Steam is overcharging Australian customers for Crown Packs

Sixthly

There is a related thread about this issue on the General discussion board, but it seems more appropriate to post here.

The prices for all products listed on the ESO Store are displayed and charge in AUD for Australian customers as one would expect. However, players who purchased ESO through Steam are redirected to a Steam checkout page when they attempt to purchase a Crown Pack and this is where the issue begins. I will use the 5500 Crown Pack as an example.

1. I view my desired product on the ESO Store.



2. After clicking Buy Now, I see the following redirect page which further confirms I will be charged $40.00 AUD.



3. After being redirected to the Steam checkout page, the price has changed to $39.99 USD.



4. After completing the checkout through Steam, I can confirm my bank account was charged $56.09 instead of $40.00 which is a 40% markup.



I understand Steam does not support the AUD currency. My request is you either allow direct purchases from the ESO Store, or lower the prices on Steam for Australia so they better reflect your store's pricing. Currently Australian players are being charged a 40% markup for the privilege of using Steam.

Prior to purchasing this game I had no way of researching Steam's Crown Pack prices. They are not listed on Steam, and the only to know they exist is by being redirected to the Steam checkout page by the ESO Store which requires already owning a Steam copy of the game.

lolo_01b16_ESO

Seems as if steam displays the wrong currency for you, so maybe you should tell them, I don't think zos can do much about it (apart from contacting steam and telling them). The price in general seems fine (for me 5000 Crowns cost 35€, which is about 53 AUD.

Sixthly

lolo_01b16_ESO wrote: »

Seems as if steam displays the wrong currency for you, so maybe you should tell them, I don't think zos can do much about it (apart from contacting steam and telling them). The price in general seems fine (for me 5000 Crowns cost 35€, which is about 53 AUD.

The ESO Store charges $40 AUD while Steam charges $55 AUD. Only one of these stores is likely to be correct, because it is unlikely ZeniMax are intentionally charging us 40% more for using Steam. This issue was fixed in the past and has since been reintroduced:

NovaShadow wrote: »

They did lower the USD price on steam so it was relatively the same as AUD but when the crowns were removed from Steam directly and changed so you have to go through the store here to get them they bumped the price back up.

lolo_01b16_ESO

Sixthly wrote: »

lolo_01b16_ESO wrote: »

Seems as if steam displays the wrong currency for you, so maybe you should tell them, I don't think zos can do much about it (apart from contacting steam and telling them). The price in general seems fine (for me 5000 Crowns cost 35€, which is about 53 AUD.

The ESO Store charges $40 AUD while Steam charges $55 AUD. Only one of these stores is likely to be correct, because it is unlikely ZeniMax Online are intentionally charging us 38% more for using Steam. This issue was fixed in the past and has since been reintroduced:

NovaShadow wrote: »

They did lower the USD price on steam so it was relatively the same as AUD but when the crowns were removed from Steam directly and changed so you have to go through the store here to get them they bumped the price back up.

Really? I thought prices would be equal everythere. Seems a bit unfair to me that we have to pay that much more, but that doesn't belong here.

Danikat

Considering the prices look so similar ($40 and $39.99) my guess is someone, either at ZOS or at Steam screwed up and put the wrong denomination next to it, or forgot to convert the actual amount when changing which currency it's displayed in. Have you tried contacting Steam Support and/or Zenimax Support to ask them about it and whether it's possible to get the pack for the price advertised?

I'm not familiar with Australian consumer law, but in the UK and I think in America in the vast majority of circumstances if they advertised it at $40 AUD then they legally have to sell it to you for that price (or in this case refund you), even if it was a mistake.

BTW for reference in the USA a 5,500 crown pack costs $39.99 USD, but that's before tax (and the tax amount varies by state).
In the UK it's £23.99 ($35.22 USD or $49.19)
In the EU it's €35 ($37.76 USD or $52.74 AUD)

So it seems likely that it should have cost about $40 USD or $50 AUD. But as I said they may refund you because that's not the price you were told.

Sixthly

Danikat wrote: »

But as I said they may refund you because that's not the price you were told.

I am not after a refund, I was just hoping to make ZOS aware of the issue so they can address it. Especially with these new Crown Store items being released. Goat pet!

AJ_1988

On xb1 5500 crowns for Aussies (me) is 52.95 or there bouts on the Xbox store I woulda assumed it would be the same for steam as it is ZOS that sets the prices. Or am I mistaken ?

James-Wayne

Danikat wrote: »

I'm not familiar with Australian consumer law, but in the UK and I think in America in the vast majority of circumstances if they advertised it at $40 AUD then they legally have to sell it to you for that price (or in this case refund you), even if it was a mistake.

In Australia it must be sold as advertised.

@ZOS_GinaBruno clarification on the ESO store price would be nice, thank you.

Sixthly

@ZOS_GinaBruno It would be nice to hear whether this is working as intended, or if someone is looking into it.

