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PAX Badges Cancelled

124

Posts

  • Lobster70Lobster70 Registered User regular
    Again, how would you prove a negative? I don't know what made them think my purchase was a violation. Unlike most posting here, I only purchased 4 Saturday passes and no one else with the same address, email, or credit card bought passes. It's an absolutely boring, normal 4-pass purchase just like the last times I've gone to PAX. I called the number that was posted, but the person there was no help. He did say that they flag purchases where the confirmation number has been posted online. That's definitely not me either. Total mystery.

    Today I received this gem:
    Unfortunately the tickets cannot be reinstated. You can follow us on Twitter to receive notifications of future ticket sales.

    Thanks,

    Customer Service

    Signing that message "Customer Service" is an insult to people who actually provide customer service.

    Since most of us call them passes or badges, not tickets, I have to think this isn't someone who knows much about the event itself. My response back asks the question, why would I want to try to buy passes again when I don't have any understanding as to why my first purchase was cancelled without warning?

  • hideyoshikazehideyoshikaze Registered User regular
    Maybe that's why it's taking them 2 days or more to reply to me. They replied to my GF already and she's ok and she got to keep her tickets.

    If you guys look at the pictures I uploaded, maybe everyone should put that kind of proof up. It pretty sure looks like I'm going and all my tickets are going to the people in my group and that I paid for the trip and everything, but I'm still waiting on them to do their research from what they told my gf.

    When I called the number. The guy looked into my account and found nothing. Only that I had over purchased and to cancel and issue a refund was stated on the account. No notes were left. Nothing. So I hope in my case everything will be fine.

    I would just provide all the proof you can. Written & signed statements. Photos, plane tickets, hotel receipt. Anything you can think.

  • hideyoshikazehideyoshikaze Registered User regular
    I also bought a Club PA membership as well to show my support for PAX.

  • GreyGarouGreyGarou Registered User regular
    edited June 2015
    GreyGarou wrote: »
    I purchased passes for me and my friends. The person I rent from, same address, purchased passes for him and his friends. My Friday and Sunday passes were cancelled and refunded leaving me with only Monday passes. I explained this in an email. The response I received this AM was:
    "Hi,

    Yes, orders were flagged if there were multiple orders using duplicate information.

    Thanks,

    Customer Service"

    So many people have been negatively affected. In previous years we endured the crashed ticket system fiasco. Some of my friends have already given up on PAX. This is completely unacceptable. I'm taking this to the news channels depending on the response I get today.

    Freaking hilarious. Just received this after getting most of my passes cancelled.
    First Anniversary
    Thanks for sticking with us for a full year.
    GreyGarouYou earned this badge 7:52AM
    You earned the First Anniversary badge.

    Thanks for sticking with us for a full year. +5 points

    Follow the link below to check it out:
    http://forums.penny-arcade.com/badge/anniversary

    Have a great day!

    GreyGarou on
  • zerzhulzerzhul Registered User, Moderator mod
    The length of existence of one's forum account has precisely zero to do with showclix or reed expo or any other part of the badge purchasing process.

  • GreyGarouGreyGarou Registered User regular
    zerzhul wrote: »
    The length of existence of one's forum account has precisely zero to do with showclix or reed expo or any other part of the badge purchasing process.

    Nothing but irony.

  • adias.angeladias.angel Tech-Savvy Wife Kalamazoo, MIRegistered User regular
    Lobster70 wrote: »
    Again, how would you prove a negative? I don't know what made them think my purchase was a violation. Unlike most posting here, I only purchased 4 Saturday passes and no one else with the same address, email, or credit card bought passes. It's an absolutely boring, normal 4-pass purchase just like the last times I've gone to PAX. I called the number that was posted, but the person there was no help. He did say that they flag purchases where the confirmation number has been posted online. That's definitely not me either. Total mystery.

    Today I received this gem:
    Unfortunately the tickets cannot be reinstated. You can follow us on Twitter to receive notifications of future ticket sales.

    Thanks,

    Customer Service

    Signing that message "Customer Service" is an insult to people who actually provide customer service.

    Since most of us call them passes or badges, not tickets, I have to think this isn't someone who knows much about the event itself. My response back asks the question, why would I want to try to buy passes again when I don't have any understanding as to why my first purchase was cancelled without warning?

    It would seem to me that they should provide proof to you with a link to alleged ticket sales. Either it's there or it's not. And if it is, you can figure out why/how.

