My ongoing saga with Portal support (sorted - see 2nd page)

[Ma Twit]

I freely admit I am posting this here, hoping to get sympathy - or something. I'm getting really frustrated, and quite disillusioned I paid $54 (au) for Portal access - which is quite a bit of money for me, but I love Neo, and if it helps, then I don't mind paying for access.

But I've been mailing support since the 27th September, and this is the saga: (sorry, it's VERY long, you could like read it while you drink a coffee! )

Me:
Hi!

I've just signed up for the free trial (fully expect to stay on as a paid member - my addiction to neopets is that great! ) I'd like to
try out the neomail also

As I'm not in the US, I can't phone the 1877neopian number, so am hoping that by writing here, you could tell me how to sign up, or what I
need to do to gain access to the webmail?

Thanks a lot!

Them:
Hello,

Thank you for your email. If you are part of the Neopets Premium trial, the system should automatically bill you in the end of your trial
period to start your billing. If you happen to want to cancel the trial before it get billed please feel free to email us here and just be
ready to verify information you have entered as part of the trial such as your the last four digits of the credit card you entered, your
username with Neopets Premium, and your billing address for us to identify you and cancel the account.

Me:
Hi again

Thanks for your reply, but what I was actually wondering was how I access the Email (or webmail, neomail) portion of the site?

When I signed up for the Premium service, it said at the bottom of the page that I would be offered a free upgrade to neomail.com, and to
call 1-877-neopian if I was interested But as I am not in the US I can't ring that number, so was wondering if I could activate the
neomail by writing to you?

Thanks again!

Them:
Try going to http://webmail.neopets.com to check you webmail box.

Thank you,

Me:
Hi

Yeah, that's the page I've been trying to use, but when i try and log in it tells me "Login failed" So I tried
to reset my password, just on t eh off chance that I got it wrong, but when I do that, I answer my "question" and
it sends me to the page to reset my password, I enter the new one in both boxes, and it tells me "Unable to
update password." each time

Pretty sure I'm not doing anything wrong - just am not sure why it isn't working

Sorry for being a pain in the bum!

Them:
Dear :

I apologize for changing the person who responds your emails every time, we have different shifts. Please let
us know what is your username with Neopets to verify that you are already signed up with the premium services
(even on the free trial) and that your account is not somehow locked. We are not authorized to ask for your
password, only your username. FYI: The password on Neomail might not be the same as the one on your Neopets.com
account.

As soon as we have this information, we are going to have to do some research and we will get back to you as
soon as possible

Me:
Hi again!

I don't mind different people answering me I totally understand about different shifts!

My username for the premium trial is ...

I can still log in with it on Neopets.com fine (and that does have a different password to the premium trial)
just have the problem when I try to log in for the premium

Thanks so much for your quick service!

Them:
Dear ,

I reviewed the past emails that you have sent. If you are getting "Login Failed", then there are 2 main tips I
can give you. Before you begin however, I would recommend to delete your temporary internet files and cookies.

To do that on Internet Explorer click on the Tools menu, then Internet Options. From there click the "delete
files" button and on the box that pops up add a check to "delete all offline content" and then click OK. Next,
click the Delete Cookies button and click OK on the popup. If you don't have a delete cookies button, then you
will have to click on Settings, then View Files and delete all files that show up in the new window.

1) When you type in your username, only type in ..... Do not add @neomail or anything else. And of course,
double check your spelling just to make sure it is not a typo.

2) Due to the passwords being case sensitive, I would recommend to make sure your caps lock is off. Since you
have been through the reset password pages, I would recommend to first try your original password before you
reset it, then the password you tried to reset it just in case it actually did go through. If you ever tried to
reset it to a different password, try that 3rd one if it still doesn't work.

I hope that helps, if not, we can reset your password on our side for your premium sites to be able to test it
and help you out some more.

Me:
Hi

I finally managed to log in to the admin site, BUT still can't get in to webmail

I got in to the admin site by using the "forgot password" link, and resettig my password, and it told me again,
that it couldn't update the password, however, it let me log in with the one I just tried resetting it to.


Now I still can't access webmail, so I thought maybe changing the password from in the admin section would work.
So I went to the "user admin" section Entered a
password, confirmed the password, and got the following gobbledygook! (see down)

Help! Please?

Them:
Hello,

I appologize for the inconvinience you have been expiriencing. I will forward this problem to the system admins
of the email server so they can resolve it as soon a possible.

Me:

Hi!

Still trying, vainly it seems, to access webmail, still wont let me log in

I'm afraid my trial period will be up before I get a chance to see what it's like!

