Refund Request denied, is a bank chargeback my only solution? What will happen?

[LordFacepalm]

I submitted a refund request for Act of Aggression both Sunday (the very same day I bought the game) and Monday and was denied on the basis that I have 5 hours playtime, where the policy is 2 hours. (I don't want this thread to be about WHY I dont like the game, suffice it to say I didn't like the AI, unit pathing, buggy framerate, and simply felt like it wasn't worth the price I paid. IMO this is a $5 sale game.)

I literally played this game for no more than 3 hours despite it saying on my profile that I played for 5 hours (as I spent time AFK on the menu screen and paused during the campaign... it isn't like I was anticipating returning the game so I was in no rush) and after that I immediately uninstalled the game... I have been an INCREDIBLY loyal Steam supporter over the last 11 years, even using Valve as a model example company in my MBA class; and I have NEVER asked for a refund, so SORRY Valve for not knowing about the 2 hour limit...

Had I known about the 2 hour limit, I CERTIANLY would have stopped playing the TERRIBLE campaign right then and just done the refund, but instead I tried the skrimish mode because I really wanted to give the game a chance... I anticipated a quality title with great multiplayer that would get me about 150-200 hours of gameplay, just like C&C Generals did (which this game is modeled after). And because of NOT having a knee-jerk reaction to the low quality of the game, and hoping it might have some redeming qualities, I am being punished now that my play time is considered "significant"........ Really? 3 hours of non-enjoyable buggy gameplay out of 150-200 expected hours is SIGNIFICANT???... THERE IS NO WAY I've even gotten 0.1% of my money's worth.

All I was asking for is a refund to my Steam Wallet (instead of my Visa, as a compromise) and that way Steam will still get my money.. I also read a few posts on Reddit of people getting refunds despite having 5 hours of playtime. But it seems Steam isn't being nice to me. (Or my request is just being auto-rejected by some filter)

So my question is this... IF this refund request is denied again, I think I'll be calling my bank and having them issue a chargeback on my account on the basis of recieving an inferior quality product.

If I do that: Can Steam somehow ban my account/credit card? The last thing I would want to do is lose access to my library of games. But a close second would be losing my ability to purchase anything else in the future...

Have any of you ever done a chargeback to Steam?



(PS. I really dont want to do any of this because I like Steam and believe Valve is one of the few software companies that hasn't gone the way of EA and Activision. I know they technically dont have to issue a refund as they can just quote policy that my playtime is over 2 hours, but IMO they should understand these extra circumstances, and see that I am not trying to abuse the system, and help a loyal fan recover some fraction of satisfaction over this regretable purchase)

[fluxtorrent]

If you do a bank chargeback be prepaired for your entire accoutn to be suspended, thats fraud.

[LordFacepalm]

Originally posted by fluxtorrent:

If you do a bank chargeback be prepaired for your entire accoutn to be suspended, thats fraud.

How would I be commiting fraud?

I believe I should have some rights as a consumer... Especially with video game companies releasing unfinished products these days... As wikipedia states (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chargeback)/

"With each chargeback the issuer selects and submits a numeric reason code.
-Technical: Expired authorization, non-sufficient funds, or bank processing error.
-Clerical: Duplicate billing, incorrect amount billed, or refund never issued.
-Quality: Consumer claims to have never received the goods as promised at the time of purchase.
-Fraud: Consumer claims they did not authorize the purchase or identity theft."

I would be claiming a chargeback on the basis of Quality.

"A dispute may also arise if a customer does not receive items they have paid for or if the items were not what they expected."

In this case, the items that I paid for are not what I expected or what I believe was advertised to me.

[Satoru]

No more than 3 hours?

Unlocked Nov 8 @ 5:19pm
Unlocked Nov 8 @ 6:19pm
Unlocked Nov 8 @ 7:05pm
Unlocked Nov 8 @ 8:04pm
Unlocked Nov 8 @ 8:43pm
Unlocked Nov 8 @ 10:28pm
Unlocked Nov 8 @ 11:02pm

That's a tad unbelievable

You're over the limit of 2 hours of gameplay time by a large margin. You don't get special treatment because you've been on steam for 11 years.

The policy is 2 hours. You don't get to deviate from it just because you feel like it.

[DevoidChaos]

Originally posted by Fighting_Fetus:

How would I be commiting fraud?

I believe I should have some rights as a consumer... Especially with video game companies releasing unfinished products these days... As wikipedia states (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chargeback)/

"With each chargeback the issuer selects and submits a numeric reason code.
-Technical: Expired authorization, non-sufficient funds, or bank processing error.
-Clerical: Duplicate billing, incorrect amount billed, or refund never issued.
-Quality: Consumer claims to have never received the goods as promised at the time of purchase.
-Fraud: Consumer claims they did not authorize the purchase or identity theft."

I would be claiming a chargeback on the basis of Quality.

"A dispute may also arise if a customer does not receive items they have paid for or if the items were not what they expected."

In this case, the items that I paid for are not what I expected or what I believe was advertised to me.

I've heard if you chargeback for any reason with any payment service your Steam account will be suspended forever

[Satoru]

Originally posted by Fighting_Fetus:

How would I be commiting fraud?

You're stealing money from Steam you are not entitled to. That's called fraud.

I believe I should have some rights as a consumer... Especially with video game companies releasing unfinished products these days... As wikipedia states (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chargeback)/

Yet somehow you played 5 hours and got 16 achievements. That is the opposite of 'unfinished'.

