Too many gift cards!

[Hook326]

Not gift cards but I had this happen with a tv for my mom. I ordered the tv as a gift for her and came home one day to two of the exact same TVs on my porch.

First step, checking the credit card to see if I got charged for two. Nope just one. Call the credit card just to make sure and they say the same thing. I waited a week to make sure nothing shows up on cc, nothing does.

Step two, call the store’s online number. On the phone for quite some time being switched from person to person because they don’t know what to do with this extra tv. Finally they decided to send me a shipping label so I can return it and of course no credit because I hadn’t paid for it. Great, np!

Step three, received the shipping label like a week later, now it’s christmas so the tv waited a week before getting shipped back.

Step four, received credit on credit card for returned tv

Step five, called online store and told them I shouldn’t have received credit and went through whole story again. They said they couldn’t charge me so I said “basically you’re giving me this other tv for free then?” And they said that the only option was returning the other tv too which was not happening because it had been given to my mom already and was set up in her house.

Step six, I was done! I had tried to do the right thing and it didn’t work out!

So I’d make one more call OP and be done!

 

[kymom99]

I was thinking you could take the gift cards on your trip and use them to pay it forward. Like pick up the tab for other families, things like that. And spend some on yourself. I know this case is a lot of money but things like this happen on a smaller scale all the time. My friend ordered some things from kohl’s a few years back and got this big package not even remotely related to what she ordered. It was a rocking horse, which was sad because her daughter had just suffered an ectopic pregnancy. Kohl’s told her to keep it or donate it.

 

[MomToOne]

Your answer is never ... got it. I didn’t ask if it was ok.

No, I never said "never". I actually said "try calling one more time, then put them away somewhere safe". Hardly the same.

If you feel a phone call would take too long, then just send them an email. I'm not a member, but had an unusual issue with them in the past, and emailed them about it. It took some time for them to sort it out, and a few emails back and forth (which took a minute or less each to write), but eventually they resolved it.

 

[punkin]

Funny...many years ago DH quit his job. Had an exit interview and everything. 2 weeks later, they direct deposited his paycheck. He called hr in his old company to tell them. 2 weeks later, they direct deposited another paycheck. DH called HR and his old manager and emailed them for proof that he called. 2 weeks later, they direct deposited another check. DH sent a certified letter to his old manager, HR, and the CFO of the company. 2 weeks later...yes! Another paycheck. DH wrote another letter to HR, old manager, CFO informing them that since they apparently meant this money as a gift, he would close his account in 2 weeks and keep the money. 2 weeks later he got another paycheck. We closed the account and kept the money. Sorry, my moral obligation has to end somewhere.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Whoever was processing the cards probably saw the "3" and thought it was an "8". Maybe there was a spot on the screen or something.

I'd say that you've done what you can. You shouldn't have to care more for their bottom line than they do.

 

[kaytieeldr]

If you feel a phone call would take too long, then just send them an email.

Or just mail back the unordered gift cards.

USing, donating, or pixie-dusting them are great suggestions, but only if you are willing to reimburse BJs or Disney at some point.

 

[Hikergirl]

I am shocked that many people here are advocating for you to waste your time to correct their mistake. I would spend zero time trying to fix it and I would use all of the gift cards. Now if the merchant later came back and asked me to pay I would.

You know that if the shoe was on the other foot the merchant would make you jump though plenty of hoops to get your money back.

I wouldn't see it as me fixing their mistake, I'd see it as me doing the right thing. If I didn't pay for them then they don't belong to me IMO and I wouldn't keep them.
I would verify that I wasn't charged for the gift cards, if I wasn't I would go directly to a BJ's and explain the situation and turn them over.
What they do after that to fix their mistake is their decision.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

What ever you do....DOCUMENT...DOCUMENT...DOCUMENT ! Don't go to BJ's and just leave them there; get a receipt from the manager. Don't mail them back unless you pay for the tracking and signature. Even then you can't prove you sent GCs (could have been socks). USPS, FedEx and UPS don't insure for GCs; they view that as cash.

You've done more than enough to right their wrong. Just keep them.

 

[gottalovepluto]

She put me on hold several times to check with her manager. Then she told me the relevent department would contact me within 5 days.
I thought about mailing them back ... but that would be like mailing cash. Same thing with just handing it in to someone who isn’t in the same department that sold it to me (BJs is like Costco, and the physical stores are a different division from the online site)

It's the Holidays, it's gonna be a long wait- heck some people have already left for their vacations I'm sure. Tuck them away for now and maybe you'll hear back in a month from a totally panicked manager when they track down why the books didn't balance at the end of the year and you will be a freaking savoir to that poor person whose head will be on the chopping block for this.

 

[gottalovepluto]

If you have a BJs near you I’d take them in and leave them.
If you choose to keep them I’d donate them to Make-A-Wish or a reputable charity that could use.

I see your frustration with having them not understand that it was their error but since you questioned what to do morally I’d give to a charity rather than keep. But do what you think is best

No way would I give these away! What if BJs figures this out and deactivates them? Can you imagine that poor charity when they go to spend the money and find out your generous donation was actually $0?! Awful idea.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

No way would I give these away! What if BJs figures this out and deactivates them? Can you imagine that poor charity when they go to spend the money and find out your generous donation was actually $0?! Awful idea.

I thought better than others saying to keep them for herself or pay it forward to others.

OP really should take them to BJs and give them back but I think giving to charity better than keeping for yourself if you are not going to return them . Or shred them and throw them away.

 

[undertheradar]

I suggest that you contact BJ's corporate office. Contact investor relations and make them aware that you are trying to return gift cards that were sent in addition to ones you ordered. This is not a small dollar mistake, so it would not be right to keep them.

