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EA refuses to refund user for Sim City and then threatens a ban if they chargeback
- Thread starter IcyRhythms
- Start date
this is why I hope the physical media lives on
Zoe
Member
In their view, chargebacks are fraud. You're not going through the proper refund process.
harrypmgaga
Member
Borderlands funnily enough.
RobotMafia
Banned
EA ain't giving anyone their money back. As my idol CliffyB would say: "Vote with your wallet; fuck you little cunts just give me money".
DidntKnowJack
Member
Sho_Nuff82
Member
This is why an always online console can't work. Can you imagine the shitstorm when live has one of its 24 hr maintenance sessions? Or the service delays after a rapid infusion of new users like when COD4 came out?
When being online is the experience itself, customers can justify the occasional networking glitch. If I buy a new fighting game or racer or platformer and I can't even boot, I'm going to be a disgruntled customer.
Raitosaito
Member
Hero_of_the_Day
Member
Take it, like he was fucking told.
Obviously if they deny him a refund it's because their stance is that he's not entitled to one and they're not going to let him just take one. It's not like they're going "Oh, sorry, you can't get a refund this way, I wonder if there's anything else you can do."
Maybe the people who sell the games shouldn't be the people who make the games too?
Alex Connolly
Member
Ladies and gentlemen, Clifford B.
ClovingWestbrook
Banned
Where does that show that the account limitation will be removed after nine weeks?
They did but they didn't give refunds on Cortex Command which was a very similar circumstance. Steam is inconsistent and while it destroys Origin in most categories, they're both lacking when it comes to CS. It's one of the reasons I buy most of my stuff from Amazon. Their CS has had my back even when they weren't the ones who came up short.
"This account will have restricted functionality for 9 weeks"?
ClovingWestbrook
Banned
Derp. I am blind.
"And then all the weeks after that too"
If they stated they're offering refunds the guy should get a refund, simple as that. Chargebacks will always get you in trouble with the merchant though (see below).
Yep, I can confirm it's only 9 weeks for a chargeback and Valve does not "ban you" or take away your games. My Steam account was auto-restricted in this way not too long ago due to a Paypal payment processing error that charged me three times for the same game, then initiated reversals on all those payments without asking me at all.
When I contacted Valve support they identified the error by the timestamp on the purchase, and even refunded me the money for the game I'd already been refunded by Paypal, as well as letting me keep the subscription. They also (mostly) unrestricted my account.
As a testament to Valve still managing to have some of the worst customer support ever--even after a miracle like the above--the trade ban however stayed in effect for the full period and had to expire naturally.
Finally, when the trade restriction expired naturally, I was told by support I should have no further issues. At this point I'd been back and forth with them for almost 3 weeks regarding the problem, had my intelligence thoroughly assaulted and felt a, "No shit Sherlock," was in order, but restrained myself.
Yep, I can confirm it's only 9 weeks for a chargeback and Valve does not "ban you" or take away your games. My Steam account was auto-restricted in this way not too long ago due to a Paypal payment processing error that charged me three times for the same game, then initiated reversals on all those payments without asking me at all.
When I contacted Valve support they identified the error by the timestamp on the purchase, and even refunded me the money for the game I'd already been refunded by Paypal, as well as letting me keep the subscription. They also (mostly) unrestricted my account.
As a testament to Valve still managing to have some of the worst customer support ever--even after a miracle like the above--the trade ban however stayed in effect for the full period and had to expire naturally.
Finally, when the trade restriction expired naturally, I was told by support I should have no further issues. At this point I'd been back and forth with them for almost 3 weeks regarding the problem, had my intelligence thoroughly assaulted and felt a, "No shit Sherlock," was in order, but restrained myself.
Raitosaito
Member
You know, I get that Valve support is bad (I had the crappiest time verifying myself through passport that I am also a Thailand citizen and a US one) but man this is way worse.
The real story here is that EA released a press release about the server issue that said you can request a refund, even though they apparently have no intention of actually giving anyone a refund for it.
Everyone who asks for a refund after reading that press release is asking for a refund for the same reason, so either they're all entitled to them or, as is apparently the case, none of them are. So why even put it in the press release? To trick complacent people who are willing to wait for the servers to be fixed into thinking EA is on their side?
Everyone who asks for a refund after reading that press release is asking for a refund for the same reason, so either they're all entitled to them or, as is apparently the case, none of them are. So why even put it in the press release? To trick complacent people who are willing to wait for the servers to be fixed into thinking EA is on their side?
Raitosaito
Member
I can see Peter Moore making a thread about how Neogaf just wants attention. Full damage control EA is fun to watch.
I agree, everyone that wants a refund should be entitled to them like EA has said.
I don't think they have an valid excuse for not refunding, I will not ask for a refund but I don't blame anyone that would.
except for that brief time in 2008 when they released burnout paradise, mirror's edge, boom blox, and dead space. what a weird year that was.
it's sad that peter moore became everything he hated.
Really glad I got mine in when I did then.
They probably had a big inrush of refund requests and whoever is managing whatever "call center" they are working out of sees this and whatever metric they are evaluated on went in the red so they made a call to shut down refunds.
At least that would be my guess.
They probably had a big inrush of refund requests and whoever is managing whatever "call center" they are working out of sees this and whatever metric they are evaluated on went in the red so they made a call to shut down refunds.
At least that would be my guess.
Zoe
Member
Raitosaito
Member
And that's the year I actually liked John Riccitiello. In interviews he sounded like he loved the gamer. But the sales of all those games suck, so I kind of get why they went all "fight cod."
I wish I got my "1" refund... demanded one for Aliens: Colonial Marines, for obvious reasons after a whopping 20min in-game. Was told that it was beyond impossible... -1 for Steam customer support in my books
You are insane.
The US has appalling level of consumer protection. So you're saying that when a US consumer exercises their only option left when you purchase something not fit for use, the company that sold it is morally OK to ban them and take action against the consumer?
How about if your electricity company over changes you, and you do a charge back then to reclaim your funds? Are they in their rights to cut you off? You know, because fuck you for getting your money back through legal means.
Like I said, insane.
Raitosaito
Member
We have a lot. Just not in the digital space.
Palette Swap
Member
And this is why you shouldn't buy an EA product to begin with.
Here is my transcript fyi if anyone was curious. I edited out the support guy's name just in case along with all the other sensitive info
Nice and easy in my case.
Darkmakaimura
Member
Pretty much but he's probably using his first real name. Probably best he ask to speak with a higher up, though they will probably hand it to a "team leader" who will then escalate it to an "Operations Manager", etc.
Shining Sunshine
Banned
Well, he wants a refund for a lie he created.
And getting banned for chargeback is legit.
I see no problem here. No refund is deserved.
And getting banned for chargeback is legit.
I see no problem here. No refund is deserved.
ClovingWestbrook
Banned
Shining Sunshine
Banned
That it's not a server problem.
ClovingWestbrook
Banned
What does it matter if he was incorrect about that? Fact is the game is currently broken. He deserved a refund. And forcing a chargeback shouldnt ban him from the games he has already purchased. See Steam.
Raitosaito
Member
Agreed. The responsibility is not placed on the customer to figure all this out, the only thing the the customer needs to worry about is if he got the product that was described.
Phoenician_Viking
Banned
Fuck you EA you piece of shit of a company. So glad i did not buy this game.