Fairmont Black Friday Gift Card Sale Returns!
Nov 27, 20, 2:30 pm
#92
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,596
I keep getting error messages. I did a chat and the rep told me there is a delay in the website and they have extended the sale until 7pm EST or 4pm PST.
Nov 27, 20, 2:55 pm
#94
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: Accor ALL Diamond, AC Aeroplan E35K, Nexus/GE
Posts: 2,455
The system used to work great. This mess started last sale, when there was a noticeable change, in that you could see the Bonus card in the shopping card. In the past, you just bought the cards you wanted, and had to take a leap of faith that you'd get the bonus. Now, the upfront purchasing screen is better, but they clearly have some problems on the processing end. I had similar problems the last time. These guys manage the gift card programs for a lot of big brands, so I would expect this to work much smoother.
I totally understand fraud alerts by the credit card companies blocking transactions, but in my case, all three were approved by Visa and Amex x2. It was Buyatab's system that apparently just coughed in the middle of the transactions.
I totally understand fraud alerts by the credit card companies blocking transactions, but in my case, all three were approved by Visa and Amex x2. It was Buyatab's system that apparently just coughed in the middle of the transactions.
Nov 27, 20, 3:58 pm
#96
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan SE AND 1MM, HHonors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum , L'Accor Platinum
Posts: 9,480
Sale extended to 7 pm EST/4 pm PST
Around 3 pm I tried -I could not get the orders placed.
Called and also chatted with gift card customer support centre (center)
Major IT problems with gift card part of Fairmont web site.
Eventually it got fixed.
But I was told sale extended to 7 pm EST.
That must be correct, even though web site says that special sale ends at 5 pm EST.
I was successful in getting my gift cards at the promotional rate about 5 min ago.
Called and also chatted with gift card customer support centre (center)
Major IT problems with gift card part of Fairmont web site.
Eventually it got fixed.
But I was told sale extended to 7 pm EST.
That must be correct, even though web site says that special sale ends at 5 pm EST.
I was successful in getting my gift cards at the promotional rate about 5 min ago.
Nov 27, 20, 6:06 pm
#97
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: Accor ALL Diamond, AC Aeroplan E35K, Nexus/GE
Posts: 2,455
At 7:23 PM, a flood of e-mails arrived, with all 12 of my gift cards arriving at once. They're 5 hours late, but better late than never. $3,000 in bonus cards will be a nice savings for my winter trips.
Nov 27, 20, 8:25 pm
#99
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,596
One of the transactions that I got an error message on seems to have actually gone through. I got a second set of gift cards emailed to me just now. I chatted again and they said they would process a refund for the second set in 5-7 business days. What a mess.
Nov 28, 20, 12:57 pm
#100
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: YUL
Programs: Various airline, hotel and credit card programs
Posts: 1,874
Originally Posted by Finkface
One of the transactions that I got an error message on seems to have actually gone through. I got a second set of gift cards emailed to me just now. I chatted again and they said they would process a refund for the second set in 5-7 business days. What a mess.
After more chats and email exchanges all morning, their rep finally forwarded to me by email a pdf copy of the 20% bonus gift card shortly after lunch.
It is hard to understand why their IT portal failed. This is not the first time around they were having a sale. The date was well known months in advance, so they could have been better prepared. They were not.
Nov 28, 20, 1:46 pm
#101
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: Accor ALL Diamond, AC Aeroplan E35K, Nexus/GE
Posts: 2,455
Originally Posted by Vaclav
Yes, this sad event is now fortunately over.
After more chats and email exchanges all morning, their rep finally forwarded to me by email a pdf copy of the 20% bonus gift card shortly after lunch.
It is hard to understand why their IT portal failed. This is not the first time around they were having a sale. The date was well known months in advance, so they could have been better prepared. They were not.
After more chats and email exchanges all morning, their rep finally forwarded to me by email a pdf copy of the 20% bonus gift card shortly after lunch.
It is hard to understand why their IT portal failed. This is not the first time around they were having a sale. The date was well known months in advance, so they could have been better prepared. They were not.
Nov 30, 20, 2:21 pm
#102
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: YUL
Programs: Various airline, hotel and credit card programs
Posts: 1,874
This sale is now over. I hope that all who bought got their gift cards along with the bonus.
May I just add that this "eventful adventure" has been brought to the attention of a very high Accor North America Senior Executive who is now seeking to apply corrective action so that we do not have to suffer the same fate again.
May I just add that this "eventful adventure" has been brought to the attention of a very high Accor North America Senior Executive who is now seeking to apply corrective action so that we do not have to suffer the same fate again.
Nov 30, 20, 2:35 pm
#103
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,596
Originally Posted by Vaclav
This sale is now over. I hope that all who bought got their gift cards along with the bonus.
May I just add that this "eventful adventure" has been brought to the attention of a very high Accor North America Senior Executive who is now seeking to apply corrective action so that we do not have to suffer the same fate again.
May I just add that this "eventful adventure" has been brought to the attention of a very high Accor North America Senior Executive who is now seeking to apply corrective action so that we do not have to suffer the same fate again.
Nov 30, 20, 2:37 pm
#104
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: Accor ALL Diamond, AC Aeroplan E35K, Nexus/GE
Posts: 2,455
Originally Posted by Vaclav
This sale is now over. I hope that all who bought got their gift cards along with the bonus.
May I just add that this "eventful adventure" has been brought to the attention of a very high Accor North America Senior Executive who is now seeking to apply corrective action so that we do not have to suffer the same fate again.
May I just add that this "eventful adventure" has been brought to the attention of a very high Accor North America Senior Executive who is now seeking to apply corrective action so that we do not have to suffer the same fate again.
I ended up getting all my cards, but only enough to get me through the winter. I'm counting on another spring sale to get me through the summer trips.
Dec 1, 20, 10:23 am
#105
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Exeter, UK
Programs: BA Gold. Flying Blue Gold. Hilton Gold, Accor Gold, IHG Plat AMB, Radisson Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 211
I missed out on this as I received an email, hours after placing my order, telling me that Buyatab had been "unable to authenticate and complete" it. I'm really not sure what went wrong, as I received the payment authorization notification in the Amex app on my phone immediately after placing the order and all appeared to be going well up until that point...
A bit disappointing, as I was hoping to stay at Fairmont properties a bit more often in 2021.
I do hope that things will run more smoothly in the future.
A bit disappointing, as I was hoping to stay at Fairmont properties a bit more often in 2021.
I do hope that things will run more smoothly in the future.
