[Costanza]

Does the Entertainment Consumer Association have the consumer's best interests at heart? The inability to turn off auto-renew for memberships and limiting cancellation requests to snail mail would have users checking the "No" box, if it was actually functional. Joining the ECA is easy. All you need to do is fill out an online form, pay your $20, and you're in. Canceling Not so much. While a check box to turn off and on membership auto-renewal was once present in the account section of the website, the ECA now reports that this was a mistake, and it never should have been available. Earlier this month, ECA community manager Gypsyfly explained the mysteriously disappearing feature. What I've been told is that the feature was never suppose to be there as you can tell by the terms which have been the same since the beginning. The design firm who made the site used a module that had it in and they were unaware until an actual users on these forums posted about it. They'll most likely look into an automated system at some point in the future. Okay, fair enough. Having worked in web development for several years prior to my stint at Kotaku, I can see how this sort of mix up could happen. So why can't members simply cancel via email? Gypsyfly addressed this question two days ago. Because the org has grown too large to handle the volume and requiring a mailed piece separates those who are serious from those who are lazy or finicky – joining and leaving repeatedly – and it gives us written documentation, a paper trail to reconcile against Lazy or finicky? Really? One would think that 'finicky' members who constantly canceled and rejoined could be turned into more collected fees. Instead, the organization is too busy to handle a quick computer request, instead relying on regular old snail mail instead. Mail that can be lost, or in some current ECA members' opinions, purposefully misplaced. Worse, members who flocked to to the organization's website in March for the promise of 10% off game purchases at Amazon now find that benefit to being an ECA member has been discontinued due to exploiters stacking the discount, removing one of the most attractive reasons to join the ECA, aside from the whole consumer advocacy thing. It all seems rather shady, but in all fairness, there is only one method of cancellation noted in the ECA membership terms and conditions. A Member may cancel this Agreement and membership in the ECA Service sending such request to Attn: Accounting, ECA, 64 Danbury Road, Suite 700, Wilton, CT 06897-4406. If Member cancels before the end of a Membership Term for which Member has paid the Service Fee, the Member cannot receive a refund of such Service Fee nor any portion thereof. Due to the nature of the services provided by ECA (many of which are accessible immediately upon acceptance) it is understood that refunds cannot be issued. In order to join the ECA you would have had to have read this, so everyone who is now complaining should have at one point known what they were getting into. I probably wouldn't have read the whole thing either, and in doing so would have missed lovely bits like this: If the credit card provided by Member to ECA has expired during an attempt to bill fees per section 4, ECA will revise the expiration date and proceed with billing using the same credit card account. Outrageous, right? It definitely stresses the importance of knowing what you are signing up for. If you are a current ECA member and would like to cancel, our only suggestion would be to make sure you do so with a traceable mail carrier, to ensure that the organization receives your request. As for those who thought they had halted the auto-renewal of memberships via the web page, I'd agree that the ECA should, if possible, refund any memberships that have gone through after the box had been checked off. Unfortunately, with the feature turned off, chances of them having records of the option are slim. Kotaku has contacted the ECA for comment on the situation, but has yet to receive a response as of this writing.

http://kotaku.com/5417143/entertainm...llation-policy

[NameGenerated]

Wow. I bought a membership 3 days ago. :|

[RBH]

:O

[Mr. Spinnington]

wow this is awesome for anyone who didn't buy

for those who did: you rage you lose

[Nelo Ice]

so glad i waited saw this on cag and instantly signed up :D

also at least on firefox you'll prolly get a security cert warning when u click the confirmation email link but u can just ignore it

[Jonsoncao]

ECA is really awesome esp if you have amazon prime :D

[Costanza]

Wow. I bought a membership 3 days ago. :|

Shit, that suuuucks. I joined about a month ago and saved $18 already so it doesn't bother me too much.

[Jtyettis]

Just got mine. You are the man Costanza. Glad I waited.

[Len Dontree]

Thanks for the tip, but I signed up and never saw any place to input either the code or my payment option. I click on "members area" and it says "please log on..." even though I'm already logged in. Did I miss a membership tier or something somewheres?

[Volcynika]

Got it, and now I'm getting Demon's Souls Deluxe Edition for $60.29

:D

[Costanza]

Thanks for the tip, but I signed up and never saw any place to input either the code or my payment option. I click on "members area" and it says "please log on..." even though I'm already logged in. Did I miss a membership tier or something somewheres?

When you click the confirmation email, it'll take you to a page to enter payment info and activate your account.