I also tried just now to add an "alias" from the admin section, and when I pressed to accept it, got a big error
page (text to follow) When I try to access "sub accounts" just to see what that is, since there's a link to it
on the admin page, I get "Sorry, you do not have access to this page"

Heh, seems the system doesnt like me much

The followng text is the error message I got when I tried to add an alias

Thanks for your time (again!)

Them:
Dear ...,

I apologize in the delay in getting an email to you. After looking into your situation more, I discovered that you are only signed up for the Portal Web Pack which doesn't include email. Due to that, you won't be able to log into webmail even if you use the password that you reset it to. (The error page that you got is being looked into to get fixed) If you would like to upgrade your account to include webmail, you will have to do so at our current prices which would be either $7.99 (US) per month or $69.95 for an entire year. To do so, and to see all of the account choices, please go to: . Please feel free to email us back with any more questions you have.

Me:
Hi

Thanks for your reply!

Actually the very first email I sent was asking about that

When I signed up, there was a page I could print out, said congratulations for becoming a premium member, and
had all the details of what I'd signed up for

Also at the bottom it had a line:
"We are offering all Neopet Premium Web Pack Members a FREE UPGRADE to Neomail.com!!! Give us a call if you are
interested 1-877-NEOPIAN" (heh, sorry, capitalisation was like that on the page I wasn't trying to accentuate
that bit myself! )

That was actually what I wrote for in the first place (just the other problems have cropped up along the way
LOL!) just to see how/if I could get the free upgrade to Neomail - cos it sounded like a fun thing to try out

So, anyway, after the round about way of getting there, that was pretty much all I wanted to know!

Thanks again!

Them:
What happened when you went to this site to upgrade your account?

https://premium.neopets.com/user/admin/upgrade.aspx

Me:

It asks me to select a new service (with a price next to each option)

And if I choose one of them, it tells me it will charge me a pro-rated amount if I go ahead with the choice

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly by the way

Them:

What is your log in name for neopets premium service? Is it possible to contact our technical support department
by phone to further assist you in this matter?

Me:
Hi!

I think I'm just going to start again I've been mailing for a month now, and I have to keep repeating parts
of my original query, and I keep forgetting which bits I need to tell people

So, my original query:

I'd just signed up for the free trial of the portal, and I'd like to try out the neomail also.

When I signed up, there was a page I could print out, said congratulations for becoming a "Premium Member", and
had all the details of what I'd signed up for

Also at the bottom it had a line:
"We are offering all Neopet Premium Web Pack Members a FREE UPGRADE to Neomail.com!!! Give us a call if you are
interested 1-877-NEOPIAN"

As I'm not in the US, I can't phone the 1877neopian number, so was hoping that by writing here, you could tell
me how to sign up, or what I need to do to gain access to the free upgrade to webmail?

My log in name for the portal/"premium" service is '...'

Thanks a lot!

Me:
Hi!

I'm just writing back because it's been a week, and I haven't heard anything, so wasn't sure if my email had
actually sent to you or not My email provider was a bit wonky last weekend

The email I tried to send to you last weekend is included on here, so if it didn't send, here goes again!

Them: (from a different place now )
Hi,

Are you reinstalling the software? If your not and you already have it on the desktop all you need to do is
to open it and type in your username and password in the fields it's indicated to login, given the software is
already installed.

Me:

I'm a little confused What software? I sent this mail to mailto:blahblah@blahblah.com, and the answer came from
mailto:rahrah@rahrah.com which has confused me even further

I've been emailing since the 27th September, trying to find out how I upgrade from a Neopets Portal account, to a
"free upgrade" to Neomail.com.

I don't know why my mail is suddenly going to somewhere else entirely, and I still don't have an answer to my
original enquiry.

I'm getting a litte frustrated.

And now really confused! I honestly have no idea what software you're talking about, or why my mail has been
directed to you

Thanks for your time.

Anyone still with me? Should I just give up? I'm tired of it, all I wanted was to try the neomail And now I havent had my space faerie scratch cards for three weeks either

Right at the beginning of this saga, I was getting a reply every day or two, now it's a week between replies, and I'm just SO confused!

Last edited by Ma Twit on Wed Nov 10, 2004 8:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Ammer]

Honestly, I'd cancel the whole 'Neopets Portal Package'. It's ridiculous that you're going through so much effort to try and reach something which should be available to you and all they're doing is advertising how to get more features (I know that's an exaggeration but they seem to be repeating lots of steps).

[Ma Twit]

I know

I'm feeling like they don't even read what I write, just skim it, and assume I'm talking about something else. I mean, I know they must get really busy and all, but after over a month, you would think that something, somewhere woulda... Oh I dont know. My accounts probably flagged now to "delay answering this person - all they do is complain" and I SWEAR I'm trying so hard to stay patient and polite, and NOT complain in my mails, but I'm running so out of patience.

