A gift certificate has long become one of the most popular gift options. However, situations often arise where the holder of such a gift wants to receive cash instead of the goods, or simply forgets to use it in time, discovering that the document's validity period has expired.

How Belarusian legislation regulates these issues was explained in detail by lawyer Yevhen Kurnasenko of the Gomel Regional Bar Association.

General rule: a certificate cannot be exchanged for money.

Many mistakenly view a gift certificate as an analogue of electronic money. Legally, this is not the case. A gift certificate is merely a document that confirms a person's right to receive a specific product or service, not cash.

When redeeming it, clear financial rules apply:

If the cost of the goods exceeds the nominal value: the buyer must simply pay the difference at the cash register.

If the cost of the goods is lower than the nominal value: the seller is not obliged to return change or the unused balance to the customer (unless otherwise stipulated in the rules of the specific trading entity).

Upon expiration of the validity period: the document is automatically deemed invalid. By law, the funds previously paid for it are not subject to refund to the consumer.

When is the seller obliged to refund money or extend the term?

Every strict rule has exceptions. In this case, it all depends on the internal policy of the trade network or service company. If the seller has independently stipulated in its official rules for handling certificates the possibility of