Latest news with #giftvouchers
The Sun
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
WHSmith posts urgent warning to shoppers so they don't lose out on cash as it rebrands 500 high street stores
WHSMITH customers have been warned they need to spend their unused gift vouchers before they become worthless. The struggling retailer is set to disappear from the high street in a matter of weeks as its new owner rebrands it to TGJones. 1 The stationery giant has been a feature of the British high street since the 1800s but has fallen on hard times in recent years. Now Sun checkers can reveal bosses at the ailing favourite are already reminding punters to use their unspent gift vouchers in stores while they are still valid up until the end of June next year. Signs headed "Important Notice on Changes to WHSmith Gift Cards' erected at the firm's Croydon branch in south London state: 'This store, along with all other former high street stores, is now owned and operated by TG Jones. 'This has an impact on how you can use your WHSmith gift card or eGift card. 'You can continue to use your WHSmith gift card or eGift card in this store and in other TGJones, and on up until June 28, 2026, in accordance with the terms and conditions for your WHSmith gift card or eGift card. 'Before and after June 28, 2026, you may continue to use your WHSmith gift card or eGift card in WHSmith stores in travel locations and hospitals (excluding concessions and stores located at motorway service stations, WHSmith Local, London Underground sites or WHSmith franchise stores), in accordance with the terms and conditions for your WHSmith gift card or eGift card.' Consumer experts have urged shoppers to use their vouchers before it's too late. Martyn James, Sun Squeeze Team Member and independent consumer champion, said: 'When a company goes bust, then your vouchers, gift cards and even store credit vanish, never to be seen again. "So, when you hear that a business is in trouble, spend,spend, spend, or lose your credit. 'However, WHSmith didn't go bust, it was purchased by another business. WHSmith sells 500 UK shops "Where this happens and the business rebrands, it is usually down to the business on whether it must honour credit vouchers and gift cards. 'This often depends on whether it was a direct takeover (usually honoured) or the sale of a failing business (the new retailer doesn't take on liability). 'In this case, WHSmith customers have less than a year to spend their vouchers, which in fairness, is often how long they last before expiring anyway. "But, if you have vouchers, get online or in-store and spend them - or risk losing the credit forever.' WHSmith stores that have closed A total of 20 WHSmith stores shut this year ahead of the rebrand. The retailer's Bedford site is set to close on July 5. The store in the Frenchgate Centre in Doncaster closed on May 31, while the Stockton branch also shut on May 17. Branches in Halstead and Woolwich shut on April 12, and Halesowen and Diss followed on April 19. Just a week later, stores in Newport and Haverhill also pulled down the shutters. Reena Sewraz, Which? retail editor, added: 'Usually if a retailer you have a gift card for goes bust, you may struggle to get your money back. 'In this case, WHSmith has been bought and rebranded as TGJones and existing gift cards and vouchers can be used both online and in store up until June 28, 2026. 'Before and after this date, you can still redeem vouchers at WHSmith travel locations, including airports and hospitals. 'If the gift card or voucher was bought through a third party, check to see if the purchaser can approach them for a refund. "The purchaser has no right to a refund but the third-party company may choose to refund you as a gesture of goodwill." Hobbycraft owner Modella Capital agreed a deal to take over the chain's troubled high street arm back in March. As part of the deal, all 464 remaining high street stores are rebranding to TGJones. The sale has now officially completed and the WHSmith website has rebranded, while all stores are listed on Google as TGJones. Some shoppers have already spotted signs going up in stores reading 'Thank you for shopping at TGJones.' Modella put in planning applications to local councils to change the signage on its stores last month. History of WHSmith The rebranding means the WHSmith name will be disappearing from the high street for good. WHSmith's travel stores will still remain in airports, hospitals, railway stations and motorway service areas as these have not been taken over by Modella. The first WHSmith store was opened back in 1792 was opened by Henry Walton Smith and his wife Anna. It was located in Little Grosvenor Street, London and was initially a news vendor. When Henry and Anna died, the business was taken over