Gift Card Issues - Inactivated

[Bubbby]

I received a Sephora gift card for my birthday from a friend at the beginning of November. When I attempted to use it in-store, the cashier informed me that the card was not working, despite entering both the card number and PIN correctly. I then tried to use the card online, only to receive an error stating that it had been 'inactivated.' This is perplexing, as there is no process available either online or in-store to activate the card.

To ensure the $35 my friend had loaded onto the card was still available, I called the customer service number on the back, and thankfully, the balance was confirmed. However, I am now left confused about how Sephora's gift card system is supposed to function. My friend purchased the card directly from a Sephora store, with no activation process mentioned, and expected it to be immediately usable. Yet, after receiving it as a gift, it is effectively useless due to it being labeled as 'inactivated.' This situation doesn’t seem to align with what one would expect from a reputable company.

I hope this issue can be resolved promptly as this experience has left me very dissatisfied with the service and handling of gift cards at Sephora.

[LaurieBT]

@Bubbby,  I'm sorry to hear this! It looks like your private messages are turned off, and you can adjust your preferences in your Community settings (on the browser only, not the app). If you would like to send me a private message with more information, I'll look into this. Alternatively, you may contact our live chat at https://www.sephora.com/beauty/contact-us or call 1-877-SEPHORA (1-877-737-4672). If the chat is unavailable, please keep the page open until the next agent becomes available. Thank you!

[Bubbby]

I've noticed this is a common issue mentioned in similar posts within the community. I triple-checked my settings and ensured that private messages are turned on before posting, and I've attached a screenshot for your reference. Could you help clarify where the confusion might be coming from? I'd appreciate your assistance in resolving this.

[keelybt]

@Bubbby I have sent you PM.