Beware of the fine print on Braums gift certificates

[MamaMia]

I buy a lot of $5.00 to $20.00 gift certificates from Braums to pass out to the children in Woodward after their dental appointments. As a thank you, a lot of times I treat the employees to lunch at Braums, if we don't get out for lunch by noon. When it looks like the pile is getting low, I just buy more. I usually never have less than a dozen or so in the drawer until recently. With Christmas and so many people this year trying to max out their 2007 benefits, my pile got really low.

Lately I've had several moms and dads tell me that the gift certificates I gave their child had a lot less than the amount stated so I gave them all another one. Some had very little if any money on them, so I took one to Braums myself and attempted to buy a meal with a 10.00 gift certificate. There was no money on it at all.

I literally had to get my lighted magnifying glass to read the back, but come to find out in tiny little print it says that after 18 months of non use, a service charge of $2.00 a month per card gets deducted, so the ones I have had at the bottom of the pile are totally worthless. I buy so many that some of those cards have been in the drawer for 3 years. I wasted 100.00 worth of gift certificates by not pulling them out from the bottom.

I'm never going to get my own bathroom. Just shoot me now. :(

[Mjcpr]

FIFO, Mama.

[Hamhock]

FIFO, Mama.


that's some fancy learnin'..

[TopDaugIn2000]

there was a big stink over this a few years back. A lot of companies do this (I used to work for a company that manufactured the cards). For some reason I thought it got all straightened out and they couldn't deduct any longer, but I guess not. I'm out of the loop on cards now.

[royalfan5]

that's pretty standard for gift cards.

[Mjcpr]

that's some fancy learnin'..

It's one of the few things I recollect from my Accounting ciphers in collidge.

:D

[Paperclip]

Nothing says "repeat business" like dishing out ice cream to dental patients.

[TopDaugIn2000]

that's what I was thinking.


all I get is a stinkin toothbrush and some floss

[Paperclip]

that's what I was thinking.


all I get is a stinkin toothbrush and some floss

At my check up last week in addition to the standard toothbrush and floss I got a pocket knife. Go figure.

[HskrGrl]

They can't put expiration dates on them anymore so they have to find a way to get that money some how. It probably wouldn't hurt to find out who the owner of your Braums store is and write him a letter. Maybe after explaining how much money you have spent there on gift certificates over the past few years he might be a nice guy and give you a few free ones to make up for what happened. :) My kids would LOVE to go to your dentist's office. Our dentist (and doctor now that I think about it) give them coupons for a free kids meal at Red Robin. I know they would enjoy ice cream more than a cheeseburger.

[TopDaugIn2000]

that's a good idea, write him

[Hamhock]

i'd be willing to bet that if you told your story to Drew, he'd cut you some slack.

their corporate headquarters is right off I-35, on the north side of town.

send them an e-mail and tell your whole story.

i'd appreciate if you'd report back what you find out.

[TopDaugIn2000]

add it up and get a ballpark figure of how much you've spent in gift cards, and how much they've deducted from that. tell your story. I also think he'll help you out.

[olevetonahill]

But did you get Cranky when Ya got caught ?

[SicEmBaylor]

Instead of buying the gift certificates, why don't you just go ahead and buy the food directly and store it in your desk for 3 years?

YWIA.

[TopDaugIn2000]

you should give these out instead:
http://www.nashvillenut.com/images/candy_sugar_daddy.gif
guaranteed repeat customers

[TopDaugIn2000]

and I need to remind my mom of this, she gives out $5 in Braum's money to the kids in children's church when they come 4 weeks in a row.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

That just sucks and should be illegal. You buy a card with such and such amount of money, it should be there. I don't care if it is hard to record and keep track of. You presented tender in lieu thereof, it should be there when you want to use it.

[trey]

In California it is illegal. A law was passed a few years ago that made it illegal for gift cards/certificates to expire or decrease in value over time.

[TopDaugIn2000]

I think NY is the same way

[MamaMia]

I remember that the first stack I bought was with a corporate check. Those are the ones I put at the bottom of the box in my drawer. I feel just awful that I've been giving these children worthless gift certificates. Lord only knows how many I've given out to people who never mentioned it. If I can find a copy of that first check, that will give me a pretty good idea. My husband also buys snacks like yogurt, fruit and drinks for the break room from Braums, and always gets a few extra gift cards, when hes in there but he uses a credit card.

I'll go down to the basement this evening and go through the bank statements and hunt up that first check and go from there. Each card has a number on it so maybe the Braums can look it up and figure out how much of my money they got.

[Viking Kitten]

Have I mentioned how you should all go to Braum's and try the chocolate mojito ice cream right now?

[SicEmBaylor]

The peppermint ice cream rocks.

[MamaMia]

I think NY is the same waySo, Oklahoma doesn't have that law? :confused:

[TopDaugIn2000]

not that I am aware of


but as I said, I'm kinda out of the loop on the card industry now

[MamaMia]

not that I am aware of


but as I said, I'm kinda out of the loop on the card industry nowThis is what I found.

Can one of you attorneys on here please explain this? :)

http://www.okbar.org/obj/articles_06/080506woods.htm

[M]

This is what I found.