Balibe

It looks to me like Steam should be advertising the cost at 40.00 USD and not $40.00 AUD. Then convert the actual cost at checkout. If you convert $40.00 USD to AUD, it is $57.69AUD at today's exchange rate. So it appears they converted the advertised $40.00AUD at checkout.

Your actual cost in AUD should not be $40.00AUD as the cost to ZOS in US is $39.99. In either case they have posted the something incorrect or processed something incorrect. You best option is probably to contact Steam as they are the ones that charges you.

Sixthly

Balibe wrote: »

It looks to me like Steam should be advertising the cost at 40.00 USD and not $40.00 AUD. Then convert the actual cost at checkout. If you convert $40.00 USD to AUD, it is $57.69AUD at today's exchange rate. So it appears they converted the advertised $40.00AUD at checkout.

Your actual cost in AUD should not be $40.00AUD as the cost to ZOS in US is $39.99. In either case they have posted the something incorrect or processed something incorrect. You best option is probably to contact Steam as they are the ones that charges you.

The ESO store advertises and charges $40 AUD for players who purchased their game directly from ESO. However, for players who purchased their game from Steam, they are then redirected and charged $40 USD instead. I am being charged $17.69 more because I purchased the game through Steam.

OmniDevil

This seems like an issue you should be taking up with Steam. Posting on the forums is one thing, but you won't get much help from ZOS on here, let alone a response. Submit a support ticket and hope for the best. Otherwise, get in contact with Steam.

Sixthly

OmniDevil wrote: »

This seems like an issue you should be taking up with Steam. Posting on the forums is one thing, but you won't get much help from ZOS on here, let alone a response. Submit a support ticket and hope for the best. Otherwise, get in contact with Steam. Posting on the forums is one thing, but you won't get much help from ZOS on here, let alone a response. Submit a support ticket and hope for the best. Otherwise, get in contact with Steam.

Steam/Valve do not set the prices, this is something ZOS will need to look into.

OmniDevil

Sixthly wrote: »

Steam/Valve do not set the prices, this is something ZOS will need to look into.

That's only partially true.

While ZOS is the governing party that dictates what the prices on Crowns are or should be, Steam is the governing party that controls what is displayed on their end.

ZOS has no control over incorrect figures/amounts being displayed on third party sites. Though they can communicate with them about such matters, it is, ultimately, up to Steam to fix the problem.

As such, my suggestion still holds true. Submit a support ticket, hope for the best. Otherwise, take it up with Steam.

Sixthly

@ZOS_

OmniDevil wrote: »

ZOS has no control over incorrect figures/amounts being displayed on third party sites. Though they can communicate with them about such matters, it is, ultimately, up to Steam to fix the problem.

Steam is displaying $39.99 USD which is the price ZOS have set. How is this an issue with Steam or Valve? ZOS have either set this amount wrong or are intentionally charging more than the ESO store. I have taken your advice and submitted a support ticket.

OmniDevil

Sixthly wrote: »

Steam is displaying $39.99 USD which is the price ZOS have set. How is this an issue with Steam or Valve? ZOS have either set this amount wrong or are intentionally charging more than the ESO store.

Why are you arguing? Who did you ultimately make the purchase with? Steam or ZOS? Steam! Steam is displaying the price! If they're displaying and/or charging you the incorrect values based on your country's currency(s), then you need to take it up with them. The very least, all ZOS will do is recommend you get in touch with them, at most they may get in contact with Steam themselves.

Posting here will not get you a response from a Dev or Support Rep. Save yourself the headache. Submit a ticket. You'll get an automated response that, almost undoubtedly, will have nothing to do with your issue. Simply reply back to that auto-response to ensure your issue gets looked into.

For someone claiming they don't want a refund, you're putting a decent amount of effort into discrediting advice. If all you want to do is bring it to their attention, PM @ZOS_GinaBruno or one of the others or, again, submit a ticket.

Seriously, we're only trying to help.

(I just tagged Gina on this for you. You just indirectly got attention on this, even if she/they brush it off. Maybe it will help get you a response. Submit a ticket, PM them!)

Balibe

OmniDevil wrote: »

Sixthly wrote: »

Steam is displaying $39.99 USD which is the price ZOS have set. How is this an issue with Steam or Valve? ZOS have either set this amount wrong or are intentionally charging more than the ESO store.

Why are you arguing? Who did you ultimately make the purchase with? Steam or ZOS? Steam! Steam is displaying the price! If they're displaying and/or charging you the incorrect values based on your country's currency(s), then you need to take it up with them. The very least, all ZOS will do is recommend you get in touch with them, at most they may get in contact with Steam themselves.

Posting here will not get you a response from a Dev or Support Rep. Save yourself the headache. Submit a ticket. You'll get an automated response that, almost undoubtedly, will have nothing to do with your issue. Simply reply back to that auto-response to ensure your issue gets looked into.

For someone claiming they don't want a refund, you're putting a decent amount of effort into discrediting advice. If all you want to do is bring it to their attention, PM @ZOS_GinaBruno or one of the others or, again, submit a ticket.

Seriously, we're only trying to help.

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