• long running

Re-Activate Expired Pre-2019 Coles Group & Myer Gift Cards for a Further 3 Months @ Giftcards.com.au via Phone/Email

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PSA. If you have old expired gift cards that fall under giftcards.com.au (e.g. coles myer), you can call through to their helpline and they will un-expire your cards for another 3 months.

This can't be done online.

I just did this for three old cards I found.

Cards include:
Coles myer group
Bunnings
Airbnb
Officeworks
Kmart
The Good Guys
And more (see website).

The number to call you'll find via their website. For ease, It is 1300304990. Success has also be found using email, by contacting [email protected].
Warning do not provide PIN via email, just provide card number.

Hope this helps someone else, it was news to me and lovely to resurrect $180.

You have to give them the card number but you don't have to supply the PIN.

Related Stores

Coles Group & Myer Gift Cards
Coles Group & Myer Gift Cards

Comments

  • +1

    wow is this an actual process or one off goodwill gesture

    • +5

      I don't know. ! I didn't ask. Just smiled and thanked.
      I tried after googling and found one guy in the US did it.

      • -3

        I thought it was illegal to have gift cards that expire.

        Like the business cannot claim anything against it, since they've already profited from it. And if you wait long enough, the purchase power of the cards gets diminished through sheer inflation and market forces.

        • +5

          The new Laws actually state 3 Years, Though a lot of the larger retail chains have changed to no expiration

          Preparing for the changes
          After 1 November 2019, if terms and conditions of a gift card do not comply with the reforms they will be void and the new requirements will be applied regardless of what is written on the gift card.
          In readiness for the changes, businesses should:
          update gift card terms and conditions on their website and other promotional material, including on physical gift cards
          update internal systems, training and compliance manuals
          place signage on gift card displays and at the point of sale
          make note of the changes on any receipt issued when a gift card is purchased.
          Fundamentals of gift card legislation
          The information below relates to gift cards sold on or after 1 November 2019.
          With some exclusions, the fundamentals are:
          a minimum three year expiry period for gift cards is required;
          gift cards must display expiry dates; and
          most post purchase fees on gift cards are banned.
          Three-year minimum expiry period
          The law requires that most gift cards or vouchers be sold with a mandatory minimum expiry period of three years. The period begins from the date a gift card is sold to a consumer. Businesses can choose to apply an expiry period longer than three years and no maximum expiry period applies.
          Expiry details must displayed on cards
          Gift cards must prominently display the expiry date as either the full date or as a period of time. For example:
          "Supply date: March 2020. This card will expire in 3 years".
          "This card expires 5 years after supply. Supply date 15/8/20".
          "Valid for 3 years from 11/19".
          If the expiry date is shown as a period of time it must also include the date it was supplied or purchased so the expiry date can be determined.
          A gift card must also state if there is no expiry date.

      • +1

        Thanks, was cleaning out cupboard and found $100 gift card from 1999, rang them and have 2023 expiry.
        I read your post before I "found" them - would just have tossed if I had found them earlier. So, BIG THANKS!

        • +1

          Woooo!! Good news!! 1999, I think you win for oldest card.

        • @scozbargain can you take a photo of what the year 1999 giftcard design looks like please?

  • +3

    Most providers will let you unexpire gifts cards. You have to ask nicely and be ready to buy something.

    Have done so with Coles and Smiggle.

    You do have to ring through.

    • +4

      This. Being ready to buy something is key. Otherwise if it were me it would likely will expire again and I don't know the process after that. Don't ring until you are ready 👍. And yes ask nicely.

    • +1

      I didn’t know you can do this. I thought the reason why they like selling gift cards is so people lose expired money.

      • +5

        I thought the reason why they like selling gift cards is so people lose expired money.

        I didn’t know you can do this.

  • +9

    Yes surprisingly I found a Coles one from 2015(!). However I did not call them, instead I emailed them and they reactivated it within 2 minutes (no joke) of me sending the request. Email to send request is [email protected].

    The new expiry date was 6 months from date of reactivation.

    • +5

      I'll add that as an option thx, I realise there is a bit of telephobia around.

      • +2

        You’re not a real ozbargainer unless you’re willing to call someone once in a while.

        • +4

          u r not a real ozbargainer if u dont ask for promo code while u r at it…

    • +1

      Thank you. I've just reactivated a 2017 card and like you, only took 2 minutes. top service.

    • +12

      Mmm this is correct. However it is a money saver?

  • +2

    Very useful to know, thanks OP.

