Square Enix Online Store and Their Awful Shipping

I just wanted to take a moment out of my now thoroughly unoccupied weekend to complain about the SE Store's horrendous shipping. Despite sending a notice that they'd shipped me my copy of Stormblood on the 16th when Early Access began, tracking for that shipment indicates that it wasn't actually shipped out until the 21st, almost a week later. Thus, Early Access ended and I still don't have my copy of Stormblood, and find myself essentially barred from the game until the abysmal mailing service sees fit to actually get it to me.

And the cherry on top is that I'm really, really expecting my Collector's Edition to arrive in some state of utter disrepair, as my last couple orders from the SEOS have due to their severely subpar packaging practices.

So, anyone else feel like expressing their discontent with this service?

I feel you. I had the exact same thing happen to me. Got an email saying it was shipping on the 16th, no activity listed for it at all in the shipping tracker until the 20th. Now it's saying the package won't reach me until the 26th, and I'm pretty sure I paid extra for expedited shipping...

Pretty unfun awakening to come back to my game displaying Heavensward instead of Stormblood this morning. I really hope I don't have to re-download the entire Stormblood patch again when I'm finally allowed to play the game I paid so much for...

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Originally Posted by sarehptar

I feel you. I had the exact same thing happen to me. Got an email saying it was shipping on the 16th, no activity listed for it at all in the shipping tracker until the 20th. Now it's saying the package won't reach me until the 26th, and I'm pretty sure I paid extra for expedited shipping...

Pretty unfun awakening to come back to my game displaying Heavensward instead of Stormblood this morning. I really hope I don't have to re-download the entire Stormblood patch again when I'm finally allowed to pay the game I paid so much for...

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No you won't have to download it again. It is already downloaded but just locked to you, once you enter the code it will unlock and allow you in without downloading anything.

Can only speak to my own experience, but every single item I've ever ordered from them has arrived on time and in perfect condition. As for the shipping "late" they never normally ship early or before the game releases. Mine was paid for ahead of time, moved into pending on the 16th, shipped on the 19th arrived on the 20th.

I think the CE was over price to begin so didn't even bother getting. I just pre-ordered regular copy from best buy and picked it up on release day.

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Originally Posted by Bixillarla

No you won't have to download it again. It is already downloaded but just locked to you, once you enter the code it will unlock and allow you in without downloading anything.

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Good to know. The launcher and icon completely changing back to Heavensward spooked me.

In their records on probably was shipped on the 16th. The USPS, depending on area is terrible and had my package delivered across s the nation then back to my area. I actually spoke with my post master general yesterday and said that this can happen on their end if employees aren't well trained...explains the massive job listings for USPS in certain areas. So hey you win this one SE but your online response is still crappy and your number doesn't work on invoices.

YEP. :mad:

I was forced to pay for the $42 "Priority Service" shipping as someone that lives in Canada.

They DIDNT EVEN SEND IT OUT UNTIL THE 21ST. And now I am LOCKED OUT of play Stormblood with all the friends, even though I spent $245+ and pre-ordered this BACK IN JANUARY.

Complete and utter ridiculousness on their behalf, and I want a refund on my shipping costs.

The "customer service" for the NA Shop is abysmal and is all just robo-emails from not a single real human being, or any help whatsoever.... so rather than simply being able to provide e-mail support and registration codes to their customers LIKE THEY SHOULD BE DOING, I'm now stuck waiting until my package clears customs sometime after this weekend (could be more than a week give their track record), and EVEN THEN, there's a chance I will receive one of the lucky copies with a broken code, or one that is flat out MISSING A CODE ENTIRELY (as apparently those have been making the rounds too).

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Originally Posted by Svalitz

I was forced to pay for the $42 "Priority Service" shipping as someone that lives in Canada.

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Yeah, ditto for me.

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EVEN THEN, there's a chance I will receive one of the lucky copies with a broken code, or one that is flat out MISSING A CODE ENTIRELY (as apparently those have been making the rounds too).

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Eugh, yeah, been worried about that too. But at least once I've got the CE in-hand I can cross that bridge if it comes to it. For now all I can do is wait for it to arrive...

