New vouchers - clarification

Crookie
Crookie Forum Participant Posts: 19
edited May 2020 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

Hi, 

I had a chat with a lovely member of the clubs marketing team this morning. We have bought some of the new money saving vouchers and there was a little confusion with the amount we bought hence her call. I noticed on another post that someone had mentioned that in their FAQ's the club had stated that change would be given, eg if a pitch fee cost £27.00,then £3.00 would be given in change.  To clarify this is NOT the case and their advice will be changed in due course.  This has something to do with the legalities regarding money laundering.  So with this in mind it obviously makes sense to pay using vouchers bought and top up the final amount to guard against losing the change. Hope this helps with any confusion. 

Moderator Comment - I have moved this to UK Campsites.

 

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Comments

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited April 2020 #2

    Hi

    That's correct. Funny, we've never been able to give change from any type of vouchers, at least not in the 10 years I've worked for the clubwink

    JK

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #3

    I notice you said their advice will be changed in due course. This presumably means that they did in fact advertise that change would be given and they have now altered that to no change.

    Perhaps the club, which has a poor record in keeping members up to date with information, could have come clean and told people that the original information had changed rather than just slip it into FAQs unannounced. Aren't they supposed to keep members abreast of changes?

    Thanks for your post Crookie.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #4

    When you have purchased vouchers from other places, like John Lewis, M&S, B&Q etc, you get to keep what is left of the voucher for another purchase.  The amount remaining Is printed on a note attached to your receipt to remind you how much you have left, presumably the Club's system is not able to do this.

  • Freddy55
    Freddy55 Club Member Posts: 1,810
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    edited April 2020 #5

    The ‘change’ aspect concerned me too. After checking, it seems the vouchers come in fairly small denominations, so easy enough to work around.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #6

    We did request clarification on the other voucher thread by reporting but nothing's come of it yet.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #7

    Has now been clarified by Ro on the other thread now, TW, but no word to say that they've changed the wording of the FAQs. Talk about keeping members up to date!!!!

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #8

    Someone mentioned, on FaceBook ? , that several people had received only £20 vouchers

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #9

    I said that in the other thread as well, Kj. I saw it on another forum.

  • obbernockle
    obbernockle Forum Participant Posts: 616
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    edited May 2020 #10

    I understand the original terms included "no expiry date" but that too has been changed to "expiry 2021"  Bearing in mind that we dont know yet when sites network will be fully open (fully = facilities in use) so the window is a complete unknown. I know some have sent theirs back because this is unfair. The club hasn't clearly informed members of the changes, but just changed the terms!  

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #11

     I've just checked it again and you are quite correct, Obber.

    What a disgrace. The club keep changing their terms without any announcements.

    Rowena is supposed to be coming back about the change so she might want to check up on this aspect as well.

    The club could do with apologising to members who have bought these on original terms. The club promote themselves as a "Members Club" yet treat those members poorly.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #12

    It’s quite shameful. 

    I don't think they'll be getting any early cash flow from me.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #13

    Well I'm glad I never bothered to order any, we don't often use full sites except in the winter season as we are usually 'over there' but given the changes we are now faced with, we may well be going away in the UK not it would seem on C&MC sites though using vouchers. wink

    i trust all those who have sent them back, as they are not as described when purchasing them. Will ask for their postage back from the club, that might just focus the mind on getting things right before advertising them.innocent 

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,309 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #14

    Also glad I didn't leap in and order them, although I was going to buy a decent amount. It was the no expiry date that attracted me. Who knows if we will get away this year. Plus with no vaccine imminently available, it is still not clear what we will be able to do in 2021.

    I would hope they would honour the original T&C's for those who ordered them early. Although I wouldn't bank on it.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited May 2020 #15

    I had been toying with the idea but now the decision is easy. No on your life.

  • trellis
    trellis Forum Participant Posts: 1,102
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    edited May 2020 #16

    The powers that be have really not covered themselves in glory throughout these troubled times. First the membership extension and now this . Their excuse will no doubt be "just keeping up with CCC ". So much for " We're all in it together " . Stay safe everyone...

