MGO Store - a case of Botched Opportunity

I could present on the fact that the store has been overloaded multiples of times
or that the design of the store is hard to use if you use HD resolutions on smaller screens but I won't as that has been said many times before...

What I will talk about it.... Credit Card Issues and the lack of quality support when something fails - they really need a phone number as well...

Many countries are completely locked out of the MGO store as they only accept Money from about 20 countries (sorry Northern and Eastern Europe, Sorry Africa and SAmerica and Mexico)
I was one of the lucky ones in that I live in Canada and you would think that that would mean me being able to get the expansion.... well that would be a complete NO.  The following is my story 


To contrast what I am about to say about Konami Online Store Support- My Credit Card company got back to me within minutes of me contacting them and they contacted me several times throughout this to see if things are working right or not now and to inform me that charges were removed from my bill etc...


The story starts out as so....
I decided I want to purchase the Gene+ expansion so I go to my PC (as trying to use their website on the PS3 is nightmarish)
I attempt to log in (of course this is during the overload period )
This attempt takes place over 4 days!!!
I finally make it in and fill in all the information  ---- Purchase failed????
ok ... relog in (and fail 20-30 times due to overload)
Finally make it in and do it again.... FAILURE
(repeat about 6 -7 times)

Think to myself: Did I have all the info correct? maybe I am screwing up? So ... Pickup the phone to talk to my CC company:

---

_{phone CC after 7 attempts to buy Gene+ expansion  and getting error messages from Konami MGO store saying transaction did not go through. MC informs me that all transactions occurred... ALL TRANSACTIONS OCCURRED (that means I was billed for each and every attempt that MGO said I did not succeed at!)}

---

(sent by me to KSupport)

07/21/2008
9:57AM

Topic: Konami Metal Gear Online store

Credit card company (XXX--XXX) reports that I have 6 successful transactions for gene expansion plus. The MGO store has reported that my financial institution refused it 6 times and has not credited me with the expansion. So I have been billed for 6 but received none.
I have no order number as the site always said it was refused.
These attempts all reflect the fact that the store said the transaction was refused - if it reflected the fact that the transaction had gone through the extraneous transactions would not have been attempted
I am very upset about this and I hope you understand why (14.99usd is ok 14.99x6 usd = bad)
Please make this up to me in an appropriate way

---

7/24/2008   (notice the three days)
Dear Joel,

Thank you for contacting Konami Customer Support.

In order to better assist you, please provide the following information.

· What type of credit card are you trying to use? (Ex. AMEX, Visa, Discover, MasterCard)

· Is it a bank debit card, a true credit card, or a pre-paid credit card?

· What is the name of the issuing bank?

· What is your Konami ID

· What is your Game ID

· What is the character name that you used to try to purchase items from the MGO shop

· What are the last 4 digits of the credit card number that you used?

· Have you verified with the bank that they have your address information exactly as you are entering it?

· Have you verified with the bank that the charges aren’t just pending transactions that drop off the account automatically?

· Are you using the PS3 web browser or a PC web browser?

· If you are using the PS3 web browser have you tried a computer instead?

· If you are using a computer, have you tried the PS3 web browser instead?

· What were the results?

---

Supplied the info to KSupport  (will not post mail as most of this is confidential information

---

_{AGAIN recontacted CC company about transactions . they say they are still valid and ask If I want to dispute them... I do and they remove them}

---

07/25/2008 (only a day this time)

Dear Joel,

Thank you for contacting Konami Customer Support.

We have forwarded this information along for further investigation. Please note that it may take a little while to hear back regarding this issue.

Please note that on our end we do not show that the purchase was successful, so if you see any funds on hold in your account they should return in a few business days depending on the bank.
Thank you for your patience in this matter.

Regards,

KDE-US Support

support@konami.com

Hours of Operation 9:00 to 5:30 pm PST

---

_{No kidding eh? I disputed the charges so the payment was removed)
was gone for 2 days so didn't get to reply immediately (but here it is}

08/01/08

>
Since I had last contacted you the billing has been dropped from my Credit Card... Now I need to know why it failed so that I can pick up the Gene+ expansion. Your online store does not appear to like me at all.

---

 08/01/08 (OMG A FAST REPLY)

Dear Joel,

Thank you for contacting Konami Customer Support.

We have forwarded the information along to be investigated further. We will let you know when we have a suggestion or a possible solution for you to try.

Regards,

KDE-US Support

support@konami.com

Hours of Operation 9:00 to 5:30 pm PST

---

08/06/08  23:49 _{(6 days this time!!!)}
Dear Joel,

Thank you for contacting Konami Customer Support.

According to our records the 3 digit code on the back of the credit card was entered incorrectly.

Please make sure that you are entering the correct 3 digits off the back of the credit card.

Regards,

KDE-US Support

support@konami.com

Hours of Operation 9:00 to 5:30 pm PST

---

08/07/08  _{(my response)}
*This response seems unlikely as my Credit Card provider did in fact approve the transaction (as evidenced by my bill and their affirmation that multiple transactions did go through) but the transaction was later canceled it after my request because of this issue. After talking to them they say it was your side entirely that messed up in some manner as you did receive approval for the purchase from them.

I am no longer worried as the _transactions have dropped off my bill_ but the fact remains that either you or the credit card company made a mistake (the credit card company in approving it if the code was wrong or you in not accepting the approval given by the credit card company in some manner).

I am extremely disappointed in Konami Support's speed of help as my credit card company responded within minutes when I contacted them whereas your "investigation" has taken several weeks with little to no information being passed on to me. I am also disappointed in the fact that one of either the credit card company or you is obviously very mistaken as to the cause.

Ah well I live and learn - will never purchase product from Konami again unless it is in a retail store or through the PSN and not Konami's own online store service.
**

---

It also laughable that I would have entered my security code wrong on multiple different occasions on one site when I had it right for the 11 other online transactions I did during that period with 6 other retailers.