Forum Discussion
6 years ago
Hi! It looks like you're not reading your other threads now, so I'm copying my post here as there are things you can do if EA continues to refuse to refund your money even though they made such a refund for someone in exactly the same circumstances.
I'll add something I learned that really helps when I'm mad as hops at a company but dealing with some service rep who didn't cause the problem: I tell them I'm very angry at the situation but I am NOT mad at the person I'm talking to & I don't blame them; this makes it possible for them to listen to me without getting all defensive (they seldom love their employer either, heh). Also, if they tell me they can't do what I ask, I very very politely ask them to let me talk to their supervisor--again that I'm not mad at them or dissatisfied with them, but since they don't have the authority to do what I'm asking, I'd like to discuss my problem with the supervisor. I've sometimes gone up a number of organizational ranks until I found someone with the authority to do what I wanted. Othertimes, I hit a dead end. It's a useful technique, though, to resolving issues w/a company BEFORE filing a formal complaint. Oh--and keep careful notes of who you talked to, & the exact times & dates. If I don't catch the name, I ask them to repeat it, and spell it if I don't know how. Keep notes, too, of what you discuss, & what the rep tells you. Otherwise, you won't remember the details when you need 'em.
Hope some of that is helpful, & apologies if you already know all that.
Edited because my postscript got mixed in with my quote. Sorry! can't seem to fix that but will keep trying...
Hey, 'Joy! I understand your rage, and if you're like me, part of the anger comes from feeling that there's nothing you can do about being taken advantage of--hence the venting here. But there are things you can do, even though they may not result in a refund.
You can try to dig up addresses for the company's CEO, Board of Directors, etc. (not easy with some corporations these days), and draft a letter of protest. Don't send it until you're able to rewrite using a calm rather than enraged tone, so it won't be dismissed out-of-hand.
You can make a formal complaint. Check out the federal website here, or google to see the process your state uses. It's been quite a few years since I've done the latter; in my state I believe I contacted the state Atty General's office. (Added: make sure you mention that EA gave a refund to at least one other customer whose circumstances were identical to yours, but still refused to give you a refund! That there ain't kosher!)
If I felt as strongly as you do, I'd probably also contact the Bureau of Consumer Protection to politely ask them to consider reviewing the way companies refuse to refund DLC, even when you are attempting to 'return' it within X number of hours because it doesn't work. (I'm hesitant because I suspect the underlying issue for companies is that that's enough time for hackers to basically steal the game; I simply don't know enough to take a stand or I'd have asked my political representatives to change the law). That, btw, is a third thing you can do: ask your congressperson/senator (federal and state) to change the laws that allow companies to refuse to make these refunds.
You're not helpless. There are things you can do. They may not get you the result you want, & you definitely won't get quick results, but you won't be taking it on the chin without a squeak.
Venting here won't affect EA. The steps I suggest will at least make EA have to pay someone to review your letter, get government officials (or their staff) to consider your complaint. Even if they can't take any positive action at this time, you'll have made your voice heard.
These are steps I encourage anyone to take whenever they have an issue with a company that bothers them enough to take the time to complain.
If it's not worth the time to take these steps, then for your own happiness, I hope you can find something to distract you so you can get back to enjoying life. If it helps, you could think of it this way: dwelling on this more than necessary is letting EA steal your time as well as your money.
I'll add something I learned that really helps when I'm mad as hops at a company but dealing with some service rep who didn't cause the problem: I tell them I'm very angry at the situation but I am NOT mad at the person I'm talking to & I don't blame them; this makes it possible for them to listen to me without getting all defensive (they seldom love their employer either, heh). Also, if they tell me they can't do what I ask, I very very politely ask them to let me talk to their supervisor--again that I'm not mad at them or dissatisfied with them, but since they don't have the authority to do what I'm asking, I'd like to discuss my problem with the supervisor. I've sometimes gone up a number of organizational ranks until I found someone with the authority to do what I wanted. Othertimes, I hit a dead end. It's a useful technique, though, to resolving issues w/a company BEFORE filing a formal complaint. Oh--and keep careful notes of who you talked to, & the exact times & dates. If I don't catch the name, I ask them to repeat it, and spell it if I don't know how. Keep notes, too, of what you discuss, & what the rep tells you. Otherwise, you won't remember the details when you need 'em.
Hope some of that is helpful, & apologies if you already know all that.
Edited because my postscript got mixed in with my quote. Sorry! can't seem to fix that but will keep trying...
About The Sims 4 General Discussion
Join lively discussions, share tips, and exchange experiences on Sims 4 Expansion Packs, Game Packs, Stuff Packs & Kits.33,027 PostsLatest Activity: 3 days ago
Related Posts
Recent Discussions
- 21 minutes ago
- 3 hours ago