Is The Date of Purchase The Date of Activation?

emperor on 06/02/2019 - 01:38
Last edited 06/02/2019 - 15:15

I had purchased $100 Adrenaline gift card in December 2017. Activated the card by purchasing a $63 package from their website on February 5, 2018. Card had a fine print on the back with details of the card validity for 12 months from the date of activation. For confirmation, I emailed them and they confirmed 12 months of validity from my activation date (Feb 5).

Gift card fine print - https://imgur.com/a/pMVYYDG

Few days back, I just remembered I had $37 remaining in the Adrenaline gift card. So I tried to purchase a package from their site using the gift card number but got denied. Emailed them about my issue and they replied that the card had expired in December, 2018. They said that activation date is the date of purchase, not the date when I first used the card to buy something.

Generally, activation date would be the date of use, not the date of purchase (except physical products). Is Adrenaline's claim that the date of purchase of gift card is the date of activation valid? Need suggestions.

Thanks.

Edit: After reading all comments, probably I may have been confused with the words "date of purchase" and "date of activation" as well as the email confirmation I received. I'd be more cautious regarding gift card dates in future ;)

Sports & Outdoors Gift Card

Related Stores

Adrenaline Australia
Adrenaline Australia

Comments

  • garetz on 06/02/2019 - 02:04

    Not necessarily, look at your terms and conditions.

    • emperor on 06/02/2019 - 02:26

      Posted image of T&C above. Please check.

      • HighAndDry on 06/02/2019 - 09:27

        "No Value Until Activated At Register"

        How annoyed would you be if you paid money but it still had zero value? It was activated shortly after you bought it.

  • Crownie on 06/02/2019 - 02:44
    +2

    Generally, activation date would be the date of use, not the date of purchase (except physical products).

    No.
    Card is activated shortly after purchase. From that date, card is active.

    Think of it this way: If I bought a physical product but kept it unused for 6+ months, would a statutory warranty extend 6 months due to no usage of item?

    • emperor on 06/02/2019 - 02:56

      Yes, in case of physical products, warranty will start from the day of purchase whether used or not. But in case of gift card, shouldn't the date start from when the card is activated, not the purchase date?

      • Crownie on 06/02/2019 - 03:34

        Where did you purchase the card from?

        • emperor on 06/02/2019 - 03:43

          Coles store.

      • ThithLord on 06/02/2019 - 09:05
        +5

        It's activated at Point of Sale, hombre. Otherwise if you walked up to another register after just purchasing the gift card, it wouldn't work on the other register.

        It's not how it works. Trust me, I work in the head office of one of Australia's largest retailers (in their I.T. dept).

  • ozhunter on 06/02/2019 - 03:57
    +3

    Is this the first time that you have bought/used a gift card before?

    It's activated when you are able to use it, not when you decide to use it.

    • emperor on 06/02/2019 - 04:13
      -2

      For me, this would be the case printed on the card as follows:
      "Gift cards are valid for 12 months from date of purchase."

      But Adrenaline one said "date of activation" instead of "date of purchase". And I received confirmation in email too. So either the printed words are misleading and the representative who confirmed me back then was not aware about the activation date as well.

      • ozhunter on 06/02/2019 - 04:14
        +1

        Don't you think it got activated shortly after you purchased it?

        That's the way it is with other gift cards…

      • Richardc on 06/02/2019 - 04:42
        +2

        look at the text at the black bar "No value until activated at the register".

      • JIMB0 on 06/02/2019 - 06:46
        +1

        Would you have been happy if you had to wait 2 months before you could use it?

  • JimmyF on 06/02/2019 - 08:00
    +3

    They said that activation date is the date of purchase

    This is correct.

    Generally, activation date would be the date of use

    Not at all, you can't buy a gift card and wait 2 years to buy something to start the 12 months in this case.

    The clock starts as soon you purchase the gift card, the value is 'loaded' onto the card, aka activation

  • k-rokfm on 06/02/2019 - 08:32

    The terms and conditions you posted dont say anything about activated from time of first purchase. It says from time of activation. From that and every other gift card i have ever used it is activated at or shortly after the time of purchase (of the card).

    Do you also have a copy of that email that we can see? otherwise thats just hearsay

    • emperor on 06/02/2019 - 14:24

      I have attached screenshot of email conversation in above link. Please check https://imgur.com/a/pMVYYDG

      I'd have no problem accepting the date of activation as date of purchase. But the date of activation I got confirmed in email is my concern.

      • ozhunter on 06/02/2019 - 14:36

        Uh, you're the one claiming it was activated on Feb 5, 2018.

        • emperor on 06/02/2019 - 15:05
          -1

          Yup, I specifically asked them that I activated on Feb 5 and if it was valid 12 months from that date. They replied it is correct. If only, they'd have replied me that it would be valid only from date of purchase, that'd have cleared me.

          • ozhunter on 06/02/2019 - 15:06

            @emperor: But you didn't activate it on Feb 5, your card was activated on the same day you bought it. That is why you could use it that day.

            • emperor on 06/02/2019 - 15:10

              @ozhunter: Anyway, those words (activation and purchase date) as well as email confirmation got me confused. I'd be more cautious next time on cards :)

              • ozhunter on 06/02/2019 - 15:12

                @emperor: Yea, you keep thinking that "activation" is when you first use the card. I don't think it's that way with any gift card.

                • emperor on 06/02/2019 - 15:18

                  @ozhunter: Yup, those sim card kit activation date (activate within …. days) confused me a lot in this case too. Lol

      • HighAndDry on 06/02/2019 - 15:04

        They confirmed that the gift card has a validity of 12 months.

        • Ughhh on 06/02/2019 - 19:55

          From date of activation aka date the card (not package) was purchased though.

          • HighAndDry on 07/02/2019 - 02:36
            +1

            @Ughhh: Yeah that's what I'm trying to tell OP. I think they gave a universal "yes it lasts for 12 months" answer and weren't checking OP's own claimed 'activation date' in Feb.

  • jjjaar on 06/02/2019 - 08:52
    +3

    Coles activated it when you purchased it. /thread.

  • djkelly69 on 06/02/2019 - 09:22

    Activated the card by purchasing a $63 package

    No, you just used the card on that date. The card could clearly have been used at any time since you purchased it, so was 'active'.

    Generally, activation date would be the date of use, not the date of purchase

    Says who? It sounds like you decided to call the date it was first used the activation date because it suits your purpose.

  • Domingo on 06/02/2019 - 10:20

    Activation refers to the fact that the card has no value until it is scanned at the retailer's POS system, so people can't steal the cards and get any value from them.

    Unfortunately you are very unlikely to get your $37 of value from the card as the expiration date has expired. This will be changed under Federal Law by November 2019 so that all gift cards have a minimum of 3 years expiry date, which you could try and appeal to Adrenaline with to say that their system is a bit unfair, but sadly it will be up to them whether they do anything for you.

    It sucks and lots of people have been there, but it is what it is - expiring gift cards that still have value are the worst.

  • MITM on 06/02/2019 - 13:51
    +3

    Approx 30% of gift cards are NEVER fully used or even redeemed. Guess you're in this category.
    Gift card merchants are making a motza.

  • coxjon on 06/02/2019 - 15:57

    Next time use Red Balloon. They give you 12 months on the card and then and additional 12 months on your online value after you redeem the card.

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