City of Heroes: Live Forum Archive

Maestro Payment Options Removed?

aleph_EU

By aleph_EU,
Posted on: 2008-07-17 15:33 in CoH and CoV General Discussions

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
Or push their affiliates 'PaySafeCard'?

[/ QUOTE ]

Assuming players want to bother to get another piece of plastic... Making them jump through hoops for my suggestions is enough annoyance to make some people leave...

@FloatingFatMan

Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]

2. Sell game time card in their PlayNC store, email code directly to buyer. No wait, no fuss.


[/ QUOTE ]

This solution in particular seems to be quite easy and straightforward to pull off.

Shadowplay - Scrapper DM/DA SL 50
Doctor Storm- Brute SS/Elec SL 50
"speed boosts someone in the face" - Cognito

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Or push their affiliates 'PaySafeCard'?

[/ QUOTE ]

Assuming players want to bother to get another piece of plastic... Making them jump through hoops for my suggestions is enough annoyance to make some people leave...

[/ QUOTE ]

Just to clarify (and I see the original post has been deleted) - PaySafeCard aren't an affiliate. They're an accepted method of payment, in the same way that we accept MasterCard, Visa etc.

For those who have Maestro on auto-renew recurring billing currently being accepted, I'm afraid I can confirm this will stop being accepted soon (exact timing will be announced in advance). We're working on alternative means of paying for subscriptions, and we'll also be putting together a list of places to obtain game time cards (as comprehensive as we can).

 

Posted

Visa - could only really do it with Electron cards - to do so on full blown Visa cards would hinder too much. Maestro is a debit card not credit. So i would assume any debit cards will get hindered as FFM suggests due to the direct link to a persons bank account but credit cards which are a seperate account will not be so limited.

of course - its just an opinion.

33 months and counting of Paragon heroism (and villany)
Onyx: Frostbane (TNK), Vanguard (SCR), Monolith (WS),
Mindswipe (DEF), Martyr (DEF), Pyre (CON), Pulsar (DEF),
JuJinKai (MM)

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
So i would assume any debit cards will get hindered as FFM suggests due to the direct link to a persons bank account but credit cards which are a seperate account will not be so limited.

[/ QUOTE ]

Visa cards are so internationally flexible because they go through the same process regardless of what kind of Visa they are. My Visa debit card goes through as a credit card in Canada, but essentially it doesn't matter. As far as Visa transactions are concerned, they're all pretty much the same.

So if they can't do Visa debit anymore, then they can't do Visa anything.

Chairman of the Charity of Pain; accepting donations of blood and guts.

Prophet of the Creamy Truth; "If it's empty, fill it with cream."

 

Posted

I don't believe in credit cards as all you are borrowing is debt, my card is a visa debit card, if this goes ahead then the 3 accounts I am paying for will be cancelled (mine, Mrs ? and Empty Bug), altho i have a year on the card, making it harder for people to give you money is a bit baffling

 

Posted

Visa debit cards are unaffected at this stage, as this is purely a Maestro change.

Essentially, MasterCard is beginning (as of 1st July) to enforce new anti-fraud policies for Maestro that they first announced (but did not enforce) to commence on 1st July 2007.

These policies will make it mandatory for online purchases to use the SecureCode anti-fraud system. This system requires the owner of the card to enter further identifying information when making a purchase. As we make changes to our billing system to comply with this policy, it effectively removes our ability to automatically bill your Maestro card. The policies also affect any "card on file" transactions (hence, Maestro will no longer be usable in the CoH in-game store either).

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
I don't believe in credit cards as all you are borrowing is debt, my card is a visa debit card, if this goes ahead then the 3 accounts I am paying for will be cancelled (mine, Mrs ? and Empty Bug), altho i have a year on the card, making it harder for people to give you money is a bit baffling

[/ QUOTE ]

As I've noted above, only Maestro is affected. It's not our choice and we have no control over this. We've been notified of a new policy being implemented for online purchases made with Maestro and we are bringing our billing systems into compliance with those policies.

Over the coming months you will see the effects of this new policy across a variety of sites, starting with those who have a high volume of Maestro purchases made through their sites.

 

Posted

i know and understand that this is out of your hands, but Maestro may just be the start, I have my fingers crossed that it doesn't happen as all three of us love this game, and would not want to be excluded because of a move like this

 

Posted

Here's another question, then, GR...

A couple of times in this thread you have mentioned that NC are adjusting their billing policies in line with the new procedures.

Does this mean that it is possible that we will see Maestro reinstated as a billing option in the future, once those procedural changes have been made, or has this change put the complete kibosh on it forever?

The wisdom of Shadowe: Ghostraptor: The Shadowe is wise ...; FFM: Shadowe is no longer wise. ; Techbot_Alpha: Also, what Shadowe said. It seems he is still somewhat wise ; Bull Throttle: Shadowe was unwise in this instance...; Rock_Powerfist: in this instance Shadowe is wise.; Techbot_Alpha: Shadowe is very wise *nods*; Zortel: *Quotable line about Shadowe being wise goes here.*

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
Does this mean that it is possible that we will see Maestro reinstated as a billing option in the future, once those procedural changes have been made, or has this change put the complete kibosh on it forever?

