Whsmith

WH Smiths gift cards a waste of time (as of Jan 2011)

I received a WH Smiths giftcard with £30 on it for Christmas. I tried to order something online (after spending am age trying to navigate their hopeless website to see if they accepted cards online - they did).

On their help page it then said Gift Cards not currently accepted online due to some problems they've been having.

Waited a week and tried again yesterday and the error message was no longer there. Proceeded to order a book (which was under the amount on my card @ £19.59). Came to the payment screen and all went in OK. Bear in mind one has to scrape off the bit on the back of the card to get to the security number.

Later received an email saying my card had been declined, and to get in touch with my card issuer.

HELLO????!?!? This is YOUR CARD WH!!! An email to them a day past has yet to be replied to.

Not impressed at all and I wish I'd been given money instead of their hopeless 'gift' card. Oh and if you're on their website, and want to buy a DVD or a CD it takes you to an 'external' site called WH SMith entertainment. And guess what - your login details from WH Smith do not work, You have to register AGAIN with that site.

Appalling organisation all round! No wonder superb online shops like Amazon are obliterating the competition - they know what they're doing and are first rate at customer service.

- John