The Blog

Refined Running Website Launch

Welcome to Refined Running, an inclusive blog dedicated to improving running technique for individuals of all ages, skill levels, and aspirations. Whether you're an adult seeking to enhance your performance, a young enthusiast taking their first steps in this...

A Summer of Website Rescue – SOS

Summer 2021 seems to be where I discover websites (of course, built by others), where they are so crippled with numerous dangerous set up issues, or poor or no maintenance. One other these companies trades over £300k/month through their website, yet it is so dangerous...

Something to do while we are stuck indoors – Build your own church!

So, this idea has been three months in the making. I thought I'd make a model of our village church. From then it grew into something we were planning to print, and issue to the village for people to make their own church to support the roof repair fund. Well, now,...

If you don’t ask, you don’t get! New website for world class comic Tiff Stevenson

Watching Mock the Week, I really think Tiff is funny - So I googled to see what else she's in. Stumbled across her website, which didnt really work, so I emailed her to offer to fix it.  Well, 4 months later, and her new website is up and running. Enjoy!

Website Security ‘Must Haves’ for 2020

Forty years ago, we barely had computers. Twenty years ago we were worried about the millenium bug. Now with the breaking of the Twenties, the age of cyber attacks is well and truly upon us. With daily attacks breaching major websites, revealing customer details in...

Cotswold Childcare – One page website

Lesley from Puddleducks is branching out. With years of daycare expertise, there is now a big demand for ad hoc childcare services which she is satisfying. Take a look at http://cotswoldchildcare.co.uk to see if there is anything that can be done for...

PJG Garden Designs – A Labour of love

We've been running for a few months now. Peter came to me referred by Lyn at Martha's Attic. He had a very clunky old html website to sell his beautiful handmade wrought iron garden ornaments and furniture. Starting as a simple e-commerce site, it quickly became...

Wild Grace launches in Woodstock

Sinead took over Wild Grace in the early new year, and has hit the ground running. Her beautiful flowers, gifts, and cards are stunning. A stunning website was needed to complement these.  https://wildgraceflowers.co.uk

Video bringing property rentals to life

I was very lucky to be able to pitch to undertake video tours for a local home rental company. With some very clever tech, and just the right camera set up, these properties really do stand out from those with only images. Here's a sample.......

I have spent 2 hours trying to redeem your lovely voucher…

Perhaps my transcript with Amazon might be useful….

