Hello,
I want to let you guys know about a serious issue pertaining to Zynga Game Cards. I had recently purchased a game card from Wal-Mart in the hopes of taking part in the excellent chip sale that was going on yesterday. Upon redeeming the card, I was shocked to see that I could only purchase a 1/3 of what was offered at the same price I paid for my game card. I emailed support and here's the ongoing thread in its entirety, although in the the act of copying and pasting, the first contact is on the bottom. I will be posting updates to the matter as it progresses:
Hello Fatima,
Thank you for providing a link. However, it doesn't contain any clear information relating to this issue directly. The link does not contain anything about purchases with game cards being specially regulated, it basically states that you, Zynga, like all stores, set the terms for purchase of virtual items. However, unlike most stores, your not living up to the standard. It's almost laughable really. To walk into a store, in my case Walmart, and to purchase a $25 dollar game card for $25 with YOUR COMPANY NAME all over it, bring said card to YOUR SITE for redemption and NOT get the same value that other customers just because they gave you their credit card is RIDICULOUS! As I asked earlier, Money Is Money, Right? In case you haven't read what the link in question contains, here it is:
Purchases of virtual currency or virtual items sold on our site are subject to the Zynga Terms of Service.
Some terms that are particularly relevant to your purchase include:
1. Purchases of virtual currency or virtual items sold on our site are purchases of a limited, personal, revocable, non-transferable, non-sublicenseable license.
This is saying that you cannot use licensed items or virtual monies in other games outside of Zynga and or the game you have earned them in.
2. You have no right or title in or to any such virtual goods or virtual currency appearing or originating in the Service, or any other attributes associated with use of the Service or stored within the Service
I cannot claim to own the Monkey King item nor am I able to lay licensed claim to virtual currency and expect to get paid real monies
3. Zynga has the absolute right to manage, regulate, control, modify and/or eliminate such virtual currency and/or virtual goods as it sees fit in its sole discretion, and Zynga shall have no liability to you or anyone for the exercise of such rights.
If Zynga doesn't like something that you have or are intending to purchase, they can take it away without cause
4. All purchases of virtual currency or virtual items sold on our site are final. All virtual currency and virtual items are sold AS-IS with no warranties of any kind. No refunds will be given, except in our sole and absolute discretion.
All sales are final. What you see, is what you get and if you lose it, Zynga will not replace it.
5. Virtual currency or other virtual items will be forfeited if your account is terminated for any reason, in Zynga's sole and absolute discretion, or if Zynga discontinues providing the services on the site.
You make Zynga angry, Zynga takes all of your virtual stuff and tells you to go home.
6. Transfers of virtual currencies and virtual goods are strictly prohibited except where explicitly authorized within the Service. Outside of the game, you may not buy or sell any Virtual Currency or Virtual Goods for "real world" money or otherwise exchange items for value.Any attempt to do so is in violation of these Terms and may result in a lifetime ban from Zynga Service and possible legal action
You cannot sell virtual goods for tangible cash. if caught, see rule #5 and possibly get a visit from legal.
Here's what I read on your redemption site to lead me purchase with a game card:
Notes About Prepaid Game Cards
Cards must be activated at the register when sold.
Upon submitting the game card PIN # or redemption code, cards are automatically redeemed for the balance in full.
And here are the only two areas in the Terms of Service agreement where game cards are mentioned:
1.4. Grant of a Limited License to Use the Service
Subject to your agreement and continuing compliance with these Terms of Service and any other relevant Zynga policies, such as the Forum Rules or Loyalty Program Terms, Zynga grants you a non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable limited license subject to the limitations in Sections 1.5-1.9 to access and use the Service using a Zynga supported web browser (such as Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Internet Explorer) or mobile device solely for your own non-commercial entertainment purposes. You agree not to use the Service for any other purpose.
You understand that while at times you may “earn” "buy" or "purchase" (a) virtual currency, including but not limited to virtual coins, cash, tokens, or points, all for use in the Service; or (b) virtual in-game items (together with virtual currency, "Virtual Items"); these real world terms are only being used as shorthand. You do not in fact "own" the Virtual Items and the amounts of any Virtual Item do not refer to any credit balance of real currency or its equivalent. Rather, you may purchase a limited license to use the Service, including software programs that occasionally manifest themselves as these items. The purchase and sale of the limited license referred to in these Terms of Service is a completed transaction upon receipt of your direct payment or redemption of a Zynga game card or a third party virtual currency like Facebook Credits. Any "virtual currency" balance shown in your Account does not constitute a real-world balance or reflect any stored value, but instead constitutes a measurement of the extent of your license.
3.1. Purchases
In the Service you may purchase, with "real world" money, a license to use Virtual Items and or other goods or services. You may also obtain a license to use Virtual Items by redeeming Zynga game cards or third party virtual currency, such as Facebook Credits.
PURCHASES OR REDEMPTIONS OF THIRD PARTY VIRTUAL CURRENCY TO ACQUIRE A LICENSE TO USE VIRTUAL ITEMS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.
You can license Virtual Items by visiting the purchase page in one of our games, providing your billing information, confirming the particulars of your purchase and re-affirming your agreement to these Terms. When you purchase a license to Virtual Items from our Service, We may send you a confirmatory e-mail that will contain details of the items you have ordered. Please check that the details in the confirmatory e-mail are correct as soon as possible and maintain a copy of it for your records. Zynga keeps records of transactions in order to deal with any subsequent queries. If you purchase Facebook Credits from Facebook, you are agreeing to Facebook’s Payment Terms and Zynga is not a party to the transaction.