[HollyPop]

Yeesh!! What a saga, that's crazy!!

I'd say keep trying though. Nothing like persistence for getting results

[Kuri]

Well on one hand I'd say cancel it to save yourself the trouble and stress of having to deal with all this constant repeating, trying to get your point across. On the other hand if I paid for something and I was offered something, I'd WOULD like to get what was offered. So I would want to be persistant and get what I deserve. I guess it is just a matter of opinion.

[xjox]

Ive been there!! I signed up for the full web pack and only after 2 weeks of trying to use the dial up internet did they respond to my question of whether it was available in the UK.

I believe that the software they are referring to is for the ISP account, full premium pack. I wouldnt hold out on too much hope about getting your free webmail, its not an essential thing and its really not worth the money! I personally would cancel now, like I did, my idea is that if you have hassles with something on a free trial you dont bother paying for it! Just think how even more annoyed you would feel if you were paying for them to give you the run around!!

EDIT: sorry I just read the top bit again..... you say that you already paid for it? I thought you were on a free trial?

Last edited by xjox on Mon Nov 08, 2004 12:34 am, edited 1 time in total.

[plushie]

*wakes up with drool on the keyboard- wipes it off*

I'm just about as confused i'm not helping am i? XD

[everconfused]

The portal by itself is $54 a year?! For basically a homepage? The email is $7.99 a month ... for a web based email service?!

I thought about looking into the portal - just the portal though, no toolbar (hate them, have one with my ISP, my ISP goes into fits if I try to use a different one, so does my spyware detector), and the email? Well to be honest I don't think I'd want to send my friends emails with @ neomail.com as the addy. They already think I'm nuts!

I had no idea the portal was so expensive, there's no way I can afford that right now. I knew there were people having problems with the ISP in the Premium package (not finding out that it's only available in the US until after alot of personal and credit card info was given), but not the portal itself.

There's only that phone number on what you printed out? There's no fax number? If there is one, that may be the way to go - faxing the information since you can't call the 877 from your country.

The alternative is, of course, to simply cancel the services you did pay for and get a refund. It really is sounding like alot more aggravation than it's worth IMO. If you're paying for something, you are entitled to good customer service and a straight answer/resolution to your problem.

I ran into a problem with Beckett with the magazine, took a few months to get it partially straightened out ... but never completely. Some companies are just not great with the customer support side of things.

[Ma Twit]

(...)EDIT: sorry I just read the top bit again..... you say that you already paid for it? I thought you were on a free trial?

I was - but it's taken so long with all t he emailing back and forth, that I ended up having to pay for it The trial was 2 weeks (I think!) and during that two weeks all the mails sent/received *seemed* to be heading the right way - sorting out error messages etc. The email I got telling me I wasn't on the plan to get webmail came right as/just after the trial ran out

The portal by itself is $54 a year?! For basically a homepage? The email is $7.99 a month ... for a web based email service?!

That was Aussie dollars by the way And at the time, I thought I was getting a free upgrade to webmail as well, as well as whatever other benefits there were I honestly thought paying (I think it was $40 US) was worth all of that, since I love spending time on Neo, and spend quite a lot of time there too

Well, if Neo ever became a subscription only site, I would pay that much per year for it (not much more - I can't afford much more ) so I figured it was worth it

And unfortunately, there's no fax number, just an email address, and the phone number.

[Ma Twit]

Oh!

I'm not sure exactly what happened, or how, but it's all working now!

You know, yesterday was quite frankly one of the crappiest days I've had in a LONG time, and you kow, every "little" thing became a "major" thing, so not hearing from support for yet another day was really bugging me But today I woke up, feeling better about life in general, had lovely cheer up messages from a lot of friends, and now this

Today is a much better day

Might go mail support and thank them now, just for making my day better

Thanks everyone for your sympathy in here too I'd just needed to vent.

[DM was on fire!]

*in stonewolf3x tone* Bite them on the leg. 5 NP please.

Yeesh, and I thought DirecTV cust. support were idiots.

[Johnnydontgo]

Wow. What an ordeal. I'm glad it finally got resolved, and it seems that obviously it was a mistake on their part, as it "suddnely" fixed. Ha. And I hope you enjoy the access... especially for that price!

[Axe]

Cancel it all together, and save your self 70 bucks, just think what kind of stuff you could buy with 70 bucks..

And plus I think that is an OUTRAGEOUS price, 70 bucks? Common, really?

[Erin]

*in stonewolf3x tone* Bite them on the leg. 5 NP please.

rofl! That's priceless. xD

I agree by the way. The portal is not worth the hassle you've been through.

[YesItIsh]

Yup. Cancel. That seems to get you nowhere. And that's very long...I skimmed(okay...skipped) through the last pages....hehe.