[Shadow780]

hmmm, well that 10% is going to offset tax to NY....considering~

[MightyKAC]

Just signed up.
Thanks for the tip Costanza! :)

[Len Dontree]

Ahhhh I see, I had just received the newsletter confirmation, the other one went to my junk mail. Duh. Thanks man. :)

[TSAR]

whoa, this is awesome.. thanks a lot!!

[Peronthious]

Awesome, I was thinking about joining soon anyway.

[grandjedi6]

I just signed up 3 hours ago #$@%

[ShallNoiseUpon]

Costanza, you rock.

[NameGenerated]

I just signed up 3 hours ago #$@%

Well that makes me feel better. :lol

Sucks though. :(

[Costanza]

I just signed up 3 hours ago #$@%

ouch :lol :(

[RBH]

I just signed up 3 hours ago #$@%

[img]http://i28.************/vx7xi.png[/img]

[DeceitDecide]

Trying to use one of the Amazon 10% off codes to buy an XBLA game and it isn't working -_-

[Road]

Wish I lived in America. Land of opportunities.

[Costanza]

Trying to use one of the Amazon 10% off codes to buy an XBLA game and it isn't working -_-

Only works on boxed games and points cards.

[kaskade]

Amazon already offers games slightly cheaper making this an awesome deal. Could someone fill me in on what else I get from this free membership?

[Archie]

Only works on boxed games and points cards.

Does it work on hardware?

[Costanza]

Does it work on hardware?

nope. music game bundles, yes.

It works on the instant point card codes as well? That could come in handy to be sure.

no, just the boxed cards.

[Jtyettis]

Only works on boxed games and points cards.

It works on the instant point card codes as well? That could come in handy to be sure.

[kaskade]

nope. music game bundles, yes. no, just the boxed cards.

Fuck yes, hello DJ Hero.

[DeceitDecide]

It works on the instant point card codes as well? That could come in handy to be sure.

Actually I just tried that, and it doesn't. I think Costanza meant physical points cards.

[StoOgE]

Hmm.. I put the code in, but it looks like it is going to charge me.

How do you tell the code worked?

nevermind.. I'm an idiot.

Thanks Costanza, just saved me 6 bucks on Halo 3 order I already had placed!

[kaskade]

Hmm.. I put the code in, but it looks like it is going to charge me. How do you tell the code worked?

When you click review order it says that 19.99 is taken off.

[elrechazado]

From CAG: go to http://www.theeca.com/ to sign up. The Amazon discount is fucking great.

I love you. Just picked up a new wii motion + addon, and borderlands preordered. 66 shipped!

[Costanza]

Oh, another thing.. for maximum deal-age, there's a 3 month Prime trial offer going on now and you can then preorder all (well, most) of your games with free release date delivery.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/prime/signup/textbooks.html just add one of the textbooks to your cart and go to the last page of checkout where it offers you the trial. make sure to turn off auto-renewal.

[xaosslug]

awesome! I just joined - for free! Thanks, OP!

[Volcynika]

Only weird thing is that it seems at least FireFox users get a weird thing with confirming an email with the ECA, saying something about the security certificate.

[Timan]

Can you redeem an amazon code as many times as you want? (Gaming related of course)?

[NameGenerated]

Can you redeem an amazon code as many times as you want? (Gaming related of course)?

You have to keep generating new codes, but yeah, it's unlimited. Only 1 per game obviously.

[dallow_bg]

I see Amazon canceling their partnership soon.
Way too many people going to have access now.
(in fine print that they can end promotion anytime)

[Costanza]

Can you redeem an amazon code as many times as you want? (Gaming related of course)?

The site lets you generate as many codes as you need. Can even hand them out to friends if you want.

Though I think that's changing soon since they're apparently working on using multi-use codes linked to your amazon account.

[SpeedingUptoStop]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. You da man, Costanza.

[Dynamic3]

Worked! Thank you.

[mYm|17|]

sweet thanks costanza.

how do u apply this on amazon?

[Varna]

Awsome! Thanks you!

This works on even used games at Amazon?

[Sean]

You are awesome Costanza :D

[Costanza]

sweet thanks costanza. how do u apply this on amazon?

get codes from eca members page. enter them at amazon checkout

[Jtyettis]

$53.99 for Forza 3 now that is what I'm talking about.

[Broadbandito]

where do I put the code in?

[Costanza]

where do I put the code in?

after you register it'll send a confirmation email. click that. enter payment info and code. the next page will show discount.

[Redbeard]

Oh ffs, just signed up for this yesterday.

Anyway, it says the codes for Amazon expire on the 30th, is there a chance they'll just end it after that?