    Prime '12, '13, '14, '15, '19 .. East '12
  • Lobster70Lobster70 Registered User regular
    I couldn't agree more! If only I can get past the first level of "Service" to someone who actually has the authority/ability to provide more than a canned response.

    I'll say this, I'm part of a group of several friends who have done the PAX thing annually for awhile now, multiple days. But this whole experience has really made us feel small and insignificant. Yes, we know we are small and insignificant, but PAX used to be so good at not making it obvious. That seems to have changed this year, prompting this comment from one of us:
    This thing is seeming less worthwhile by the minute. It is definitely starting to feel like our cash would be better spent somewhere else.

    I hope the "real" PAX people are paying attention. Some of us have all kinds of disposable income to part with during PAX weekend, I wonder if they're interested in any of it?

  • adias.angeladias.angel Tech-Savvy Wife Kalamazoo, MIRegistered User regular
    edited June 2015
    Lobster70 wrote: »
    Yes, we know we are small and insignificant, but PAX used to be so good at not making it obvious.

    PAX is suppose to be about community and I would hope that Khoo and group wouldn't want anyone to feel like this. I am all for the screw scalpers path they are going down but there needs to be the proper support structure to field user questions or correct issues.

    I am sorry to say this but the whole thing is starting to feel like the automated youtube take downs where valid videos were taken down and users had no way to contact anyone to get it put back up.

    adias.angel on
    Prime '12, '13, '14, '15, '19 .. East '12
  • Kirby4LifeKirby4Life SumYungGuy In a cabin in the woodsRegistered User regular
    Lobster70 wrote: »
    I couldn't agree more! If only I can get past the first level of "Service" to someone who actually has the authority/ability to provide more than a canned response.

    I'll say this, I'm part of a group of several friends who have done the PAX thing annually for awhile now, multiple days. But this whole experience has really made us feel small and insignificant. Yes, we know we are small and insignificant, but PAX used to be so good at not making it obvious. That seems to have changed this year, prompting this comment from one of us:
    This thing is seeming less worthwhile by the minute. It is definitely starting to feel like our cash would be better spent somewhere else.

    I hope the "real" PAX people are paying attention. Some of us have all kinds of disposable income to part with during PAX weekend, I wonder if they're interested in any of it?

    Robert Khoo, the "real" PAX person, has commented in this thread a couple of times so they do know...

  • King_of_DewKing_of_Dew Registered User regular
    I said it before, but I'll be more clear. PAX must stop trying to prevent scalping. It's a waste of resources and time which could be spent making PAX better. Scalpers actually provide real service and value. PAX releasing tickets at a random time without notice, actually adds to that value and encourages the practice.

    I've gotten lucky every year and have a desk job, so I buy from the source. The fact is that I have lots of friends who are grateful that they can pay a higher price to a scalper and still go. No complaining at all. They accept the system as it is, and are happy to pay someone who was in the right place at the right time, when they could not be.

    People feel like they need to blame scalpers when they miss the opportunity to buy direct, but scalpers provide you another opportunity to go, just at higher price. If there were no scalpers, those same people would missed out, and would have no opportunity to go to PAX at all because they were not at the right place at the right time. I often see the people who were most upset, simply not be near/around a computer at the time of release, and they instantly blame scalpers. What do scalpers have to do with you not being able to buy? You think that those tickets would just sit there for an extra few hours if there were no scalpers in the world, just so you can buy them? Get my point?

    Let's stop blaming scalpers, and ask that PAX to stop trying to play police. PAX is not going to magically unlock the secret to what billion dollar industries cannot solve.

    The only thing PAX has accomplished here, is create a PR problem and turn away legitimate customers. The pain in this thread is real. Emotional and financial. It's very sad.

    Please PAX, stop trying to enforce the impossible. Stop hurting real people with real lives. Do something productive and positive with your time, but first, make things right.

  • LetMeInLetMeIn Registered User regular
    There is no way for me to know everything that is going on but I did come up with some off the wall theories as to ways some might have been flagged.

    I don't know what some of you posted on facebook but what if someone used that info to fake proof on an ebay or craiglist?

    did you make sure the other people at your address didn't try to sell a set or try to get more then the 4?

    did someone buying the badges this time sell badges in the past? If they have and if the buyer tells the staff they bought it from a scalper and wanted it verified then maybe the staff are writing down the badge numbers. which then causes that person's info to be closely watched next time.

