RIP Zune/Xbox Music

I was an early adopter of Zune and Microsoft Music. And for years I loved loved loved it!!!! I paid about 15 bucks a month and each month I got to download 10 songs that I "owned" or so I thought. Eventually Microsoft decided to do away with the Zune software and the plan that gave you the 10 songs a month, but the early adopters could keep it as long as they didn't cancel their accounts. Well one day about a year ago, I stopped being able to download songs but was still paying their high price. I just thought that ohh they are having an issue it will get fixed and Ill be able to download again in a few days... Umm no. a year later, and no fix. So we try to work with them, but of course customer service is clueless and they just want to offer me a refund. Only 3 months worth, and that's it.

So I decided fine, I take the 3 months of refund and then cancel my service once I see the money. How frustrating. I had a library of soo much music. Most of which was subscription. So when I cancelled I lost it all. and whats more is the songs that I believed to be mine were really not. I paid them more money for no reason. I lost EVERYTHING. Unless it was music I ripped from CD's I purchased myself. I love my music. I feel a little lost without my library. And starting over feels quite daunting. Thanks Microsoft for screwing me royally! I was a loyal customer for many years. In the end they just did what every other company does, Succomb to the Greed.


**update!!**
So I originally started writing this in August. And I drafted it. Im so glad I did because the story was not over. I waited to see my 3 month refund from Microsoft, which I did. Then I went to the website and cancelled my account. What I found odd was that it would not allow me to remove my account info. but I had clicked the cancel button so I should be good, right?! WRONG!
So, I was checking my bank statement and I see a charge come through for Microsoft Music/Xbox Music.... REALLY!? I cancelled that! Here is the conversation that I had with Microsoft over this: Info: Please wait for an agent to respond. You are currently '1' in the queue.
Info: Privacy Statement
You are now chatting with 'David D.'.
David D.: Hello shawn, my name is David D. with Microsoft Windows Phone and Xbox Music Support. Please give me a few minutes as I review the information you've submitted.
David D.: Thank you for the issue description. Connect on commerce.microsoft.com with your Music Pass account please.
shawn: will take me just a minute to get a code
David D.: Sure.
shawn: ok im in
David D.: I can see that the music pass is still active on this account. can you see the same on commerce?
shawn: yes
shawn: but I went in after I received my refund last month and I said to cancel.
shawn: and its still there.
David D.: May I have the reference number of your last chat to our support please. shawn: sec and I will find it
David D.: Thank you.
shawn: xxxxxxxx
shawn: she refunded me.
David D.: Checking.
shawn: then I went in and did the cancel. after the refund hit my account.
David D.: So you stopped the autorenewal of the subscription?
shawn: yes. I told it to cancel.
shawn: i tried to remove my payment info too but it would not allow that,.
David D.: Did you click on turn off auto renewal on xbox.com?
shawn: yes i went through all of that. several times.
shawn: i wanted to remove my payment info but it would not allow it
David D.: Thank you for the information. I will cancel the music pass for you from my end. give me a minute.
David D.: For your reference, the Service Request number for this chat is: xxxxxxxxxx
shawn: thank you.
David D.: The music pass is now cancelled. You will receive an email confirming the cancellation shortly.
shawn: I did receive that email.
David D.: If you received the previous refund already, you can now remove your credit card attached account.
shawn: will i receive a refund for the amount that was taken from my account this month?
David D.: We are allowed to give a 3 month refund only. Further refund are not authorised as you have to contact us before you are charge to avoid the charges. The system won't allow me to refund another month on your account.
shawn: this is unacceptable. Who do I need to speak with to get that cleared up?
David D.: Note that all charges are not refundable and the 3 months refunds already granted are exceptional.
shawn: i have been paying for a service for OVER a year that has not worked.
shawn: and i was clear when i cancelled the account
shawn: and again money was taken from my account after I requested this
shawn: i want to talk to someone who will refund me the last payment. I did not give authorization for that payment. I asked that the account be cancelled. and the money was continued to be taken out.
shawn: i want this fixed.
David D.: I totally understand. I can escalate the case to our senior team to see what can be done. I will contact you by email once there is answer on their part. I don't have any authority for additional refunds.
shawn: I understand.
shawn: i don't blame you at all.
David D.: Do you have a contact email address?
shawn: shawn@ploe.net
David D.: I will contact you in a delay of five working days maximum.
shawn: ok thank you.
David D.: depending on the amount of cases escalated to the senior team.
David D.: You are very welcome.
David D.: Is there anything else I can assist you with today?
shawn: no sir that is it.
Info: Your chat transcript will be sent to shawn.ploe@xxxxxxxxxx at the end of your chat.
David D.: Thank you very much for contacting us and have a nice day. Kind regards.
shawn: thanks you too.


For the most part I am being nice here. I mean really. I didnt authorize the last transaction they should have refunded it over and above their "exceptional" refund for my troubles with their defunct product. So five days passes and I get this email:

Hi Shawn Ploe,

This is David from Microsoft.

I am contacting you regarding your refund request for your Music Pass that was active till 09/02/2014.

Unfortunately we are not able to provide an additional refund to the 3 months already granted by our department. It is under the responsibility of the owner of the subscription to check his billing transactions on his Microsoft account. Once a subscription is active, we cannot determine if the customer is willing to continue with the service or is willing to stop. As stated in the Terms and conditions of the subscription, Your subscription will remain active until the end of the subscription period. Charges are not refundable. It is the sole responsibility of the user to contact the service in due time to cancel all payments and subscriptions attached to the Microsoft Account. The 3 months refunds are exceptional for customers that have been through difficulties to contact us.

The support is available 24/7 and you can contact us anytime if your are having difficulties to cancel any subscriptions.

Kind regards,

David B.

Microsoft Support.




So I read this and I'm all pfft! whatever. I knew you weren't gonna give me the money your company stole out of my bank account anyways. So I just let it go figuring it wasnt worth my time to pursue anymore.




Well then this week, I receive another email from this guy. And sorry for him I was not having a good day:

Hi,

It's David from the Windows Phone Support(Microsoft). I have sent you an email on the 10/09/2014, but didn't get any reply from you.


In case you didn't get my email, I have paste a copy of the e-mail at the end of this one. Please have a look at the e-mail down below if this has happened, let me know.

Kind regards,

David.

Microsoft Support.



And at that point I had had about enough of this guy and here is my response.

I’m not sure what response I could give that would make any difference. To you all its just another month. To me it’s a charge I did not authorize. As a matter of fact I “unauthorized it”. I went into the website and selected to cancel subscription.

You say its my responsibility to watch the account and make sure that I don’t get charged. But in fact that is what I did, and I informed you. But you tell me, Microsoft has already given me back 3 months of the service with charges for a service and benefits that I couldn’t even use. And that you cant “give me back anymore”. That money was rightfully mine, and Microsoft stole it. So yea, whatever. I don’t know what other response you were looking for.

I really hope there is a class action law suit on this one day. I don’t normally participate in those, but for this I would. I was taken advantage of for over a year. And yet I should feel blessed to get 3 months back. *rolleyes*. I have been a Microsoft supporter for quite a long time. It’s a shame Microsoft likes to steal from the pockets of its supporters.

Have a great day.
Shawn S. Ploe



Rest in Peace Microsoft, and XBOX Music. I am now a very happy Rhapsody Music customer!!!