  • jbhifi gc no expiry right ?

    • Yeah after 2019 Nov most have no expiry. So it only helps if you were disorganised in the past.

      • +1

        My ones from before that date show a expiry of 100 years after the change went through. Just got to check online to see the new exp date

    • +1

      Actually 100 years

    • +2

      *Until collapse of society

      • -1

        Can't wait.
        Stacked up on all my al-foil hats and toilet paper.

  • +1

    Any bargains?

  • Thanks OP, good to know! Off topic but I do have an expired Ultimate GC (pre 2019 also), after reading this thread I tried ringing customer service and got refused straight away :(

    • +1

      Oh :( I wonder if it is part of their policy or just who you get for the ultimate ones…

    • try emailing as well just to be sure. you never know.

      • Have done that too fingers crossed will have a favourable reply

        • Please let us know how you go, if that’s okay? Thanks!

          • +1

            @Member 0230: Updates:

            Ultimate GC: E-mailed customer service and they offered to post out a replacement card! Yet to receive it

            DJ: Mentioned here but CS also re-activated

            Catch: CS offered store credit, 3 month validity for expired GC

            All positive outcomes :)

  • I thought legally they have to reinstate GC?

    • Yeah me too for a bit, but the rules say only if purchased after Nov 2019. I believe.

      • Really?
        Interesting

        I have an old GC from work, so this will be handy.

        I have a DJs GC which expired 01/20, they've always been good about it tho.

      • Any links to this rule?
        I had some universal gift cards that expired & had lots of conversations & emails but they said there was no way they would reactivate or replace them.

        • I think I may be wrong after looking into it.

  • -5

    probably one of those $3/min phone numbers, too

  • -6

    Thanks OP bought 10

  • +2

    They responded to me within 30 seconds, 6 month extension!

    • Did you call or email?

      • Email

  • +3

    If you have a Harvey Norman gift card that expired, do not even think about getting to the right person to get it unexpired… the chat person simply told me that it cannot be done and refuse to pass me any contact of the gift card team. I then made an online complaint and they did come back to me, only to tell me that I need to go to the store where I bought the physical gift card and ‘beg’ the store manager to have it unexpired, lol.

    • +22

      What else did you expect from supporting Gerry? There's a reason he has a shit reputation.

      • +1

        I'm sorry, what does that have to do with Gerry?
        It's not like it's their duty to get your expired cards unexpired ffs. It's a goodwill gesture

        • +1

          Exactly, it's a goodwill gesture so there's absolutely no chance with HN. Other companies would be more understanding.

      • I keep forgetting he is still alive!

      • +1

        I had a Harvey Norman gift card that wasn't activated when it was purchased. Thank heavens I had kept the receipt, but I still had to jump through hoops and it took quite a while to be rectified. Terrible customer service, they treated me as a nuisance to them!

    • +6

      I'd expect nothing less from HN. Even trying to get basic consumer rights from them in relation to faulty items is like blood from a stone. They'll deflect and deny, and then try to push you on to the manufacturer, when its the RETAILER that is responsible first off.

      Should be a banned retailer here on OzBargain… especially since he lobbied his Liberal mates for GST on every low value import (he ain't crying poor now!).

      Gerry can't leave this world quick enough for me.

    • +1

      Harvey Norman is the one exception to the scumbag store. I would feel no pity if someone ripped them off. I refuse to spend any money with them.

      As above. I wish Gerry a covid death.

      • +2

        I wish worse than death upon Gerry… I hope he goes bankrupt.

    • I don’t see anyone around me still shopping at hardly normal.

  • +2

    It's always worth a call. I had a $500 gift card from a credit card promo that expired, I just called up and asked them to extend it and they did.

    • +2

      Woah ok that is just a bit epic!!

  • +1

    Can confirm this happened to me last year

  • +3

    I would be surprised if the above is true. giftcards.com.au is operated by Wesfarmers/Coles Group, because they issue Coles Group, Kmart Group, and Myer gift cards. All the other gift cards on the website (such as Apple, Amazon AU, Flight Centre) are resold, e.g. issued by Blackhawk Networks.

    I would have thought that this customer care team is only able to reactivate gift cards for the likes of Coles, Officeworks, Kmart, etc. If you need to reactivate a “third-party” gift card, you would probably need to speak to the relevant company and see what they say.

    • This sounds likely.

  • -2

    Gift card was a biggest money laundering scheme. One time I had a visa gift card. Expired 1 day and cannot be used. I called and the customer service e said nothing she could do.