  • Lobster70Lobster70 Registered User regular
    edited June 2015
    Good guesses, but for me the answers are nope, nope, and never. No FB post showing conf number or whatever, no other people at my address having anything to do with PAX tickets, and have only been a legit buyer of passes, no scalping of PAX or any other things.

    Still a huge mystery to me.

    Lobster70 on
  • GreyGarouGreyGarou Registered User regular
    For the record, two orders of two full sets (aka, 4 for Friday, 4 for Saturday, 4 for Sunday, and 4 for Monday - 16 badges total) will NOT get you flagged.

    Emails were sent to folks that went above and beyond this. If you feel this is a mistake, you're more than welcome to contact pax_questions@paxsite.com.

    edit: Also, as some of you have noted, there are actually different tiers of actions being taken against those that purchased more than the limit (three different tiers to be exact), depending on how egregious the violation was). And for those wondering, this impacted approximately 3% of all orders.

    I ordered 4 Friday, 4 Sunday, and 4 Monday. All the Friday and Sunday passes were cancelled. My purchase was within the rules, not a violation at any egregious level. It is not a violation of the rules to share a residence with another gaming enthusiast who ordered tickets for him and his friends completely separately from those purchased for me and my friends. I did submit this to pax_questions@paxsite.com, and received the following response, "Hi,
    Yes, orders were flagged if there were multiple orders using duplicate information. Thanks, Customer Service"

    My kids even serve as Enforcers at PAX! This is a yearly friends and family event for us.

  • SpeedRacer20SpeedRacer20 Registered User regular
    edited June 2015
    While probably not the consensus with most if they really want to fight scalping and give more people the chance to experience PAX themselves, they should limit the amount of badges to either one set of four single-day badges or simply go back to offering 4-day badges as an option. People who say "I am buying for my friends", that is quite nice, but the show has gotten so big over the past few years that people should simply be responsible for getting their own badges for themselves, or perhaps they allow a person to purchase either a maximum of two 4-day badges or two sets of single day badges for themselves and one friend.

    I realize most will not be happy about that, but this would give more opportunity for fans to get their tickets than having to go to the secondary market. As frustrating as it can be when they sell out in under an hour, we all should not be surprised when most people are attempting to buy the maximum amount of badges, regardless if they are going to use them for themselves or not, they should just lower the maximum allotment per person so more fans would get an opportunity to purchase when they initially go on sale. If you think about it, it would work in favor of the fans, but combating scalping has been around for a very long time and won't go away as there are always people who will do it.

    SpeedRacer20 on
  • ClixClix This guy I know Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    Lobster70 wrote: »
    I couldn't agree more! If only I can get past the first level of "Service" to someone who actually has the authority/ability to provide more than a canned response.

    I'll say this, I'm part of a group of several friends who have done the PAX thing annually for awhile now, multiple days. But this whole experience has really made us feel small and insignificant. Yes, we know we are small and insignificant, but PAX used to be so good at not making it obvious. That seems to have changed this year, prompting this comment from one of us:

    I'm sure that someone, if not multiple people on the PA and Reedpop staff are following this thread. And I'm sure that people are working to make sure that people who have legitimate claims against orders being canceled are taken care of.

    With that said, I have little sympathy for people that simply ordered more than the allotted amount then claimed ignorance, or tried to circumvent the badge limit per person/household.

  • Lobster70Lobster70 Registered User regular
    I hope you're right. I'll believe it when I have 4 Saturday passes in hand.

  • King_of_DewKing_of_Dew Registered User regular
    While probably not the consensus with most if they really want to fight scalping and give more people the chance to experience PAX themselves, they should limit the amount of badges to either one set of four single-day badges or simply go back to offering 4-day badges as an option. People who say "I am buying for my friends", that is quite nice, but the show has gotten so big over the past few years that people should simply be responsible for getting their own badges for themselves, or perhaps they allow a person to purchase either a maximum of two 4-day badges or two sets of single day badges for themselves and one friend.

    I realize most will not be happy about that, but this would give more opportunity for fans to get their tickets than having to go to the secondary market. As frustrating as it can be when they sell out in under an hour, we all should not be surprised when most people are attempting to buy the maximum amount of badges, regardless if they are going to use them for themselves or not, they should just lower the maximum allotment per person so more fans would get an opportunity to purchase when they initially go on sale. If you think about it, it would work in favor of the fans, but combating scalping has been around for a very long time and won't go away as there are always people who will do it.

