Raise Marketplace Inc

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:  This is more than an "unfavorable situation", as the circumstances of the gift card are very suspect, and borderline fraudulent.  I would think from a business perspective you would stand behind the gift cards being made available for purchase.  The response that the "warranty period expired" is a non issue as the card in question had zero dollars available the same day as the purchase, regardless of when the funds were attempted to be accessed.  If a favorable resolution cannot be reached we will be taking legal action.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2014/12/09) */
Response to Revdex.com complaint #XXXXXXXX
Dear [redacted],
I have read your complaint in full and have gone over all the details within explaining your frustration. Let me be the first to apologize about this situation and offer you some...

amelioration.
Raise.com takes user's data and privacy very seriously and we never take users information without their permission and only use data necessary to serve our Members.
It sounds like in this specific case; you used our referral feature that has the ability to use your contacts from your email account if you so choose. This button says, "Invite from Gmail contacts" or "Invite from Yahoo! contacts" It might have been difficult to navigate between the feature that uses all your contacts and the one where you can simply add an email or two. It sounds like in your case you were only trying to share this info with one or two people.
I recommend that if you only have one or two friends to share with, you use the, "Share This Link With Your Friends" feature where you can copy and paste the link into a personal email that can you send yourself to family or friends. Another way to reach only a couple people quickly is to input an email or two separated by commas into the box and hit "send".
I have gone ahead and made sure with our development team that only those chosen to receive emails will be the ones actually receiving them. Any system glitches should now be resolved, and we thank you for playing a role in that.
In all, we hope you know Raise.com takes our Member's data seriously and confidentially. Thanks for being a great Member!
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Manager of Member Services

After receiving and reviewing complaint number [redacted] and the order number in question, it appears that the current resolution is warranted.On August 28th 2016 the customer purchased from Raise.com an [redacted] gift card with a value of $250.00 for a purchase price of $216.25. The customer...

contacted Raise Member Services on February 26th 2016 via phone and informed the serving agent that he had been able to redeem a portion of the gift card and it should still have had remaining a balance of $145. During the phone conversation the customer did speak with both an agent and supervisor because as this inquiry falls outside of the 100 Day Guarantee the order was sent to be reviewed by the Gift Card Support Team. During the review process, the Gift Card Support Team determined that because the order falls so far outside of the 100 Day Guarantee a refund would not be provided and no further action would be taken on the order by Raise. The customer was sent an email on Sunday February 28th 2016, two days after the initial inquiry, informing him that Raise would be unable to refund due to the order being so far outside of the 100 Day Guarantee. Within the email communication between the agent and the customer, the customer was also offered a complimentary promotional code to use toward his next order.After the email was received the customer did call in to Raise again and spoke to another agent and supervisor. During that phone conversation the customer was again notified that no further action could be taken on this order as if falls outside of the guarantee period.While there is no expiration on the the gift cards, the Raise 100 Day Guarantee does only guarantee a refund for the purchase price for the first 100 days after the date of purchase. We appreciate the customer’s business and understand that while the 100 Day Guarantee is outlined on all order receipts and on the Raise website that a situation like this can be frustrating.We will continue to ensure that Raise policy is adhered to and properly communicated.  We feel that this issue has been resolved in accordance with the Raise guarantee and apologize for any inconvenience.

After receiving and further reviewing Revdex.com complaint number [redacted] and the rejection response, Raise is unfortunately still unable to offer a different resolution.The [redacted] gift card that was purchased by the customer on September 11, 2016 was verified multiple times before it was completed into the customer’s order. All gift cards must pass through a validity and balance check before they enter the marketplace and again are balance checked before being fully processed into a member’s order.We are able to confirm that the [redacted] gift card did hold the full $318.61 balance at the time of purchase. As this is the case and the customer contacted Raise outside of the 100 Day Guarantee period, we are unable to offer a refund for this order. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and would like to consider the issue resolved at this time.

Complaint: 11954010
I am rejecting this response because:
1) It was not listed the same day it was recieved. However, it was determined shortly after receiving it that it would not be useful and that it would be better to sell it on a marketplace.
2) Provided all of the documentation requested. There was a LOT of verification required. I had to upload an ID, had to ask the purchaser for a receipt, had to verify my bank account, had to provide a backup credit card, had to wait 45 days. In total, I waited 3 months to withdraw my money.
3) Skky (customer service) verified it. The customer used the card a month after buying it. The customer used the gift card, and I did not get paid for it. 
 
Raise.com has taken my gift card AND my money and refused to release it. I reject their response.
Sincerely,
Joshua [redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Hi,   The business refunded my money, I'd like to cancel my complaint thank you for your help!Complaint...

