Coles and Woolworths to honour Dick Smith vouchers

Sarah Homewood
By Sarah Homewood | 8 January 2016
 

Following the Dick Smith fall-out this week, Coles and Woolworths have announced they are going to honour Dick Smith vouchers and exchange them for their own gift cards.

The move comes after Dick Smith Electronics announced it was entering voluntary administration this week and as part of the debacle was refusing to allow shoppers to spend their gifts cards, a number of which were bought as Christmas gifts.

Coles was the first supermarket chain to announce the move, saying this morning it will exchange Dick Smith gift cards purchased from its stores from 1 July 2015 if they are returned by 29 February.

Both supermarkets originally said they were unable to offer refunds on cards bought in-store because the funds had already been transferred to Dick Smith.

A Coles spokesperson said: “While Coles has already passed on the sale proceeds of the gift cards to Dick Smith Electronics, as a gesture of goodwill to our customers we will exchange valid, unredeemed Dick Smith Electronics gift cards purchased at Coles from 1 July 2015 for Coles gift cards of equal value.”

This afternoon, Woolworths jumped on board, with a spokesperson saying: “Customers who have purchased Dick Smith gift cards from Woolworths Supermarkets or BIG W stores will be able to exchange the unredeemed value on their cards for Woolworths' WISH gift cards which can be used at participating stores across the Woolworths group, including all Woolworths Supermarkets, and BIG W, Thomas Dux, Dan Murphy’s, BWS, Masters and Caltex Woolworths stores.”

The electronics company, which is now in the hands of administrator McGrathNicol, has also been accused of peddling more gift cards to capitalise on the Christmas rush, with Woolworths and Coles offering 10% discounts when buying Dick Smith gift cards before Christmas.

Coles and Woolies aren't alone in its goodwill gesture, with gift card reseller Prezzee offering a refund on all Dick Smith gift cards sold via its app.

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