WA Bans Gift-Card Expirations, Fees

theodp writes "The Seattle Times reports on new legislation that makes WA one of 15-20 states that have passed or are in the process of adopting laws that ban expiration dates on gift certificates, which enjoyed sales of $40+ billion last year. The consumer protection law is also expected to address the cat-and-mouse games retailers play of shopping for states with unclaimed-property laws that allow them to pocket unused gift-card value. As it so happens, Delaware state law requires a company to send unclaimed gift certificate monies to the state, while Idaho allows a company to keep the cash for itself. While an Amazon.com spokeswoman said the company would adhere to the new WA law for WA residents, she declined to say why the Seattle-headquartered and Delaware-incorporated Amazon established an Idaho company two years ago called A2Z to handle its gift-card operations."

Comments

Gift Cards and the Communist Way

[Mulletproof]

"Washington consumers can soon rest easy knowing that, for the most part, their gift certificates won't expire or be nibbled away by fees."

Awwwww, how cozy. But why is this being regulated by the state governemnt? Sure, expirations on gift certificates suck as do nibbling fees, but there is an easy solution to this-- DON'T FUCKING BUY THEM. Infact, if it pisses you off that much , don't buy anything from that company period. You'd be surprised how self regulating the marketplace is. Piss your consumers off and business goes elsewhere. If they keep buying, it's obviously not the issue some people think it is. Nobody is forcing you to buy a giftcard.

" The lack of standardization -- the absence of expiration dates, differing expiration dates, laws that don't specifically address gift cards -- in some cases has led to cat-and-mouse games."

OMFwortl33tehG!!! NO STANDARDIZATION!??!? WTF is up with the people trying to regulate this crap???? LAWS THAT DON'T SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS GIFT CARDS!??!? They are freakin certificates being offered by the store as a CONVINIENCE. The rules you buy under ARE THEIRS TO MAKE!!! Yes, that's what we need. Another state agency sucking more of my hard earned money to regulate a convinece nobody is being forced to buy and whose rules are normally written on or with the gift certificate. IT'S NOT EXACTLY THE LENGTH OF AN EULA AFTER ALL. And here's a revolutionary thought if you're an illiterate bastard-- ASK WHAT THE SALESPERSON WHAT THE RULES ARE!!!! GASP! I know. It's a tough world.

I'm sorry, regulating shit like this is nothing but a waste time, money and resources for people too lazy or stupid to do something as simple as voting with their wallet. If those rules aren't disclosed on the certificate or reciept itself, fine, hammer the company hard. But state regulation???????????? Come the fuck on. It's not that big of a problem. Ok, so 2 billion in certs went unclaimed last year. For the most part, that's called USER NEGLECT. IBM should service my HDD now because I didn't realize the warrenty ran out, right? RIGHT??? i'm sorry, but this is so seriously lame. this problem is so easily solved BY PAYING MORE FUCKING ATTENTION.

And lest we forget, this is also the same state government that wanted to tax coffee.