Chat
End Chat
You are now connected to Hanna from Amazon.com
Me:
Hi, I have received a $50 gift card. I have applied to my account, but the link on the card was amazon.com. I am in the UK, and my account is amazon.co.uk. It appears that the accounts are not linked. So, then I tried to issue a $50 gift card to myself, and i cannot redeem in the uk. Now I have appeared to have $100 in my US account. How can I transfer this to the UK account?
Thanks x
Hanna:
Hello. My name is Hanna I’m so sorry to hear about this. Let me see what I can do for you.
Thanks for patiently waiting.
I’m sorry; as our international websites operate independently we can’t transfer your gift card to Amazon.com.uk.
In addition, Orders placed on one Amazon site will be processed independently of any orders you may have placed on another Amazon site–we cannot consolidate orders across the different sites.
Me:
So how do I spend the money in my account there? Amazon seem happy to accept my logins from the UK…. ?
I have never registered with amazon.com – my details have been accepted at .com – why?
Hanna:
You might find it more convenient and cost-effective in the future to order from our UK partner site:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/
Me:
No, you miss the point.
Hanna:
I’m sorry for the misunderstanding.
Me:
I was issued a gift certificate in dollars. I clicked the link, entered my password, and applied to my account.
Do I have two accounts?
Hanna:
You can only use the gift card on the account where it was sent.
Do you have an Amazon.com.uk account?
Me:
I ask again. Do I have two accounts? My email / password lets me in in .com and .co.uk.
Yes – my account is uk
Hanna:
Then it might be, you have signed in to Amazon.com also aside from Amazon.com.uk.
Me:
Yes, but I don’t have a .com account! It has accepted my user / password, and credit card from the UK.
Hanna:
o you mind waiting a few moments while I look into this for you?
Me:
Yes please do.
Hanna:
Thanks for patiently waiting.
Upon checking, you can access Amazon.com and Amazon.uk with same e-mail, however, when the gift card is bought from Amazon.com it will not be able to use from other sites.
Me:
So, how do I spend it?
Hanna:
You can purchase the gift card only on Amazon.com.
I mean you can use the gift card on Amazon.com.
Me:
I am in a village just north of Oxford in the UK. I have been issued a $ voucher.
Help me solve this please.
Hanna:
Since your were able to access Amazon.com. you can also purchase from us.
I see that you have purchase the $50 gift card from Amazon.com
Me:
Yes, And I have tried, but the only things worth buying from the us might be MP3 downloads, but these can pony be purchased when in the US!
I pr
Hanna:
In this case, you can use the gift card by purchasing on Amazon.com
Me:
archaised the $50 voucher to try to redeem in the UK, but it seems that I have bought this with my credit card, not with the balance on my account!
So, tell me what I can buy to be deliver to the UK
Hanna:
We have items from Amazon.com that could be delivered international. You may also visit our website.
Me:
I am sorry to say that you are not solving my problem. I have purchased over £3000 ($5000?) in the last year rom amazon, and you are very close to losing me forever as a customer. I suggest that you escalate this to a supervisor very quickly.
Hanna:
As I have said international websites operate independently we can’t transfer your gift card to Amazon.com.uk. We cannot consolidate orders across the different sites.
Me:
How on earth the if they operate independently can I access an account in the US at .com?
Hanna:
You can only use the same e-mail address and password, however, in ordering process it operates independently. I suggest to visit Amazon.com where you can place an order where you can use your gift card.
Me:
Not goo d enough! You accept my logins internationally, but won’t transfer funds? How can I issue myself an international gift certificate then?
Hanna:
I see that your gift card was placed with Amazon.com. You can also purchase gift cards from Amazon.com.uk.
In this case, the best option is to used the gift card to purchase an item on Amazon.com.
Me:
No, please. Look, I was given a gift card. I redeemed this,and it appeared to be to a US account. I then tried to issue a gift card from this US account, but it appears to have ignored the $50 I had in my account, and took another $50 from my Amex. I then tried to redeem this to the UK account, and it wouldn’t let me, so I redeemed to the US account. I now have doubled my cash reserve in the US, but have no intention of travelling there to buy anything. anything I want is restricted, and I cannot purchase.
Hanna:
I’m sorry; I do understand your frustrations.
May I know the order number of the gift card that you have ordered please?
Me:
The one I ordered is: GZL6-U5QD7B-LS6M
The one I was issued with which started the problem was: W5AW-CPW3Q3-L5RN
Hanna:
In this case, I can refund the one that you have purchased from Amazon.com, however, the one that you received as gift I suggest you to contact the purchaser.
Is is okay with you that I will refund the gift card instead and deactivate it?
Me:
Well that’s halfway. So, as an amazon prime, I;ll get free delivery. I’ll try it now.
Hanna:
Are you okay on refunding the gift card that you have purchased?
Me:
Yes please, then we’ll get to the other one
So, I’m trying to order. I get this message
We’re sorry. This item can’t be shipped to your selected destination. You may either change the shipping address or delete the item from your order
What am i to do with my money?
Give me some clues what I can order rom .com to enjoy in the UK?
Hanna:
Kindly wait as I will refund the gift card that you have purchased. While the gift card that you have receive, kindly contact the purchaser so that they can request to cancel the gift card.
Me:
Rubbish! Sadly you have just lost Amazon a valued customer. Yes, refund the $50 please.
Hanna:
I have process a refund on your the gift card that you have ordered. I will send a follow e-mail as your reference.
Me:
I will do my absolute best to tell everyone I know about this experience. I have been an amazon customer for many year, and the service has been amazing. But tonight, I have become someone who will make it their mission to tell as many people about this experience as possible. It is the worst in inflexible service I have ever seen. I understand that you personally are not at fault – you have rules. However, for there to be no way to escalate this for an amicable solution, is unacceptable.
Hanna:
The refund, has been processed.
We tried our best to resolve this issue, I have refunded the gift card that you have purchased.
On the other hand, the gift card that you have received, you may contact the purchaser or you may also give the gift card to a friend who has an Amazon.com account.
Me:
Arrgh! I want to spend the money! I was given it. Give me some clues what I can order that I can receive in the UK.
Thank you for refunding the one I purchased.
in error
Hanna:
Kindly contact the purchaser of the of the gift card you receive to have to contact us to have them refunded or you may also give the gift card to a friend or relative who has an Amazon.com account.
Is there anything else I can assist you with?
Is there anything else I can assist you with?
Me:
No- I have finally found something which I can have shipped. Perhaps you could see it in your authority to refund the shipping, as I am a Prime member.
Then would you close my US account
Hanna:
If you want to use the remaining balance of gift card which is $50, you can use it to your order.
However, the gift card that has been refunded can no longer be used in purchasing items.
Again, since the gift card was purchased from Amazon.com you can only used the gift card on your Amazon.com account.

However, i can’t close your account via chat. I will send an e-mail about closing an account.
Me:
So do you have the authority to refund the shipping on this order to pacify me?
Hanna:
I’m sorry; kindly contact our Amazon.com.uk for the refund on your order. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/contact…(See full link)
Me:
Can I just check – am i chatting with a human, or a computer? You really don’t seem to have grasped some of my questions.
I am asking you to refund the shipping only. I am in the UK. My money seems to be in the US. I am a Prime customer who qualifies for free delivery. Please can you sort this solution?
Hanna:
Again, we can’t we cannot consolidate orders across the different sites.
Again, we can’t we cannot consolidate orders across the different sites.
Me:
No – I have spent my US money in the .com site. I am asking you to ship it free to me in the UK
As I would receive if I were ordering in the UK
Hanna:
Again, we can’t we cannot consolidate orders across the different sites. r
Kindly contact Amazon.com.uk for the refund request.
Me:
You haven’t answered my question above – are you a human or a computer dealing with me?
Hanna:
I will make a note on your account to assist you accordingly once you have placed the order from Amazon.com. Since we can’t consolidate orders across the different sites.
Me:
So, a computer then?
Hanna:
I am a human being. As i have told you earlier we can’t consolidate orders from different sites.
Please contact the Amazon.com.uk.
Me:
There is no such site. It’s amazon.co.uk
Hanna:
Amazon.com.uk is different form Amazon.com.
They are different international sites.
Me:
I am getting nowhere. I have wasted an hour or more of my time, and the same of yours. I will just post this to a few groups on Facebook, and let the public decide. Goodnight.