Will Steam implement mobile phone payments in the UK

[Menphues]

Hello all,

I am just wondering that is all. There is not a lot of payment methods with Steam UK and wondered if there will ever be the ability to purchase via mobile?

I know some sites do allow this and it’s good for balancing at times which made me think about Steam?

Mobile payments meaning it is charged to your phone bill, so instead of taking from your bank account. IE, you put your phone number in, it texts you saying Y or N to charge x amount. You pay and done.

[Menphues]

Originally posted by dazza0511:

This is confusing.

Which part?

[Cathulhu]

Valve tried mobile payments, they soon discontinued it due to many downsides like heavy fees and a high risk of chargebacks, even months later on.
It just didn't work out financially. It was unsustainable.

[aiusepsi]

Originally posted by Menphues (Kyle):

I know some sites do allow this and it’s good for balancing at times which made me think about Steam?

What do you mean by "good for balancing"? I don't understand the use-case here.

[Menphues]

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

Valve tried mobile payments, they soon discontinued it due to many downsides like heavy fees and a high risk of chargebacks, even months later on.
It just didn't work out financially. It was unsustainable.

I did not know this, so thank you for the insight. If a charge back happens then surely the game can be removed from the person?

Originally posted by aiusepsi:

Originally posted by Menphues (Kyle):

I know some sites do allow this and it’s good for balancing at times which made me think about Steam?

What do you mean by "good for balancing"? I don't understand the use-case here.

Well let’s say no money in the bank until the end of the month on payday but you can pay via phone which is taken at the end of the month or added to a bill. It’s paid for now and you can play now and will be deducted with phone bill.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Originally posted by Menphues (Kyle):

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

Valve tried mobile payments, they soon discontinued it due to many downsides like heavy fees and a high risk of chargebacks, even months later on.
It just didn't work out financially. It was unsustainable.

I did not know this, so thank you for the insight. If a charge back happens then surely the game can be removed from the person?

Originally posted by aiusepsi:

What do you mean by "good for balancing"? I don't understand the use-case here.

Well let’s say no money in the bank until the end of the month on payday but you can pay via phone which is taken at the end of the month or added to a bill. It’s paid for now and you can play now and will be deducted with phone bill.

Chargebacks cost money themselves, per transaction.

Use PayPal pay in 4.

[Cathulhu]

Originally posted by Menphues (Kyle):

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

Valve tried mobile payments, they soon discontinued it due to many downsides like heavy fees and a high risk of chargebacks, even months later on.
It just didn't work out financially. It was unsustainable.

I did not know this, so thank you for the insight. If a charge back happens then surely the game can be removed from the person?

Of course. Doesn't change the fact that Valve already paid the developer, so they lose money on the purchase anyway.
Doesn't change the fact that a chargeback can also incur massive fees up to multiple times the game has cost on top of losing the money from the purchase.