American Express Prepaid Cards Are Pure Garbage For Steam and/or Paypal

[AzzBackwardz]

So, I recently purchased a new graphics card with a $20 rebate. Not huge, but hey, $20 back why not. But seems XFX wants to give their rebates back as American Express Gift cards. Sure, I say, why not, I'll just convert it to Steam or Paypal credits. Problem is, these cards don't work with Steam or even Paypal.

And after several hours being transfered from one horrible call center to another I finally got an answer (I know it's only $20, I don't even get out of bed for less than $50, but I do love a puzzle).

Turns out these cards that XFX gave out are only usable within the US and Canada, and as it turns out neither Steam or Paypal's credit card processing systems are located in either country, even when using local currencies, Steam's is somewhere in Europe I think they said and Paypal's is in Singapore. And no, the people at Amex can't or won't unlock them to work for processors outside their target countries. Thanks XFX for giving me a gift card rebate that I can't even use for 2 of most common payment systems for pc games in the world.

With all the corporate outsourcing, I wonder if my local Walmart's payment system is even local now... at least then I might be able to buy a steam gift card and make some use of this piece of garbage Amex Gift Card.

At least I know what I'm never, ever buying anyone for Christmas, bloody credit card based gift cards. And I'll certainly reconsider buying XFX again if they continue this practice.

[Satoru]

Note thatmakes little sense. Otherwise Amex/Visa/MC pre-paid cards wouldnt work in America or Europe either. Yet Vanilla Visa is commonly used on Steam. Also not sure why you'd blame XFX, given that it's Amex that does the processing of the card not XFX...

TBH it sounds like you got some bum information somewhere.

I've never heard of any pre-paid cards having issues on Steam. You do have to 'register' an address so that it can be used at checkout. But that's about it. Searches for amex prepaid on Steam show people seem to be using it fine.

I mean if you're THTA hard up on it, use the $20, go to Target and get a Steam wallet card for $20

[AzzBackwardz]

I know, made no sense to me... I read the same thing about registering it helping people out... but most of the amex call center people didn't even understand what I was asking them to do... of course most of them barely spoke any english beyond the scripts they were given but that's a whole other outsourcing issue right there, the final one finally did and I did go through a registration process but still doesn't work.

XFX should understand that these cards are problematic and restrictive and offer a secondary option on their rebates. To be honest their rebate process is probably one of the worst I've seen in recent years. Requiring customers to fill out an online form then send said form by snail mail, why not just take the request online like other retailers (EVGA does, or at least did the last 5 times I did rebates for their products, and that was a good 5 years ago even).

As for your final note... yep already suggested that to myself in my original post... only it would be Walmart here and not Target as they didn't even last a year locally after opening up 2 stores just before the chain declared bankrupcy.

[HLCinSC]

rebate gift cards are usually the bottom rung/tier of a payment providers prepaid offerings. They often have the least amount of services, protections, and abilities. The AmEX Serve card is the one I usually recommend for those who need to use prepaid cards, but they have up'ed their terms and fees in recent months so I may revisit that.

Originally posted by AzzBackwardz:

To be honest their rebate process is probably one of the worst I've seen in recent years. Requiring customers to fill out an online form then send said form by snail mail, why not just take the request online like other retailers (EVGA does, or at least did the last 5 times I did rebates for their products, and that was a good 5 years ago even).

It's all about discouraging people to seek the rebate. You'd be surprised how many people don't feel its worth the effort and let their rebates go unclaimed, despite factoring in the rebate to the total price wen choosing where to buy from.

[Black Blade]

Well I think you will be able to use the card in GMG or GameStop online
There also other retailers online out there that work in the US, so the card will likely work by them

[AzzBackwardz]

Originally posted by CharlestONE:

rebate gift cards are usually the bottom rung/tier of a payment providers prepaid offerings. They often have the least amount of services, protections, and abilities. The AmEX Serve card is the one I usually recommend for those who need to use prepaid cards, but they have up'ed their terms and fees in recent months so I may revisit that.

Originally posted by AzzBackwardz:

To be honest their rebate process is probably one of the worst I've seen in recent years. Requiring customers to fill out an online form then send said form by snail mail, why not just take the request online like other retailers (EVGA does, or at least did the last 5 times I did rebates for their products, and that was a good 5 years ago even).

It's all about discouraging people to seek the rebate. You'd be surprised how many people don't feel its worth the effort and let their rebates go unclaimed, despite factoring in the rebate to the total price wen choosing where to buy from.

Yep, that's my feeling as well, discourage usage. Though this is the first time I've had a retailer pull this... usually I purchase EVGA products when I've received refunds, and they've made the process rediculiously easy in the past, all online signup process, quickly mailed out cheques. (Not an endorsement just stating my previous experience compared to this one).

As a side note, I tried the card again on the off chance it took a couple hours after registering it for it to function, no such luck.

[AzzBackwardz]

Greenman gaming is based out of London. I usually use paypal when using them to avoid unexpected issues with currency conversion.

No gamestops up here, the equivilent is EBGames and their online services are junk.

I plan to attempt to convert it to steam wallet credits at the local Walmart later, though I'm kind of expecting it to fail there too as I'm willing to bet they outsource their card processing services too. Anything to save a buck eh lol.

All else fails it might make a great firestarter for a nice warm winter evening lol.

Originally posted by Black Blade:

Well I think you will be able to use the card in GMG or GameStop online
There also other retailers online out there that work in the US, so the card will likely work by them

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by AzzBackwardz:

Greenman gaming is based out of London. I usually use paypal when using them to avoid unexpected issues with currency conversion.

No gamestops up here, the equivilent is EBGames and their online services are junk.

I plan to attempt to convert it to steam wallet credits at the local Walmart later, though I'm kind of expecting it to fail there too as I'm willing to bet they outsource their card processing services too. Anything to save a buck eh lol.

All else fails it might make a great firestarter for a nice warm winter evening lol.

I am talking abut the GameStop online USA store
They only accept US payments
So you can use it there for digital download, a key for Steam
You may even wait maybe get a deal there

[Quint the Alligator Snapper]

Far as I know, my Steam transactions are with a USA-based payment facility.

I know that GOG's payment facility is located in Cyprus, even though GOG is in Poland.

GamersGate is located in Sweden. Indie Gala is in Italy. Humble Bundle is in USA, as is Groupees. (I think Groupees's facility is in Oregon and Steam's is unsurprisingly in Washington.) Desura and Indie Royale are in Australia, if I recall correctly, though they may have started using a California, USA based payment facility last time I checked.

Regardless, prepaid credit cards are weird.