I would be claiming a chargeback on the basis of Quality.

And don't expect Steam to sit back and let you do that without consequence.

In this case, the items that I paid for are not what I expected or what I believe was advertised to me.

You got the game taht was advertised to you. There's nothign wrong with it. Its not broken since obviously you played 5 hours of it and got achievements. YOu simply didn't like it. That's nothing to do with 'quality'.

Regardless you're not entitled to a refund. And issuing a chargeback will cause a suspsension on your account, since unsuprisingly, committing fraud isn't something that companies like having done to them.

Its also bizarrely amusing you're doing this all over $5

[fluxtorrent]

Originally posted by Fighting_Fetus:

Originally posted by fluxtorrent:

If you do a bank chargeback be prepaired for your entire accoutn to be suspended, thats fraud.

How would I be commiting fraud?

I believe I should have some rights as a consumer... Especially with video game companies releasing unfinished products these days... As wikipedia states (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chargeback)/

"With each chargeback the issuer selects and submits a numeric reason code.
-Technical: Expired authorization, non-sufficient funds, or bank processing error.
-Clerical: Duplicate billing, incorrect amount billed, or refund never issued.
-Quality: Consumer claims to have never received the goods as promised at the time of purchase.
-Fraud: Consumer claims they did not authorize the purchase or identity theft."

I would be claiming a chargeback on the basis of Quality.

"A dispute may also arise if a customer does not receive items they have paid for or if the items were not what they expected."

In this case, the items that I paid for are not what I expected or what I believe was advertised to me.

Simple answer, you made a purchase and agreed to the terms, then choose not to pay because you are unhappy with the terms. This is by definition fraud. You are "free" to do it but steam is "free" to not do business with you just as well and the simple truth of the matter is WHY would they want to do business with someone if that person is not going to hold up to their end of the agreement.

[Satoru]

Originally posted by DevoidChaos:

I've heard if you chargeback for any reason with any payment service your Steam account will be suspended forever

1) It will be suspended for 9 weeks
2) during which time you can use the account but cannot register, buy, trade, market, gift, activate any games
3) After the 9 weeks your account will go back to normal
4) The payment method will be permanently black listed on Steam

[DevoidChaos]

Originally posted by Satoru:

Originally posted by DevoidChaos:

I've heard if you chargeback for any reason with any payment service your Steam account will be suspended forever

1) It will be suspended for 9 weeks
2) during which time you can use the account but cannot register, buy, trade, market, gift, activate any games
3) After the 9 weeks your account will go back to normal
4) The payment method will be permanently black listed on Steam

oh ok, thanks for clearing that up.

[Satoru]

Originally posted by DevoidChaos:

oh ok, thanks for clearing that up.

In your defense it was like that before where a chargeback was a permanent account suspension. They changed the policy a few years back. So you might have heard about the 'old' policy.

[Spawn of Totoro]

https://chargebacks911.com/what-is-a-chargeback/
http://www.cardfellow.com/chargebacks/

May want to check what constitutes a fraudulent chargeback.

You made a legitamate purchase and exceeded the allowed time frame for a refund. Doing a chargeback cost Valve money (from $20-$200 or more, per a chargeback), so they are well with in their rights to refuse further purchases from the card used and from the account.

Typicaly it is a 9 week lock on the account and a banning of that card. You will loose Fallout 4 form the account, but you will not loose access to your other games, even if the lock is permanent.

You also agreed to the return policy when you purchased the game, as it is included in the SSA.

[LordFacepalm]

"Yet somehow you played 5 hours and got 16 achievements. That is the opposite of 'unfinished'."

I told you I spent a lot of time AFK... And so what if the stupid game threw achievements at me like candy. AND EVEN IF I REALLY DID PLAY FOR 5 HOURS STRAIGHT, I could see that being "significant" for an arcade-style game like Trine or something but for a game like this it's rediculous.

"You got the game taht was advertised to you. There's nothign wrong with it. Its not broken since obviously you played 5 hours of it and got achievements. YOu simply didn't like it. That's nothing to do with 'quality'."

That is 100% subjective. I believe it is broken. Most of the issues didn't even present themselves until I tried the skrimish mode. Which is what I bought the game for.... I didnt realise that I was ON A ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ TIMER and had to investigate every nook of the game within 2 hours.

"You're stealing money from Steam you are not entitled to. That's called fraud."

I'm not stealing anything, BECAUSE I DONT WANT IT, I want to give it back, that's pretty much the opposite of stealing.. PLUS I even offered to put it on my Steam Wallet instead of my CC so they will STILL get my money.... They dont have anything to lose, only the dev does.

"Regardless you're not entitled to a refund. And issuing a chargeback will cause a suspsension on your account, since unsuprisingly, committing fraud isn't something that companies like having done to them. "

Honestly, I didnt expect much other than this, but I MUST SAY THIS HAS TAUGHT ME ONE THING FOR CERTIAN:

<removed>

Live and learn.

[fluxtorrent]

And still no one cares.

[fluxtorrent]

I would point out that if you don't like the truth you really shouldn't have asked.

[LordFacepalm]

I dont mind the truth at all, it's what I expected, doesnt mean that I think it's right that software companies can boss consumers around and that the sale of virtual goods needs some regulation

[fluxtorrent]

You gripe but honestly, try purchasing software from walmart and taking it back after it's been opened. Like any purchase, software or otherwise, you are bound to the agreement made at the time. Try doing a chargeback on your car payments and see what happens just because you are unhappy with the colour after 2 days of driving it.