Greetings,

 

I have researched the forums regarding this particular issue, and found it did not have a thread devoted to the direct issue at hand.

 

Personally, I have been a pre-order collection edition subscriber since TOR's launch. I will not try to bolster the value of my subscription by adding in an extensive history of my MMO gaming resume. I believe everyone's subscription is equally valid, regardless of experience to any and every previous title purchased or not.

 

The reason I include my TOR related information, is to show that I was one of the many who were very excited about this title's release. I have been following it with great interest since it's earliest rumored inception some 8? or so years ago.

 

Today, I cancelled my subscription, and here is why:

 

Surprisingly, it has nothing to do with the game play itself. Although there have been quite a few bumps in the road, I do still think ToR is a solid game, with the potential to be a very memorable game.

 

My problem that lead ultimately to my subscription cancellation was the Cartel Market... particularly the account lockout error. For those who may not be aware, it is an error that an account receives upon attempting to purchase cartel coins. The message field states the customer should try again tomorrow, or contact customer service.

 

When the Cartel Market first was implemented, I was able to use it without issue. As the weeks went by, however, I began to run into problems with coin purchases.

 

With the introduction of hypercrates, it became necessary to essentially complete two transactions through the cartel coin purchase menu, as the cost of the hypercrate exceeded the maximum coin bundle available (assuming the customer had a low or depleted cartel coin balance on his or her account ). Although I found this to be odd set up to run the micro transaction store, I made a couple coin purchases. That is when my problem started.

 

My first coin purchase would go through without issue, but when I attempted to make my second coin purchase, I would receive the lockout error. At this time I figured there was a daily limit on coin purchase, albeit low (it would not cover the cost of a hypercrate ), so I would wait the day as per instruction in the error message, and make the second coin transaction the following day, after the 24 hour waiting period. I used the service in this way for a couple months, without issue.

 

This did not last, unfortunately. A couple of months ago I have been essentially locked out permanently. I would receive continuous error messages. I would wait a day as per instruction. I would try again and receive the message. I would wait another day, and again receive the message. I began to do a forum search on this issue.

 

At this point I became aware that this was essentially a "bug", and that a number of the player base were experiencing numerous account lockouts over this particular error message issue. I could not for the life of me find a viable solution, or even an awareness of the problem from the developers from the forum posts I read.

 

The only solution offered through the forums was from another forum poster who had contacted customer service over the identical issue. The CS representative could only suggest waiting a week long period before attempting to have the flagged account reset and cleared. I learned through that thread that every attempt to purchase coins would effectively reset the lockout timer, and the only way to have it reset was to wait out the lockout period.

 

I have no idea what this lockout period is.

 

I contacted customer support myself, and was escalated twice over this issue. I was told the same thing as I read on the forums: to wait a week for the lockout timer to reset. In actuality, I waited two weeks before I tried to use the service again: That was this morning, and, again, I received the lockout error once more.

 

My subscription is tied to the same credit card... and it went through without issue three days ago. I am unclear if this may or may not add to the problem.

 

Unfortunately, my faith in the TOR micro transaction system is completely gone at this point. I just cannot find myself supporting a system that I cannot use reliably.

 

I think it is a shame they lost myself as a customer, over an issue such as this. I do hope this post brings a bit more awareness and helps prevent more potential subscription losses over this error, and it gets addresses and resolved.

 

 

Best of luck

Edited May 31, 2013 by Sheetrock

blah blah blah, can I have your stuff?

I'm sorry to hear you are having issues with this. I would have to say this is why I avoid purchasing anything more than the subscription, or Digital CE items.

I have been trying to understand this issue for 2 months now . Unlike many people thinks this is not an issue related to cartel market limit. Accounts are flagged randomly. My account was flagged right after I got the hutt cartel extension and I did not do a single cartel market purchase. I can neither use my credit card or paypal account. Right now I manage my sub through Origin store. (Same credit card Bioware rejects somehow works at Origin)

 

What is worse is this issue has been suppressed by Bioware for some reason I do not comprehend. If you post anything on the customer service forum regarding this issue, all you get is an answer that says you have to call customer service. Reality is different. When you call customer service they can not help you. They tell you things like check with your bank etc. Then if you persist they patch you through real billing guys who for some reason reside in Ireland.

 

Here is the thing. That billing support in Ireland works in GMT hours, and they rarely answer their phones. I waited 2 hours on the line multiple times with no luck. Finally got hold of one but he couldn't help me . He didn't know why my account was flagged but he asked me to wait 1 month before trying again. If you try before 1 month, the counter resets.

 

If you want to buy cartel coins with this issue your only chance is buying an EA cash card and reclaim it. Since Origin does not sell cartel coins (why I have no clue) you can not buy them there unlike subscription

 

I still do not know why Bioware is not making an official explanation on this issue many users are suffering.

 

Sorry to see you go my friend but know that you are not alone.

Edited May 31, 2013 by tanerb

I've had the same issue for about two weeks now. I've called the billing department three times. I was told that i have to wait 30 days because i reached the "Cartel coin limit" for my month. So in other words, they won't take money from customers still willing to give to them. Ridiculous.

Ran into the issue myself a few weeks ago, highly annoying.

 

Bioware, for reasons untold, will never openly discuss/clarify the matter.

I can think of a lot of possible reasons to end a subscription to an MMO. Difficulty with purchasing micro-transaction currency IS NOT one of them. Especially since most of the CM content is freely available on the GTN on any given day.

 

But hey... your subscription, your choice.

If you want to buy cartel coins with this issue your only chance is buying an EA cash card and reclaim it.

 

Sounds like a valid work-around for folks having problems buying directly.

 

Should work-arounds be necessary in life? NO. Are they a fact of life? YES. Why? Because the world is imperfect, so life presents us with challenges to overcome.

 

Seems to me.....anyone who really enjoys the game and has an issue of any form.. they would find a work-around that works for them.. and proceed to play the game they enjoy.

Edited June 1, 2013 by Andryah

I can think of a lot of possible reasons to end a subscription to an MMO. Difficulty with purchasing micro-transaction currency IS NOT one of them. Especially since most of the CM content is freely available on the GTN on any given day.

 

But hey... your subscription, your choice.

 

 

I can appreciate your point of view.

 

However

 

When a company such as this one implements services exclusively though their micro transaction store (appearance kiosk, collection system, will be many more to come ), and cannot reliably back their service delivery system... then consumers such as myself, and I imagine quite a few others, lose faith in that company, and the products they deliver.

 

It is my subscription, and entirely my choice...correct. I am choosing to take my business elsewhere, due to the fact, Electronic Arts cannot successfully provide me, the consumer, with a service they are advertising.

 

Regards

i do not wish to cancel but i do like to get what i payed for still waiting on my cartel coins 5500 please purchased last night and did not receive into my account and i am not the only one.

an update on my behalf i just received my cartel coins i hope you have the same outcome.

Just had a similar story. I've been trying to buy Cartel Coins, but haven't been able to for about 3 weeks now.

I'm encouraged to hear that at least my credit card may be accepted for subscription renewal, though, it seems, not for purchasing Cartel Coins.

I have also contacted Customer Support for a second time, and they have now told me that they have deleted my failed pay-in attempts transaction history, and to wait around 24 hours before trying again.

 

The sad thing about this issue is that most of us on this thread are pretty positive about SWTOR, but on this one issue, the game comes up short. It's just a shame that hopefully one day will be resolved. Let us see...