Refunding a Microtransaction

[Destined Tucker]

I know by default you cannot refund an MTX, so I followed the links provided by Steam and reached out to EA support. The game is PvZ Battle for Neighborville. After talking to EA support for a week, they said to reach out to Steam and get a refund for the purchase. The only problem that I am having is that I cannot request a refund on that purchase since Steam treats MTX purchases differently. They just keep telling me to reach back out to EA to get help, but they send me back to Steam to get a refund.
Is there a way I can reach out to Steam Support with a general request? (not linked to that purchase because I can't do anything from the purchase support page) Or is there another way to reach out and get this figured out? I am just kind of stumped and do not know what to do at this point, any advice?

Let me clarify, I did not receive the MTX pack that I purchased, my money basically got sent into the void. I spent the money and got nothing in return, that is why I am trying to figure out this refund thing. I know you usually can not get a refund on MTX stuff, I'm not quite that ignorant. I just want what I purchased, and since I was told it could not be granted by support from EA, I was told to reach out to Steam to get my refund. I just need help with that.

[rawWwRrr]

Originally posted by Destined Tucker:

any advice?

Originally posted by Destined Tucker:

by default you cannot refund an MTX

[nullable]

When stuff says it's non-refundable you should take note and understand there's not an asterisk there for if you're clever, it's not a test. Or if you know this one trick stores really hate, or if you say the right customer incantation than negates the previous agreement you entered into.

[fluxtorrent]

point out to EA support that it is not refundable on steam, and that if they want your business further they must remedy, as they are the ones who end up with your money.

[Destined Tucker]

Originally posted by rawWwRrr:

Originally posted by Destined Tucker:

any advice?

Originally posted by Destined Tucker:

by default you cannot refund an MTX

I know, I read all the support stuff, and I understand that going in, but Steam links to third-party support implying that a microtransaction can be refunded or that support is available for it. I also want to clarify (because I guess I forgot to mention it in the original post) I did not receive what I purchased. My money went into the void. I do not even entirely care for the refund, just to receive what I purchased. So I'd like to think it ain't quite as black and white as you are seemingly acting like it is. But your comment definitely isn't too wrong either.

[Destined Tucker]

Originally posted by nullable:

When stuff says it's non-refundable you should take note and understand there's not an asterisk there for if you're clever, it's not a test. Or if you know this one trick stores really hate, or if you say the right customer incantation than negates the previous agreement you entered into.

I get that. The only problem compared to normal, is that I did not receive what I purchased, therefore I would almost always either get a refund or support would help issue what I actually purchased. I guess I didn't mention it in the original post, but I never received what I purchased. Since I could not get what I actually purchased, I was told to reach out to Steam and given the "ok" from EA support to request a refund. Steam support is what linked me to EA support to reach out about a refund, so clearly there is a possibility in specific situations. All I was asking for, is how to properly reach out to them regarding the purchase, as there is not obvious way to for MTX purchases.

[Destined Tucker]

Originally posted by fluxtorrent:

point out to EA support that it is not refundable on steam, and that if they want your business further they must remedy, as they are the ones who end up with your money.

Thanks for being the only decently helpful response. I reached out and they directed me back to a different section of their support team, so back down the rabbit hole I go, I guess. Thanks for the advice.

[nullable]

Originally posted by Destined Tucker:

Originally posted by nullable:

When stuff says it's non-refundable you should take note and understand there's not an asterisk there for if you're clever, it's not a test. Or if you know this one trick stores really hate, or if you say the right customer incantation than negates the previous agreement you entered into.

I get that. The only problem compared to normal, is that I did not receive what I purchased, therefore I would almost always either get a refund or support would help issue what I actually purchased. I guess I didn't mention it in the original post, but I never received what I purchased. Since I could not get what I actually purchased, I was told to reach out to Steam and given the "ok" from EA support to request a refund. Steam support is what linked me to EA support to reach out about a refund, so clearly there is a possibility in specific situations. All I was asking for, is how to properly reach out to them regarding the purchase, as there is not obvious way to for MTX purchases.

Well first you start by including all the details in your post. Because when you ask a general purpose question: "How do I refund something that's non-refundable?" The obvious answer is that you don't.

If the transaction did not fail, then it would really be up to EA or Valve to provide the content. However are you sure you didn't receive it, maybe your expectations of what that looks like doesn't match reality?