    Thank you for contributing a positive idea to the discussion. If you'll allow me to point out the flaw in your idea though... Applying business principles here so bare with me. What you have done is take the same inventory, and created a 2nd sku per say. The demand for both skus is still greater than the supply. Unless you increase the inventory (total days or badges for each day), you cannot meet the demand.

    Idea being that if I can only get 2 sets of badges, but I need 4. Limiting me to only 2 badges does not make my demand go away. I will track down the other 2, and so will thousands of others. On a secondary market of course, if that's the only option they give us. However, if they extended the event or increase the number of badges, more people can go and the secondary market value will go down, seeing how demand was reduced by an increase in market supply. I believe that extending the event to be a week long or 2 weekends back to back is the answer, but that presents a whole new set of challenges for PAX as a whole that they are not ready for.

  • SpeedRacer20SpeedRacer20 Registered User regular
    edited June 2015
    Thank you for contributing a positive idea to the discussion. If you'll allow me to point out the flaw in your idea though... Applying business principles here so bare with me. What you have done is take the same inventory, and created a 2nd sku per say. The demand for both skus is still greater than the supply. Unless you increase the inventory (total days or badges for each day), you cannot meet the demand.

    Idea being that if I can only get 2 sets of badges, but I need 4. Limiting me to only 2 badges does not make my demand go away. I will track down the other 2, and so will thousands of others. On a secondary market of course, if that's the only option they give us. However, if they extended the event or increase the number of badges, more people can go and the secondary market value will go down, seeing how demand was reduced by an increase in market supply. I believe that extending the event to be a week long or 2 weekends back to back is the answer, but that presents a whole new set of challenges for PAX as a whole that they are not ready for.

    I appreciate your response so thank you. There will never be enough supply to satisfy demand, that is just reality, so my posting isn't meant to make it sound like every fan will get to go, however, if they limit the amount of badges by half the amount that they do now, it does mean more people have an opportunity to attend. There is no reason why one single person needs four sets of badges. Again, it is nice that people want to buy badges for their friends to attend with them and there lies the issue. For many years people could do that, because PAX either would not sell out or not sell out right away so people are kind of set in their ways, they want to be able to get what they used to with regards to badge quantity, but times have changed and with that, it means many more people want to go to PAX and if everyone felt they are entitled to get badges for themselves AND their friends, then we all are stuck in the same place, that many can't get badges when they initially go on sale and have to resort to going to the secondary market, which is 99% of the time resulting in buying from scalpers.

    I personally feel, and not saying you so much, that people can't seem to understand the concept of supply and demand. You have a huge demand and a low supply, all the while you have one group of people upset at scalping/scalpers, another group of people upset they can't buy badges for themselves and their friends as they were used to doing, and a group of people who can't seem to get a single badge. One of the answers to fix that is to limit the number of badges for each person. You aren't creating more badges, but you are allowing more fans to attend this way. Let's say you have ten badges on a table and you have five people wanting to go with a friend. But you limit it to four badges per person. That means two people ultimately will nab four badges each, and maybe a third person will grab the remaining two badges, or two people may get a badge each. So you end up with 3, maybe at the very best 4 people getting a badge. Now if you limit it to two badges per person at the very minimum 5 people attend, and those who don't need two badges mean perhaps 6 or 7 of the 10 people go. So you aren't making more badges available but more people can attend, and at the end of the day, isn't it about fans getting to attend? I think that's what everyone wants....

    Until something drastic changes, such as a bigger venue or more days added, the only way I personally can see to fix the issue somewhat (but not completely) is lower the maximum amount of badges that any one person can buy is one set of four single-day badges or two sets so they can get a set for their significant other or one friend. Again, because the demand is so great now for badges the days of getting badges for three or four friends is over and people simply need to accept it but at the same understand and respect it. People should only focus on getting badges for themselves or again their spouse, or maybe one other person.

    With regards to adding another day to PAX, that is a possibility but since they just recently switched to the four-day format I don't know if a five-day format is something they are thinking about, but it certainly seems feasible, but it would more than likely have to be on the Thursday before since most people are heading back to school and work after the Labor Day holiday.

    Another thing that would help is the venue growing in size. I am quite familiar with the Convention Center living here in Seattle, and have heard recently that they are planning an expansion but that would be years away until completed at least so can't see that helping until that phase is complete.