ID [redacted]
Sincerely,
[redacted]

After receiving Revdex.com complaint number [redacted], we were able to review the orders as well as the customer’s account. We would like to offer a solution to the customer.Between September 21 and September 26 2015, the customer purchased a total of 11 [redacted] gift cards across four Raise orders...

[redacted]. The total purchase price across all four orders was $206.07. These cards were delivered electronically to both the customer’s Raise account and email. On February 1, 2018, the customer contacted Raise Member Services via live chat stating that they were no longer able to use these gift cards due to a change in [redacted] gift card policy. The customer had also emailed in the day before with the same claim. Unfortunately, [redacted] changed the way gift cards were redeemed in December of 2015. The brand was no longer accepting electronic gift cards and required the actual physical card in order to redeem cards. At the time, Raise had a 100 Day Money-Back Guarantee and any issues that arose during that time were resolved under our Guarantee policy.The customer spoke to a supporting supervisor that same day, February 1, 2018. The supervisor explained the situation to the customer and informed the customer that due to the time that had passed since this order was originally placed, a refund was not possible. Raise now has a 1-Year Money-Back Guarantee and even after applying this guarantee to the original order, it is still far outside of the policy time-frame.After taking a closer look at these cards, and the customer’s account, we will be able to provide the customer with a courtesy one-time refund for the remaining balance that is on the cards. Our Trust & Safety team checked the balance of all 11 cards, and 5 cards still had a balance remaining for a total of $42.00. The other 6 cards have a zero balance and we see that they have been successfully redeemed. We will be able to provide a refund for the 5 cards that still have the balance on them. This will be in the form of Raise Rewards, and these rewards have been added to the customer’s account and can be used at their earliest convenience. As an extension of our apology, we have added a total of $50 to the customer’s account.At this time, we would like to consider this case resolved as we have provided the customer with a refund, in the form of Raise Rewards, for the 5 cards that still have a balance and can no longer be redeemed. The $50.00 in Raise Rewards is available in the customer’s account and will automatically apply at checkout. We would like to apologize once more to the customer for the confusion this has caused, as well as the time that it has taken to resolve this experience. We feel that this issue has been resolved in accordance with the Raise Guarantee, and we welcome any further questions or concerns via email to [redacted]@raise.com.

I have been an avid Raise user since the lack of confidence CardCash provides. Up til recently, I had zero negative experience until I spoke with the Quote on Quote "Supervisor". I purchased many gift cards and today felt disgusted with the phone conversation. I first called and was on queue at #3 and never received a call back for 1 hour. I then called back and I finally was able to get through. I purchased some gift cards and had zero issue. On one of the card, I had a tough time processing at the [redacted] Instead of holding up the line nor want to look embarrassed getting declined at the line, I decided to use my credit card to make the purchase. I called and requested a refund and I get a response they can't. I called today to address the matter over the phone which I find it easier. Not only do I have a genius who lacks customer service, his supervisor is the worst. He tells me that under policy he can't since it has a balance. He recommend that I can list it and that as a "Courtesy" he'll apply a $10 future credit. This in my opinion is the worst cop out answer I heard. I told him with the listing fee, I'll take a huge hit because the card is about $600. Just to end the call as quickly as he can, he gives me the run around crap. Very disappointing for a company I trusted for the last 3 years and not only spent lots of money, but recommended it to friends as well.
Raise Overall=8/10
But after today, 0/10.
After Revdex.com, I'll be sure Mr George [redacted] hears what happened with my case.

We were able to further review Revdex.com complaint number [redacted] as well as the member’s [redacted] order and account. The order [redacted] was placed in June of 2015 and contained a $50 [redacted] gift card. On February 12, 2016, the customer called our Member Services department to inquire about the status...

of his gift card. He told the agent that he was able to use about $15 of the gift card previously but upon trying to use it again, found that the card was no longer able to be used. At this point, the order was sent to our Gift Card Support Team for further review. Unfortunately because this order is well outside of our 100 day guarantee, we were unable to provide a refund to his original payment source. The customer is correct in saying that this gift card never expires. As a member to member marketplace, each gift card is verified before being listed on our website. Should an issue arise after the order is complete, our 100 Day Guarantee protects your purchase price for up to 100 days. As a one time courtesy, we have refunded this customer in the form of [redacted] credit. Because he was able to use part of the gift card, the partial amount of $33.45 was added to his [redacted] account. This credit will automatically apply to the next order placed on the account. We sincerely apologize for any miscommunication and frustration this has caused our member.