by their youngest son William Henry Smith. He renamed the business WH Smith & Son in 1846. The business began expanding around this time and opened its first railway news stand at Euston Station in 1848. It opened its first depots two years later in Birmingham, Manchester, and Liverpool. WH Smith & Son continued to be passed down by the family before becoming a limited company in 1928, with all shares owned by the third Viscount. The company became a public limited business in 1948, with staff and members of the public taking shares. The business expanded hugely between the 1970s and 1990s, and during this time changed its name to simply WHSmith. The last member of the Smith family left the board in 1996. Over the years, the brand has sold a variety of products including everything from vinyl records to DVDs and computer games. But it has always been best known for its wide variety of books, stationery, and sweets. In more recent years, WHSmith has struggled on the high street – although its travel sales have surged. The company confirmed in January it would sell off its high street business. Modella then snapped up WHSmith's high street stores after an auction process. Shoppers have also started receiving emails from TGJones. One confused customer wrote on social media: 'I got an email from TG Jones thinking how? Then realised its WHSmith's new name, crazy.' Another added: 'I keep getting emails from someone called TG Jones and it was apparently a company that has changed its name, it was failing to tell me what company…just had another one and it's WHSmith??? WHAT.' Other customers have expressed sadness at the loss of the iconic retailer from Britain's high streets. One wrote: 'New generation will never experience the feeling of going to WHSmith in your Year 6 summer holidays and building a pencil case from scratch and picking all your stationary for Year 7.' Another sad shopper added: 'I did my school shopping every year at WHSmith since reception, same with my sister too, this is so sad.' While a third nostalgic punter wrote: 'My parents met working at WHSmith and they've been married 30 years.'
Daily Mail
17-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
All M&S paper gift vouchers will expire soon and shoppers are urged to spend them
Marks & Spencer shoppers will not be able to use paper gift vouchers in-store or online from 1 October 2025. 'All paper gift vouchers must be spent by 30 September 2025', the retailer says on its website and on posters in stores. Paper gift vouchers were issued by M&S to customers up until 2012 and to other businesses to 2016, and are in £1, £5, £10 and £25 denominations. It's not clear how much is left outstanding on them. From 1 October, paper gift vouchers will not be taken as payment across Britain and the Republic of Ireland, the group said. A spokesman for M&S told This is Money: 'We are modernising our gift voucher proposition to provide greater security for our customers and provide more ways for them to redeem their vouchers.' Shoppers can continue to use the paper gift vouchers until 30 September and they are currently taken as payment for all M&S products, including food and drink. Up until 1 October, M&S shoppers can spend their paper gift vouchers on products in-store, or exchange the paper gift voucher for a gift card which can be used both in-store and online. If the total value of paper gift vouchers to be exchanged is £100 or less, the exchange can be completed by M&S staff in-store. However, if the value of the paper gift vouchers to be exchanged is over £100, shoppers should get in touch with M&S's customer service centre. M&S resumes some online orders Last week, Marks and Spencer began to take online orders again after it halted purchases via its website in April following a cyber attack. The retailer said shoppers were now able to buy a selection of fashion items, including clothing and footwear, for home delivery in England, Scotland and Wales. It said beauty and homeware products would be available in the coming days, with delivery services to Northern Ireland and click and collect resuming 'in the coming weeks.' John Lyttle, managing director of fashion, home and beauty at M&S, said a selection of the chain's 'best selling' fashion ranges would now be available online, though some customers have reported limited offerings in certain departments. M&S was hit by a cyber attack during the Easter weekend, which initially affected its click and collect and contactless payments. A few days later, M&S suspended online orders, and recently warned services would continue to be disrupted until July. As a result of the cyber attack, M&S expects a £300million hit on operating profit, but the total will be offset by cost mitigation, extra trading actions and insurance payouts.
