A Scattered Brain

So, I got a response from Coinstar and it was a quick turnaround. Even though I will get my fee back, I was more pleased with the fact that they are working on software upgrades to prevent this in the future. Here is the response:

Dear Mr. Stanton,
First let me apologize on behalf of our company for your experience with our machine. We are aware of circumstances where this type of error occurs, and have a software release ready for deployment that will result in the desired scenario you stated.

Unfortunately, with equipment on any communication network, these types of network outages do occur, we are also working hard to minimize the occurrence of these events from the network perspective.

With that said, we would be happy to reimburse you for the fee that was deducted from your transaction. We feel it is only fair that since we failed to provide you the product you chose, we should be accountable for the failure.

If you would please send me the address you would like to have a check mailed, I will ensure we get a check produced for the $5.29.

Sincerely,

Dave Cramer

Coinstar Customer Service Manager.

It even got escalated up to the manager quickly. So, maybe Coinstar doesn’t completely suck, but I’ll still think twice before using them again. Especially since Nevada State Bank has free coin counting even for those who aren’t customers of the bank.

Below is a letter I just sent to Coinstar regarding an experience my wife and I had last night. I am so angry that this happened. NEVER USE COINSTAR for any reason is my only advice.

Greetings,

First let me start that I expect some kind of response to this letter… not repayment or any other physical handout, but at least a non-form letter response from your company regarding/explaining your response to the following situation.

My name is Spencer G. Stanton. My wife and I had what turned out to be $59.43 in change and since we had noticed that Coinstar machines allowed for the purchase of gift cards WITHOUT any service fee, we decided to try one out for the first time. We went to the Coinstart located at the Albertson’s on the corner of Eastern and Horizon Ridge in Henderson, NV.

The process seemed very easy and straightforward; we started out by picking an Amazon.com gift card and proceeded to insert our coins. The final total came to the above mentioned $59.43. After all of the coins were processed, we were given the message that it may take a minute or two for our card to be processed and we could hear the modem dial out somewhere.

After about 2 minutes, the machine came back with a error stating that it couldn’t process the request for an Amazon card at that time. However, instead of giving us any other options (a different kind of card, for example) the machine stated that it was printing a cash voucher. This would have been fine, except that in the printing of the cash voucher, your machine proceeded to charge the ENORMOUS 8.9% that you charge for changing cash into cash. That left me with a voucher for $54.14, a loss of $5.29. One of the reasons I had never used a Coinstar machine in the past was the service charge; the idea of transferring to something other than cash for no service charge was the only incentive for using Coinstar at all. As far as I remember, there was no warning of any kind stating that cash would be used in case of the inability to issue the card. I would have seen that as a red flag and probably would not have continued my transaction.

As this was my first use of a Coinstar, you can be assured that I have no plans to ever use one again. I feel that this may not have been some technical error, but rather a thinly-veiled bait and switch. If it was a mechanical error, or in the case that gift cards can’t be given out at a specific time for any reason, the ONLY acceptable option is to give the cash voucher and waive the 8.9% fee. I’m not so upset that the card wasn’t available, but rather that I was given NO OTHER OPTION but to take the cash voucher with the fee attached. This is a completely irresponsible way of handling difficulties at the machines.

I like the idea of converting change into other, more usable options so long as there isn’t a charge involved. If I had been given the option of even taking back my change rather than accepting the finance fee, I would have taken my coins back and transferred them some other way.

Again, I expect a full, personal response to this letter as well as a plan to fix this kind of problem in the future. Thank you in advance for your time.

Sincerely,

Spencer G. Stanton

I will post their response, if any. I still can’t believe we got screwed like that. Have a great weekend and go Purdue!!!