Subscribed but 30 days free special was not applied

[JeffreyMB]

Using the "Get 30 Days of Game Time On Us" link on the launcher, I subscribed for 30 days. However after subscribing I noticed I didn't get the 30 free days.

 

I tried using the in game support which is supposedly available for subscribers, they basically gave me a copy paste response, seemingly without even having read my mail, saying that anything to do with is billing has to be done over the phone.

 

First of all my billing is fine, my account is fine. The only problem I have is with Bioware's failure to comply with the advertised campaign. All the information needed to verify the issue can be gained by looking at my account information without any input from me. You know when I subscribed. You know that the campaign was running at that time. And by looking at the time remaining on my account you know that it wasn't applied.

 

I am not going to call you anyone, because the phone bill would be more expensive than buying 30 days in the first place. Honestly if this is how subscribers get treated, I am not sure I want to be one.

[Mubrak]

Using the "Get 30 Days of Game Time On Us" link on the launcher, I subscribed for 30 days. However after subscribing I noticed I didn't get the 30 free days..

 

There is a "Get 30 Days of Game Time On Us" promotion on the launcher?

 

I know that the 30 days-codes that come with the purchase of the original game discs from 2011 still work. They're pretty cheap, but can be used only once per account and you need to be a current subscriber to use them.

 

Did you install the game from the original discs and that launcher told you you'd get 30 days before it updated?

Then you can enter your 30-days code under "Code Redemption" here: https://account.swtor.com/user/account

Edited December 19, 2015 by Mubrak

[JeKoCZ]

There is a "Get 30 Days of Game Time On Us" promotion on the launcher?

 

I know that the 30 days-codes that come with the purchase of the original game discs from 2011 still work. They're pretty cheap, but can be used only once per account and you need to be a current subscriber to use them.

 

Did you install the game from the original discs and that launcher told you you'd get 30 days before it updated?

Then you can enter your 30-days code under "Code Redemption" here: https://account.swtor.com/user/account

 

What you're talking about has nothing to do with what he wanted to know.

This is the 30 free days which are supposed to be granted to players if they sub before Jan 4th 2016. But the promo image ( http://imgur.com/fambHm7 ) they're sending out in the emails is all but clear.

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=8704885#post8704885

[Mubrak]

What you're talking about has nothing to do with what he wanted to know.

 

Well, I don't have a "get 30 days" link on the launcher, not even on a new account, and obviously got the "stay a subscriber" version of that promo mail, thus I was guessing he misinterpreted the original 30 days promotion as being a current one.

Edited December 19, 2015 by Mubrak

[JeffreyMB]

Well, I don't have a "get 30 days" link on the launcher, not even on a new account, and obviously got the "stay a subscriber" version of that promo mail, thus I was guessing he misinterpreted the original 30 days promotion as being a current one.

 

It is the campaign JeKoCZ mentioned. It doesn't show up in my launcher now that I am a subscriber, but it was showing up before. It was a simpler image than the one JeKoCZ linked, that simply said you get free 30 days if you subscribe before January 4th. Clicking on the image in the launcher takes you straight to the purchase subscription screen. From there you buy a subscription but don't actually get the 30 days, well at least I didn't.

[Mubrak]

When a promotion isn't easy to find on the website, i's difficult to convince CS it exists, especially by e-mail, where it's not guaranteed, that your answers will always go to the same CS-employee. This is why they want you to call them. If you use skype it comes at no extra cost for you.

 

That aside, "be a subscriber by 4th" in such promotions usually means you have to be a subscriber on that very day, (at 11:59pm UTC) and get the reward a day later during US work times (i.e. January 6th around 6pm UTC). So if I were you, I would wait until the 7th before trying my luck with CS again.

Edited December 20, 2015 by Mubrak

[JeffreyMB]

Well it looks like the 6th has gone by, and still no days added. I'll wait a few more days before cancelling my sub. I'll be damned if I'm going to keep paying a company that fails to honor it's agreements. Trick me once, shame on you, trick me twice, shame on me and all that. Not only that but there are several other posts about this same issue, and not a peep out of Bioware. I remember the days when Bioware was known for how closely it communicated and worked with the community, oh how they have fallen.

[OwenBrooks]

From the terms at this link here

 

Below is the full terms and conditions,

 

*Terms and Conditions Apply - Offer expires January 4, 2016 11:59PM PST// January 5, 2016 7:59AM GMT. The 30-Days of promotional Game Time is added to the account on or before January 6, 2016. Agreement to the Digital Services Agreement Required - Not valid/applicable in Germany."

 

US/CANADA: This offer is Exclusive to Named Recipient. Offer Expires on January 4, 2016 at 11:59PM PST // January 5, 2016 7:59AM GMT. Game Time awarded at the end of the first paid month or paid subscription period or end of the first paid Game Time Card period. Offer may not be substituted, exchanged, sold or redeemed for cash or other goods or services. May not be combined with any other offer, Gift Card, rebate or discount co·upon. Void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by Law. Limit one per account.