I was charged for gift cards with out my consent. RAISE will not solve or refund the unauthorized transaction. BUYER BEWARE. STAY AWAY FROM RAISE GIFT CARDS!!

After reviewing the customer’s rejection response in regards to complaint number [redacted]  and the order in question again, Raise is unable to provide a different resolution, but we are happy to further explain our process. When a review is completed by the Gift Card Support Team, for security reasons, the transaction history is not always given out. That information is accessible to the customer through the brand as they are the owner of the gift card. In regards to the order for this member, we know that the address on the Raise account is in Texas, though as previously mentioned, the customer confirmed a portion of the gift card had been used by them and that merchandise, as well as the merchandise purchased with the other portion of the gift card that the customer claimed to be unauthorized, were sent to the same address in Florida. It is not a requirement of Raise to use the billing address from the Raise account when using the gift cards to purchase merchandise. We hope that the provided information is helpful in understanding the process that was taken by Raise to resolve the concerns for this customer and would like to consider this issue resolved. We do hope to better serve this customer again in the future.

We have further reviewed Revdex.com complaint number [redacted] as well as the customer’s Raise order and account. Order [redacted] was placed on January 31, 2016. This order contained a $500 [redacted] gift card. On February 6, the customer called into our Member Services department to let us know that there...

was a zero balance on this gift card and she was unable to use it. Due to the high value of this gift card, the order was sent to our Gift Card Support Team for further review. She was informed that it may take 10-14 business days to reach a resolution. This is a longer timeframe than we find acceptable, but due to an influx in inquiries, our response time has increased for the time being. We are working to minimize our response time so as to better assist our members. A $10 credit has been added to this Raise account due to the inconvenience. This credit will automatically apply to her next order of $11 or more. We sincerely appreciate the customer’s patience in this matter and we hope to serve her again in the future.

After receiving and reviewing Revdex.com complaint number [redacted] and the corresponding order number, it appears that the current resolution is warranted.On July 26, 2015 the customer purchased a [redacted] gift card from Raise.com with a value of $200.00 for a purchase price of $155.40. The customer...

then contacted Raise Member Services via email on April 16, 2016 to express that the gift card could not be redeemed when attempted in an [redacted] restaurant. [redacted] gift cards can be interchanged with any of their participating restaurants. The serving agents informed the customer that the order was so far outside of policy that no further action could be taken on the order.The customer called in after receiving this email response and the same information was relayed by a supervisor on the Member Services team during the phone call. The Raise 100 Day Guarantee is in place to protect the customer’s purchase price for the first 100 days from the date of purchase. Once that 100 day period has passed, Raise is happy to look into a gift card that has a problem, but a refund is not guaranteed in the same way that it is in the first 100 days. In this case, the order falls so far outside of the Raise 100 Day Guarantee period, that no further action could be taken on the order. We would like to apologize for the inconvenience and consider the issue resolved at this time.

We were able to further review [redacted] complaint as well
as the three orders provided in her statement. We regret that we were unable to respond to [redacted]
support email in a timely manner, and we are actively working to get our
response times back to a level we find acceptable. Each order...

mentioned in this complaint has been refunded per
[redacted] request and our 100-Day Guarantee. An email was sent detailing the
refunds she has received as well. Additional compensation has been credited to [redacted]
Raise account for the inconvenience she has experienced in this matter.
Overall, we are pleased to have assisted in this matter and we thank [redacted]
for her patience and cooperation.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2014/09/19) */
In response to Revdex.com complaint #XXXXXXXX
Dear Mr. [redacted],
I have read this inquiry in full and gone over every detail concerning this issue. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. I am happy to report we were able to...

resolve this issue promptly.
I am glad to read our Member Service agent was polite and prompt. However I am sorry to hear the gift card you purchased did not hold its value. Due to the secondary nature of our marketplace it is possible that this gift card had either lost all or part of its balance for differing reasons. This is why we have our 60-day guarantee. Any balance issues within the first 60 days is covered by Raise, so you can rest assured that what you have purchased will save you money in the marketplace. I appreciate your patience and understanding in this situation.
In the end I am glad we were able to refund the full purchase price of $184.49, after your -$5.00 discount using a promotional code was used. A full refund has been issued.
If there is anything else we can address for you please contact us at [redacted]@Raise.com. It would be our pleasure to serve you.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Manager of Member Services

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2015/02/19) */
Response to Revdex.com complaint # XXXXXXXX
Dear[redacted]
Thanks for taking the time to contact us through the Revdex.com. I have reviewed your complaint in its entirety. I am very sorry you have had this issue concerning the...