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Originally Posted by Svalitz

I was forced to pay for the $42 "Priority Service" shipping as someone that lives in Canada.

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The EU shop isn't much better, it wants to charge me €20-30 in shipping for €20-30 items. And that while shipping to the UK is only £6 or so.

I should be getting my order late today according to the tracking. My problem was that I had ordered my copy on the day preorder was available and I received all the working codes, but I was never charged for it. It didn't show up on my order list on the SE store website. I emailed & called, but no one could tell me why I wasn't charged or why it didn't appear in my order list. I just caved and decided to buy another one just in case I don't get the original order and this time it went through, so I would've been out of luck for physical preorder bonus items had I not bought a 2nd one.

I'm here to commiserate. My copy isn't expected to arrive until the 27th. All interaction I've had with SE's store/customer service has been painfully unhelpful/unprofessional. Robotic form emails that don't address anything, lack of any real contact information, typos/incoherent grammar all over the place. I will never purchase anything from them directly ever again. An agent even disconnected the chat after asking if I had other questions after a few seconds while I was typing.

Honestly, I don't even want the CE anymore. I know it's immature, but the extra pieces of junk that come with the CE will just become effigies/representations of my resentment/bitterness during this situation. I don't want to think of the game that way. If I can't altogether return the CE, hopefully I can just sell off the extras to people who will actually enjoy them. Naturally this is when I have days off from work and can actually play the game, because of course that always happens.

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Originally Posted by AlistairBrahms

I can just sell off the extras to people who will actually enjoy them. Naturally this is when I have days off from work and can actually play the game, because of course that always happens.

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I'll buy the cloth map if you selling I really wanted it but wasn't going to spend $200 to get it.

hopefully when you all get the physical CE you dont encounter the issue i had. my physical CE had no registration code in the box and SE support was not helpful at all same with there online so i had to spend another 60$ on a digital CE...

Oh don't get me started on the square enix online store. I know the FF 14 forum team has nothing to do with this and it won't help complaining here about it but I do have a story to share with you...

I preordered the Odin statue last year the moment I was able to preorder it. I also bought some other stuff with it which was already released at that time so I was asked if I want to pay for each delievery or if I want to combine everything in one. The delievery costs are insanely high for me so I was fine with getting the already released stuff a few months later down the line. In total I payed around 300€ for everything. By far no small amount of money. Few months later a few friends of mine told me how good their odin statue looked. At that point I had completely forgotten about my order and remembered it and wondered why mine wasn't delievered yet. Odin statue was already released for 1 1/2 week, so.. yeah...

Wrote a ticket to the support, got an answer 1 week (!) later which said that the order is on it's way. "Ok." I thought. "Should take only a week then." Oh how wrong I was. One week later I wrote another ticket and this time the same guy answered me that the order hasn't shipped yet and that they're preparing it.... ??? xD Wtf? Ok... Waited another week, nothing changed so I asked again. Then the same guy told me that an item from my order went out of order the moment I ordered it... LIES! I checked the online store several times during that time and the item in question was still available during that time. They also reduced it's price by 10% during that time. They just forgot to reserve that item for my order. Instead of lying to me they could've told me the truth instead, y'know....

A whole month went by in which I traded e-mails with the support saying that I want the merchandise I payed for even if it meant waiting. I also said that I want my other items now because I was afraid of waiting several months again and then not getting the others items because of the same reason. For an order of around 300€ and such a stupid mistake that was the least they could do, but they refused me all the time.

Several weeks passed without an answer to my last e-mail and then suddenly I got a refund for the missing item (that being said they never send me the other items, they just refunded the item causing the problem) without me agreeing to anything. Wrote them again that I don't want a refund but the merchandise I payed for. Neither did I get an answer to that e-mail nor the other items.

So I ended up writing PayPal that I want an solution and that they should talk with Square Enix. PayPal wrote them several e-mails and got NO answer at all. Just rude! PayPal ended up giving me all of my money back and I never heard of the SE Support again...

Until 2 weeks ago that is.. xD Yes! 10 Months later they wrote me again saying that the ticket is still open and they still need an answer... I'm just impressed by this incompetence and at this point I don't know what to say anymore...

