Roberto M.

Raise sold me gift cards that Whole Foods will not accept. Raise refuses to give me money back, and refuses to give me credit for the $100 I spent.

Months ago I purchased gift cards from Raise. Because the deals offered at the time were great, I purchased a few gift cards, totalling just over $100. I figured there would be no harm since in the "Expiration" field on the cards read "Does not expire."

Well, a few weeks ago I went to Whole Foods with an electronic gift card, and when attempting to check out, was told by a cashier that they do not accept these gift cards. Bothered, because I paid for these, I asked to speak to a manager. The manager repeated the words I heard from the cashier.

After this, I called Raise. Representatives told me they have a 100 day money back guarantee, but cannot guarantee reimbursement for gift cards purchased more than 100 days ago, like the gift cards I purchased. Days later I receive an email stating I will not be reimbursed for my purchases because they were made longer than 100 days ago.

I called Raise again, this time on Sunday of this week, to request to speak to a manager about this. The operator pretty much refused, requiring that I speak to her instead. Lacking patience, I decided to just discuss my issue with her. This time I brought up another issue I'm having, my electronic Vitamin Shoppe gift card is not being accepted on their website. After the operator went online to look into this issue, she too noticed that my electronic gift is not being accepted. Because I purchased the gift card less than 100 days ago, she offered to reimburse my credit card for the purchase. I agreed to it. Issue resolved.

I then steered the conversation back to this original issue with electronic gift cards for Whole Foods. The operator agreed that because I paid for these electronic gift cards, and Whole Foods will not accept them, I need to be reimbursed. She submitted a request asking that this issue be revisited. The other day I received an email response saying I will not be reimbursed for the purchases of electronic gift cards for Whole Foods from their website because I made the purchases more than 100 days ago. In the same email I was offered $5 off my next purchase of gift cards totalling $50 or more. Wow. Really? That's the response I get?

So this issue has still, yet to be resolved. Whole Foods told me they do not accept electronic gift cards that do not come with pin numbers. The electronic gift cards I purchased from Whole Foods did not come with pin numbers. I am stuck in a situation where I am being ripped off $100 because Raise sold me gift cards that are not valid, and they refuse to provide me a refund. This even after several times telling them I will happily take other Whole Foods gift cards that have a total balance of the funds I deserve to be reimbursed for.

I really do not know what to do at this point. Can you please help?

-update-
After making contact with Raise several times, and posting on a few websites like this one, Raise management revisited my complaint and reimbursed more than 90% of what I paid, in Raise credit. Issue resolved. One of the many lessons learned here is to use the gift cards you purchase from Raise within 100 days. Because regardless of who is at fault, you may lose out on the possibility of reimbursement.