Watch out for Origin promo's on Sim City

[spacecoasttoast]

I just pruchaed the SIm City Deluxe Edition and I suppose Im another one that has learned not to deal or do business with Origin when there are so called special offers. So Im writing this to others in case you get the run around
as I did with cusotmer service.

Amazon offers the non deluxe editioni with a 20 dollar gift card usable on any purchase.
AS a response Origin offers a 20 dollar promo credit to you. I though heh what a great deal
Ill cancel my Amazon order then Ill buy the Deluxe Edition and use the code on another game I want.
LOL.................YEAH UH HUH. SUCKER I AM.

So I was trying to find details of the 20 off and they were very vague.
That should have clued into me some sort of scam on this 20 off deal and sure enough I am right and now
Im letting you know and STEAM users know to stay away from that offer. It's a sham.
Prior to seeing any details about this 20 off there wasn't any way to view them until now.

So let me give you what that offer is which you wil find entirely useless.
In addition if you read the email I got on the use of the code it doesn't say you cant use it on SALE items
nor does it say that Batltefiled 3 IS EXCLUDED. Nor does it say pre-ordees.
The customer service person was kind enough to let me know you can't. So, I told him that's not what
the agreement is in the email by the way. SO sure enough I look and they tell you in the email
that "click the link here" for the only titles it will work with!!!!
AH HAH now we get down to the lmitations. And that list sure enough has qutie a bit of exclusions.

So the offer while not explained in this much detail prior to your purchase gets clarified AFTER your purchase.
I cant say any better EA and Origin but this is flat out crappy business practices and I have a feeling Im
not the only one that has experience it. Needless to say this is my final purchase from Orign my lesson
has been learned. And it don't bother them either. I own all of there games so there not losing much since
I own most of the titles. WIth the excpetion of the BF3 Premium Edition which so happens to be on sale
and I can't use the damn code which GRACIOUSLY (smik) expires on March 18th.

So to save anyone else any agoney on the Sim cIty promo.
Save your money if your expecting any type of real promo from that 20 bucks its so limited it makes
Amazons offer really a pot of gold in comparison.

Wihtout further ADO look at what the email says and look how there WONDERFUL CUSTOMER
SERIVCE explains. You draw your own conclusions after hearing the cop out response I got from customer service.
And BS exuse for the code beign so restictve and how I got shammed after the purchase of SIm City.
I do say, however, I should report this to the Better Business Burea and subsequently send this off
to every tech site to publish this ridiculous behavior and sham. Had I been able to get the detiails
of what was in this EMAIL prior to my purchase when I looked for it I would not have bought it from Origin.

Remember, I said the details of the offer was not accessible at the time I made the purchase.
I though well maybe its a clear cut 20 off like Amazon does. But whom am I to say that Orgin is an honest as Amazon? OBIVOUSLY NOT. SHame on EA . Shame on Origin but even more so for me beign dumb enough to fall for it without details should have clued in to me that there is something not right. But with Amazon its clear cut and visible to the world without fine details. And they show it to you bltant and bold PRIOR to your purchase.

SHAME ON YOU ORGING AND EA. This one goes to the BBB and Im filing a credit card dispute to have charges reversed. And Ive got your email and you CS represntatives respoonse as evidence that your promo is deceptive and as such they will reverse the charge. Then Ill re-order my inital order iwth Amazon and never buy any crap from ORACRAP again! I advise you do the same when they have promo's watch out. That emiail you get wont be as simple as "buy this get 20 off". Origin will sham you trust me. They did.

Here's the EMAIL:

*THIS OFFER IS BEING ISSUED TO YOU FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A CREDIT, CHARGE, DEBIT OR GIFT CARD. OFFER EXPIRES MARCH 4, 2013 AT 8:59PM PST. DISCOUNT CODE EXPIRES MARCH 18, 2013 AT 10:00AM PST. VALID FOR NEW PURCHASES OF SIMCITY DIGITAL DELUXE AND SIMCITY LIMITED EDITION (“PRODUCT”) FROM WWW.ORIGIN.COM AND PARTICIPATING RETAILERS. DISCOUNT CODE FOR SELECT TITLES WILL BE E-MAILED TO CUSTOMER ON DAY OF PRODUCT PURCHASE. LIST OF ELIGIBLE TITLES FOR DISCOUNT CAN BE FOUND AT http://store.origin.com/SimCityCoupon. VALUE OF DISCOUNT FOR SELECT TITLES WILL BE DEDUCTED FROM YOUR TOTAL ORDER AT TIME OF PURCHASE. DISCOUNT CODE REQUIRES MINIMUM $30 PURCHASE. VALID ONLY IN U.S. AND CANADA. LIMIT ONE OFFER PER PERSON. OFFER MAY NOT BE SUBSTITUTED, EXCHANGED, SOLD OR REDEEMED FOR CASH OR OTHER GOODS OR SERVICES. MAY NOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER, GIFT CARD, REBATE OR OTHER DISCOUNT COUPONS. CUSTOMERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SHIPPING, HANDLING AND APPLICABLE SALES TAX. RETAILERS, DISTRIBUTORS AND EMPLOYEES OF ELECTRONIC ARTS INC. AND THEIR AGENCIES/AFFILIATES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED, TAXED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW.