    SpeedRacer20 on
  • SpeedRacer20SpeedRacer20 Registered User regular
    I believe that extending the event to be a week long or 2 weekends back to back is the answer, but that presents a whole new set of challenges for PAX as a whole that they are not ready for.

    Also I understand what you are saying with regards to extending it to a week long event or perhaps two weekends back to back, I think the former has a greater chance than the latter. Reason being is renting out the convention center isn't cheap so if you make it two weekends, pretty much there will be days in between that would more than likely be empty, with just vendors being set up but no fans around. If the first weekend is Friday-Monday, you then have Tuesday-Thursday between weeks #1 and #2 which would be empty of fans. The costs would be significant higher to the promoters which would mean exhibitor/vendor space costs would increase and ticket prices would more than likely increase as well. Still, we never know what is in store, I am sure the organizers are already looking towards the future, adding a fifth day seems possible having the show be Thursday-Monday.

  • BeighBeigh Bloomington, ILRegistered User regular
    I would be STUNNED if any PAX was ever more than four days long. Assuming we take them at their word on discontinuing four-day badges, Monday is already causing problems.

    CVpdlHm.png76561197996811040.png
  • twistytoestwistytoes Registered User new member
    edited June 2015
    Hello,

    I'm writing this in hopes that Khoo is still keeping an eye on the thread or at least somebody internal that can forward or draw his attention back.

    I, like a few others here, have found my orders cancelled. A summary of my situation, and why I'm frustrated.

    1. Tickets go on sale
    2. I get in queue on my cell phone as I’m walking in to work
    3. I get to work and queue up on my laptop
    4. I get to order page on my phone, but can only order 3 of each day (there was a temporary bug, mentioned by official_pax@ here: https://twitter.com/rkhoo/status/ 596389341217345537 (I had to break the URL as it was embedding the tweet and obscuring what I was trying to share))
    5. I get to order page on my computer, bug is fixed, I order 4 of each day
    6. I *immediately* email pax_questions@paxsite.com (ref#: 27879) telling them I don’t want – or need – 7 badges and to please cancel the original order. I receive a reply within 24 hours saying “Sorry, we can’t cancel orders, give them to friends or family!”

    I'm thinking, "Sweet! I have extras." I work at a large company and every year there are people asking for badges for themselves or friends/family so there's no way they're going to "waste". Originally my cousin and a couple friends had planned on going (4 of us) but at the advice of the support team I got a couple others involved.

    Tuesday June 23, I get an order cancellation email. I email them back in the *same* thread where I was told it was fine and that I should be a good person and share and am told I've violated policy.

    I'm trying to be chill about this whole thing, but I'm going increasingly annoyed at the lack of empathy and willingness to listen displayed by the support team here.

    Is it crazy to think that a company that operates conventions on a global scale has the ability to cancel an order in the year 2015? I tried, immediately, to keep my badge count under the limit and was told, in essence, "you're fine, get more people involved, have fun!" yet despite my attempts to draw attention to this original response they have so far refused to acknowledge that this was ever said.

    In a time where companies like Amazon are setting the bar with world-class support, I'm embarrassed for an organization like PAX that claims they value inclusion and "being good to one another" to have, or partnered with, such poor customer-facing policies.

    At this point I need more than 4 badges (6. Still not 7), but I have my doubts that this is going to have a happy ending. I guess I got my $1,100 back, but I value experiences more than money, and experience has been positively terrible.

    twistytoes on
  • hideyoshikazehideyoshikaze Registered User regular
    @twistytoes have you tried to take a screen shot of their reply and send it back to them? If I were you, I would take a screenshot of it and post it on here, so if Robert is still looking at the thread, I'm sure he would see that message and fix it himself, or someone would have to. Because if they say you can keep the passes then they cancel them. Then that's just wrong.

    I would also send them proof of any other arrangements you've done as well.

  • adias.angeladias.angel Tech-Savvy Wife Kalamazoo, MIRegistered User regular
    edited June 2015
    People who say "I am buying for my friends", that is quite nice, but the show has gotten so big over the past few years that people should simply be responsible for getting their own badges for themselves, or perhaps they allow a person to purchase either a maximum of two 4-day badges or two sets of single day badges for themselves and one friend.

    So what your saying is that if my husband and I have kids, the kids simply shouldn't be allowed to go? Not very family friendly anymore.

