Collect 2000 flybuys points when you purchase a 100$ vanilla gift card and swipe flybuys card at checkout.
2000 Flybuys Points (Worth $10) with $100 Vanilla Visa Gift Card (Activation Fee $5.95) @ Coles in-Store
450
saminn on 05/03/2020 - 13:55 files.ozbargain.com.au (1505 clicks)
Last edited 15/05/2024 - 09:57 by 4 other users
Last edited 15/05/2024 - 09:57 by 4 other users
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How much is it
$5.95 activation fee
Technically you only save 4 dollars after the fee and too much hassle to use
Agree with you
Much of the bad reviews are because Australian retailers have forgotten there is a signature option for authorising credit/debit cards. But is this for real?
it won't let you use left over balance under $2
message says zero balance.
Definitely lets you use the last <$2
They used to have a very distasteful "Monthly Service Fee" of $2.50 that kicks in after half a year: https://www.vanillabalance.com/cholder/brands/incomm/Austral… (Section #13)
Maybe this user's balance got drained by the fee?
At least newer cards (expiring after Aug 2023) don't have this fee anymore: https://www.vanillabalance.com/cholder/showContent.action?pa…
So if they have 3 years life, like most do now, the expiry would still be before Aug 2023, or do these last longer?
@Yola: The law is that gift cards must have a minimum 3 years expiry, nothing preventing them from having a longer expiry. These cards will last until Aug 2023 if that's what's printed on the sleeve/card.
@Trance N Dance: You completely missed his question. He's asking whether there is an account keeping fee.
Just yesterday I used a VISA from ONLY1 in Coles assisted checkout.. Seems a similar thing no pin only signature. When it asks for pin press enter a slip of paper comes out of the machine, the attendant then has to come and asks you to sign the slip and compares it to the signature on the card. Worked fine and the young attendant knew what to do.
Pay energy bills, council rates in $100s, easy to use them up in one transaction. Overpay is usually fine for these things.
@Neoika: Some medical/allied professionals also. I use them where AE is not accepted. Purchase with Coles GC (4/5% off) and use them in Colesworth (another 4% off).
The Coles Mastercards, which attract a similar offer occasionally, have only $5 activation fee.
May as well get both.
Another not advertised one?
How do we know it is nationwide?
Has anyone seen it in Victoria?
Yep.
Whereabouts in Vic?
Can confirm offer is available in NSW.
I use these cards to buy Wish GCs so a 5% discount takes care of the 5.95 transaction fee
Bad reviews, heard they are tricky to use for in store purchases.
Yup. I tried to use one at Bunnings the other day. Would not go through their eftpos terminal as a credit card, even after we tried the 'no pin then just press enter' method.
Probably have to call up to set a pin to use in most bricks and mortar stores.
Card Pros only use it online in one transation, never check remaining balance.
Yup. I usually use them on my water bills, since they're easy to split up.
I bought a few during the deal. The first two attempts to use it at a food court in 10 minutes after I purchased them failed. But they worked fine after that everywhere.
Couldn't find this offer @ Melbourne
Went to my Coles no dunnny paper or this .
Many thanks OP. My local coles in QLD had the offer. It did not have the promotional card but there were a small Flybuys sticker on the lower part of the stand which said 2000 points for a $100 vanilla gift card.
Anyone seen this offer in Sydney?
Yes
Thanks but which store?
Revesby, Greenacre, Chatswood, Hurstville
@Trance N Dance: No 100s left of the vanilla visa in hurstville. No sign about it either (currently)
@Neoika: Good point! I was at the westfields one (just in case any1 is going specifically there for that)
@Trance N Dance: Tried both Coles in Chatswood today. Both stores said they didn't have the offer. The Westfield store said they have had the offer in the past but no longer. Both stores had stock. Didn't buy.
@SydneySwan: You have low confidence in flybuys. I'll report back by Wednesday for the purchase from an offer not mentioned Coles.
@SydneySwan: I bought 2 in an offer mentioned Coles on Saturday and got bonus points. Another 2 in an offer not mentioned Coles on Monday and transation records should turn up any time before midnight, just not yet.
@SydneySwan: Got bonus points without doubt. I always have higher confidence in flybuys than any staff instore.
Yes. Saw the same livery. But no cards in stock.
Whats up with an activation fee
Can confirm this offer is also available in WA. Bought on Friday 6/03 and got bonus points 7/03.
Has anyone seen this offer in Vic?
After I paid for this $100 Vanilla Visa Gift Card at Coles, I opened the paper packaging and signed the card. It declined when I tried to use it at Aldi. So, I found out on https://www.vanillabalance.com/ that the gift card is not activated. Then, I also realised the numbers on the card do not match the card number on the bottom right hand corner of the paper packaging.
I called the phone number 1800 701 224 on the card and they told me to email them photos of the receipt, the gift card, along with my name, mobile number and address. It has been over 3 weeks since I emailed them the required photos/information to [email protected] and the gift card is still not activated.
They keep on telling me to wait 3 to 5 business days as it has been escalated for the back office to process it. The people I have spoken with on 1800 701 224 said they only communicate with back-office via email and have no phone number of the back office. They wouldn't tell me the physical address of the back office either.
Coles wouldn't refund as it is a gift card.
Does anyone have same/similar experience? Any solution/suggestion?
Yes I had the same thing happen but luckily with the Coles Mastercard GC. I purchased five $100 cards in October 2019. None of them worked. I purchased them at a manned register and neither I or the operator noticed any problems with them. After one did not work, in store I opened the cardboard packets and checked balances. In fact some of the cards inside were VISA cards, one was a $50 card Mastercard and all had been spent. Before I opened them I checked the outside and they did not look like they had been tempered with. I googled a lot and found this is not uncommon and people take the cards from the inside and substitute something else and then when you purchase the card the one in their possession is activated. First I went to 2 Coles stores and they were aware of other cases where this happened. I then rang Coles Financial Sevices and was told to email them photos of the cards, cardboard cases and receipts. Fortunately they credited me the face value of the cards. Since then I have looked at many physical gift cards and the ones where the card is not sealed up inside are probably safer. I have purchased these cards again but take the card out and check that the numbers on the back of the card (card id) match those below the bar code on the cardboard sleeve. All I can say be persistent. They know that this is a system fault and that their cards are vulnerable. It's like the banks refunding after your account is hacked. Do they have a facebook page you could embarrass them on?
There were similar stories happened in US, some old videos found on YouTube. I bought many many cards over the years and always be aware of the condition of a packet.
I inspected the cards that were tempered with carefully before I opened them as I knew others in the batch were not working and could not see any problem. They can be cut open and glued back. Now I open them in store just before purchase and check the numbers. There are other cards which are more temper proof than this Mastercard. For example, the ultimate card and the VISA GC. With the VISA the part that is scanned/activated are the numbers on the actual plastic card not numbers printed on the cardboard cover which may not match the card inside. They should design them better, it obviously can be done.
I had a similar expeirnece not with Vsnilla Visa, but Coles mastercard ones,
I purchase in September, and tried to use it a few days later with balance zero,
I checked history, and it said it had been loaded wiht $100 value in July, and Deloaded the same day (not a purchase transaction)
It was hard to get in comms with teh company but within 2 weeks they refunded me $105 via bank transfer,
however they did ask for recipet, front and back and even asked if I still had the packagaing which I had thrown outVanilla with expiry 12/24 takes on higher security measures now. The full barcode is cross printed on packet and card. If one does not match the other, the card can not be activated.
That sounds much better.
do include activation fee in title