The Sun
05-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
M&S issues update for customers with gift vouchers after cyber attack
MARKS and Spencer has issued an update for customers with gift vouchers after its cyber attack. Customers have taken to social media to share their dissatisfaction with the retailer's latest update. 1 It comes as the ongoing chaos has left scores of M&S shoppers unable to use their gift vouchers. Yet the retail giant initially told customers they won't get extensions of the expiry dates on vouchers due to expire. One customer took to X, pleading: 'My vouchers expire at the end of this month but I can't use them. Can I have them extended?' But M&S responded: 'Unfortunately we're unable to extend vouchers.' They later appeared to soften, agreeing to "double check" on the customers behalf. Last month, shoppers also said they'd hit a brick wall. One couple revealed on the MoneySavingExpert forum that they've been saving up vouchers from their M&S credit card for months, only to be told they'd have to use them now or lose them entirely. The customer posted: 'We contacted M&S Customer Support which bluntly said that if we didn't use the vouchers by their expiry date then that was tough. 'The only option we have is to spend them on something we don't really need.' They added that M&S stores aren't even able to place orders, meaning customers can't just pop in and buy bigger items either. Even staff are reportedly unable to order stock, with fears some branches could start running out of essentials altogether. Some stores have even been stripped of staples like bananas and Colin the Caterpillar cakes, and popular meal deals were pulled in smaller branches An MSE forum ambassador said: 'Given the number of people this may affect, perhaps thousands as you suggest, I would expect M&S to extend the end date for these.' While another shopper fumed: 'The least they could do is extend the date.' M&S credit card reward vouchers are valid for 17 months, while shoppers with gift cards have 24 months from the last transaction to spend them. When The Sun contacted M&S, it advised affected customers to get in touch - but didn't confirm whether it would offer extensions on a case-by-case basis after all. A M&S spokesperson said: "The majority of M&S credit card customers redeem their reward vouchers in stores, and they can continue to do so. "If for any reason customers aren't able to redeem in store, and their vouchers are due to expire soon, we would ask them to get in touch with us so we can support them.' Meanwhile, the attack is still causing carnage across the business. M&S was forced to pull online orders, birthday perks were suspended, and Sparks offers were frozen. The store has now confirmed that some freebies, like birthday cookies, will still be honoured eventually. But when it comes to Rewards Vouchers — a perk many customers save up to use for larger purchases — the answer so far is a hard no. The cyber attack, which kicked off over Easter weekend, has been one of the worst to hit the high street in years. It has forced M&S to halt online orders and triggered widespread disruption, including a £300million blow to profits. Online shopping is still out of action and is expected to remain patchy until at least July, with fashion, home and beauty sales taking a battering. Timeline of the attack Saturday, April 19: Initial reports emerge on social media of problems with contactless payments and click-and-collect services at M&S stores across the UK. Customers experience difficulties collecting online purchases and returning items due to system issues. Monday, April 21: Problems with contactless payments and click-and-collect persist. M&S officially acknowledges the "cyber incident" in a statement to the London Stock Exchange. CEO Stuart Machin apologises for the disruption and confirms "minor, temporary changes" to store operations. M&S notifies the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and engages external cybersecurity experts. Tuesday, April 22: Disruptions continue. M&S takes further systems offline as part of "proactive management". Wednesday, April 23: Despite earlier claims of customer-facing systems returning to normal, M&S continues to adjust operations to maintain security. Contactless payments are initially restored, but other services, including click-and-collect, remain affected. Thursday, April 24: Contactless payments and click-and-collect services are still unavailable. Reports surface suggesting the attackers possibly gained access to data in February. Friday, April 25: M&S suspends all online and app orders in the UK and Ireland for clothing and food, although customers can still browse products. This decision leads to a 5% drop in M&S's share price. Monday, April 28: M&S is still unable to process online orders. Around 200 agency workers at the main distribution centre are told to stay home. Tuesday, April 29: Information suggests that the hacker group Scattered Spider is likely behind the attack. Shoppers spot empty shelves in selected stores. Tuesday, May 13: M&S revealed that some customer information has been stolen. Wednesday, May 21: The retailer said disruption from the attack is expected to continue through to July. Meanwhile, M&S isn't the only store facing cyber trouble. Co-op was forced to shut down part of its IT system after facing a hacking attempt last month. It confirmed that it had "taken proactive steps to keep our systems safe". It was later revealed that the personal data of a "significant number" of its 6.2million customers and former members had been stolen. The details included names, contact information, and dates of birth. However, the retailer assured customers that passwords, credit card details, and transaction information were not compromised. Full services resumed on May 14, following the .
