Paypal and the Current 24h Holiday Sales? You lost me ...

from Stardock Forums

I have used Steam and Direct2Drive to purchase my games before but Impulse always seemed like a pretty interesting alternative. It has mostly fair international prices, hardly any real DRM and a nice selection of indie titles.

I have been using the free version of Fences for a while which more or less forced me to install the Impulse client. It's nowhere near as convinient as Steam but at least it doesn't have to run in the background which is a great plus.

When I heard about the "secret" 24h sale, being a bargain hunter, I actually got interested. I kept an eye on the sales and today I finally decided to make my first purchase on Impulse, Jets'n'Guns Gold is a tremendously fun game and the current discount is unbeatable.

... so yeah, you almost got me! I tend to be rather loyal customers and I would probably have returned again and again and I would have picked up several more items during the holiday sale alone.

I currently don't have any credit cards that I would want to use for an internet purchase like this ... and that's where my story pretty much ends.

For some absurd reason I can't buy the holiday promotions via PayPal since they work through a coupon and a coupon prevents me from paying with anything but a credit card ... wtf?

Since there is no other alternative it's pretty clear that I'm not wanted as a customer and that's a shame.

 

I know that there probably is no real solution to my problem anyways (I tried to use the forum search but the "google powered search" won't even let me sort the results by date) and even if there were I would probably miss the current discount.

I mostly wanted to express my frustration and disappointment with the sub-par purchase experience, especially in direct comparision to your competitors. It's a shame that something this stupid would lose you potential customers - I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one, the majority will just leave in silence ...

5,388 views 13 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I'm not sure about alternative payment options...but I've had no issues at all [over many years] with purchases from Stardock via Credit Card.  If that is the only option I can at least attest to its security and/or reliability.

I'm not only a 'regular' customer of Stardock's but also Amazon [UK and US] and find it [Credit card account] is by far the best/easiest to use regularly...;)

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

BTW...don't be confused by the 'Stardock' title/avatar....I'm 10,000 miles away from SD HQ....;)

Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Securit/reliability is not the issue but a credit card purchase is currently simply not an option.

PayPal appears to be offered as the only and generally perfectly acceptable alternative but for some unknown reason can't be used for the most interesting offers. The store is currently giving me these options:

1. Buy the item for $1.99 via credit card.

2. Buy the same item via PayPal for $29.99.

3. Don't buy it at all.

 

I hope you understand that I chose number 3 ...

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

there has been problems with cupons for at least a year, if not before then. I did ask about paypal in the 24 hour impulses thread though i don't think it was answered. I think the only alternative that stardock say is to send a cheque though that might turn out fiddley

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

will you care visiting www.impulsedriven.com?? it is a sort of new stardock store .. and I am pretty sure you will be able to buy through PayPal without any problem ;)

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting BX, reply 5
will you care visiting www.impulsedriven.com?? it is a sort of new stardock store .. and I am pretty sure you will be able to buy through PayPal without any problem
End of BX's quote

BX, as Anakey pointed out, this is an ongoing issue and I don't really think it matters what portal you use to access the store. I have tried to use Paypal with a number of purchases through Impulse or of Stardock products and the site always tells me that you can't use Paypal if you're using a coupon code.

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting warreni, reply 6

Quoting BX, reply 5will you care visiting www.impulsedriven.com?? it is a sort of new stardock store .. and I am pretty sure you will be able to buy through PayPal without any problem
BX, as Anakey pointed out, this is an ongoing issue and I don't really think it matters what portal you use to access the store. I have tried to use Paypal with a number of purchases through Impulse or of Stardock products and the site always tells me that you can't use Paypal if you're using a coupon code.
End of warreni's quote

That is correct... we're unfortunately unable to process orders with paypal as the method of payment if a coupon is involved.


Mike

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting milksama, reply 7
That is correct... we're unfortunately unable to process orders with paypal as the method of payment if a coupon is involved.


Mike
End of milksama's quote

Unfortunately you chose a "coupon" system for you 12 day holiday sale, essentially locking out quite a few potential customers from it. If I had the possibility to pay with PayPal I would have bought my second title on you platform today.

It's a shame that you are wasting an opportunity to "hook" new customers and make them familiar with your service with idiotic limitations like this.

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

PayPal is an indirect way of paying for things. They have to earn their living, so they charge a fee on any transaction. Generally the fee is deducted form the price of the thing (game here) you buy. For such ridiculous low prices adding the PayPal fee would be preposterous.

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

If a credit card is not an option/out of the question, how about a Visa/Mastercard, etc, debit card?

That's how I do it... use my own funds via a debit card for online purchases. :)

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Give friend or relative cash and get them to buy it using their Credit Card.

Turning phone companies into bankers ? I hate all these incompetent organisations getting involved in other aspects of other companies businesses. Next your barber will be doing surgery again, regression !!!

Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Turning phone companies into bankers ?
End of quote

No thanks!!!  The power companies in Oz  have already gone that way... what with their executives awarding themselves large salary increases and bonuses, while increasing electricity costs 37% over 3 years.  Next year, in one hit, they plan to increase power costs between 50% and 60%. 

Add to that Rudd's additional 20%+ to cover his bogus ETS, and Aussie power will have risen over 110% -  120% in just 4 years.  The average Aussie householder will then be paying around $1200 per quarter, $4800+ a year.  Given some householders (pensioners/low income earners) are on less than $20,000 p/a, that's a huge slug after raying rent/mortgage payments and coping with ever increasing food prices... which again will sky-rocket further, as will everything else, due to increased production costs.

Anyhow, back on topic!  I still think the easiest way to shop on-line is with a debit card using your own funds... purchases are instant and no interest or ensuing debt.