Recently I bought an item online from Argos & received a £5 off voucher, then within the validity period went to a store to purchase a phone which could not be bought online. At the till I submitted the voucher only to be told I could not use it instore as it was an online one, it was explained to me (ref. terms & conditions) there were 2 different vouchers one in store, one online! even though my interpretation of terms & conditions that seem to me as a lay person, not a consumer lawyer! that these voucher’s could be used either in store or online regardless of where the qualifying item was bought.

This very clever marketing practice made me very angry, angry enough to call argos complaints (customer resolution dept) who after my explaining, conceeded by offering me a £5 gift voucher because of the situation, that it was impossible to buy the item, a phone, online and use the voucher. Shame they did not offer to pay my travel expenses of a wasted trip or two!

Why oh why do stores have to come up with these anomomolous vouchers? I am sure the customer being let down like me at the till will remember the store for its stupidity in not wavering or honouring my voucher in the circumstances and for what i see as a “two faced voucher offer”.

I wish others to know of my bad experience to clarify these vouchers use!

The staff at the Argos shop Havant were excellent in my experience, the “people at the Argos helm” should take note of my experience and be more fair & square about voucher’s with customers in future. I also have no problem with their good prices on certain items.