Your fault for not going above the standard shipping.

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Originally Posted by DamianFatale

Your fault for not going above the standard shipping.(

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I paid extra for expedited shipping and this still happened to me. Try again.

You ansered that to me? There is no other shipping method for me... Just to let you know. Sooo....

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Originally Posted by sarehptar

I paid extra for expedited shipping and this still happened to me. Try again.

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If live in USA there also 2 day and overnight shipping available also.

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Originally Posted by sarehptar

I paid extra for expedited shipping and this still happened to me. Try again.

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Same here. They just suck balls.

I'm also pretty sure that the REASON they don't have any contact # or direct contact with live people is because

A) They barely have any staff working for them in "Customer Service"

B) They know they're terrible.

All SE would have to do to alleviate this is have the physical package contain only the physical goodies and a disk with a backup of the base expansion patch and leave out the printed code, then send the game codes digitally the same way the digital download is sent via the store on or a day prior to launch. This way, people will have access to the game on day one, while they wait for the fancy statues, maps, soundtracks or what have you. Those who only install out of a physical disk due to bandwidth issues and what not, unfortunately will still be at the mercy of USPS or whatever courier SE uses, but at least they have the choice to pre-load if they don't want to wait.

Another advantage of this is that it opens up the possibility of a one-size-fits-all physical CE package accessible to everyone, regardless of what version of the game you play, whether PC, Mac or Steam, since SE store will just be sending you the correct code for your platform. This would potentially boost the sales of the CE package since most Mac and Steam users likely aren't willing to pay the premium for the CE goods and a code they can't use.

We already saw a limited release of the Physical Steam Collectors Edition this time around, so this would be the logical next step in order to cut costs and avoid manufacturing multiple versions of physical packages. With any luck, someone in the distribution/merchandising chain at SE will have already thought of this and it will be implemented in the next expansion. If not, maybe someone on the dev team can forward this idea to the big wigs for review, since I'm sure it's not the first time it's been suggested.

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Originally Posted by Lexia

I'll buy the cloth map if you selling I really wanted it but wasn't going to spend $200 to get it.

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I'm going to see if I'm able to return the full CE. I'm assuming I can't, but it can't hurt anything other than my soul to try. I'll try contacting you if it doesn't work out.

I have to agree, I have ordered several things from their store as evidenced by my corner pictured below. Their packing is terrible every time. Items alway ship late and arrive late. Selection compared to the other regions (UK/Japan) is terrible. Why don't we get the same selection? The 3rd party they have managing this part of their business is simply awful, to say the least. I sincerely hope that SE re-evaluates them and the NA store. (Also on a side note, I am very glad I don't live in Canada - Shipping to there is apparently insane.)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DDJqYefUQAAGBp5.jpg:large

exact same thing happened to me, I'm hoping monday it shows up.But living in Canada, who knows when the sled dog team will get to me....

I've never had any problems myself with the Square Enix store. Both Heavensward and Stormblood arrived on time and in good shape. Packing for Stormblood CE was in really good and there was no tearing on the plastic wrap except one small corner that's no big thing the box itself is fine. I chose the overnight shipping and it was shipped on the 19th got it on the morning of the 20th.

Basically all stuff that I bought from the Square Enix store which hasn't been a huge amount but a handful has shipped timely and arrived timely.

I had issue with the delivery service they used in the uk. Apparently research routes tried to deliver to the wrong hpuse then tried to argue with me that my house didnt excist...would of been helped if square had put my mobile number on the order...

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Originally Posted by Lexia

I think the CE was over price to begin so didn't even bother getting. I just pre-ordered regular copy from best buy and picked it up on release day.

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I also pre-ordered the regular copy from Best Buy since I heard mixed reviews about SE's shipping.

I feel for you, OP. I ordered my copy off of Amazon and it didn't get here til Friday.