    Also if you are trying to plan a group event with friends you need to know up front if you can all get tickets or not. If half of your group gets badges and half doesn't do you just tell the rest of the group "sucks to be you" or does the half that got badges simple eat the costs since the badges are non-refundable? From whats being posted above, reselling badges you can't use is not an option anymore so they would just be dead badges.

    adias.angel on
    Prime '12, '13, '14, '15, '19 .. East '12
  • PerestroikaPerestroika Registered User regular
    edited June 2015
    Here's my two cents on the issue.

    1. On the badge purchase limit: It's been well established that the average order is somewhere between 1 and 2 badges (I don't remember the exact figure). There has to be a lot of people purchasing only one or two badges in comparison to those purchasing 16 to make that the average. PAX estimates that 4 is the average family size. The average household size in the US is 2.54 persons. I know there are lots of families and groups that go to PAX. I feel like with these statistics, the percentage of people going to PAX that coordinate buying more than 16 is very small.

    2. On legitimate orders being flagged (not over 16 badges): In my opinion, I know mistakes happen. Computers aren't perfect and neither are people. Again, if the flagged/cancelled orders only make up 3% of the overall orders, the legitimate orders caught in that 3% is likely very small as well. Perhaps the system could have been altered to allow for appeal to account for this margin of error. We don't know. We don't work for PAX, or know their process for these sorts of things. We've been told that these orders should not have been cancelled, and I believe PAX will rectify this situation like they did with the badge limit bug.

    3. On same address orders being flagged: I understand PAX using addresses as a way to link illegitimate orders together, because it makes sense. The point has been made earlier in this thread that two roommates ordering their 16 badges each (32 total) looks the same as a scalper doing the same thing. I think the point should have been made clearer that the limit was "per household" and not "per person," but this was probably a way to weed out scalpers as well. If PAX tells us the parameters that causes an order to get flagged, it helps groups and families plan better, but also scalpers. This happened to a friend of mine. Like I said in the previous point, could have been better to allow for verification that it's indeed two different people.

    Slightly Irrelevant Tangent:
    And while I'm on the subject, I've never had a positive experience with the scalpers that stand outside the con. Every time I'm out there, one is getting hostile with another. I personally had an incident at ECCC, where I was staying with friends locally and commuting with them to the convention. I left my 3-day badge at their house, and had no way to get back to retrieve it. I forget what one-days went for at cost, but a scalper wanted $120 for a Saturday, $30 more than I paid for my 3-day. Others started coming up to me as I was standing there talking to this man, and when I said I had to step away and think about my options (meaning should I take a cab back to the house, etc) they all started fighting with each other over my potential sale. I'm a 20 year old female surrounded by three or four large men essentially fighting over me. It nearly put me in a panic attack and I did not feel safe. It eventually got resolved as someone else forgot something at the house and I got my badge, but like I said. The whole thing felt very hostile. I honestly wish the state would just make it illegal.

    Perestroika on
    It's just me, a block of dirt, and a cavern full of danger.
    PAX Prime Attendee: '10, '12, '13, '14
    Prime 2015 Cosplay: Hilda, Female Sunset City Hero, Squirtle Squad url="http://www.facebook.com/steleus"]X[/url
  • hideyoshikazehideyoshikaze Registered User regular
    edited June 2015
    Hi"

    Since 2012, one of the means we use to determine an individual purchaser is through the mailing address. Our "four per order" limit is designed around the average size of a household, which is why we feel letting you keep one set is adequate. We apologize for the inconvenience.

    Thanks,

    Customer Service"

    That's what I got. So I knew it. I was flagged because it was on the same IP. Luckily me and my GF are different "households" and she was visiting when the PAX tickets went on sale. So I'm going to reply and explain to them that and hopefully they reinstate my tickets because of it.
    But it's definitely a mistake on their part mine was canceled since I didn't break any policies that they stated.

    hideyoshikaze on
  • GreyGarouGreyGarou Registered User regular
    GreyGarou wrote: »
    For the record, two orders of two full sets (aka, 4 for Friday, 4 for Saturday, 4 for Sunday, and 4 for Monday - 16 badges total) will NOT get you flagged.

    Emails were sent to folks that went above and beyond this. If you feel this is a mistake, you're more than welcome to contact pax_questions@paxsite.com.

    edit: Also, as some of you have noted, there are actually different tiers of actions being taken against those that purchased more than the limit (three different tiers to be exact), depending on how egregious the violation was). And for those wondering, this impacted approximately 3% of all orders.

