply from March 31.
Other stores including JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys have already scrapped all expiry dates on their cards.