So out of curiosity what game are we talking about and what did you purchase?

[rawWwRrr]

Originally posted by Destined Tucker:

Originally posted by rawWwRrr:

I know, I read all the support stuff, and I understand that going in, but Steam links to third-party support implying that a microtransaction can be refunded or that support is available for it. I also want to clarify (because I guess I forgot to mention it in the original post) I did not receive what I purchased. My money went into the void. I do not even entirely care for the refund, just to receive what I purchased. So I'd like to think it ain't quite as black and white as you are seemingly acting like it is. But your comment definitely isn't too wrong either.

Steam can't determine whether or not you received what you paid for in the microtransaction. They are merely assisting with the payment for it. That's why they won't issue the refund and they are possibly linking you off to the publisher/developer for resolution. As far as Steam is concerned it's out of their hands. They took your money and the game is meant to provide the thing you bought based on the completed purchase. If the game doesn't provide you with what you paid for, it's up to the developers of that game to fix it for you. Or, provide you with the refund that you want.

So yes there is a way to get a refund but it's up to the game's developer to issue it or authorize it. And frankly speaking it's most likely not going to happen unless you're some huge whale that's dropped thousands on their game and they don't want to take the chance of a PR backlash.

[Destined Tucker]

Originally posted by nullable:

Originally posted by Destined Tucker:

I get that. The only problem compared to normal, is that I did not receive what I purchased, therefore I would almost always either get a refund or support would help issue what I actually purchased. I guess I didn't mention it in the original post, but I never received what I purchased. Since I could not get what I actually purchased, I was told to reach out to Steam and given the "ok" from EA support to request a refund. Steam support is what linked me to EA support to reach out about a refund, so clearly there is a possibility in specific situations. All I was asking for, is how to properly reach out to them regarding the purchase, as there is not obvious way to for MTX purchases.

Well first you start by including all the details in your post. Because when you ask a general purpose question: "How do I refund something that's non-refundable?" The obvious answer is that you don't.

If the transaction did not fail, then it would really be up to EA or Valve to provide the content. However are you sure you didn't receive it, maybe your expectations of what that looks like doesn't match reality?

So out of curiosity what game are we talking about and what did you purchase?

Yeah, that's on me for not including all the details originally. I was kind of in a rush to post this, and didn't think to reread through it. As for the game, it is PvZ Battle for Neighborville, and I purchased a pack that gives the MTX currency, so literally all I would receive is the currency, which I did not. I assume what went wrong, is that the pack is labelled as a "one-time" offer, but I think it has appeared before. I just assumed since it was showing up it was safe to buy the pack (I didn't even think about whether or not I had bought it before since I haven't bought anything in the game in years, and I just assumed it would work).

Thanks for your help, and sorry for not being more clear with the original post.

[Destined Tucker]

Originally posted by rawWwRrr:

Originally posted by Destined Tucker:

I know, I read all the support stuff, and I understand that going in, but Steam links to third-party support implying that a microtransaction can be refunded or that support is available for it. I also want to clarify (because I guess I forgot to mention it in the original post) I did not receive what I purchased. My money went into the void. I do not even entirely care for the refund, just to receive what I purchased. So I'd like to think it ain't quite as black and white as you are seemingly acting like it is. But your comment definitely isn't too wrong either.

Steam can't determine whether or not you received what you paid for in the microtransaction. They are merely assisting with the payment for it. That's why they won't issue the refund and they are possibly linking you off to the publisher/developer for resolution. As far as Steam is concerned it's out of their hands. They took your money and the game is meant to provide the thing you bought based on the completed purchase. If the game doesn't provide you with what you paid for, it's up to the developers of that game to fix it for you. Or, provide you with the refund that you want.

So yes there is a way to get a refund but it's up to the game's developer to issue it or authorize it. And frankly speaking it's most likely not going to happen unless you're some huge whale that's dropped thousands on their game and they don't want to take the chance of a PR backlash.

I see, I'm definitely far from a whale, as this is the first pack I have bought in years, and probably the second pack I have ever bought, totally like $15. I'm gonna reach back out to EA I guess and see if a different support agent can help me more.

Thanks for your input though, definitely most helpful comment, a lot of stuff I didn't know regarding all this.