For Virtual Items, your order will represent an offer to us to purchase a license for the relevant service(s) which will be accepted by us when We make the Virtual Items available in your account for you to use in our games or debit your credit card, whichever comes first.
Your license to Virtual Items for use in Zynga games is a service provided by Zynga that commences upon acceptance by Zynga of your purchase or redemption of third party virtual currency. By ordering a license to use Virtual Items you agree and accept that Zynga will provide it to you promptly following completion of your purchase. If you reside in the European Union and you purchase a product or service from Zynga, you may have the right to withdraw from a purchase within seven calendar days, commencing on the day after the date of purchase (the "Cooling Off Period"). However, you lose your right of withdrawal if the performance of the services begins before the end of the Cooling Off Period. Accordingly, please note that if you purchase a license to use Virtual Items from Us, your right of withdrawal is lost as the performance of our services begins promptly once your purchase is completed.
Am I missing something here? I saw the sale price and wanted it. I purchase $25 in Zynga Cash, went to your card redemption site and got jacked on the price with no explanation other then the vague terms listed in Rule #4 which is the same rule used by damn near all companies. What I saw is what I wanted. I didn't reset my computer and lose it. I was cheated out of 22 million in chips! No where on the card redemption site or in your terms of service does it state that you cannot receive the sale price, anywhere! Please reimburse me the missing 22 million in chips that I purchased from you.
-Wes
On Thu, Jan 19, 2012 at 7:19 AM, Zynga Customer Support <
[email protected]> wrote:
Hello Wes,
This is Fatima. I understand you didn't receive a discount after redeeming a game card.
Wes, according to what my previous co worker explained to you, let me tell you that the promotions are not the same when you purchase directly on the game, to use game cards, the reason is that the promotions are different and the benefits are also different.
If you want to read more about that, you can use the following link: http://support.zynga.com/CP_ArticleView_WebFull?custlayoutid=1&gameId=0&Id=kA160000000GnwACAS&lang=en_US&layout=WebFull&layouttmpl=Tmpl_WebFull_1&loc=en_US (here you will find more information about our terms of purchase).
I hope this information can be useful for you and thanks for your understanding.
Regards,
Fatima Guadalupe
Zynga Player Advocate
Follow Us on Twitter @zynga
Your Incident # is: 120118-12879246
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Discussion Thread
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Email from Wes Barthe Thu Jan 19 03:07:33 GMT 2012
Re: Reply from Zynga Customer Support[ ref:00D6J52i.5006GzR2B:ref ]
Hello Zachary,
Thank you for your prompt reply. So, the $25 real dollars I spent on a game card would have been better spent on buying the chips directly? How does that make any sense when I purchased an actual, issued by Zynga, Game Card ? Money is money right? I didn't want to use my debit card for this transaction hence the reason I bought the card. It's not that I don't trust you, it's that I don't trust the internets privacy levels. In fact, according to the purchase screen, the charge, had I used my debit or credit card, would have been $0.51 cheaper . Therefore, you guys made more money from me and gave me less chips in return . This is not acceptable as fair trade. Also, no where does it state on the site that I cannot receive the sale price or that I am prohibited from getting any deals by using the game cards. Please email me the link on where to find this information, then post it to the game card redemption page for others like myself to view. I thought I was using a more secure means of payment by using a prepaid card for this transaction. Instead, I am left feeling like I got ripped off . I feel like I am still owed over 22 million in cips . For example, if I were to receive a pre-loaded card to Verizon or Wal-Mart, I would not be denied sale price on any item unless otherwise specified . Due to this lack in informing the customer (me) I believe in the aspect of fairness that, I, the customer should be made to feel whole. Please reimburse me the amount owed, or provide actual, sourced documentation why I cannot have this reasonable request granted.
-Wes
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Email from Zachary W Wed Jan 18 23:51:13 GMT 2012
Reply from Zynga Customer Support
Hello Wes,
Thank you for contacting Zynga Billing Support.
My name is Zachary and I'll be assisting you today!
I'm sorry for the confusion that you experienced. The sale that you saw applied only to cash purchases. Game Cards are pre-bought and have a predetermined worth of currency within the game. They are not like Gift Cards that have a monetary value.
Again, I apologize for the confusion that you have experienced
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Regards,
Zachary
Zynga Player Advocate
Your Incident # is: 120118-12879246 ----- ----- Discussion Thread
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Incident Entry by Zynga Customer P Wed Jan 18 21:36:50 GMT 2012
I purchased a physical Zynga Game Card valued at $25 today because I saw a sale going on that was giving 50% more chips, and for the next 24hrs only, an extra 20% more chips added on for a total of just over 33 million in chips. I planned on purchasing this deal with said game card. Upon purchase, I noticed the amount as the normal 11 million and thought this to be a glitch and that the game card site hadn't been updated and purchased anyway on the good faith that this oversight of 22 million in chips would be corrected on checkout. It Wasn't. Why wasn't I able to receive the sale price through using a game card? This is unfair. I wish to be reimbursed for the remainder of the sale price chips total that I had intended to buy in the first place. Thank you in advance for your swift response. -Wes Barthe
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