Just a word of warning for others...
The other day I was browsing around and while at Gamespot I saw some material I thought would be cool to get. When I tried the site said the material was only available for paying customers. Well that cool, I understand the reasoning and looked at the subscription models.
The basic model was only $20 a year and so I figure $20 is not all that much and i can explore the site more fully.
Pulled out the credit card and put down my $20.
The site told me it might take an hour or so to bring up the account so I logged off and came back on that evening. Once I logged in I was browsing and saw a review of the 1090T I wanted to comment on. Imagine my surpirse when I saw that my account was not allowed to post a comment. (The site said I was suspended.) I went to my account info and saw a help file that a pending account might look like it is suspsended. I did a little digging and deep in the help files was told that the account could take up to 72 hours to become active.
Well after 24 hours I sent a note to support, again a very complicated way of getting there inquiring on the status of my account, especially since they had made sure to take my money with 24 hours, it had already hit my bank.
I had a busy day and when I got to the site again, the next day I was still in this limbo pending status. I figured this was going to go the full 72 hours so I waited and the next day checked the account, again still in limbo.
I again sent a note, this time a bit harsher asking why my money could be taken so quickly but an account or a reply to a help request could not be done with the same effeciency.
At the 96 hour mark the account was still not active and now I was pissed. It was not about the amount of money so mcuh as the principle. I mean I paid them money, they took the money and then ignored all contact.
Finally in frustration after working down through the material on the site I found the tinfo on the parent comapny CBS Interactive. I found their US number and gave them a call. The woman on the phone was confused and it took about 20 minutes for her to find a number and email address for me to contact.
I called the contact number at 30 PM CST and was greeted with a message that I was calling after work hours and to leave a message? This office BTW is on the west coast according the woman I spoke with? I tried again later that day and a few times the next morning, SAME message.
Okay I finally sent an email to the address I was given expressing my dismay at the experience I was having and asked for either a refund on my account or my account to be activated as it should ASAP.
Within less than 24 hours my account now has the status of Revoked and the reason is I have violated the terms of the subscription. I looked, no email telling me why I was revoked or that they where sorry and where refunding my money. I looked at their online in site message system, no note explaining the action or offering the refund.
For one of the so called major game sites on the internet this is the crappiest run organization I have ever seen. This whole matter could have been resolved with someone actually reading a support request and fixing an account. Now they do not have the professionalism to even tell someone why an account is revoked or if offering a refund to inform them properly.
I can tell you that I will be watchin g my account closely for the next few days and if the money for the subscription does not reappear I will file complaints with the States Attorney and the BB. Overall I suggest everyone avoid Gamespot.
The other day I was browsing around and while at Gamespot I saw some material I thought would be cool to get. When I tried the site said the material was only available for paying customers. Well that cool, I understand the reasoning and looked at the subscription models.
The basic model was only $20 a year and so I figure $20 is not all that much and i can explore the site more fully.
Pulled out the credit card and put down my $20.
The site told me it might take an hour or so to bring up the account so I logged off and came back on that evening. Once I logged in I was browsing and saw a review of the 1090T I wanted to comment on. Imagine my surpirse when I saw that my account was not allowed to post a comment. (The site said I was suspended.) I went to my account info and saw a help file that a pending account might look like it is suspsended. I did a little digging and deep in the help files was told that the account could take up to 72 hours to become active.
Well after 24 hours I sent a note to support, again a very complicated way of getting there inquiring on the status of my account, especially since they had made sure to take my money with 24 hours, it had already hit my bank.
I had a busy day and when I got to the site again, the next day I was still in this limbo pending status. I figured this was going to go the full 72 hours so I waited and the next day checked the account, again still in limbo.
I again sent a note, this time a bit harsher asking why my money could be taken so quickly but an account or a reply to a help request could not be done with the same effeciency.
At the 96 hour mark the account was still not active and now I was pissed. It was not about the amount of money so mcuh as the principle. I mean I paid them money, they took the money and then ignored all contact.
Finally in frustration after working down through the material on the site I found the tinfo on the parent comapny CBS Interactive. I found their US number and gave them a call. The woman on the phone was confused and it took about 20 minutes for her to find a number and email address for me to contact.
I called the contact number at 30 PM CST and was greeted with a message that I was calling after work hours and to leave a message? This office BTW is on the west coast according the woman I spoke with? I tried again later that day and a few times the next morning, SAME message.
Okay I finally sent an email to the address I was given expressing my dismay at the experience I was having and asked for either a refund on my account or my account to be activated as it should ASAP.
Within less than 24 hours my account now has the status of Revoked and the reason is I have violated the terms of the subscription. I looked, no email telling me why I was revoked or that they where sorry and where refunding my money. I looked at their online in site message system, no note explaining the action or offering the refund.
For one of the so called major game sites on the internet this is the crappiest run organization I have ever seen. This whole matter could have been resolved with someone actually reading a support request and fixing an account. Now they do not have the professionalism to even tell someone why an account is revoked or if offering a refund to inform them properly.
I can tell you that I will be watchin g my account closely for the next few days and if the money for the subscription does not reappear I will file complaints with the States Attorney and the BB. Overall I suggest everyone avoid Gamespot.
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