Ouffer declining a refund on a business that has closed!

vsia2165 on 14/10/2011 - 14:49

Hello,

I bought a $99 photography coupon for a friend a while ago.
Timeless Professional Portraits! $99 for a Portrait Photography Package, Including All Images Professionally Edited and Provided on Disc (Usually $299) ( https://www.ouffer.com/ouffer/321 )

It expired in June this year - but my friend booked it well in advance.

The owner / photographer booked it after June.. he booked it around September… my friend actually questioned him saying will it still be valid and he was assured it would be

A few days before the the booked date my friend found out the website disappeared and the number doesn't work anymore!
We are assuming the business went belly up.

I contacted Ouffer and got the following replies

(first)Unfortunately we can't grant a refund for this voucher ( expires on 20/06/2011 ) and we have already finalised the payment.

(second) It is always regrettable when a valued member such as yourself has negative feedback regarding any aspect of their Ouffer experience! Please note though, that Ouffer are merely the advertising medium through which businesses promote their services and as such, we cannot be held responsible for services or additional arrangement provided by said businesses.

(third) The voucher expired on 20/06/2011 and still we can't grant a refund for this voucher.

What can we do now?? keep emailing? this is totally unfair!

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closed Comments

  • alwayscheaper on 14/10/2011 - 15:20

    Oh My… a warning for everyone not to attend a service after expiry date…
    Unfortunately I don't think anything can be done unless you just want to go to fair trading as another case.

  • undercut on 14/10/2011 - 15:43
    +1

    I don't think you will be able to get any compensation from Ouffer for this, as they have not breached any terms.

    Sounds like a civil case, as the photographer would have already been paid by Ouffer.
    i.e. you will have to lodge a case against the photographer if you want to get your money back

  • vsia2165 on 14/10/2011 - 16:06

    Ugh..

    Okay im assuming the company knew they were gonna go belly up..

    So whats stopping businesses in saying this to their customers?
    My friend even asked if he will still honor it and he said he will… obviously he lied

    Keeping in mind it was $99 !!!

  • me on 14/10/2011 - 16:17

    Try getting your money back through your CC company. Let Ouffer know that you intend to do this. Also let them know that you are contacting Fair Trading.

  • c64 on 14/10/2011 - 17:22

    explain your case to your local fair trading organisation and see what they say

  • webstersx on 14/10/2011 - 23:00
    +1

    This should help you…

    You might want to get in contact with someone named Balvir Singh Bajwa — use the Business number below if you need more further tracking down. Maybe this person? http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002598085924

    I signed up specifically to give you this information b/c businesses that do this p&&#S#$&*@ me off…

    Use the knowledge well and please let us know what comes out of it :D!

    Domain Name: mayflowerphotography.com.au
    Last Modified: 02-Feb-2010 13:24:37 UTC
    Registrar ID: Aust Domains
    Registrar Name: Aust Domains
    Status: ok

    Registrant: Balvir Singh Bajwa
    Eligibility Type: Registered Business
    Eligibility Name: MAYFLOWER PHOTOGRAPHY
    Eligibility ID: NSW BN BN98475868

    Registrant Contact ID: R-000478159-SN
    Registrant Contact Name: Balvir Singh Bajwa
    Registrant Contact Email: Visit whois.ausregistry.com.au for Web based WhoIs

    Tech Contact ID: C-000858157-SN
    Tech Contact Name: Balvir Singh Bajwa
    Tech Contact Email: Visit whois.ausregistry.com.au for Web based WhoIs

    Name Server: ns25.domaincontrol.com
    Name Server: ns26.domaincontrol.com

  • webstersx on 14/10/2011 - 23:04

    Also…

    http://brsolrprd.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/businessnames/Busine…

    Registration details

    For business name BN98475868 - MAYFLOWER PHOTOGRAPHY

    (i)
    Business name: MAYFLOWER PHOTOGRAPHY
    (ii)
    Registration number: BN98475868
    (iii) Registration details:

    Date registered: 05/01/2010
    Registration status: REGISTERED
    Nature of business: FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHY
    Renewal due date: 05/01/2013
    ABN: UNKNOWN
    (iv)
    Principal place of business:

    Address: 12/46 WEST PARADE WEST RYDE NSW 2114 from 05/01/2010
    (v) Trading history under business name:

    Trading status: TRADING from 05/01/2010
    (vi)
    Document history: View details

  • webstersx on 14/10/2011 - 23:05
    +3

    And…

    Look's like a residential address:
    http://maps.google.com/maps?q=12/46+WEST+PARADE+WEST+RYDE+NS…

    12/46 WEST PARADE WEST RYDE NSW 2114

    Maaaan, Don't get on my bad side :)

    • Geewhizz on 18/10/2011 - 07:56

      Excellent sleuthing skills there webstersx. :)

  • andy19363 on 14/10/2011 - 23:18

    ermmm…. I might be being a bit simple here….. and I'm sure we've discussed this before…. but

    Ouffer are merely the advertising medium through which businesses promote their services

    Ouffer is who takes your money….

    If you buy something faulty from kmart…. it's kmart who you take it back to. I don't see how this is any different. This is something ouffer has to wear, not the consumer.

  • vsia2165 on 17/10/2011 - 17:37

    Its just strange that ouffer is being so difficult about this! im shocked! they are normally pretty good

  • Geewhizz on 18/10/2011 - 07:54
    +1

    Ouffer is not really being unreasonable in this situation. Both they and customers who bought this offer were intentionally ripped off by this person, who obviously knew beforehand that he planned on not coming through, hence the long date of the booking.

    As already suggested, a chargeback on your credit card, and dept of fair trading are probably your best options.

    (I'm guessing the mobile number provided in the offer is no longer operational?)

    • voteoften on 19/10/2011 - 02:53

      If Ouffer were to refuse a refund, how would they have been ripped off? They would have made a profit off each voucher sold!!!!!!

      • Geewhizz on 19/10/2011 - 08:58

        If Ouffer were to refuse a refund, how would they have been ripped off?

        The company had the intention of getting money out of Ouffer and its customers with no intention of honouring many of the vouchers.

        Cudos to Ouffer for offering a credit on this one, because I don't believe any of the other deals sites would have done so. Clearly it's in their best interests to have done so, reputationwise, but they'd have been well within their rights to have stuck to a refusal.

        It's not their responsibility to ensure that all their customers make bookings that fall within the expiry date. There's a good lesson for all of us in regards to your experience though, vsia- if a company is trying to make bookings outside the expiry date, refuse and request a refund straight away. I think I'd have probably accepted the later booking too, with the assurance that they'd still honour the coupon. Thanks for posting it.

    • [Deactivated] on 16/09/2012 - 11:34
      +1

      The law should respect that ouffer is responsible

      If I buy a device from Kmart manufactured by Sharp

      If that device is faulty and am entitled to a refund I return to Kmart
      Then Kmart refunds me
      and it is then onus on Kmart to the get their refund from Sharp.

      The moment these group buying sites take !00% full payment for goods and services they became retailers like everyone else, not marketing firms and must be held liable like retailers.

  • vsia2165 on 18/10/2011 - 14:39

    Okay its been resolved

    They gave me store credit $99..

    I cant dispute with CC since its been more than 2 months

    Im happy its fixed after sending them 5 emails

    • voteoften on 19/10/2011 - 02:54

      That is good. They have not responded to 3 emails regarding Queenspark. FFS!!!!

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