Received a warning from Steam for requesting too many refunds. (5 requests)

"You’ve requested a bunch of refunds recently. Please keep in mind that refunds are not a method for trying out games. If we think the refund system is being misused we’ll decline to grant future refunds."

Since the summer sale started, I've made some refund requests to titles that I couldn't make my minds in time but later regretted buying.

Final Fantasy 13 and 13-2 (not played at all)
GTA 5(re-purchased because I bought it with FF, had to return it as well)
Few Crusader Kings DLC (not played at all. I was really conflicted about this one. after refunding, I decided to buy every DLC instead)
All Crusader Kings DLC (not played at all. decided to get a refund to buy other titles)
Survivalist (played 100 minutes)

First 3, I got a refund approval in 1~2 hours.
For CK2 DLCs, I've not received approval or decline for 5 days. Still waiting.
Survivalist finally got refunded after 4 days.

So does Steam support consider refunding 40ish DLCs together as 40 different refund requests?

I have other titles that I also regret buying but I'm afraid if I make any more requests Steam will take my rights to request refunds in the future. And this for... getting refund 4 times.

I can't even contact them. My support ticket is unanswered for days and steam support does not even have a phone number.

Am I screwed if I make one more refund request? But I've not played any of the titles other than Survivalist! How the hell is Steam chastising me for possible abusing when they promised refund for any reasons?

I wasn't thinking carefully when making purchases ONLY because Steam's refund policies made it clear I could get refunds as long as I'm not abusing it. How could I have known making 5 refund requests, with 1 of them played and other untouched, warranted a warning for stripping further refunds?

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Showing 1-15 of 34 comments

Ambivalent 21 Jun, 2015 @ 10:04am

As long as you're right about your reasons and you haven't passed timeline/gameplay time i guess Steam wouldn't care.

Deciding on some of them takes longer than others for some reason.

PS: Got about 10 refunds approved in a week or so. I received same mails aswell. I got 3 refunds after these mails.

Edit: On DLC i'm not sure because buying DLC means you like the game as base, have no problems and want to improve it. And i'm not sure if DLC's gameplay is counted elsewhere instead of base game.

Last edited by Ambivalent; 21 Jun, 2015 @ 10:06am

The Squirrel 21 Jun, 2015 @ 10:05am

You need to learn how to make up your mind before clicking the buy button.

Rzep 21 Jun, 2015 @ 10:06am

That's Steam for you. They never made it clear what abuse is so you have to be careful. Today I applied for a third refund, its been accepted. I did not get a warning. Since the whole system is automated I think making multiple refund requests at the same time is risky. There isnt a person behind the system to make a judgement call whether someone is truling abusing it.

Hextravert 21 Jun, 2015 @ 10:09am

Originally posted by Coocoodas:
Am I screwed if I make one more refund request? But I've not played any of the titles other than Survivalist! How the hell is Steam chastising me for possible abusing when they promised refund for any reasons?

This is just a standard, friendly reminder. Nothing more, nothing less.

The same warning can be found elsewhere. It's nothing personal.

In other words: you are allowed to make more requests, but don't abuse us. Or else...!

Abuse

Refunds are designed to remove the risk from purchasing titles on Steam—not as a way to get free games. If it appears to us that you are abusing refunds, we may stop offering them to you. We do not consider it abuse to request a refund on a title that was purchased just before a sale and then immediately rebuying that title for the sale price.

Hanomaly 21 Jun, 2015 @ 10:10am

Originally posted by Rzep:
That's Steam for you. They never made it clear what abuse is so you have to be careful. Today I applied for a third refund, its been accepted. I did not get a warning. Since the whole system is automated I think making multiple refund requests at the same time is risky. There isnt a person behind the system to make a judgement call whether someone is truling abusing it.

Even RL stores actually won't take refunds for you if you do too many too close together.
They also don't tell you what they consider "refund abuse", but rather make a judgement call for individual situations.

There are definitely human over-seers in the Steam Refund process when you have played either over 2 hours or.. bought the game further back than 14 days.

To me it seems probable there is a human overseer when the automated system triggers a "this person has requested too many refunds" thingie too. Then a human looks in to see if it is abuse or not.

Gavener 21 Jun, 2015 @ 10:15am

i only asked for 1 refund so far and got it in 4 days, the rest of my games that are unplayable are all those 99-1.99 games so no bother

Ambivalent 21 Jun, 2015 @ 10:16am

I'd love to see some kind of rejection to a developer for abusing players.

Maybe a forced refund eh? Like "You lied to your player base, stole their money and flee to Bahamas. Give those back" kinda :)

Until then and as long as i am in 14 days/2 hours thinga and experience problems i'll try to get it.

