HK$ 5K Consumption Voucher Press Conference

[HK_Katherine]

My phone died between vouchers. I had it set to collect to the Samsung Smart Octopus. This was a bit of a mess for me:
Samsung ONLY allows to restore an Octopus provided you backed it up first. But if you back it up, is to immediately delete it from that phone. That's the only valid scenario for the backup. Backup - immediately delete -restore in new phone.
Obviously this was not my case. So I coudln't restore it. Moreover, I couldn't activate a new one until the previous one SAMSUNG KNEW IT HAD ON ITS OWN RECORDS was permanently deleted.
Then it took some Octopus forms to claim damaged the previous octopus. Any remaining value will be restored...in a month or so I think Octopus said. Then more forms to the Voucher scheme. You need the initial SMS with the scheme Ref number they sent you to fill the form (so if you didn't back up your SMS when you destroyed your phone...another catch-22).
After all this mess, they told me a couple of weeks ago, that because the way they process stuff I wouldn't be able to apply for my new voucher after they finished their processing, in Oct 17th.

...but today I already received the Voucher notification for the new smart octopus. And it collected just fine...So I guess there's that.

This is my fear given I purchased a second hand samsung just for this. Thanks for writing it up. Good to know I need to keep the SMS.

[Coolguyalan]

Hey everyone.
Currently I am doing my 21 day quarantine.
I’ve already added $2,000 to my octopus card. However the question is does anyone here have any Hong Kong retail experience when accepting Octopus payments.
The reason I am asking is my dad has an elder card and he said that I can have his consumption voucher as he won’t be going back to HK in time.
Obviously I am not going to travel with it but I was wondering if I use it for purchases such as clothes and food, would it flag up on the system that I am paying with an elder Octopus card? Or the information doesn’t show up to the cashier because it’s irrelevant as there no discount for elders at clothes and food shops that accept Octopus?
I have seen from previous posts that Hong Kong residents who not going back to Hong Kong gave let their friends use their consumption voucher.
Thanks.

[Sage]

Hey everyone.
Currently I am doing my 21 day quarantine.
I’ve already added $2,000 to my octopus card. However the question is does anyone here have any Hong Kong retail experience when accepting Octopus payments.
The reason I am asking is my dad has an elder card and he said that I can have his consumption voucher as he won’t be going back to HK in time.
Obviously I am not going to travel with it but I was wondering if I use it for purchases such as clothes and food, would it flag up on the system that I am paying with an elder Octopus card? Or the information doesn’t show up to the cashier because it’s irrelevant as there no discount for elders at clothes and food shops that accept Octopus?
I have seen from previous posts that Hong Kong residents who not going back to Hong Kong gave let their friends use their consumption voucher.
Thanks.

It makes no difference, HK retailers simply don’t care. Fill yer boots.

[cookie09]

Stupid question, I get the SMS that the voucher is ready for collection. I thought it would be added to my Octopus automatically but seems that is not the case. How do I “collect” it?

[Plutark]

Stupid question, I get the SMS that the voucher is ready for collection. I thought it would be added to my Octopus automatically but seems that is not the case. How do I “collect” it?

if you have the octopus app you can process it from here. Just follow the instructions it's pretty straight forward. Or you can collect it in MTR stations.

[shri]

Stupid question, I get the SMS that the voucher is ready for collection. I thought it would be added to my Octopus automatically but seems that is not the case. How do I “collect” it?

As above in the octopus app or MTR stations and collection points or at a handful of retail outlets.

https://voucher.octopus.com.hk/en/overview/index.html

[emx]

3rd consumption voucher just collected via Octopus app.

[tropic]

I'm trying to get the last $1000 voucher, however it says I've not yet used the full $4000 yet, (it says cumulative spending is $3300/$4000) but the balance of the octopus card is $10. This doesn't make sense. I've already used the full $4000 but it's only showing as used $3300 and now it says I have to spend the balance $700 by 28th Feb.

There's only $10 balance in the card, so how can I spend $700? Is it expecting me to put in $700, spend it by 28th Feb then I can get the last $1k. Any advice?

[Drunken Master]

I'm trying to get the last $1000 voucher, however it says I've not yet used the full $4000 yet, (it says cumulative spending is $3300/$4000) but the balance of the octopus card is $10. This doesn't make sense. I've already used the full $4000 but it's only showing as used $3300 and now it says I have to spend the balance $700 by 28th Feb.

There's only $10 balance in the card, so how can I spend $700? Is it expecting me to put in $700, spend it by 28th Feb then I can get the last $1k. Any advice?

Some spendings are not eligible so you have to add 700 and spend on eligible products. Ineligible spendings are among others payments to gov, utilities, education expenses etc.

See under F using of consumption vouchers:
https://www.consumptionvoucher.gov.hk/en/faqs.html