    • Sounds more like procrastination than money laundering, but what do I know?

    • +2

      How many things do you think are 'money laundering schemes' lol

  • +1

    Well done OP. Thanks for sharing

  • +2

    You have to give them the card number but you don't have to supply the PIN.

    Um, never ever give them the PIN

    • +1

      Yes! See the warning mid-post.

  • +2

    Damn I've thrown out expired gift cards before

    • Me too :(

  • +5

    David Jones replies to me, told me I can take my GC to get it renewed after being expired nearly 2 years! $420 GC too! This time I better spend it asap!

    • +1

      Winner wow. Anyone top this?

      • Can't top Adelv but DJ also replied to me today (!) they've reactivated my GC which expired in Oct'21 :)

        • They did it online, or you have to bring it in?

          • @[Deactivated]: Sent them an e-mail and they replied back so done online.

  • I've had luck with Coles in the past. They extended it by 6 months.

    I'm currently trying to get Event Cinemas to extend my gift card that expires today. They automatically extended them during the 2020 lockdown for 3 months if they expired in that particular time period but said nothing about the 2021 lockdown.

    Unfortunately, they haven't got back to me yet so I guess I'm off to spend it on expensive food since there are no movies I want to see.

    • Can you buy movie vouchers with gift cards?

      • No you can’t, I tried on Event Cinemas’ website and they don’t give gift cards as a payment option

    • +1

      I got my Event Cinemas gift cards extended. I emailed them on the day that the gift cards expired and they took about a week to reply, but they extended until March 2022 for me :)

    • Ummmmm spiderman?!

  • I wonder if the rules have changed?
    I had some universal gift cards that expired & had lots of conversations & emails but they said there was no way they would reactivate or replace them.

    • Had the same experience as you with Universal Gift Cards

  • I got $200 GC through below offer back in 2017, it got expired and after I realized I called the GC company and at that time they were unable to do anything about it so I just disposed that card :( I am wondering if they can retrieve the card details with my details and able to activate it?

    $59/Month for iPhone 8 with $200 Gift Card (24 Month Contract) - Optus @ Harvey Norman
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/348477

    • I dont think Harvery Norman is that good on customers, Gerry probably only cares about taking your $$, he feels no reason to look at trades being two ways. He only cares about it being one way ($$ towards him)

  • +1

    Link to consumer affairs website about cards issued after 1st Nov 2019:
    https://consumer.gov.au/new-gift-card-laws

  • I have a westfield giftcard, threw it out a few years ago. But I still have the card number and reference number. Will it still work?

    • Not sure. Only trialled it to the company linked. I had a freedom card that expired and the number became invalid, so that definitely didn't.

  • -6

    How's this a deal.. it's more of a PSA and belongs in the forums

    • How’s this a negative vote.. it’s more of a report to the mods

      • How’s this a negative vote.

        Because it’s not a bargain.

    • Happy if it gets moved to forums

      • Although as above, it is a money 'saving' notice.

  • Would it work on a Rebel giftcard with $0.01 remaining balance?

    Monies is monies

  • +2

    Ticketmaster is on the "no" list too. But then again, it doesn't surprise me that they're scummy based on past dealings.

    Edit: depends on where you bought it but the ones I had wass issued by PayPal so Ticketmaster ddidnt want to help.

    • I had a look before my ticketmaster giftcards were due to expire recently, there were no convenient numbers to speak with them on this. Did not bother in the end - which was just as well - going by what you say.

      • +1

        If they were ordered from their website, issued by ticketmastergiftcard.com, you might have a chance as they're issued by Voucher Express, a company that Ticketmaster outsources their online gift card shop to. You can get in touch with them on [email protected]

        But if it's from anywhere else and you have to rely on Ticketmaster proper, then it's a bottomless pit of unhelpfulness. You can try them still - on https://help.ticketmaster.com.au/hc/en-au/requests/new?ticke…
        My problem was that my ones were issued by a third party, being Paypal

        • +1

          Thanks. I got them from either Woollies or Coles, so I doubt extension will be easy.

  • +2

    This just goes to show how profitable selling giftcards are, people just don't use them in time, granted covid happened, but people forget, lose them, die, etc.

    • I think giftcards do have a place, but yes agree companies are profiteering on hopes that people forget to use them. Rule of thumb is to only buy gift cards on sale if you are certain you'll be purchasing something in the near future, otherwise will most likely fall trap to expired gift cards (I have myself in the past).

      • Or the ones that never expire.

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