Best Time Of Day To Buy ESO+?

Horace-Wimp · April 15

I wanted to ask the community what they think is the best time of day to make the purchase of ESO+. I've only purchased ESO+ once and feel like I was cheated out of playtime that I paid for. I'm still new-ish ESO and barely know much of the game - I don't play that often. And I'm still plucking away at the Cadwell main quest. In ALL the other MMOs that I've played where I've paid for time the ACTUAL time of day that I made that purchase has ALWAYS been when the game time has expired.

For example. In the past, when I paid for play time in the MMO Rift, if I made the purchase at 6 pm then that game time purchase would expire at 6 pm on the last day of that game time purchase. Same with World of Warcraft, Star Trek Online, DC Universe Online and others.

But when I paid for ESO+ even though I made that purchase later in the day it expired promptly at midnight the day BEFORE the last day. I was surprised and disappointed when I logged in on what should have been the last day of my purchased ESO+ playtime thinking that I had apx. 10 hours of ESO+ left only to discover that it was over. As a result I haven't bothered to give this game any more money. Why bother if they're going to rip me off of nearly a fully day of paid gametime?

Anyhow, I've been thinking that maybe I'll buy another month of ESO+ or maybe more but if I do I want to make sure that I get ALL the time I pay for and not learn that I've once again been cheated out of several hours of playtime like I was before.

Som exactly what time of day does ZOS or whoever cut off players' ESO+ (when does the billing cycle end?) Midnight? 3am? 6am? Does it matter if it's Daylight Saving Time? And why don't they just change their billing to work like other MMOs and make that time the time of day the purchase was made?

I play on PC, Norh America in the Eastern Time Zone.

Thank you for your consideration.

Grizzbeorn · April 15

The billing cycle ends/renews at the same clock time that you made the purchase, at the end of whatever amount of time you purchased.
(this has been my experience, anyway.)

And do not be fooled by it looking like you'll be a day short.
"One month" is considered 30 days, billing-wise, and 30 days is configured as 29 days + 24 hours with regard to the count-down to expiration/renewal.
But the hours portion of the count-down isn't really visible.
1 day equals 24 hours.
2 days equals 1 day + 24 hours.
3 days equals 2 days + 24 hours, and so on...

Have a look at this post in another thread for further explanation:
https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/8295679/#Comment_8295679

Horace-Wimp · April 15

Grizzbeorn wrote: »

The billing cycle ends/renews at the same clock time that you made the purchase, at the end of whatever amount of time you purchased.
(this has been my experience, anyway.)

And do not be fooled by it looking like you'll be a day short.
"One month" is considered 30 days, billing-wise, and 30 days is configured as 29 days + 24 hours with regard to the count-down to expiration/renewal.
But the hours portion of the count-down isn't really visible.
1 day equals 24 hours.
2 days equals 1 day + 24 hours.
3 days equals 2 days + 24 hours, and so on...

Have a look at this post in another thread for further explanation:
https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/8295679/#Comment_8295679

Yes, that has been my experience with every OTHER MMO that I've played over the years = time expires at the hour and minute 30 days later than the time of purchase. I expected ESO to be the same but it wasn't for me. I had at least 10 hours left on my 30 days when I logged in on my last day of Plus only to find that my Plus was already gone.

I would just like to know what clock ZOS uses to bill so that I can my make my purchase, IF I make another purchase, as close to that time as possible so I don't wind up having another paid day taken from me.

There is no hurry to know. In two weeks another game that I play is getting it's annual update/ DLC and I expect that after I give them another $50 that I will be playing that game like mad for a few months. But it would be nice to know when ZOS' billing cycle is anyway in case I decide to spring for another Plus.

Thanx.

Danikat · April 15

I have no idea what happened to you, but every time I've had ESO+ it's worked as you expected - it ran out exactly 30 days, to the minute, after I purchased it.

Munkfist · April 15

I would suggest opening a support ticket on this issue, as I've also experienced it the way you expected it to work without a problem, at least for many years now.

Horace-Wimp · July 15

SOLVED!

As of this writing I should have another 5 hours and 40-ish minutes of paid ESO+ time left but once again I do not. It seems that no matter what TIME of day that you purchase ESO+ that time expires at midnight Pacific time one month later BEFORE the whole month is up. It DOES NOT expire one month to the minute of the purchase. ZOS now OWES me one AT LEAST one full day of ESO+ that I have already paid for and they have denied to me.