 

[Anthony1971]

I have had this happen to me in both directions.
Most cases the item was small and when I called with more than one retailer they told me to keep it...
I have been shipped a lesser items been told to keep it and they sent me the correct item... also was a big hassle
I was shipped a more expensive item that I returned to the store and got scre.... in the end as they would not ship me what I ordered and lied which they finally admitted to..yet the store I drove to return the item had it in stock where I could have bought it.. a lot of phone calls and headaches to do the right thing..
Now if I get the wrong item and it has a higher value I take it back to the store get a credit and get the item I original ordered and the rest is a fee for dealing with it...
the retailers involved were: Target (they are the worst) Walmart (great customer service), Amazon (ok Customer service) and Gamestop (also difficult to deal with but nothing tops Target)
For the record they can not charge your credit card as they do not have access to it even if you have it saved.. it is illegal to store credit card number for any retailer period.
They will never find out who they shipped the wrong item to as according to the person who packed it you got shipped what you ordered nothing less nothing more.
Places make mistakes in most cases it is cheaper for them to let you keep it than return it and figure out what went wrong.
whatever people want to call it is fine.... Bottom line is as above I have spent hours fixing mistakes made by retailers and for the part of being honest have gotten nothing but headaches.... on the other ethical side if you make a big stink the person who packed it will likely loss his/her job for making the mistake.

 

[Hikergirl]

I have had this happen to me in both directions.
Most cases the item was small and when I called with more than one retailer they told me to keep it...
I have been shipped a lesser items been told to keep it and they sent me the correct item... also was a big hassle
I was shipped a more expensive item that I returned to the store and got scre.... in the end as they would not ship me what I ordered and lied which they finally admitted to..yet the store I drove to return the item had it in stock where I could have bought it.. a lot of phone calls and headaches to do the right thing..
Now if I get the wrong item and it has a higher value I take it back to the store get a credit and get the item I original ordered and the rest is a fee for dealing with it...
the retailers involved were: Target (they are the worst) Walmart (great customer service), Amazon (ok Customer service) and Gamestop (also difficult to deal with but nothing tops Target)
For the record they can not charge your credit card as they do not have access to it even if you have it saved.. it is illegal to store credit card number for any retailer period.
They will never find out who they shipped the wrong item to as according to the person who packed it you got shipped what you ordered nothing less nothing more.
Places make mistakes in most cases it is cheaper for them to let you keep it than return it and figure out what went wrong.
whatever people want to call it is fine.... Bottom line is as above I have spent hours fixing mistakes made by retailers and for the part of being honest have gotten nothing but headaches.... on the other ethical side if you make a big stink the person who packed it will likely loss his/her job for making the mistake.

LOL OK whatever helps you feel better about keeping $800 worth of something that doesn't belong to you when all you have to do is return it. The OP got what she ordered, she can easily return what she didn't.

 

[Hook326]

Some posters have mentioned just returning them to a brick and mortar store but in my case, I was told not to return the extra tv to the store (target) because they wouldn’t be able to take it without giving credit (told this by brick and mortar store and on online Target call) and I had ordered online. This might be why when OP called BJs they didn’t suggest this. I don’t understand why it’s that way with Target (and maybe other stores) but it became a giant pain to try to do the right thing.

I felt I eventually satisfied my own moral compass by saying to them “so basically you’re giving me this tv for free” because I had no more avenues to try.

 

[Dakota731]

Sounds like OP knows what she’s going to do or not do and is just looking for validation from others. I’m superstitious by nature and always worry about karma if I think about doing something that’s not on the up and up. It always seems to bite me on the butt. Doing what’s right isn’t always the easy choice.

 

[afan]

Some posters have mentioned just returning them to a brick and mortar store but in my case, I was told not to return the extra tv to the store (target) because they wouldn’t be able to take it without giving credit (told this by brick and mortar store and on online Target call) and I had ordered online. This might be why when OP called BJs they didn’t suggest this. I don’t understand why it’s that way with Target (and maybe other stores) but it became a giant pain to try to do the right thing.

I felt I eventually satisfied my own moral compass by saying to them “so basically you’re giving me this tv for free” because I had no more avenues to try.

Some run their stores and internet separate. Petco wouldn't price match their own website, one of many reasons I won't shop there any more unless I'm desperate.

Like a PP earlier, there's no way I'd take these to the store and not have a way to track. Nevermind they're just as likely to think you are trying to scam them or something.

In the grand scheme of it all businesses have loss due to order mistakes, theft etc. If you make the effort to correct it which the OP did by calling and giving her info when asked putting the ball in their court it's on BJs to fix it not the customers.

 

[kaytieeldr]

In the grand scheme of it all businesses have loss due to order mistakes

Which they pass on to us by raising prices, maybe cutting staff, etc.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I found this ... I’ve already done more than I legally have to - but if they get back to me in a reasonable timeframe, I will return the extra cards.

It may have been advantageous to provide more complete information from the ftc site, including,

"...You respond to an advertisement offering a free "trial" pair of pantyhose. To your surprise, you receive four pairs with a bill.

...You receive a pocket knife that you never ordered. Despite your objections, the company continues to send you notices demanding payment and threatening your credit rating.

What do you do when you receive merchandise that you didn’t order? According to the Federal Trade Commission, you don’t have to pay for it. Federal laws prohibit mailing unordered merchandise to consumers and then demanding payment.

Here are some questions and answers about dealing with unordered merchandise. "

The italicized section offers examples of merchandise. Gift cards aren't really merchandise, are they? They seem more like tender, with actual monetary value.

If you read my post, I’ve already reported it to them

Thank you, iI read your post prior to responding. I meant, contact somebody higher up than customer service.

 

[lorimay]

Perhaps, BJ's will just deactivate them when they figure out their mistake and they will have a zero balance on them when they are redeemed.