Home Depot gift card, but I am glad in the end we could resolve it.
Our Gift Card Support Team is equipped to research and identify specific situations with gift cards from all different types of merchants. This can take some time depending on the events and subsequent information gathered. By far, the average time for processing a complaint is less than 48 hours. In your case it took longer. I apologize for that. We also initially came to a conclusion we didn't feel comfortable committing to. We appreciate your patience and understanding in this instance.
I was glad to make sure a check for $220.12 was sent out to you as a refund for the gift card in the order RXXXXXXXXX.
If there is anything else we can do for you please let me know.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Raise Member Services

First off let me say I have spent 1000's of $$ with Raise.com. They started sending merchandise vouchers instead of the actual gift cards. The last card I bought was a $195 gift card for lowes. I received it in a merchandise credit as mentioned above. Lowe's changed their policy and would not accept the merchandise credit without the actual gift card. I contacted Raise and they said that I was outside of my 100 day guarantee. How did I know I needed to spend this credit otherwise it would be no good within a month of purchasing it??? They refuse to give me a refund or replace the card. Never again. These guys are scamming. Please do not buy if it's a merchandise credit. [redacted] said people are stealing from stores and selling their credits on Raise. Once the store traces back the stolen merchandise to the return, they void the card/credit. Raise could have prevented this by not accepting merchandise credits in the first place. This along with the fact they are a scam will be the downfall of their company...

After receiving Revdex.com complaint number [redacted], we were able to review the order in question.On November 13, 2016, the customer purchased a Tractor Supply Company electronic gift card valued at $400.00 with a purchase price of $354.56. The customer then called Raise Member Services on November 14,...

2016 expressing that they were not aware that the card was electronic, and therefore, good for online use only. As a courtesy to the customer, the serving agent reached out to the original seller of the card to see if it was possible for the actual physical card to be sent to the customer.The physical card was then shipped the next day, November 15, 2016 and was successfully delivered on November 17, 2016, per the [redacted] website. The customer contacted Raise for the second time via phone call on November 27, 2016 stating that he misplaced the card and requested for a replacement. Per The Raise Guarantee (https://www.raise.com/return-policy), Raise is unable to cover a card that is lost or misplaced by the buyer. The serving agent was able to provide the customer with the serial number as well as the PIN, so the customer would be able to reach out to the brand to have this card redeemed.Later that same day, the customer reached out to Raise for the third time via phone, explaining that his wife who checks the mail every day, informed him that the card never arrived, rather than the card being misplaced. The customer also stated that the card information would not work without the actual physical card being present in store, as it was initially electronic and could only be redeemed online. The call was then escalated to a supervisor, who explained to the customer that Raise is unable to refund, as the card was marked as delivered by the [redacted]. The supervisor did inform the customer however, that this request would be sent to Gift Card Support team for further review.On November 28, 2016, the customer reached out to Raise for a fourth time, asking about the status of the refund request. The customer was informed that a supervisor would call him back with the status later that day. The supervisor called the member back on that same day, informing the customer that due to the card number being read, as well as the card showing as delivered, we were unable to refund. The supervisor also suggested that the customer reach out to [redacted] and file a claim with them. The customer then called back for the fifth time on November 30, 2016 requesting a supervisor. The new supervisor then informed the member that he could not overrule the decision from the previous supervisor, based on the information that we had. As a courtesy, Raise reached out to the member on December 1, 2016 via email, expressing that although Raise cannot refund as lost in the mail, we would be able to convert the card back to it’s original form, which is an egift, so the member could redeem the card successfully online as originally intended as listed on our marketplace. The customer then called Raise that day informing Raise that this solution was acceptable.On December 2, 2016 the customer reached out to Raise via phone call for the sixth time, informing the serving supervisor that the brand would not accept any gift cards online. The brand confirmed that their gift card systems were down at the moment, but they would be back up within a couple of hours.The brand’s gift card system is currently functioning and we are happy to confirm that the gift card in question was successfully redeemed by the buyer.We will continue to ensure that Raise policy is adhered to and properly communicated. We feel that this issue has been resolved in accordance with the Raise guarantee and apologize for any inconvenience. We would be more than happy to address any follow up questions with the customer via email.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:  There was no expiration date on the gift voucher neither was there a statement of 100 day guarantee on the gift voucher by raise.com.  I went to the the [redacted] website and it said: [redacted] Gift Cards don't have expiration dates or additional fees. Raise.com states they have a 100 day guarantee, but what that means is hidden in their website.  On the voucher itself, there is no statement that says there is a 100 date guarantee so how is one to know that such a thing exists and what it means.  Raise.com uses deceptive business practices.  
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
[redacted]