This week, the new terms and conditions for Starbucks cards — the gift and stored-value cards that you can use to rack up rewards in their newly revamped reward program — went into effect. That means existing users have until May 12 to opt out of the chain’s normal requirement that card users waive their right to sue the company.
If you’re reading this after May 12, 2016, or more than 30 days after you began using your card for the first time, that means that you missed the opt-out period, the good news is that at least if you have some kind of dispute with Starbucks over your card that goes to arbitration, you won’t be required to travel to Seattle to do it. Starbucks eliminated that provision with this revision of their terms and conditions.
You must opt out in writing, using a stamp and envelope and everything. If you aren’t sure what to send, be sure to include your name, address, card number, the user ID and e-mail address of the rewards account that you’ve registered your card to, and a simple statement that you wish to opt out of the arbitration provision for your Starbucks Card.
Starbucks Card Team
Starbucks Corporation
2401 Utah Avenue S.
MS: S-MK3
Seattle, WA 98134.
Starbucks will allow an extra 3 days for mailing, but must be mailed within 30 days of the new agreement going into effect or the date that you first purchase or load a new Starbucks Card.
Why would you want to opt out of arbitration? Viewers of the HBO program Silicon Valley may remember last season’s plotline where arbitration worked out better than a trial might have in a dispute between a huge company and a smaller one, but that usually isn’t the case, especially for consumers.
PREVIOUSLY:
You Will No Longer Need To Go To Seattle To Resolve A Starbucks Card Dispute
by Laura Northrup via Consumerist
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