Trying to Skirt the Law With Semantics

Under California law, gift cards cannot have expiration dates. 

In an effort to both protect consumers and promote the sale of gift cards, the state enacted this law a few years back. 

A few consumers are now wondering just how well it is working.

A customer has filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau in California against the ticket giant, Ticketmaster.  The customer has a TicketsNow gift card with an expiration date of December 31, 2005.  TicketsNow is a subsidiary of Ticketmaster.

He attempted to use the card recently and was denied.  He sent a letter to Ticketmaster requesting that they honor his card or send him a card that is useable.  The customer further asked that all Ticketmaster gift cards in California be honored, regardless of expiration date, so that others won’t experience similar problems.

Ticketmaster responded to the man’s request claiming that what he really had was a ‘Discount Code,’ and stating further that they had no plans to honor the card.  It was at this point that the costumer contacted the BBB. 

The man’s card clearly reads ‘Gift Card’ on the front, yet Ticketmaster claims the card is a discount card.  California law states: “It is unlawful for any person or entity to sell a gift certificate ("As used in this title, "gift certificate" includes gift cards") to a purchaser that contains any of the following: (1) An expiration date."

Hopefully, the Better Business Bureau will take action to make sure that this customer and others like him will not face problems like this in the future.