Coocoodas 21 Jun, 2015 @ 10:21am

Originally posted by Ambivalent:
As long as you're right about your reasons and you haven't passed timeline/gameplay time i guess Steam wouldn't care.

Deciding on some of them takes longer than others for some reason.

PS: Got about 10 refunds approved in a week or so. I received same mails aswell. I got 3 refunds after these mails.

Edit: On DLC i'm not sure because buying DLC means you like the game as base, have no problems and want to improve it. And i'm not sure if DLC's gameplay is counted elsewhere instead of base game.

Was your requests being massively delayed as well? After my initial 3 requests it's like Steam has decided to ignore me for days.

Coocoodas 21 Jun, 2015 @ 10:25am

Originally posted by Hextravert:
Originally posted by Coocoodas:
Am I screwed if I make one more refund request? But I've not played any of the titles other than Survivalist! How the hell is Steam chastising me for possible abusing when they promised refund for any reasons?

This is just a standard, friendly reminder. Nothing more, nothing less.

The same warning can be found elsewhere. It's nothing personal.

In other words: you are allowed to make more requests, but don't abuse us. Or else...! :dealwithit: :dealwithit: :dealwithit:

Abuse
Refunds are designed to remove the risk from purchasing titles on Steam—not as a way to get free games. If it appears to us that you are abusing refunds, we may stop offering them to you. We do not consider it abuse to request a refund on a title that was purchased just before a sale and then immediately rebuying that title for the sale price.

I'm concerned because my refund requests are processed much, much slower than normal. Normally you get approval/decline in a few hours. Now my requests are taking 4 days and more(one is pending for 5 days) and I'm not sure if Steam is simply investigating my case or intimidating me into not making any more requests or else I will lose rights to make more refund requests.

Start_Running 21 Jun, 2015 @ 10:36am

Likely your activioties have swiutched you from the automated to the human reviewed system. Dude.. seriously, just stop buying for a while. With the number of refunds you've done in what is less than a month any store would basically just say. Nope.

#10

Hextravert 21 Jun, 2015 @ 10:53am

We are not starring in Law & Order: SVU.

Nobody is going over your case(s) with a magnifying glass—let alone out to intimidate you.

More and more users are changing their minds because things are about to end. That's all.

Originally posted by Coocoodas:
Now my requests are taking 4 days and more (one is pending for 5 days) and I'm not sure if Steam is simply investigating my case or intimidating me into not making any more requests or else I will lose rights to make more refund requests.

#11

Xaelath 21 Jun, 2015 @ 10:58am

Originally posted by Start_Running:
Likely your activioties have swiutched you from the automated to the human reviewed system. Dude.. seriously, just stop buying for a while. With the number of refunds you've done in what is less than a month any store would basically just say. Nope.

Agreed.
Why would people wanted to refund if the next sales they will buy it again? and blame steam have suck sales and go to gog. wtf is wrong with people logic these days?
Wasnt it better to buy a pack rather than having it one by one for dlc? like season pass or goty version?
Also do notice some AAA games have a decent discount because reason means either you buy it now or later. Or maybe it wont change at all.

#12

Start_Running 21 Jun, 2015 @ 11:00am

Originally posted by Xaelath:
Originally posted by Start_Running:
Likely your activioties have swiutched you from the automated to the human reviewed system. Dude.. seriously, just stop buying for a while. With the number of refunds you've done in what is less than a month any store would basically just say. Nope.
Agreed.
Why would people wanted to refund if the next sales they will buy it again? and blame steam have suck sales and go to gog. wtf is wrong with people logic these days?
Wasnt it better to buy a pack rather than having it one by one for dlc? like season pass or goty version?
Also do notice some AAA games have a decent discount because reason means either you buy it now or later. Or maybe it wont change at all.

Saddly I purchase all the GoG exclusive games I want and where Gog and Steam gave the game the Steam version is always cheaper :p

Granted I made out like a bandit this Summer Sale. See like any experienced Shopper I used my Wishlist to shortlist the games I was interested in. Once they hit a price I was okay with.. Boom. Purchased.

Last edited by Start_Running; 21 Jun, 2015 @ 11:01am

#13

⎛⎝kingj0n⎠⎞ 21 Jun, 2015 @ 11:10am

I seem to just buy games and put it in my inventory. I don't know why I don't play, but I guess, I will never be able to get refunds.

#14

Start_Running 21 Jun, 2015 @ 11:11am

Originally posted by kingj0n:
I seem to just buy games and put it in my inventory. I don't know why I don't play, but I guess, I will never be able to get refunds.

You may want to see a doctor about that. Compulsive shopping is basically not unlike compulsive gambling.

#15

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