Validity of a store credit

[Rockymountain]

In exchange of my returned merchandise in 2003, the Tommy Hilfigar store gave me a store credit. Soon after my return the store was closed. The credit is a small amount. Just want to know if I can use the store credit at another Tommy Hilfigar store after such a long time? Thanks in advance for your enlightenment and advice.

[spf1971]

You want to know if you can use a store credit issued 9 years ago? That's a question you should have asked 9 years ago! Even if the store was in business, I doubt you would be able to use it, so going to another store is probably pretty much out of the question.

[enhanced]

Store credits are often chain-wide (excluding factory stores and outlets) but your problem here is not whether other stores will accept it, as much as it is whether the credit still works 9 years later.

Why don't you just try it?

[aggronieszka]

I'm assuming it's not a gift card, rather, it's a credit note, handwritten on a piece of paper. Best bet is to go into a store and appeal to a manager. They may need to escalate to their finance department just so the books balance.

Or maybe they'll just write it off. Heck, they may just laugh you out of the store as it's 9 years old :P

[shepd]

Do you have the credit note with you? I think this will depend on if the credit is for any store, or that specific one. It'll also depend on if there's an expiry on the credit, as back then that was permitted.

If there's no expiry, and it isn't worded specifically as being for that store, it is still valid. Although you may have an argument on your hands to redeem it.

[Rockymountain]

Do you have the credit note with you? I think this will depend on if the credit is for any store, or that specific one. It'll also depend on if there's an expiry on the credit, as back then that was permitted.

If there's no expiry, and it isn't worded specifically as being for that store, it is still valid. Although you may have an argument on your hands to redeem it.


As far as I could recall there is a 90-day expiry printed on the back of the store credit note (2003). I think Ontario government passed a law in 2005 that all store credit note should not have expiry date.

Thanks for all replies.

[Euroae]

As far as I could recall there is a 90-day expiry printed on the back of the store credit note (2003). I think Ontario government passed a law in 2005 that all store credit note should not have expiry date.

Thanks for all replies.

Your out of luck then. First, the law you mention only applies to gift cards (Specifically "Pre-paid or re-loadable cash-equivalent gift cards or gift certificates"), store credits are not; they can still have expiry dates. Secondly, even if the law applied to store credits, the law only applies to gift cards purchased on or after october 1, 2007.

http://www.sse.gov.on.ca/mcs/en/Pages/Gift_Card_Info_for_Retailers.aspx