Are the Avios.com/Ba.com eStores trying to rip you off?
Mar 18, 2019, 3:28 am
#77
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,733
I had two reversals today / yesterday.
Bought something from Currys back in October and they cancelled the order the following day, but the e-store still paid the points.
Same with Next.
Refreshed my account this morning and both sets of points were removed.
Other than that, so far, everything has been fine.
Waiting to see how the present IHG hotels of 7 Avios per Ł works out.
Not happy losing points after 5 or so months. Could have cost me a LHR-SYD F redemption or something had I been banking on those being available.
Bought something from Currys back in October and they cancelled the order the following day, but the e-store still paid the points.
Same with Next.
Refreshed my account this morning and both sets of points were removed.
Other than that, so far, everything has been fine.
Waiting to see how the present IHG hotels of 7 Avios per Ł works out.
Not happy losing points after 5 or so months. Could have cost me a LHR-SYD F redemption or something had I been banking on those being available.
May 13, 2019, 4:55 am
#78
Join Date: May 2019
Location: LHR
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 9
Have recently had my second reversal in a few months on a hotel transaction.
Initially, post-migration from Avios.com to BA eStore, things were fine and transactions were tracking appropriately. However, things have become materially worse in recent times. None of my transactions and hotel stays in the past 2 months have been approved yet. The transaction didn't track properly (obviously), and chasing customer service on the missing transactions has been a total PITA. What doesn't help at all is that the BA eStore, unlike Avios.com, does NOT have a phone customer service - every query is handled online which significantly increases lead time on getting any untracked claim through.
All in all, I question whether it's worth shopping through the BA eStore at all now...
Initially, post-migration from Avios.com to BA eStore, things were fine and transactions were tracking appropriately. However, things have become materially worse in recent times. None of my transactions and hotel stays in the past 2 months have been approved yet. The transaction didn't track properly (obviously), and chasing customer service on the missing transactions has been a total PITA. What doesn't help at all is that the BA eStore, unlike Avios.com, does NOT have a phone customer service - every query is handled online which significantly increases lead time on getting any untracked claim through.
All in all, I question whether it's worth shopping through the BA eStore at all now...
Jun 26, 2019, 8:48 am
#79
Join Date: May 2019
Programs: British Airways Executive Club
Posts: 26
I have been using the BA eStore for close to 2 years now and have earned close to 80,000 Avios. Everything tracked fine and I only got a handful of questionable reversals during this time.
More recently starting June of 2019 every single one of my more than 10 transactions totaling close to 3500 Avios has failed to track.
I have tried everything from clearing cookies, to using my personal, work and mobile devices to make purchases. I also tried using a clean never used Edge Browser to make my transactions and still nothing.
Anyone else running into similar issues lately?
More recently starting June of 2019 every single one of my more than 10 transactions totaling close to 3500 Avios has failed to track.
I have tried everything from clearing cookies, to using my personal, work and mobile devices to make purchases. I also tried using a clean never used Edge Browser to make my transactions and still nothing.
Anyone else running into similar issues lately?
Jun 26, 2019, 9:52 am
#80
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,733
My last purchase of an IHG hotel stay tracked fine and an email was recieved to tell me a few 100 Avios have been earned and will be with me shortly (6 per Ł, so not too bad). If I don't get that email within say 3 days, I'll get nothing.
2 stays before that were noted in my history but didn't track (appears in my history and the stay was booked and taken, yet nothing fully tracked).
Same if run through TCB, depending on where the best deal is. Half the time, they track and pay out, the other times nothing.
2 stays before that were noted in my history but didn't track (appears in my history and the stay was booked and taken, yet nothing fully tracked).
Same if run through TCB, depending on where the best deal is. Half the time, they track and pay out, the other times nothing.
Jun 26, 2019, 12:49 pm
#81
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: BAEC Gold, HHonors Gold, Marriot Bonvoy Gold, MeliaRewards Gold, Radisson Gold
Posts: 816
Honestly, I think that its only down to immateriality that there hasn't been a proper legal challenge over the robustness of these affiliates programs/platforms. By that I mean, no one has suffered a loss that is actually significant enough to persist with a legal case that properly challenges the these programs and their ability to accurately fulfil on the customer proposition.
So far, I believe these programs have existed on a foundation of flaky technology combined with a set of customer "Terms and Conditions" that seek to protect them from any accountability, using (in my view) questionable statements like "XYZ is not guaranteed, do not make your decision to purchase based on XYZ".
This behaviour would not fly in other sectors - few other companies would be able to advertise or promote an offer (be that Cashback or Avios or whatever), but then fail to fulfil on that offer at this kind of rate and simply use T&Cs that essentially say "tough luck if you happen to be someone that doesnt get their points". Imagine the uproar if Amex failed to pay 10% of their new BA card customers their welcome Avios but managed to get away with this by saying "Bonus Avios are not guaranteed, please don't base your decision to take out a new card based on this offer". They wouldn't get away with this - and neither should these programs.
Regardless of these programs' terms, it is simply not reasonable or realistic to make an offer of cashback or loyalty points (or whatever it may be) to a prospective customers to purchase something through a retailer and then expect that customer not to factor that offer in to their decision to make that purchase through that retailer.
As I say, I suspect its only the lack of a significant enough loss that has prevented these programs being seriously challenged about their ability to accurately and fairly fulfil on their offers.
So far, I believe these programs have existed on a foundation of flaky technology combined with a set of customer "Terms and Conditions" that seek to protect them from any accountability, using (in my view) questionable statements like "XYZ is not guaranteed, do not make your decision to purchase based on XYZ".
This behaviour would not fly in other sectors - few other companies would be able to advertise or promote an offer (be that Cashback or Avios or whatever), but then fail to fulfil on that offer at this kind of rate and simply use T&Cs that essentially say "tough luck if you happen to be someone that doesnt get their points". Imagine the uproar if Amex failed to pay 10% of their new BA card customers their welcome Avios but managed to get away with this by saying "Bonus Avios are not guaranteed, please don't base your decision to take out a new card based on this offer". They wouldn't get away with this - and neither should these programs.
Regardless of these programs' terms, it is simply not reasonable or realistic to make an offer of cashback or loyalty points (or whatever it may be) to a prospective customers to purchase something through a retailer and then expect that customer not to factor that offer in to their decision to make that purchase through that retailer.
As I say, I suspect its only the lack of a significant enough loss that has prevented these programs being seriously challenged about their ability to accurately and fairly fulfil on their offers.