This is complete BS on ZOS' part. I knew I was not imaging things 6 months ago when I purchased ESO+ the first time and now I have proof with purchase receipts and Steam Notification message. This is dirty business practice by ZOS. But at least now I know that if I'm ever stupid enough to give ZOS money again for ESO+ that I need to do it no earlier than one minute AFTER midnight Pacific time.

Shame on you ZOS!

Desiato · July 15

Horace-Wimp wrote: »

SOLVED!

As of this writing I should have another 5 hours and 40-ish minutes of paid ESO+ time left but once again I do not. It seems that no matter what TIME of day that you purchase ESO+ that time expires at midnight Pacific time one month later BEFORE the whole month is up. It DOES NOT expire one month to the minute of the purchase. ZOS now OWES me one AT LEAST one full day of ESO+ that I have already paid for and they have denied to me.

This isn't the case for me. I pay monthly because I don't think the discount is worth paying in advance and I'm billed within the hour every month. I cancelled prior to u46 because I initially did not intend to continue playing and my membership ended when I expected it to.

Have you contacted support for an explanation? If not, perhaps you should.

Grizzbeorn · July 15

Desiato wrote: »

Horace-Wimp wrote: »

SOLVED!

As of this writing I should have another 5 hours and 40-ish minutes of paid ESO+ time left but once again I do not. It seems that no matter what TIME of day that you purchase ESO+ that time expires at midnight Pacific time one month later BEFORE the whole month is up. It DOES NOT expire one month to the minute of the purchase. ZOS now OWES me one AT LEAST one full day of ESO+ that I have already paid for and they have denied to me.

This isn't the case for me. I pay monthly because I don't think the discount is worth paying in advance and I'm billed within the hour every month. I cancelled prior to u46 because I initially did not intend to continue playing and my membership ended when I expected it to.

Have you contacted support for an explanation? If not, perhaps you should.

Yeah, that's how it works for me, as well, and always has.
I get billed in the same hour in which I made the original purchase, regardless of which option I choose.

SeaGtGruff · July 15

I wonder if it has to do with where you purchase ESO Plus from? For instance, I purchased it through Steam, since I originally bought ESO through Steam and have always bought chapters and crown packs through Steam, so I assume that Steam is the entity which handles the renewal of my annual ESO Plus subscription each year.j

scrappy1342 · July 15

you must have steam. i was also disappointed to find this out years ago. when i played wow, it started/ended at the time i bought, which i thought was fair. when i started ffxiv, it resets on its own timer, so if you buy at the wrong time of day, you could be cheating yourself out of 20 hours of play time.

i wouldn't have thought there would be a difference between how you buy your game time, but clearly that is the case with so many ppl saying theirs goes with the time they bought. mine would renew around midnight with steam. so if you have steam and want to get the most out of it, get up early that morning, renew and start playing

Horace-Wimp · July 15

scrappy1342 wrote: »

you must have steam...

Steam is not to blame here. I have used Steam for years with other MMOs and never had this issue before. I have only ever had this happen with ESO, no other game. And I'm not going through the nightmare that Support is. Been there, done that, not doing it again. I'll just keep my wallet closed from now on now that I know how ZOS does business. I guess PDX isn't the only video game company that pulls this kind of ****.

Tandor · July 15

Given the other responses it would seem likely that this is a result of the way Steam interacts specifically with ESO, so how it has interacted with other games you've played is irrelevant. Further pursuit through Steam support would therefore be the way to resolve it, but it sounds like you've made your mind up against ESO anyway and aren't going to be influenced by other players' opinions or experience.

Juju_beans · July 15

I've played 2 games with subs...this and WOW.
Never had any issues with lost days.
Not steam though, just the normal 30 day billing cycle.

Waseem · July 15

Horace-Wimp wrote: »

SOLVED!

As of this writing I should have another 5 hours and 40-ish minutes of paid ESO+ time left but once again I do not. It seems that no matter what TIME of day that you purchase ESO+ that time expires at midnight Pacific time one month later BEFORE the whole month is up. It DOES NOT expire one month to the minute of the purchase. ZOS now OWES me one AT LEAST one full day of ESO+ that I have already paid for and they have denied to me.

This is complete BS on ZOS' part. I knew I was not imaging things 6 months ago when I purchased ESO+ the first time and now I have proof with purchase receipts and Steam Notification message. This is dirty business practice by ZOS. But at least now I know that if I'm ever stupid enough to give ZOS money again for ESO+ that I need to do it no earlier than one minute AFTER midnight Pacific time.

Shame on you ZOS!

you get 14 days of ESO plus for free each year

Horace-Wimp · July 17

Waseem wrote: »

...you get 14 days of ESO plus for free each year

Really? When does that happen?