Annoyed w/ Points Transfer between Accounts

[alexclatterbuck]

My girlfriend transferred me points.  When she transferred, it showed $300, and she thought this was the value of the points.  Instead, she was charged $300.  We would have just not sent the points.  They won't let her reverse this, and now she wants to boycott southwest, which means I can't fly southwest.  I've basically exclusively flown southwest for 10 years.  It's my favorite airline.  

I was with her when she transferred the points, and I thought the same thing about the $300.  It's such an egregiously large sum, I don't think anyone would register that's the cost just to move points between two accounts.  

It feels predatory, and the reason I love southwest is because you're the opposite of that.  I understand that you use a different vendor for points, but this is a representation of you and your brand.  It's really not right.  At absolute minimum, you own the real estate to make it ULTRA CLEAR the charge is to transfer points.  

[alexclatterbuck]

It was 30,000 points, with a cost to transfer of $300. 

At this exchange rate, it makes absolutely no sense to transfer to another account.  The cost of doing so is equal to the point redemption value.  

I'm not saying this facetiously.  

So she's upset that she basically threw away $300.  We called to reverse, and were told it's not possible as points are owned by a third party.  

[dfwskier]

Southwest does not hide the fact tht it costs about a penney a point to transfer points. Since points are worth about 1.3 cents, you throw away most of the value by transferring points.

There are numerous posts here that say DO NOT Transfer points. Instead keep your points and buy points tickets for other people. That way you keep the full value of your points..

The rules for transfers say that they are not changeable and fees are not refundable. If Southwest had hid the details, I might agree with you. But Southwest hid nothing.

Next time READ the terms and conditions of things you want to do.  

[alexclatterbuck]

What % of users that transfer points do you think create southwest community accounts and actively look here?  (Do you know you need to create a new login to post here?) 

You say they don’t hide it, but why don’t they simply make this more clear at point of checkout, versus creating a situation you need to look this up in a buried forum post. 

You say it’s clear, but also to read terms and services. I’m a product manager - these two things are at odds. Most people don’t read terms of service, and they never will. 1 line of copy at moment of transfer solves this for everyone, not just dweebs that read ToS. 

[alexclatterbuck]

“You will pay $x out of pocket to transfer y points to account #:”

“(Pay $1 for every 100 points transferred)”

I can assure you it isn’t clear, otherwise I wouldn’t have done the transfer. 

[dfwskier]

The line immediately below the one where you pick the number of points you want to transfer reads:

Points transfer COSTS $5.00 for every 500 points, with a minimum transfer of 2,000 points.

You have to go past that line to input the name of the person you want to transfer points to.

Gimme a break. Open your eyes.

It's prety darn clear.

[bearomo11]

 dfwskier, 

Are you associated with Southwest? I can not find another explanation for you to justify this process as something clear and customer friendly.  I think Alex, his girlfriend and several others that I found online and went through the same experience (including myself) have a case. 

Regarding your solution and reply to Alex> As soon as you choose the amount of miles that by the way are above that little sentence that you are referring to, the drop down menu covers that line, and then when you chose the amount of miles those same words, that you referred to in your reply, disappear. If you don't believe it, try it yourself.

Thanks, 

Bea

[dfwskier]

Sorry, but it could not be more clear.  

When you click on transfer points, it asks how many you want to transfer. Pick a point number and it tells you how much it will cost to do so;  like this

2,000 points $20

10,000 points $100

30,000 points $300

Southwest puts the cost right in your face while you try to transfer points. You made a bad decision. Own up to it.

[alexclatterbuck]

It makes it look like this is the value of your points in dollars, not the cost to transfer.  

[alexclatterbuck]

I have zero incentive to actually make the transfer.  You say I made a bad decision intentionally and should own up to it, but in what scenario does it ever make sense to do this at these exchange rates?  Why would I do this intentionally?