In the time of corporate consolidation, outlandish day rates, and customer service based online or overseas, seeing Alta honor a local’s pair of 1970 unused gift certificates in 2024 seems unimaginable but it happened. Pretty cool!
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Alta Honors Ski Vouchers from 1970
- Thread starter thetrailboss
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jaytrem
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Cool, I found a couple Mt. Snow ones in my garage that looked like they're from the 70s, hmmmm.
jimmywilson69
Well-known member
EPIC! That would make a great nic nac to add to the lodge! Did you know our passes are on sale for a great price! Ski you next fall!
I’ve got a feeling that he would laugh at someone in the same situation at one of Vail’s resorts.EPIC! That would make a great nic nac to add to the lodge! Did you know our passes are on sale for a great price! Ski you next fall!
abc
Well-known member
It’s great marketing! Free advertising, ok $200 for an entry in Powder. I think it’s pretty good value
BenedictGomez
Well-known member
I'm not sure Alta had a choice to not honor that 1970 gift certificate (it's not a "voucher" as the article states), but it's complicated.
In accounting, gift certificates are literally treated as cash equivalents. If you think of it that way, IMO they should never be allowed to expire. But that's isn't the case in some states, they can expire after 5 years (Federal law) IF the expiration date of >= 5 years from purchase is notated on the gift certificate. But that law didn't go into affect into IIRC like 2008 - 2010'ish, and this Alta GC is from 1970, but I'm pretty sure the law encompassed outstanding (i.e. unredeemed) cards.
There's also state laws that piggyback onto this that can extend the minimum 5 years. In Utah, if no expiration date is printed on the gift card, the gift card will never expire (I just looked it up as I figure it's very likely I'll need to know this). In some states like Florida, gift certificates can never expire - period.
TLDR: This all comes down to whether or not the 1970 Alta gift certificates had an expiration date printed on it, and as the Alta rep noted they dont. Alta has to honor them.
In accounting, gift certificates are literally treated as cash equivalents. If you think of it that way, IMO they should never be allowed to expire. But that's isn't the case in some states, they can expire after 5 years (Federal law) IF the expiration date of >= 5 years from purchase is notated on the gift certificate. But that law didn't go into affect into IIRC like 2008 - 2010'ish, and this Alta GC is from 1970, but I'm pretty sure the law encompassed outstanding (i.e. unredeemed) cards.
There's also state laws that piggyback onto this that can extend the minimum 5 years. In Utah, if no expiration date is printed on the gift card, the gift card will never expire (I just looked it up as I figure it's very likely I'll need to know this). In some states like Florida, gift certificates can never expire - period.
TLDR: This all comes down to whether or not the 1970 Alta gift certificates had an expiration date printed on it, and as the Alta rep noted they dont. Alta has to honor them.
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Yep. But I think many, as a knee jerk reaction, would say “hell no!” and fight it.
trackbiker
Active member
It would have been really stupid for Alta not to accept the gift certificates from a PR and marketing point of view. It really didn't cost them anything to honor them. And they got a lot more that two lift tickets worth of good PR for doing it.
"Too bad they are not as EPIC as I am! You know that POWDER pays ME to show up in their magazine? It's amazing. Truly EPIC! By the way, have you renewed yet? Time is running OUT!"
abc
Well-known member
Is it time to change the name of this site to “Endless Vail Bashing On Any Remotest Excuse”?
How can you not pick on a guy like that?
abc
Well-known member
No, I don’t pick on anyone “like that”, not just because I don’t appreciate his business practice.
Besides, you’re giving him publicity beyond what he deserves. It gets real old real fast.
BenedictGomez
Well-known member
I'd be down.
BenedictGomez
Well-known member
Arrogance & business greed combined with excessive self-promotion; he's like the Trump of skiing.
Well, clearly you have a different sense of humor than most of us.
Smellytele
Well-known member
Yes none!
abc
Well-known member
If your sense of humor is to give them additional publicity, I guess I have none.
Not to mention those “humor” were getting really old and tired.
Trump is getting a lot of free publicity exactly thanks to that kind of tired “sense of humor”.
Not to mention those “humor” were getting really old and tired.
Trump is getting a lot of free publicity exactly thanks to that kind of tired “sense of humor”.
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Lighten up Francis. I doubt anyone here has been persuaded to buy an EPIC pass based on some satirical posts. As to your sense of humor, we can’t
please everyone.
ss20
Well-known member
That is a great story!
Earlier this week we had a teen visibly getting sick in the early AM after the first run. Dad came down and pulled him out. The dad tried talking himself out of a refund saying his son had participated. Can't say I've ever had that before. He still left the instructor a $20 tip and I assured him a full refund was OK for the circumstances. Win-win. And very funny/strange!
Earlier this week we had a teen visibly getting sick in the early AM after the first run. Dad came down and pulled him out. The dad tried talking himself out of a refund saying his son had participated. Can't say I've ever had that before. He still left the instructor a $20 tip and I assured him a full refund was OK for the circumstances. Win-win. And very funny/strange!
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