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #17

    Don't forget the early misinformation posted regarding essential travel supposedly not applying to private cars and the pig headed refusal to take responsible action by closing sites until the last moment.

    We won't even start on fuel cards and caravan insurance!

  • Freddy55
    Freddy55 Club Member Posts: 1,810
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    edited May 2020 #18

    Applying an expiry date is very naughty, and sneaking it in with no notification? I was going to buy a decent amount as it seemed a ‘no-brainer’ given their original open-ended nature. I won’t be bothering now. A very poor show ☹️

  • davetommo
    davetommo Forum Participant Posts: 1,430
    edited May 2020 #19

    I have not yet received mine which I ordered on the original terms of no expiry date, so sent the following e-mail to cmc and asked for my money back plus postage.

    Re my order for £200 of site night vouchers. I have read the q&a again and see that the vouchers now have an expiry date of 31December 2021. When I sent In my order the q&a said that there was no expiry date. If there is an expiry date then I would like to ask for a full refund of my £200 plus the £2.50 p&p as under the consumer rights act I have been mis sold this product.

  • Freddy55
    Freddy55 Club Member Posts: 1,810
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    edited May 2020 #20

    Yes, “shameful” is the word.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,309 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #21

    If the expiry date also applies to those already ordered, the owners might not even realise, unless it is printed on the front of the voucher. I would be rather annoyed if a voucher I had purchased in good faith was refused. Even if you have bought them with the intention of using them fairly quickly, things can get in the way, such as medical / family problems.

  • Freddy55
    Freddy55 Club Member Posts: 1,810
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    edited May 2020 #22

    I think the club needs to come out and say whether or not vouchers bought before the change will be honoured under the original terms.

  • willtrundle
    willtrundle Forum Participant Posts: 9
    edited May 2020 #23

    I have today written asked the Club whether they intend to honour the original terms and if not why they have not informed me of the change.

    I have asked for a clear and unequivocal answer but to be honest I am not expecting one.

  • Ernie S
    Ernie S Forum Participant Posts: 47
    edited May 2020 #24

    Wow.  Only just caught up with the change to t&c this morning. Like many I intended to purchase a significant amount of the vouchers drawn by the fact that it's a good deal, it wasn't time limited and it was helping the Club's cash flow at a time when it's income has all but dried up.

    I'm reeling from this shabby, unethical move by the club to be honest.

    And further incensed that the expiry date is only 18 months away! They could at least have made it a more reasonable 5 years.

    If any business students are looking for examples of company PR disasters they can have this one for free!

     

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,864 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #25

    There may be a reason why they appear to have done an about turn on the validation period for the vouchers. I will ask Rowena if she can get chapter and verse for us.

    David

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited May 2020 #26

    undecided

  • papgeno
    papgeno Forum Participant Posts: 2,158
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    edited May 2020 #27

    On one of the Facebook groups this morning at least two members were saying they'd bought £1000 worth. I bet they'll be pleased😱

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #28

    I think their actions are disgraceful as well.

    Why do the club issue paper vouchers, why not a card that you can load anytime you want (with a discount of course) and then redeem at a chosen site.

    No paper needed, no postage needed and no change (or not) having to be given. 

    One day this club will be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century.undecided

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited May 2020 #29

    They probably still think that "Wanderer" is up to date.

  • fatbelly
    fatbelly Forum Participant Posts: 438
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    edited May 2020 #30

    To do an about turn like this is disgraceful by the Club, I was going to buy the vouchers but now I will definitely not be doing. It's as if the club are trying to draw up a list of reasons not to renew our membership

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,864 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #31

    It did cross my mind that it was a mistake in the first place not to put an expiry date on the vouchers? Afterall the old style site vouchers always had an expiry date. Perhaps with so many people from the club HQ working from home it was a mix up or lack of communication which was not spotted initially? Hopefully we will find out next week.

    I have a few of the old site vouchers which run out in December 2020 so I am unsure what might happen to those if we can't get away this year? 

    David