On Monday, January 21, 2013 8:01:36 PM UTC, Rick Hughes wrote:
I bought an item from Machine Mart (magnifier & Fl light) it was

useless, quality of magnifier lens was so poor everything was out of focus.



Took it back the next day ... as I had 'opened the box' would only give

Credit Note.



Next time I went to buy took Credit note to pay (£50 credit) ... to

be told credit note expired.

In the very small print there was a date limit ... certainly not

mentioned by the shop at the time.



I took it to customer services - who also said 'No'

...........OK I asked could I have the original item back then, at

least I could sell it .......... to be told 'No'



Fells like I have been robbed ... they have my money I have no goods.





So be warned if they offer you a credit note.

IMHO, IANAL,etc.,
A contract was formed when you agreed to accept a credit note.
If they didn't tell you about the terms and conditions before you agreed to take the credit note, they do not apply.
You cannot impose conditions after the agreement/ contract/bargain has been made.
They will argue that the expiry date is printed on the credit note; you could not have read that until you received it, after they had entered into the contract.
If they had told you of the expiry date, you'd probably have refused a credit note or used it before the date.

Besides that, IMHO it is a penalty that is not allowed under civil contract law.
You hand over £10 and expect goods or services to the value of £10 in return.
All trade is thus.

You could have demanded a refund; Bank of England credit notes/gift vouchers don't expire.

A lot of shops do this with the plastic gift vouchers, 2 years or you forfeit the value. I think it's a sharp practice.
Why would anyone buy such vouchers?

It sounds like machine Mart have trained their staff in dodgy practices.