 

EU - This offer is Exclusive to Named Recipient. Offer expires on January 4, 2016 11:59PM PST// January 5, 2016 7:59AM GMT. Game Time awarded at the end of the first paid month or paid subscription period or end of the first paid Game Time card period. Offer may not be substituted, exchanged, sold or redeemed for cash or other goods or services. May not be combined with any other offer, Gift Card, rebate or discount coupon. Limit one offer per account.

Edited January 7, 2016 by OwenBrooks

[JeffreyMB]

Well reading all that it basically simply says it should be awarded on or before the 6th. I don't live in Germany, so that doesn't apply. The other stuff basically just says it can't be used in conjunction with other offers and can't be awarded to anyone other than the named account holder. Seeing as I am the account holder and I am not using it in conjunction with other offers neither of those apply either.

 

Long story short, they make agreements they don't intend to keep, and then hide behind phone support making you waste your time and money by calling support in hopes that you will just give up before the issue gets resolved. Both what the call what cost me and my time are worth more than the $15 30 days costs, so I guess I'll just speak with my wallet if they can't be arsed to fix the issue.

Edited January 7, 2016 by JeffreyMB

[OwenBrooks]

I think Jan 6th as well and added to the end of the first months game time, I have asked for clarification Edited January 7, 2016 by OwenBrooks

[JeffreyMB]

I think Jan 6th as well and added to the end of the first months game time, I have asked for clarification

 

Well it does say " The 30-Days of promotional Game Time is added to the account on or before January 6, 2016.".

 

Good luck with your request, all attempts I have made with in game support are copy paste replies telling me I have to call.

[OwenBrooks]

I am a asking via answers hq here

 

I am a volunteer mod so hopefully get a response once looked into

 

if you ever do need to phone , if you have Skype you can phone for free

 

add a contact with number +18553452186 , or amend the country to the USA and use the number (after the +1) 8553452186.

Edited January 7, 2016 by OwenBrooks

[Drunken_Ewok]

It's totally confusing and contradictory. In one instance it states "The 30-Days of promotional Game Time is added to the account on or before January 6, 2016". It then goes on to state "Game Time awarded at the end of the first paid month or paid subscription period or end of the first paid Game Time card period".

 

Come on EA which is it?

[JeffreyMB]

I finally got this worked out. I just couldn't post because I lost subscriber status for a bit.

 

It turns out you are supposed to get the days added when your current payment period lapses, or at least that's what support told me.

 

I had to jump through a few hoops just to get what they promised though.

 

After getting zero help on the forums or in game, I reluctantly called using Skype. Wait time and call time total was about 10 minutes. They verified my account and that I met the qualifications for the campaign and they told me not to worry the days would be automatically added when the current period lapses.

 

Then when my month was up, I logged on to see my account revert to preferred status. So I called using Skype again. This time about 20 minutes. They once again verified that I should have received the days, but then told me they have to do an investigation(not sure what they needed to investigate they already verified I should have gotten the days and I didn't) and they would get back to me with email.

 

At this point I had kind of given up, but after a couple of days I got a mail and they fixed the problem.

 

While I am very happy they fixed the problem, this is the kind of thing that drives potential subscribers away. If every time I give them money I have to jump through hoops just to get what was promised, I'm going to stop giving them money. Also they didn't give me anything to compensate for my wasted time and the inconvenience, not a requirement but it is fairly common for companies that care about customer service to do so.

 

Anyway, for anyone that runs into a similar problem hopefully this will give you an idea of what to expect when trying to get it resolved.

[Hellhoundtoo]

I subscribed 4 accounts because of the free game time offered. 2 new and 2 resubs. I noticed that I did not receive the free time, so I called CSR. I was told that even though I had subscribed within the time frame, because the ad was no longer in my launcher, I was ineligible. I was also told (no mention was made in the launcher) that this offer was open to selected accounts only and not to all players. At that point, I asked for a supervisor, as the person I was talking to obviously had no authority or ability to help. He skirted around the issue, never once even trying to get someone else to help me.

How can it be legal for them to extend an offer with a specific cutoff time and date, then pull the offer before it even expires?

After the call, I received an email asking me to complete a survey (no link included, so no survey). I responded to that email with my experience, and all I got back was a botmail stating that I needed to call CSR, as all account related issues were handled over the phone. I even asked (in both responses) for a supervisor to call me at the provided number.

I also posted my experience in the Customer Service forum as well. I am noticing that, in both places, there are many players, like myself, that were HOODWINKED and SCAMMED into subscribing with the promise of free game time.

I enjoy playing this game, and so does my family, but we are seriously considering, at the very least, returning to preferred status, if we even keep playing at all. This all depends on how Bioware/EA handle this situtation. I strongly urge my fellow players to join this rebellion and maybe we'll see some justice!

[JeffreyMB]

Actually I was told when I talked to support that the Launcher campaign was only available to specific players, and I believe a requirement is never having subscribed on that account before. I'm not sure of the other requirements but they made it sound like there were more than just never having subbed before.

 

Still if you saw it in the launcher, from what they told me that should mean you are eligible for it. But apparently they needed to do some investigation before giving me the days so I'm not sure what entailed. Regardless though making promises, and making customers jump through a bunch of hoops just to have a chance at getting what was promised(and in your case not even getting it) is bad business. If I hadn't received my days I was planning on writing the attorney general and filing a complaint with consumer protection agency for false advertising.