Not only their shipping but their billing is screwed up too. There's a big bug where for some customers preorder billing never goes through (presuming you did the preorder before their billing cycle for it started) no matter what your billing info and how many times you correct it. Since they insist on their games' CEs being SE Store only, I fear the day I want a CE that gets sold out before their preorder billing starts. Because no matter how early I set in my first order for it, it will always fail at billing and I have to set a new order. Their customer service is crap, it's taken a year and a half and half a dozen failed preorders to even get them to acknowledge in their copypaste response email that yeah, this problem exists and no, there's no other solution than to cancel your old order and put in a new one. It sucks. :/

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Originally Posted by JGwinters

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That copy paste is what I have always encountered in any service attempt from them. I will have issues with XIV and send an email only to receive cut piece of the TOS that has nothing to do with my question or issue... no human responses ever, and the one time I called them was the first time I cussed at a CS representative and angrily hung up in my entire life. Absolute refusal to help my issue and danced around my questions denying everything and refusing to explain how anything worked, then as I got angry he got snarky and worse. Of course they never responded to my complaint...

The only thing that has ever made me want to unsub in this game is the customer service, it is among the worst I have EVER seen =/

I had a friend order a boxed copy of HW for release time.

I learned from his mistake to say the least..

Sorry this happened to so many people :(

According to my tracking, mine was supposed to be here Saturday, the same day early access was no longer available. Hoping it gets here tomorrow since I'm already two days locked out now and will continue to be locked out during the better part of tomorrow while I wait for the mail (assuming it even shows up tomorrow).

Honestly, if giving us our registration codes is such a hassle, early access should simply extend a week or so passed official launch, giving the mail time to reach us... easy fix.

I've literally never had a problem from SE store(out of about 10 preorders) which makes me think this is more something to do with a local distribute near you. I think you underestimate the damage a certain shipping center(USPS, UPS, etc) can do.

Some part of me wishes we in Aus had a decent SE store to access. We still have no legitimate way of getting the lore book.

BUT on the other hand I get the feeling they want to avoid the legal ramifications of running afoul of our ACCC (our official government consumer protection body), who are strict when companies don't meet their obligations even on tiny matters. Any number of the examples in this thread would have landed them in court and with a hefty fine. I'm not sure if other countries have something similar, but you should investigate if your government has a consumer protection department, making a complaint to them should be free and they handle the matter.

Never had an issue on the EU store. Get it day after I order if it's not a pre-order and my collectors arrived on release day.

Interesting.

So far, I've bought the physical collector's editions of A Realm Reborn, Heavenward and Stormblood as well as the Ultimate Collector's Edition of FFXV. Everything having arrived on time, a day early in one case. Never paid for anything other than normal shipping. Everything's been in pristine condition, no items missing or anything. We also order everything as soon as they are announced (as they don't actually take the funds out 'til shortly when they are due to actually ship the item). I did notice Stormblood did actually come with tracking, which was something new. I could see it being an issue of finding the item and sending it out. Anyone's that worked retail where inventory says you have an item in stock can be annoying to find at times, even with cataloging. I can only imagine it being worse on a global scale.

The other thing being once it leaves the store, SE has no control over how the package is sent. Sure, they can tell shipping something is meant to be shipped overnight, but that's all they can do: label it for shipping. It's out of their hands once it's off the store grounds.

This is not counting all the other merchandise we've ordered: soundtracks, plushies, play arts kai figures and jewelry.

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Originally Posted by ZhaneX

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As someone who works in packaging and shipping their are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes that you don't know about. We could painstakenly place fragile stickers and air bubbles inside your package, and UPS will still chuck your package inside their vehicle during pickup and probably over your fence at delivery.

Also it is hard to predict work load so not enough people could be on schedule compared to orders to fulfill and management is too greedy to allow overtime or call people in. Sometimes they will tell you to scan the orders through the system without it actually being packaged to make it appear that it was shipped out to corporate when it really is sitting on a table waiting with hundereds or thousands of other orders to be packed. Management only cares abouy keeping quarter or yearly bonuses.

Also it is very easy to forget to put all the items in the package or to mislabel them and they get sent to the wrong person. The issue is the work to person ratio is extreme all in the name of the managements bonuses and corporates profit. Also the people who do the grunt work aren't exactly rocket scientists. You have management grilling everyone to work faster for a piddly 14ish$s an hour and when not the brightests people in the world are pushed to work faster than they are comfortable working mistakes are made and shipments are delayes.