    I ordered 4 Friday, 4 Sunday, and 4 Monday. All the Friday and Sunday passes were cancelled. My purchase was within the rules, not a violation at any egregious level. It is not a violation of the rules to share a residence with another gaming enthusiast who ordered tickets for him and his friends completely separately from those purchased for me and my friends. I did submit this to pax_questions@paxsite.com, and received the following response, "Hi,
    Yes, orders were flagged if there were multiple orders using duplicate information. Thanks, Customer Service"

    My kids even serve as Enforcers at PAX! This is a yearly friends and family event for us.

    Here is the official word from PAX: "We are showing that there are multiple orders going to your address. Since 2012, one of the means we use to determine an individual purchaser is through the mailing address. Our "four per order" limit is designed around the average size of a household, which is why we feel letting you keep one set is adequate. We apologize for the inconvenience however we cannot reinstate your order. There is still one complete order being sent to your address. The order is under Sebastian’s account.
    Thanks,
    Customer Service"

    So if I want to attend any day other than Monday I now have to find someone to buy tickets from. I am following suit with my friends who used to attend with me, and will not be attending next year. Good bye, PAX.

  • skizzrskizzr Registered User new member
    I just received an email from PAX saying they canceled my order because me and my brother had the same billing address. I tried to explain to them that we lived in different households and only our credit cards had the same addresses. Their response was they couldn't reinstate my tickets. I was only going to go for Saturday and Sunday with my friend.

    I am so upset at PAX.

  • yoda24hoursyoda24hours Registered User regular
    skizzr wrote: »
    I just received an email from PAX saying they canceled my order because me and my brother had the same billing address. I tried to explain to them that we lived in different households and only our credit cards had the same addresses. Their response was they couldn't reinstate my tickets. I was only going to go for Saturday and Sunday with my friend.

    I am so upset at PAX.

    Same boat here. So frustrating. Maybe I'll find a scalper.

  • ddt58ddt58 Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    It does appear a fair number of innocent people got swept up by their fraud criteria. PAX should have an appeal process. Give people a few days to respond with appropriate proof and then make a final decision.

  • DoompantsDoompants Registered User regular
    A proper appeal process would be wonderful. We live in a house that has been split into multi-dwellings. By all accounts I guess we should call them different apartment/suite numbers, but we didn't, and now sets ordered by two separate adults on separate visas have been cancelled.

    Really, all I want is to talk to a human, so I can beg, plead, and cry into the phone... promise to show up with ID, and check into the enforcer desk every 2 hours to prove I'm not selling tickets. (only half not kidding)

    But at the very least, they need to change the wording in their tickets, because '4-per-person' is NOT the same as '4-per-household', and is no help whatsoever when you have more than 4 people in your family.

    /still very disappointed.

  • hideyoshikazehideyoshikaze Registered User regular
    Call this number then press 9: (877) 674-8241

    They'll be open Monday. They close at 5pm est.

  • DreamwriterDreamwriter Registered User regular
    ddt58 wrote: »
    It does appear a fair number of innocent people got swept up by their fraud criteria. PAX should have an appeal process. Give people a few days to respond with appropriate proof and then make a final decision.
    What sucks is, in many of these cases there's really no way for a company to tell if someone is innocent, and their situations could easily be fake excuses designed to try and get around the limits. Like, multiple families living at the exact same mailing address, all going to PAX, to a normal person that would seem like it would be rather unlikely. Or two people living at different addresses using the same billing address together ordering more than four daily tickets combined - either they are using the same credit card or one is lieing to their bank about their living address (something that can be changed online in a few minutes). Or someone ordering three of each ticket, and then four of each, rather than just adding the one they needed on the second go.

    I'm not saying these are fake, but they are the exact excuses a scalper or a non-scalper that just wanted to get more than rules allow would use to try and get more than the limit, so how is the company doing ticket sales to know? It sucks that some people can't go that should have been able to, but then it also sucks that some of us can't go precisely because we played by the rules and didn't have a friend try and get more tickets than allowed.

  • DoompantsDoompants Registered User regular
    Like, multiple families living at the exact same mailing address, all going to PAX, to a normal person that would seem like it would be rather unlikely.

    How is that unlikely? I don't know where you live, but houses converted to have separate rental suites are EVERYWHERE here in Vancouver. Like I said, maybe if we had called it "Suite A and Suite B" there would be no problem, but we've never needed to do so before now. And I'm hardly alone. I know a number of people who either rent their basement out as a self-contained suite, or rent and live in such a suite themselves.