Can one of you attorneys on here please explain this? :)

http://www.okbar.org/obj/articles_06/080506woods.htm

I think this (http://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=443378) is the law that the article refers to.
The "Gift Certificate and Gift Card Disclosure Act." I didn't read the whole thing, but maybe you'll get some answers from that.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

So, Oklahoma doesn't have that law? :confused:

Guess not, I think Texas does.

Obligatory Texas > Oklahoma.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

Have I mentioned how you should all go to Braum's and try the chocolate mojito ice cream right now?

What is this Chocolate Mojito ice cream you speak of? Should I tell Mrs. THA to get thee to a Braum's while she is in Yukon?

[M]

What is this Chocolate Mojito ice cream you speak of? Should I tell Mrs. THA to get the to a Braum's while she is in Yukon?

YES. DO IT NOW.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

After reading M's fine note, it would seem that Braum's is violating the law.

[Viking Kitten]

You have to go to the counter and ask them to hand make you a pint. They don't have it in the half gallons yet.

Oh Dear Lord it's so good.

[soonerbrat]

is it minty and limey?

[TopDaugIn2000]

chocolate chip cookie dough is still the best IMO

[Viking Kitten]

I don't know much about any gift card law, but I do know that was one well-edited article. :D

[Viking Kitten]

is it minty and limey?

Yes. And chocolatey.

Mmmmmm.

[M]

I don't know much about any gift card law, but I do know that was one well-edited article. :D

:rolleyes:
;)

[MamaMia]

According to that information, and given the date of my 1st purchase of those gift cards, I think they're breaking the law but I would need a lawyer to agree with me before I agree with myself 100% . http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/OUmom/think.gif

[TopDaugIn2000]

I"d write them a NICE note first, explaining the situation. if they don't respond, then pull out the articles

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

My niece now works at Braum's. Of course, I have to drive to BFE to take advantage of any discounts she may be able to give to me.

[Viking Kitten]

According to that information, and given the date of my 1st purchase of those gift cards, I think they're breaking the law but I would need a lawyer to agree with me before I agree with myself 100% . http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/OUmom/think.gif

Finding a lawyer to 100 percent agree with you is going to be your problem. The article concluded:


"With their burgeoning use, there is an increasing likelihood that lawyers will be confronted with questions involving prepaid cards. Unfortunately, chances are good that there will be no clear answers to your client’s questions — at least for now. The growth of prepaid cards has not gone unnoticed by legislators and regulators, and the number of uncertainties is sure to be reduced in the coming years, though probably at the cost of increased legal complexity. And while many prepaid issuers would prefer to avoid the application of many new laws and regulations, prepaid card issuers and lawyers alike would settle for some certainty. Welcome to the wide world of prepaid cards."

I'd go with TD2K's approach and write a letter to Braum's customer relations department. Nicely ask for the cards to be reissued. Braum's is a reputable company and they are likely to work with you.

[soonerbrat]

are they gift cards or gift certificates?

[MamaMia]

I"d write them a NICE note first, explaining the situation. if they don't respond, then pull out the articlesI would be perfectly willing to take my portion of the blame for not getting out my magnifying glass to read the fine print, which it says has to be a size 10, and meet them half way.

Do any of you have any Oklahoma gift cards and if so, do they have any fine print on them?

[MamaMia]

are they gift cards or gift certificates?They're actually gift cards.

[NYC Poke]

The Unclaimed Property law, referenced in the article, is probably why they charge the fee. They want to hang on to as much of the unredeemed amounts on the card as they can without any risk of losing it to the state. As a summer associate, I wrote an article on changes in that state's unclaimed property law that went out in the firm's client newsletter, and I was told it generated enough phone calls to pay my salary for the summer (so I decided not to do any work for the rest of the summer :D ).

Anyway, as others have suggested, contact someone at Braum's. I'm sure they'll work something out with someone who has obviously been a good customer and good advertiser for them for so long.

[M]

You have to go to the counter and ask them to hand make you a pint. They don't have it in the half gallons yet.

Oh Dear Lord it's so good.


http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g258/DixieChickMissy/2girls1cup001sm.jpg

2 girls, 1 cup of chocolate mojito?

[Viking Kitten]

"I handpacked this pint just for you."

[MamaMia]

I found the check, called them up and Carol from the Braums main office said that they would like to make good on my gift cards but that if they did that for me they would have to do it for everyone. :(

[NYC Poke]

I found the check, called them up and Carol from the Braums main office said that they would like to make good on my gift cards but that if they did that for me they would have to do it for everyone. :(


:eek:

:mad:

[frankensooner]

Maybe Phill could file a class action suit over this!!! (or Homey, if you don't mind waiting until September) ;)

[TheHumanAlphabet]

I found the check, called them up and Carol from the Braums main office said that they would like to make good on my gift cards but that if they did that for me they would have to do it for everyone. :(

So I take it you are going to call Carol from Braum's back and tell them you will take your business elsewhere.

Sounds like a call into the Channel 4,5 or 9 Consumer Advocate or reporter may be in order...

[TopDaugIn2000]

Sonic, McD's, and Subway all have cards. (the company I used to work for made them)

[Uncle Rico]

Oklahoma did pass the gift certificate/card law a couple of years ago. It is based on the Cali law. Braums' legal better re-evaluate.

[Hamhock]

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g258/DixieChickMissy/2girls1cup001sm.jpg

2 girls, 1 cup of chocolate mojito?


:hot: