Pre-Ordered Stormblood, Returning Physical CE to SE Store?

[AlistairBrahms]

Not sure if this is an appropriate place to post this, so sorry if it isn't.

TL;DR version at the bottom.

The Square Enix store's return policy doesn't seem to cover my question, so I figured I should try asking here. Their customer support is not at all helpful/professional.

I pre-ordered the Stormblood physical CE so I got Early Access and such. However, I have yet to receive the game. After contacting the SE store about now being lock out of content that I paid for, they basically said "oh well, sucks for you." This has left a very nasty taste in my mouth.

Anyway, I would prefer to return the physical CE when it finally gets here. However, I'm assuming that as I received the pre-order bonuses/EA that I probably won't be able to return the CE now, but figured I might as well see if anyone has insight into this.

TL;DR: Pre-ordered physical Stormblood CE, used Early Access; haven't used/opened (or received) game, can I still return it to SE store?

[Morsmordie]

Not sure which Square Enix store you pre-ordered from but I know for a fact that the European Store specifically had a disclaimer saying that should you unlock and use the pre-order code you void any ability to cancel or return your order.

It's a real pity your CE hasn't arrived yet. I received mine on the 19th... Granted I did fork out the extra €20 for tracked DHL delivery just to make sure it got here on time. I don't trust the "free" Royal Mail to deliver anything on time.

[Aronys]

I didn't get the tracking option, yet I got the DHL tracking code anyway. Received mine on the 19th. You should honestly try either the official channels or reddit, actually.

[eikomakimachi]

Does your CE package have a tracking code? If it has, sometimes you might have more luck questioning the postal service about the whereabouts of your package than asking Square Enix Store. I had my first FFXIV artbook wrongly shipped to Israel (I live in Brazil, quite far from Israel lol) and it was mainly USPS' fault because the package was clearly addressed to Brazil but for some weird reason USPS's tracking label said Israel. The tracking stopped working after it reached Israel so SE considered it lost, so when I requested refund via Paypal they didn't even question me. In the end after over 3 months the book did arrive but had cover and several parts of it damaged, so I would have requested refund anyway.

However, since you used your EA code I'm not sure if even after passing 45-days you are eligible for refund. You might have to check the contract and disclaimer for that info.

[AlistairBrahms]

Thank you all for the replies. Definitely makes me feel better that people actually gave intelligent, thoughtful responses, unlike SE's service which has been horrific and insanely unprofessional.

I ordered from the NA store. The package does have a tracking code; it left Tennessee on the 19th, apparently, and there's no information about it after that, other than that it's estimated to arrive on the 27th.

I assume I probably did void any chance to return it after redeeming the EA, as you all mentioned. I contacted the store to ask, but gods know if they'll even respond. I read somewhere that I could try to refuse the delivery to force it to return (can't recall where I saw that now), but I'm afraid they just wouldn't give me my money back and I would have no game. XD

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

If it left Tennessee on the 19th, and you still dont have it, id call the shipping company and yell at them. This is more their problem than the se store lol

[AlistairBrahms]

I contacted the shipping carrier and they gave me a weird tracking number that did absolutely nothing, naturally. At this point, I just have to wait around for the SE store's horrible service to reply to me about returning the game, probably declining me, so I can try to sell the extras off now.

[eikomakimachi]

My experience with NA's store response had ups and downs. When the service was carried by Pepita Store they took weeks to reply. Last year I've ordered Encyclopaedia Eorzea and had a minor issue that made me send an email to SE's store again and I found out they changed the company that looks after their store. They replied to my email quicker than Pepita Store, in 1-2 days and were very helpful. I do hope they'll reply to you soon.

Which shipping carrier is delivering your package? If it is USPS some of their codes only work on their own tracking page because it's an internal code. Other postal services use international standard tracking codes that allow other postal services to track their packages.

[Lexia]

When the service was carried by Pepita Store they took weeks to reply. Last year I've ordered Encyclopaedia Eorzea and had a minor issue that made me send an email to SE's store again and I found out they changed the company that looks after their store. They replied to my email quicker than Pepita Store, in 1-2 days and were very helpful. I do hope they'll reply to you soon.

That would be the 3rd company then to run SE store that I know of.

[ExKage]

Honestly I'd had it better with Pepita than Scalefast. Scalefast took 2 weeks+ to message me and it doesn't have a support ticket system at all.