[/ QUOTE ]

Maestro might be reinstated for automatic recurring billing, but only when/if MasterCard/Maestro make adjustments to their current policies and systems to allow for it.

 

Posted

That's really unfair. I can only pay for things like this using a maestro card and I'll be damned if I ever use paypal or get a credit card. Thanks a bunch for not telling us this well before you implement it!

Here's an idea to consider though if you're doing it that way:

On Sega games such as Phantasy Star Universe though you can't auto-renew using maestro you can purchase 60 days game time using maestro. Maybe PlayNC would consider doing that with their games also if they're going to screw around those with Maestro cards?

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
That's really unfair. I can only pay for things like this using a maestro card and I'll be damned if I ever use paypal or get a credit card. Thanks a bunch for not telling us this well before you implement it!


[/ QUOTE ]

I have to agree here. Whilst it's not NC's fault this has happened, it IS their fault that they gave no advance warning. I consider this to be quite a severe customer services failure. There's really NO excuse for not giving us several weeks notice.

I can quite easily see this causing a load of people to leave, as they have no other means of paying their sub without considerable inconvenience. NC need to offer simple and viable alternatives NOW, before anyone's billing cycle is up.

@FloatingFatMan

Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

 

Posted

How does one go about paying via Paypal then? I've just scouted the site and couldn't find any information on paying via paypal .

 

Posted

Paypal is far too confusing to use in the first place, I know that because I've tried and failed to understand it in the past and is far too inconvenient for its own good. I don't intend to ever get a credit card of any form and to change to another debit card means having to change accounts which charge through the roof if you change them and for someone on low income like I am, it isn't worth all that hassle when the money I have can be used for other things.

Something as important as this, regardless of whose fault it is, should've been announced well in advance so people that are on Maestro are made aware of this issue. Instead they kept their traps shut until someone uncovered it. Well done PlayNC...well done!

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
How does one go about paying via Paypal then? I've just scouted the site and couldn't find any information on paying via paypal .

[/ QUOTE ]first you need to set up an account with paypal. then you put your details on there and any cards or bank details you want your money taken from or put into. then they do a debit of a pound from that account to verifer that account right whichcan take upto 4 weeks to verifer. once that done you do back to ncsoft and select the paypal payment you want. then fill in you palpay account and password on there payment screen it send them a bill for the game so they pay it and they draw it out the amount from you account.

 

Posted

The first stage of the required changes was made last week, and only applies to new or reactivating accounts at the current time. It's unfortunate that the change went through without advance warning, for which I'd like to apologise to you all.

For those who currently have Maestro on recurring billing, we will be giving advance notice before removing your card from file. We also hope to have alternate payment means available at around the same time (before if possible, ASAP after if not).

I hope to have further news to share with all of you who use Maestro soon.

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
I can quite easily see this causing a load of people to leave, as they have no other means of paying their sub without considerable inconvenience. NC need to offer simple and viable alternatives NOW, before anyone's billing cycle is up.

[/ QUOTE ]
Before breaking out a extra large can of melodrama I have to ask: how many people will this affect?

. Under 18s that can't get credit cards
. People with bad credit ratings that can't get credit cards
. People that do not want credit cards
. People that cannot get time cards

I don't disagree that it looks like poor service by not issuing any sort of warning after Maestro announced the new policy a year ago, but how large a cross section of the player populace is the above?

It's not an ideal situation that could lose a few subscribers, but is it Dooom[tm]?

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
People that do not want credit cards


[/ QUOTE ]


This is a very large number of people.

I really should do something about this signature.

 

Posted

I have to agree. I'm not using Maestro (MasterCard's my thing), but this is truly unfair.

PlayNC Office:

Guy 1: Hmm, Maestro won't allow us to use them anymore
Guy 2: Quick, pull it down! Let's make all the people who use Maestro cards have no alternative but to use means they don't want!
Guy 1: Sure, what about no warning with it?
Guy 2: Guy 1, you're awesome! Let's spoil everyone's day! *evil cackling*

I am not sure many will be happy to see that they can no longer pay via Maestro. Please, NC, remember, the unexpected is always the worst.

 

Posted

Ok so I'm safe until October because I pay 3 monthly subs but what about those that want to come back and don't have any means to other than using Maestro? What are they to do in the meantime?

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
It's not an ideal situation that could lose a few subscribers, but is it Dooom[tm]?

[/ QUOTE ]

I know of at least 3 people who are not going to be able to continue paying their subs as a direct consequence of this, as things stand with current billing options. Judging by this thread alone, quite a few people are affected; and what about those who don't read the forums? They haven't even got the warning WE have!

@FloatingFatMan

Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
It's not an ideal situation that could lose a few subscribers, but is it Dooom[tm]?

[/ QUOTE ]

I know of at least 3 people who are not going to be able to continue paying their subs as a direct consequence of this, as things stand with current billing options. Judging by this thread alone, quite a few people are affected; and what about those who don't read the forums? They haven't even got the warning WE have!

[/ QUOTE ]oh they get the warring i did couldn't log on or complain as my account was inactive for payment was not going though due to not accteping maestro

 

Posted

I only heard of this via the Femmes site so this came as a surprise to me. Luckily at the moment, my last payment went through a couple of weeks ago so I don't need to panic until October 5th but one of my friends that wanted to come back can no longer do so.