SIMCITY REQUIRES PERSISTENT INTERNET CONNECTION, ORIGIN ACCOUNT, ACCEPTANCE OF PRODUCT AND ORIGIN END USER LICENSE AGREEMENTS, INSTALLATION OF THE ORIGIN CLIENT SOFTWARE (www.origin.com/about) AND REGISTRATION WITH ENCLOSED SINGLE-USE SERIAL CODE(S) REQUIRED TO PLAY, ACCESS BONUS CONTENT (IF ANY) AND ACCESS ONLINE SERVICES. SERIAL CODE REGISTRATION IS LIMITED TO ONE ORIGIN ACCOUNT PER SERIAL CODE. SERIAL CODES ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE ONCE USED AND SHALL BE VALID, AT A MINIMUM, SO LONG AS ONLINE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE. YOU MUST BE 13+ TO PLAY. EULAS AND ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.EA.COM/1/PRODUCT-EULAS. EA ONLINE PRIVACY POLICY AND TERMS OF SERVICE CAN BE FOUND AT www.ea.com. EA MAY RETIRE ONLINE SERVICES AND ONLINE FEATURES AFTER 30 DAYS NOTICE POSTED ON www.ea.com/1/service-updates



Heres ORIGINS RESPONSE:

info: Your approximate wait time is 7 minute.
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info: You are now ready to chat with Anil.
Anil: Thanks for contacting EA Help! My name is Anil how may I help you?
you: Anil Im contacting you about something that may require manage approval , I just bought the Sim City Deluxe Edition.
you: Amazon is selling it as well and offering 20 dollar gift coupons
Anil: Hello Travis.
you: so I cancelled the order with Amazon
you: And bought the digital deluxe edition for 79.99 and got hte 20 dollar off coupon code
you: The problem
you: after I get the email
you: It gives me the link to the titlese.
you: titles
you: I own most of what is in that list with the exception of Sports titles as you can verify in my list or Origin account.
you: It will not let you use the code for any Battlefireld 3 titles which is the only thing left I can use it for but thatas not in the list
you: Nor is any preorder items
you: so for me that code is really worthless. Im a bit upset that BF3 titles it cant be used on
Anil: Please note that the promo codes can not be used to purchase the expansions and the pre-orders.
you: and I can understand preorder but its a bit misleading to offer the coupon code and then the detaiils show up
you: in the email
you: Well I tried the coupon code on Bd# premium
you: I already own Battlefield
you: so then
you: I was like well Ill just use it on GF3 premium whcih
you: includes the xpacs . In a way its buying th gam again
you: but it comse iwht them
you: needless to day the coupon code dont' work on it
you: or i may be mistaken
you: but it wont work on it
you: and its a full game not xpac
you: nor a preorder
you: yeah I just tried it again on BF3 PReimum Edition
you: doesn't work
Anil: BF3 Premium Edition is also an expansion so the promo code can not be used.
you: Since when is that an expansion"?
you: Its the full game
you: and it sales as such everywhere
you: its the game plus xpac
Anil: Yes, this is a full game but the Premium content is also there so we can not use the code on that.
you: ok well thats misleading
you: period
you: its not a stand alone xpac
Anil: Yeah!
you: Mass effect 3 digital deluxe it works on and comes with xpac
you: so i dont get this
Anil: Yes, you can use that code for Mass Effect3.
you: well if you stand on this premise. Im going to have to dispute this on the credit card copy the email and send it to the credit card company
you: it doesnt even work on battlefield 3 regular edition
you: BF3 was enitrely excluded form teh offer
you: the
Anil: The code can be used to make purchases through Origin with the following exceptions – the code cannot be used to purchase virtual currency, placing pre-orders, third party games, already on sale items and games released within last 14 days.
you: oh that may be the issue
you: its on sale
you: that may be why its not working
you: why oriding did not clarifty that prior to purchase is not right either in any case
Anil: Now, I hope it is clear.
you: Ill just set this up as a disupte.
you: ITs clear that it was misleading
you: and nothing more.
Anil: No worries, its my pleasure to give you the information.
Anil: Is there anything else I can help you with today ?
you: nope all you did was clarify things and left a customer pissed off so not really
Anil: If you need help with anything else, please feel free to contact us anytime!
Anil: Bye Travis and take care!
info: Your chat transcript will be sent to @gmail.com at the end of your chat session.

[Satoru]

I'm sorry... but why are you raging when the terms rae 100% CLEAR ON THE PRE-ORDER PAGE ON ORIGIN

http://store.origin.com/store?Action=html&Env=BASE&Locale=en_US&SiteID=ea&easid=Origin_SIMCITY_Web_Hero_PreOrder&pbPage=SimcityNA

It's right at the bottom. The same as your email. Outlines what titles are eligible just like in your email. It is absolutely clear on what titles are eligible as it links to the website that shows eligible titles.

Don't blame EA because you apparently have problems reading the fine print, despite the giant asterisk over the $20. They didn't 'trick' anyone. You just didn't read. Your post goes into the 'Origin stupidity rant' bin

[TheGuywithTheSwag]

It was ur own fault, mate.