Simplifying E-Commerce: Kalyan Pushes for Fair Gift Card Balance Recovery

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan called on e-commerce platforms to ensure simplicity and fairness in recovering funds from expired gift cards. He highlighted the difficulty users face in this process compared to adding funds. Kalyan urged the introduction of an automatic refund feature to enhance user trust.

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has urged major e-commerce platforms, including Amazon, to simplify the process of recovering funds from expired gift cards. Speaking out on Monday, Kalyan highlighted the disparity between the ease of adding funds to a gift card and the cumbersome process of retrieving money once the card has expired.

In a post shared on X, Kalyan emphasized that while adding money to an Amazon gift card is quick and easy, users face complex hurdles when trying to reclaim balance from expired cards. He noted that the process requires contacting customer service and navigating a lengthy procedure, posing an inconvenience to users.

Kalyan has tagged important figures like Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the Reserve Bank of India, challenging them to develop a system where any unused gift card balance can be automatically refunded to the purchaser's linked bank account. Such a move, he argues, would save time and bolster trust in e-commerce platforms.

(With inputs from agencies.)