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Activity Superstore review: Shafted 7

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Author of the review
5:18 pm EST
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I am so angry, I am spitting chips. I cannot believe I have been taken for a "patsy" by Debenhams in Oxford on behalf of The Activity Superstore

I was given a gift of an "experience" - my choice to select high adrenalin or more sedate. The receiver of the gift does not know the value (it is promoted at £99, as if that amount buys everything on the list) - but then it becomes clear when you as the recipient tries to book, that you find that anything worth booking will be at extra (significantly extra!) cost. In the end I chose London theatre and meal for 2 - my husband gave me the present so I thought it would be nice to share. We went yesterday, to see "Wicked" - great show, but totally spoilt by the greed of the providers of the voucher. "Best seats available" were promised, which should say "best seats available within the price range we (Activity Superstore) have bought". Since the only tickets booked by The Activity Superstore were the cheapest in the house, at the back of the gods, this does not leave much room for a pleasant experience. Not the theatre's fault, these were the seats that Activity Superstore purchased, and as the theatre booking office Manager rightly said, they have no control over what agencies sell the tickets on for. The face value of the theatre tickets was £20.

The meal bit has to be written off. Not exactly a dining experience. This was a pub meal (but one could not call it a meal), one course, cheapest item on the menu. Total disgrace. We would not stoop so low for a lunchtime snack let alone a special outing. Max cost would not have exceeded £5 per head. We said no thank you and went elsewhere..

This is mis-selling, and is a product not fit for purpose. Total price paid to Debenhams £99; face value of product £50 (max) not taking account of purchasing power of vendor.

I'm always happy to pay for a worthwhile experience, but I cannot believe I have been so "shafted" by these con merchants. Debenhams should not risk their reputation on such a con. Activity Superstore should be shut down.

Only light on the horizon was the brilliant performance of the theatre booking office who, despite everything, moved us to seats where we had a decent view. They didn't have to do that, but they were just as angry as we were and were prepared to help us.

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The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

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7 comments
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TonyHawks
, GB
Jun 22, 2018 7:11 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Made a booking for a 'Two Night Getaway' using a voucher from Activity Superstore bought in Debenhams Leith by our son as a Christmas present, I got a confirmation of booking by email however 3 days later I got an email from the hotel saying that they were cancelling the booking and that I should contact 'Activity Superstore' about it. I have a feeling since reading some reviews that this is not going to turn out well.

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Stingy
, GB
Jan 22, 2018 11:33 am EST

Sham of a company. Avoid at all costs book direct and don't give your money to this robbing con merchant company. Watchdog and trading standards are being informed and one is very Interested already . Disgusted that Debenham are selling this tripe. Nearly everyone that has received one of these so called gift experiences is left angry and feeling shafted. Social media is very powerful and make it known what a Con this company is

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John Parkyn
, US
Oct 02, 2015 7:03 am EDT

I had the same problem I was given a Racecourse voucher for horse racing all the courses with the other side of the country to me and I was told I could use it anywhere stay away

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Jint
, GB
Oct 24, 2014 5:46 am EDT

we we're bought a two night stay voucher from a family member for Christmas. I have had nothing but stress for the passed 10 months trying to use it! I have made at least 20 calls to the centre trying to book hotels. The availability is horrendous! I understand there will be restrictions but it has been a joke. No hotel wants to accept this voucher and to be honest if I booked it independently I could have got the hotels at half the price anyway! I tried all sorts to try and get a refund but due to validating the voucher that became unavailable. My problem with that is, if I didn't validate my voucher I wouldn't have been able to book my hotel! I contacted Debenhams where the voucher was purchased and informed them of the stress this gift has caused and that it was false advertising and not fit for purpose! They just passed the blame back on the activity superstore. Charlotte from the centre has been trying her best to help me find something to use my voucher on but I can't help but feel that this voucher is not getting used for the reasons it was bought and the family member whom bought would be devastated if she new the problems it was causing! I am basically just going to choose anything to get rid of the voucher or end up putting it in the bin and at the cost of £100 this is not acceptable! I will be warning people off this deal and telling them how disappointed I am!

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bernard1956
Wellingborough, GB
May 24, 2014 2:54 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

TOTALLY AGREE. If they spent as much effort in actually providing an ethical business model rather than the warm word replies that offer nothing, don't address the specific complaints and just add to the customers sense of outrage they might be on their way to future viability. I've had a similar experience so can empathise with the comments.

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Activity Superstore Rep
, GB
Nov 11, 2011 2:42 pm EST

We are sorry that there you are not happy with the service you have received from Activity Superstore – if either of you would like to forward your contact details and any information you have about your voucher to this address: customerreview@activitysuperstore.com then I will look into what has happened and get back to you as soon as possible to try and resolve the problems you have had.

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Sputnik
Peterborough, GB
Jul 15, 2011 9:06 pm EDT

I totally agree with this complaint as I was given a £99 voucher as a gift. I exchanged it for two summer prom concert tickets and have just discovered the face value of the tickets are £30 each. My daughter has been ripped off to the tune of £39.