I've mentioned my love of the Gap before--quite a significant portion of my wardrobe comes from that store. In fact, I'm wearing a Gap skirt, tank top and hoodie right now. I'm like their own personal product placement. I even have a Gap credit card and while most everything I buy gets charged to my Discover card, anything from the Gap or Banana Republic gets charged on the Gap card.
Because I earn points--my obsession with Gap clothing is rewarded with a $10 certificate to spend on yet MORE Gap clothing. Cool deal, huh? The only problem is if you purchase items using the certificate and then have to return them, you lose the reward! This has always bugged me--one time I got a manager to allow me to transfer the reward if I made a purchase that day. And I did. I found a great black track jacket that I wore almost daily--until some skank from the gym stole it. Note to skank: If I see you wearing my jacket, I will rip it right off your body!
A while ago I got a letter in the mail notifying me of a class action suit. Usually I just yawn and toss these letters away. $5 off my next American Airlines ticket? Wow. But this one was a suit against the Gap and their rewards program. Seems someone else was frustrated with earning $10 certificates only to lose them completely if they had to return the item they used the reward on. And this person didn't bother with arguing with a manager--they hired a lawyer! Bottom line: the Gap revamped their rewards program. If you purchase something using a certificate and have to return it, your reward is credited back to your account. And even better, they enclosed a $10 rewards certificate as a mea culpa. Awesome!
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
GAP Rewards
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It's about time someone sued the Gap. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd WON no less! Usually it's the lawyers who make out like bandits in these suits. Nice to see that customers got an improved program and $10!
ReplyDeleteWow, some months ago I faught the same problem from Gap.com persons. All I got was the "run around" and everyone I spoke to, including the manager, acted as if I didn't know what I was talking about. They went so far to say I was the only one who has complained about this "rewards refund, as such. I was pulling blood out of my heart to explain that "that was my earned rewards money and that I should get it back". All they did was credit my account an unfair amount and never gave back my rewards to use. I ended up paying more for my huge costly items. I only wanted a different size. They credited me the account less than what it should have been, then charged me full price for the exchanged, new item. Anyhow, with all the online complaint to the manager, she finally emailed me a little 10% off coupon to use, with an expiration date to use only online....she acted as if this would be a "one time courtesy coupon". It wasn't fair and I could have received that 10% of from any search engine. Since then, I was frustrated and never used it and I love Gap, but was discusted with their unfairness with the earned monies. Well, thanks for listening. Maybe I'll head to the Gap store at the mall and pick me up a pair of $10 socks with this silly "settelment coupon" (which didn't even come close of what they really owe me!!). V.
ReplyDeleteV.,
ReplyDeleteSorry that happened to you! They should have let you do an even exchange for size without all that hassle! But it never would have happened with if I'd been there with you--I've done some pretty outrageous things and the Gap has accommodated me.
Once I had them do a price adjustment on the 15th day. My argument--which I elevated to the manager--was that Christmas fell within the 14 days and they were CLOSED, so they couldn't include it in the count. I got my price adjustment.
Oh yeah--I have all sorts of shopping tricks. I should write up a post on that one of these days...
I work at the GAP and you don't get your reward points back. At least the one in Chicago you don't.I wish you did due to the fact that I am a GAPCARD holder and I love my reward points. I don't blame her for getting upset about that, but at the same time... laywer? Get a day job, house wife.
ReplyDeletefind another way to spend your husbands money
ReplyDeleteClassycassie,
ReplyDeleteYou're wrong. The result of the class action suit caused the revision of the rewards program. When you return an item purchased with a rewards certificate, the purchase price and reward points are credited back to your account.
The rewards points are part of the GapCard. It has nothing to do with location or store policy. As a Gap employee, however, I'm surprised you haven't been notified of the change in policy.
As for the comment re: "housewives," you should keep in mind that housewives are your customers, too. And customer is the reason you have a job. And it's part of your job to show customers respect. Your remark was not so classy, Cassie.
I'm a current store employee, and you're right, the new rewards policy should have been put in writing for the customer.
ReplyDeleteYour reward points are earned by you and you definately get to keep them. In a return transaction the reward points/dollars are credited back to you OR you can put it towards an item exchange.
Ex: Your $10 rewards certificate is distributed between 2 items, discounting $7.51 towards a top. Later, if you return that top, the discounted $7.51 is credited back to your rewards account -OR- you can put it towards a new top, bottom.. whatever.. and you'll only end up paying the difference.
Sorry for previous bad experiences, the rewards program is a benefit to thank you for your customer loyalty. Hope you keep shopping with us!
Thanks for the confirmation re: the rewards program. Since most of my Gap shopping experiences have me dealing with competent, service oriented sales people like yourself (and not like not-so-classy Cassie!), I am continuing to shop at the Gap!
ReplyDeleteI never understood what the beef was with the whole "I'm losing my rewards" complaint. I always understood the rewards certificate to be a one-time-use coupon distributed by the company to loyal GapCard holders. It's not really a form of tender and therefore not actually money "lost" by the customer upon a return. All other coupons are surrendered at the time of purchase and yet somehow, GapRewards coupons are the only ones demanded back by customers wanting a return.
ReplyDeleteAs for people complaining about stores not crediting or "stealing" their rewards and making fusses about price adjustments and exchanges, the answer is simple:
Stores want your money. They'll pretend to help you try and find that perfect pair of jeans that will make your butt look 2 sizes smaller and they might make you feel welcome by offering you special promotions related to their credit cards, but it's all a charade. Really, stores just want you to come in, empty your pockets, and leave.
So next time you complain to a sales associate, store manager or the woman behind you in line, just remember: No one really cares.
Hey I have a comment.......I love Gap and use their card monthly and love the rewards.........but recently I learned that several cardholders are using them twice, both online and in the store.....so I think it won't be long until Gap has to overhaul yet again.........
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I've never used the reward online--I guess there's a code to input? If so, you'd think GAP's computer system would be able to track and flag usage. It doesn't sound like a rewards program problem--it sounds like a problem with their computer system.
ReplyDeleteI have been working for Gap for about 5 years now. I love it! We have a very honest and fair manager. It's a great place to work :)
ReplyDeleteRe: Reward Points
The rules have changed a lot of times! No matter what I wish the customers would put themselves in our (employees) position and try to understand that: WE DO NOT MAKE THE RULES! I'm not only a store employee but also at times a customer and I would never treat workers like I have been treated and spoken to.
Life is not fair and rules are rules! You can not expect to go to a store and negotiate everything you don't agree with. If you don't like something you should take it up with the corporate offices because at the end of the day their is no point in wasting your time and energy as well as ours in something we have no control over.
If we were to accomadate everyones tantrams: first of all that would be commiting a crime, second of all what would be the point of setting rules and having a store policy?
Also, the store policy has been changed and has been made more dificult because of people who break the rules, such as shoplifters. Next time you have a disagreement with an employee just remember who you can thank for that! Shoplifters or people who have a lot of "shopping tricks" Everything is 100% monitored and eventually those "tricks" will come to an end!