*4/3/19 – The company has gone bankrupt and the websites and apps no longer work. Apparently the creditors are looking to get new buyers though I wouldn’t hold my breath. If you have credit on the account then it’s worth contacting your credit card provider (quoting Section 75, though you need to have spent more than £100 in a single transaction) or debit card provider (via the chargeback scheme if the order was less than £100).
*18/3/19 – It looks like the company has completely shut down now, but there’s no information anywhere about how customers can access their vouchers or try to claim credit. I’ll keep looking for news.
Zeek promises you can buy discounted gift vouchers – and starts you off with free £10 £5 credit. Is it any good?
** Update 3/6/15 – unfortunately the free credit deal has been dropped to £5. Still better than nothing! **
Ever been given a gift card for a shop you don’t use? You either end up buying something you don’t really need, or letting it expire in a drawer somewhere. Both are pretty annoying…
This week I heard about a new app and website that lets you buy other people’s unwanted gift vouchers at a discount – and sell yours too. It’s a great and idea and sounds fantastic. So does Zeek deliver what it promises? I’ve taken a look.
How does it work?
Pretty simple really. Once you’ve downloaded the app and registered you’re given a list of available vouchers. You can also do this from a desktop computer.
You can search for brands or sort by the discount available. Tap the voucher you fancy and you’ll be taken to a purchase screen.
Buying is easy. You can pay with PayPal or add card details. Weirdly you have to pay an extra £1 to make a purchase, but rather than a fee, it’s added to your account credit for another purchase. This could just be when you use a promo code.
I was given some free credit and used it for an M&S voucher as there’s a food one near my work I sometimes pop into.
Since it was a e-code, the voucher appeared straight away in the app and a printable version to use in-store arrived in my inbox not too long after. Physical cards are sent within seven working days.
How to get £10 £5 free credit
Once you’ve downloaded the app and registered your details, head to the menu and “Promo Codes”. Enter 2li721 and you’ll have a free tenner fiver to spend!
You’ll also be able to generate your own promo code to share with friends. They’ll get £10 £5 and you’ll receive another £10 £5 when they buy. Bonus!
>> Download the Zeek app through this link and claim your £5 free credit
What vouchers and discounts are available?
These both change hour to hour, day to day. The person selling chooses the discount so it really can vary, and stock depends on what people have put up for sale.
When I first looked at the app there were Amazon and iTunes gift cards and a John Lewis code had 13% off. The next day there were no Amazon or iTunes to be seen, and the available John Lewis vouchers had dropped to a 6% discount.
Sainsburys, GAP, Boots and H&M were some of the big brands available, so it’s worth taking a look to see what suits you.
Is it any good?
Overall, I love the idea, and from my first try it looks like you can make a decent saving – as long as you are planning to spend the money anyway!
It can be hit and miss as to what is available. You just need to check it frequently.
The £1 charge is odd, but it should easily be covered by your discount and does go towards future purchases.
I was worried about security, but Zeek guarantee your purchase for 60 days if the card/voucher you receive is inactive, has an an inaccurate balance, is the wrong brand brand and if you don’t receive it within 30 days.
What to watch out for
With any gift card you should treat them as if they are actual money. Lose them and you lose the cash.
If the shop you buy a voucher for goes bust before you use it, there’s no guarantee they’ll honour its value.
Read my five things you need to know about giftcards for more.
I did that zeek thing and was sold a used iTunes card, do not use!
Hey Savy. Did you contact Zeek? I had it happen to me once and they instantly refunded me the money I’d spent.