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View Full Version : Why Gree needs to make a change to its Bonus Gold program



fils
06-20-2013, 02:14 PM
After some months trading e-mails both with Gree and with Apple (i play in an iPhone) I'm almost certain that I'll never get the bonus gold I should be entitled to and since I believe I'm being treated unfairly, I'm writing this post to show everyone how this topic is treated within Gree.


In the past month of March, I made a large set of purchases in Modern War. So far, so good, I used the gold to achieve my goals but I kept reading things about this Bonus Gold Program for which Gree gives prizes for anyone that spends more than $500 within a specific month.

I did, in fact, spent more than $500 in this game during the month of March ($509,38, to be more precise) but I never got any bonus and I have an e-mail from Gree stating I shouldn't get that money.

The problem: My currency is the Euro and not the Dollar and it seems that for Gree ANY purchase for gold in accountable by it's base value in Dollars (example: The largest-sized package at the normal price contributes $100 towards the bonus tiers and the same package on 20% sale contributes $80).

What can we conclude from this? In order to simplify its process (and under the pathetic argument that exchange rates are set by third parties so cannot be accountable) Gree doesn't account for actual values spent but accounts for this sort of imaginary values.

Under this logic, the $509,38 I spent were accounted in Gree like they worth solely $449,93 and here is where I ask: What about the $59,45 margin between the value Gree got from Me/Apple and the value accounted by Gree? Did it end in anyone's pocket??

Because of this experience I'm pretty sure I'll never spend such amounts in this game again, at least until everyone is treated equally. This situation is simply unacceptable in commercial terms.

Because of what's implicit in this text, I don't know how Gree will (if it will) react to this thread but I feel the obligation to share this with all players in order for every non-dollar user to think twice before buying gold with the expectation to get a bonus.

Not only the values charged for in-app purchases in this game are obscene but the "extra motivational" strategy from Gree is a bit stinky.

I hope the situation above is well described for anyone to understand. In case of doubts, feel free to ask me.

Ps: In order to reach the values described in this post, Dollar values for in-app purchases were taken from Modern War page in iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/modern-war/id468327549?mt=8) and Exchange Rates values were taken from Google Finance (https://www.google.com/finance?q=EURUSD) that allows you to check exchange rates for a specific recent date. The rest, is all in the iTunes receipts I have.

Regards to all

Thief
06-20-2013, 03:03 PM
As you mentioned Exchange Rates don't mean anything and the Values are actually set by Apple.

Not saying its fair its just another broken system.

If it makes you feel any better i spent the money to get the bonus gold in dollars and still haven't recieved my bonus and i had Gold "dissappear".

Plutonium 238
06-20-2013, 03:06 PM
As you mentioned Exchange Rates don't mean anything and the Values are actually set by Apple.

Not saying its fair its just another broken system.

If it makes you feel any better i spent the money to get the bonus gold in dollars and still haven't recieved my bonus and i had Gold "dissappear".

there are lots of "things" that can help you, dispute it via Apple AND your card(s)

there is info I cannot post without getting banned.

fils
06-20-2013, 03:08 PM
I don't think that's fully correct Thief. Values are set/announced by Apple but are also payed to developers and (despite the fact that Apple didn't stated it to me explicitely but only indirectly), means that Gree receives for each purchase the base value +/- the variation caused by Exchange rates.

Regarding, if I feel better, no, quite on the contrary. If you were entitled to get a bonus, you should have got it, plain and simple.

Thief
06-20-2013, 03:30 PM
@Plutonium yes i'm about to start the process. Most of it was bought with GCards and i would be hurting the merchant where i bought the gcards so i won't be going the CC route but that would have been the easiest.

@Fils

Since Gree (well Funzio is based in the US everything is done in dollars)

So the following Equations work out as such:

Bag of Gold: $5
Stash of Gold $10
Stockpile of Gold $20
Bank Truck of Gold $50
Vault of Gold $100

Now lets assume that gold isn't on sale so you buy 5 Vaults. That is how you would be eligible for the bonus program. Gree doesn't know if you spent dollars or Euros to buy those vaults they only know you bought vaults and get a % of that "$100". So i make sure to explain everyone that is how you Value Gree currency to get into the bonus program. You have to buy 5 full priced Vaults.

Wait you mean you buy Gold when its on Sale? Okay 20% sale
Bag-$4
Stash-$8
Stockpile-$16
Bank Truck-$40
Vault-$80

That means you need to buy 6 Vaults + Stockpile + Bag to reach $500 (again it doesn't actually matter what you had to pay for them)

40% off Sale?
Bag-$3
Stash-$6
Stockpile-$12
Bank Truck-$30
Vault-$60

That means you need to buy 8 Vaults + Stockpile + Stash to qualify for the $500 bonus.

Again i get where your frustration is coming from i'm just trying to explain how they calculate for the bonus program.

CJ54
06-20-2013, 03:35 PM
Fils: whoever you got your information from is entirely incorrect. If anyone has any further question or feedback on the bonus program, send us a ticket.