So what's going on with this as I don't wanna read 371 pages. Did I lose the money I spent pre-ordering it ? is this game ever coming out?
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So what's going on with this as I don't wanna read 371 pages. Did I lose the money I spent pre-ordering it ? is this game ever coming out?
September came and went, nobody knows more.
I forgot to post this yesterday. In a reply to a potential customer on October 23rd, Watermelon wrote the following:
https://image.ibb.co/na44fm/Water_Melon_Reply.jpg
In my experience, this is exactly how Paypal behaves. They will release some of the funds but a large majority will sit locked into the account. Although Paypal has stated that the account holder will need to wait 6 months to have the rest of the funds released, this is not always the case. Sometimes the funds are not released and you`ll find yourself reminding them to action the request 6 months later (they should keep a copy of correspondence in case this happens). The best advice I can give to the company is to hound Paypal weekly. Inform them that they have essentially frozen their business and that, as a result, they are facing a situation whereby customers are asking for a refund and that employees need to be paid. My memory is a bit foggy but I believe you can also request the Paypal agent to have their case made a priority. If Paypal is concerned that the company is a legitimate business, they need to support it with proof. Links to their web site, social media accounts, advertisements, news media, etc. I don`t know the exact nature of why the funds were locked but obviously this is the reason why everything is on hold. Whoever is heading their media relations should be using their social media accounts to inform their customers of the situation.
If I were them, this is what I would be doing to avert a backlash, repair the company`s reputation and avoid customers from requesting refunds:
1. bi-weekly or monthly updates via email with regards to the situation with Paypal. Even if the situation remains unchanged, customers will appreciate that your taking the time to keep them informed and that you care;
2. Begin showing clips of the game on a monthly basis using your social media accounts (Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, etc.). Or alternatively feature a 5 minute Youtube clip discussing the game;
3. When the game is finally released, show a token of gratitude by including something unexpected in the package. I know that when Tulio what part of Watermelon, they did this by including a keychain of some sort with re-release of Pier Solar and I think the Dreamcast version of the game. To be honest, it doesn`t have to be so elaborate. It can be an image printed on cardstock and signed by developer. It would be a nice surprise for those who`ve been patiently waiting for the game to be released and a nice personal touch from the company to show their thanks.
^I don't think it's a good idea to show so much of the game as you proposed before release. It's not such a long game to withstand so much spoiler.
Can't Watermelon take legal action against PayPal as last resource? To me it's weird that PayPal has the rights to hold the money like that; they must be thinking WaterMelon is doing money laundering or something, am I right?
Do you seriously think anybody stands a chance in court against PayPal? Probably governments themselves are the only ones who have enough power for it. And only maybe.
It's not money laundering but it's breaking PayPal rules on pre-orders. I wish people hadn't been brain washed by the "spoiler" nostalgia. We had plenty of screenshots, previews and other things back in 90s/00s. Seeing lots about Mario Odyssey hasn't wreck me looking forward to it and I'm able to not read / view certain things if I don't want to know.Quote:
Originally Posted by paulojr_mam
I might be naïve, but I believe in justice and law.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sik
Okay, but I still think they shouldn't hold the money, then. They could ban them from using PayPal services after giving them their money. That's my opinion.Quote:
Originally Posted by matteus
I actually agree there. People can choose not to watch. And given that every video and image of Paprium so far was of subpar visual quality, they could really give us some good quality gameplay now.Quote:
Originally Posted by matteus
Everyone would be happy with a handful of legit screenshots and a few seconds long unedited clips of the game running on real hardware.Quote:
Originally Posted by paulojr_mam
Whoever has the most money wins is not my idea of justice and law.Quote:
Originally Posted by paulojr_mam
Quote:
Originally Posted by matteus
Your actually right but I don`t think many small merchants (or any company for that matter) would be aware about Paypal`s rules governing pre-orders. For those interested, Paypal`s policy can be found here:
https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mp...y-and-reserves
Essentially if you are pre-selling items via a online store front, you must guarantee delivery of the said item within 20 days from the purchase date.
Further down, the policy states:
This is where things may get dicy for Watermelon Games and one of the reasons why I suggested that they keep communicating with PayPal on a weekly basis.Quote:
Why are you holding my money in a reserve for so long?
Chargebacks can take several months to come in and we want to make sure that you have money in your account to cover them. For example, if a customer’s PayPal account is funded by a credit card, card holders can file chargebacks for up to 120 days or more. In rare occasions, chargebacks can come in up to 540 days later.
The next paragraph states:
This is one of the reasons why I suggest that WaterMelon Games pre-emptively supply information with respect to history of the company. It may result in Paypal unlocking the funds sooner than the projected timeline of 6 months.Quote:
Are all merchants that offer presale items subject to a reserve or an account limitation?
We make a decision based on each individual seller. When we review your account, we may look at factors such as your payment history, business model, suppliers, financial history, personal credit, business credit history, shipping practices, and fraud prevention processes.
I think when this happened to our company a few years ago, the PayPal agent allowed us to speak to someone who was higher in authority.
=-=
Quote:
Originally Posted by Black_Tiger
I have to agree. If doesn`t have to showcase any major spoilers. Just titbits of information. And paulojr_mam, although WaterMelon Games wants provide information like we got in the 80s and early 90s, that period is long gone. We now have social media and a platform where information is provided instantaneously. Even though i`m an older gamer, I`m aware that society now has an expectation that information will be provided almost immediately. (Look how quick we get information when a major event happens!)
As more time elapses, frustration grows and anger ensues. At this point in time, if I were WaterMelon Games I would take the time to provide screenshots, short videos, and information periodically. This would at least alleviate any fears or concerns that people may have. Silence breeds worry, concern, anger ... and as a business entity, there is a potential for consumers to request refunds. Which doesn`t bode well when you consider the situation with PayPal: The more chargebacks you have, the longer it will take for PayPal to release the funds.
540 days to file a chargeback, that's crazy.
This entire saga has been a debacle. I really hope Fonzie can get it together soon.
Get ready for a "due to the paypal fiasco work onQuote:
Originally Posted by SEGA-Jorge
PaprikaPaprium was halted, release date October 2018."
That is probably what's happening and why Fonzie is radio silent. He's trying to think of a way to not piss us off.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeoVamp
Fonzie's gotta learn to take his head out of his ass. This whole paypal fiasco would have never happened if actually shared stuff.
The Watermelon Facebook page is embarrassing. I really feel for whoever is having to respond to all those comments :( I'm guess it's Camille Rougelot?