    I've also known a number of people to rent a whole house and split it up similarly, but that's not our personal situation.

  • Kirby4LifeKirby4Life SumYungGuy In a cabin in the woodsRegistered User regular
    Doompants wrote: »
    Like, multiple families living at the exact same mailing address, all going to PAX, to a normal person that would seem like it would be rather unlikely.

    How is that unlikely? I don't know where you live, but houses converted to have separate rental suites are EVERYWHERE here in Vancouver.

    This is true. I live in Coquitlam and the 3 houses across from me are like this. My family has had tenants renting the basement from time to time.

  • ShadeShade Registered User regular
    I got worried since I had the 2 badge bug and emailed them. They got back to me in a couple minutes and reassured me they weren't canceled since I only had the 4 sets total. Hope that puts some other people with the bug at ease.

  • hideyoshikazehideyoshikaze Registered User regular
    edited June 2015
    I got my tickets back!

    I was able to reinstate my order after they were completely canceled.
    Just make sure you're persistent and show proof!

    Hope to see all you fine folks there. I'll be wearing a 907 Gamers t shirt or hoodie with the name Kaze on it = )

    edit: it has a giant polar bear roaring on it.

    Take care now!

    hideyoshikaze on
  • cdragon39cdragon39 Registered User new member
    edited June 2015
    Registered after lurking for 3 years just to add one more sob story to this list.

    I found out my order was cancelled only through a refund that went to my bank account (I really need to check my email more, I guess.) Now, there are three of us living in our apartment, and we're all PAX fanatics, but we each have our own friends. So when the tweet went out, I rose the alarm and we all jumped into the queue. The final breakdown was as follows:

    Roommate A, 4 full sets, on his own credit card
    Roommate B, 4(?) full sets, on his own card, and
    Me, 1 Friday and 1 Monday, on *my* card

    Mine was the only one that got cancelled, as far as I know. I am baffled that mine were seen as an "over purchase". Has anyone had luck with the multiple-orders-per-household cancellations being reversed? We were not breaking the rules, which explicitly stated the limit was 4 per person, and we'd all be happy to send in proof.

    I emailed the customer service a few times, and am still waiting for a response, but I'm sitting here stressed out and nervous meanwhile.

    cdragon39 on
  • Lobster70Lobster70 Registered User regular
    It seems like they've started ignoring messages. I've just about given up hope that they'll have a remediation process for those of us who were improperly flagged and are willing to prove it (or at least show up in person with a person for every badge.) Here's my last exchange from Friday, after I asked to have my case escalated to a manager:
    Unfortunately that is our policy. We will not be able to reinstate your order. Sorry.

    Thanks,

    Customer Service

    ME:
    I'm no longer asking for reinstatement. I need to understand the reason why my purchase was flagged so I can trust your system enough to buy again in the future.
    Please escalate this to the appropriate person with the authority to give me details. I truly believe this was an error or possible data breach.

    Response from PAX Questions (RX):
    Unfortunately that is not information that we can provide.

    Thanks,

    Customer Service

    Since the response doesn't match my message (I wasn't asking for info, I was asking for escalation) I suspect this is a call center arrangement and getting anything beyond that level is impossible. In other words, no escalation process exists at this time.

    I responded back that the answer was unacceptable and repeated that I want it escalated to a manager. Not a peep over the weekend or today, so I'm really starting to think this is case of not caring that they're alienating a small percentage of PAX fans with the broken flagging system.

  • hideyoshikazehideyoshikaze Registered User regular
    edited June 2015
    @Lobster70 they announced that they were really cracking down on scalpers this year.

    Saying "I'm no longer asking for reinstatement" makes you sound like you bought them for scalping. At this point of time. Most people would have had made arrangements to go and has proof of flight and hotel receipts. So by sending that info in and proving that you and your party is actually going would have been very efficient in the appeal process like it was for me.

    If you didn't already buy flight or hotel. Then I highly doubt you were even going. Because not only buying a cheap flight would be impossible, but finding a place to stay is just abysmal.

    I was escalated to a manager and provided the manager with all the proof I had and they were able to reinstate my tickets.

    I can help people with their tickets by directing them to the manager that handles this appeal process specifically, but it really depends on how your story checks out and proof that you and your friends are actually going. For example, I uploaded proof on here on page 3. If you can send me that info and if your story checks out. I'll help you out.

    Take care.

    hideyoshikaze on
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