My complaint:
After sending the enclosed message to the email address I used to contact Amazon was not accepted by Amazon; however, the message returned to me included this statement:
Note: If there’s problem with a gift card bought at authorized store and you need a replacement, please contact the store for assistance and provide the receipt of your purchase.
On Thursday December 9, 2021 I went grocery shopping at a Fry’s store 34 in Tucson, AZ and also purchased nine gift cards, seven of them from Amazon with a total value of $750 . The cards were placed in a Fry’s grocery bag. When I returned home my wife checked the gift cards and discovered one was missing. Since I had the cashears receipts and the Amazon gift card Activation Status Receipt and store cash receipt, both listing the last four digits of the missing gift card (9316), there would be no problem as I could go back to Fry’s store and have them cancel out that card (9316) and either give me a refund or replacement card. I always thought the four digit serial number was sufficient to cancel a gift card unless it had already been used. Fry’s Customer Service pointed out that printed on the Activation Status Receipt were the words, “ALL PREPAID CARD SALES FINAL. FOR PREPAID CARD QUESTIONS CALL 1-866-544-8062” and I can call the phone number listed on the receipt and ask for a refund. Since I am hearing impared and have difficulty using the phone I had my wife call the listed number. The number called was Kroger’s Customer Service number and the first reaction she got was, “Why are you calling us?” My wife explained the problem. The customer service representative left the phone for a moment, probably to consult with someone. When she returned she told my wife she would have to call Amazon to get an adjustment as Kroger could not but Kroger did provide the complete 16 digit number (6169 8515 8928 9316) that applied to the lost card and provided Amazon’s customer service phone number (1-858-280-4331). My wife called Amazon. Amazon Customer Service. Amazon asked for the gift card serial number so my wife gave them the number provided by Kroger. Amazon said that was an incorrect serial number and without the correct complete serial number there was nothing they could do about it.
I always thought the gift card cashier’s receipt and four digit serial number was evidence for the customer to file for lost or damaged gift cards. Fortunately, the gift card in question was the smallest value ($50) gift card I purchased that day.It could have been my fault losing the card as the grocery bag the cards were placed in was large and not secured. I have been shopping at Fry’s Grocery Stores for over twenty five years and have done more shopping at Fry’s to take advantage of fuel credits. I buy gift cards for my family and friends for birthdays and holidays as it allows them to choose their own gift. I will no longer buy gift cards from Fry’s nor will I buy any Amazon gift cards from any store. Over the past few years I have spent as much or more than $1,000 for Amazon gift cards.every year. I will continue to shop at Fry’s but probably not as often as there are Safeway, Albertsons, Bashas and Costco stores all within close proximity to my home.
Suggested solution:
Simplify the system to cancel, recover or refund unused lost gift cards
