Steam's Automated Refund System is Far From Perfect

[eyecantseeover24fps]

http://deliddedtech.com/2016/02/14/steams-automated-refund-system-is-far-from-perfect/

 

Quote

Overall, Steam’s refund system fraudulently provides false expectations for it’s users regarding the ability to have their case looked at and reviewed. The system carefully waits to provide a response by a set amount of time to mimic the process of a human reviewing the case, then sends its automated reply 1-2 hours later. 

I feel like Steam's refund system is effective 80% of the time in that it generally fits your needs, but I feel like it doesn't properly listen to the user and allow them to clarify why they should qualify for a refund. Has anyone else had a similar experience to the one described in the article?

[PlayStation 2]

To be fair, the refunds typically don't take long to show up for me. Mine took about a day or less to show up.

[Virtual01]

What is your complaint? Did they deny you a refund? I have a 100% success rate for refunding Steam games in a timely manner.

[eyecantseeover24fps]

Just now, Virtual01 said:

What is your complaint? Did they deny you a refund? I have a 100% success rate for refunding Steam games in a timely manner.

Did you read the article? There are a number of scenarios in which the system fails to count time spent played properly, as well as tricks done by developers. The other problem is that Valve does not manually review cases like they say they do, which is a fraudulent promise.

 

If you refund a game within 14 days with less than 2 hours spent in game, of course your success rate is 100%. It works until it doesn't. But if you encounter a number of issues such as patching the game counting as gameplay, time spent in queue counting as gameplay, etc, then Valve won't help you and you'll get auto-rejected.

The whole point is that Valve is lying about manually reviewing refund requests on a "case by case basis"

[XTankSlayerX]

2 hours... I feel like for triple A Valve should have taken the EA route and given 24 hours from first running the game... 

 

For smaller games, perhaps a completion & time spent ratio? 

[thekeemo]

14 minutes ago, XTankSlayerX said:

2 hours... I feel like for triple A Valve should have taken the EA route and given 24 hours from first running the game... 

 

For smaller games, perhaps a completion & time spent ratio? 

at least 48 hours you can open a game as soon as you finish downloading it for 30 seconds but dont have time and first "experience" the game a day later. 

[Guest Kloaked]

In other news, the sky is blue.

[That Norwegian Guy]

1 hour ago, eyecantseeover24fps said:

There are a number of scenarios in which the system fails to count time spent played properly

That's probably true for people pushing to stay just under the 2 hour mark to squeeze as much lemon from the rock as they can before handing it in.

 

When I want a refund, I usually become aware of that fact within 20-40 minutes. And then there's no point in keeping on with it. For instance, I got refund on Ryse after playing 30 minutes, and Chaos Reborn within 20 minutes. If you go the route of waiting as much as you can, the system might have counted time on a patcher (if applicable) or whatever.

[ADM-Ntek]

1 hour ago, That Norwegian Guy said:

That's probably true for people pushing to stay just under the 2 hour mark to squeeze as much lemon from the rock as they can before handing it in.

 

When I want a refund, I usually become aware of that fact within 20-40 minutes. And then there's no point in keeping on with it. For instance, I got refund on Ryse after playing 30 minutes, and Chaos Reborn within 20 minutes. If you go the route of waiting as much as you can, the system might have counted time on a patcher (if applicable) or whatever.

in those cases that might be true but with many longer or bigger games that is not enough.

plus this system might turn developers to put most of the their energy into the first 2 hours and than have it drop like stone.

[StareX]

3 hours ago, eyecantseeover24fps said:

http://deliddedtech.com/2016/02/14/steams-automated-refund-system-is-far-from-perfect/

 

I feel like Steam's refund system is effective 80% of the time in that it generally fits your needs, but I feel like it doesn't properly listen to the user and allow them to clarify why they should qualify for a refund. Has anyone else had a similar experience to the one described in the article?

yeah.. refunded atleast like 5 games, got them refunded after 4 days ...

[KingKeith55]

Also if you have say 10 hours and only 2 days they still accept it, no idea how the system works exactly.

[ApolloEleven]

I get refunded within 6 hours on multiple occasions.

[samcool55]

Well, at least it works most of the time.

 

About a year ago we didn't even had a refund system! Since it's introduced i started buying stuff again on steam, and i used the refund thing multiple times, and it always worked.

 

It's probably not perfect, but it is quite good and saved my money multiple times, it's good enough that i would give my money to steam.

[ForsakenLive]

Worked for me the time I used, it took about a day, which I don't care, as long as I can get the full refound it's ok.

[EChondo]

I've refunded like 4-5 games without issues. Of course my own experience won't help in the grand scheme of things, but refunds do work.

[eyecantseeover24fps]

6 hours ago, EChondo said:

I've refunded like 4-5 games without issues. Of course my own experience won't help in the grand scheme of things, but refunds do work.

They work if you're within their criteria that gets automatically judged, however if you're not within that criteria, then you're screwed. They claim they manually review on a case by case basis for requests outside of the criteria, but that is a fraudulent claim.

[Katorice]

steam will never pay people to be by the phone/computer and "wait around"

 

automate dat shit $$$$

[eyecantseeover24fps]

6 hours ago, Katorice said:

steam will never pay people to be by the phone/computer and "wait around"

 

automate dat shit $$$$

Most customer service departments at large corporations purposely understaff to ensure that the employees are always busy and not waiting around. That's why when you call for customer service at most places, you end up with a long wait every single time.

[Castdeath97]

That's on hell of a questionable source though.

[Katorice]

10 hours ago, eyecantseeover24fps said:

Most customer service departments at large corporations purposely understaff to ensure that the employees are always busy and not waiting around. That's why when you call for customer service at most places, you end up with a long wait every single time.

Valve goes a step further. not a single soul in sight. yet they create "artificial wait times" so to make it seem like there is a human attending you. and that, imo, is even shittier.

[corsairian]

as long as people get their money back it should be fine.

[eyecantseeover24fps]

9 hours ago, corsairian said:

as long as people get their money back it should be fine.

The issue is that many people aren't getting their money back. The refund system fails some people, and if they go to their credit card provider/Paypal to reverse the charges, Valve just bans their Steam account, causing them to lose access to thousands of dollars worth of games. So some people are basically screwed.