Zip Code Issue (Canada)

[Idunnook]

Several other people have posted about this already, but I'm making my own post anyways. Just like several other people, I live in Canada and cannot upgrade to premium due to "invalid zip code".

I've already contacted Spotify support 3 times, including replying to their email. Each time I was given a generic, useless response that leads nowhere. After being back and forth with support over 3 days, no action has been taken. It usually takes them 10+ hours to reply to my emails, which is understandable. What I do not understand though, is how 3 separate support agents failed to read the email chain that I kept sending back to them. Even after they asked me directly for specific details (postal code, last 4 digits of credit card, birthdate, etc), the next email gave me the same steps as the first one. 

I indicated that I tried different browsers as well as an Android tablet, and yet was still instructed to try different browsers, and use capital letters (as if that wasn't the first thing I tried, also mentioned in my emails). The next instruction was to try inputting all 1s, which did not work. And why would it? If it is already saying invalid zip code, why would a completely made up, invalid format one end up working? Is there a level 2 Spotify support available ?

[invalidzipcode]

I've had Spotify premium for months, and recently decided to change payment methods. I get "invalid zip code" no matter what's entered, and support has been trying to solve this for me for days with no luck. Since my old payment method was deleted, I can't even add it back and now my premium subscription has expired.

Things that I've tried: 
- 3 different web browsers, on desktop and mobile, and trying incognito mode in Chrome

- All capitals, no capitals, and every variation of my postal code

- Using nearby postal codes

- Using US Zip Codes

- Creating a new account

Right now there is literally no way, as a Canadian, to get my Spotify premium subscription back. I know this has been posted over and over, but there's really no other way to draw attention to the problem. If it's not resolved in the next couple days, unfortunately I'll be going with another service. This has been going on for nearly a week. 

[OviiiOne]

Hello and welcome to the Spotify Community!

There's a problem with ZIP code in Canada, Spotify is looking into it, I suggest you to contact with Spotify Consumer Support filling this contact form, or tweeting to @SpotifyCares (ENG), @SpotifyAyuda (ESP) or @SpotifyAjuda (PT).

If you receive an automated email that leads you back to the community or help pages, reply to it (even if it's from "no-reply") and one of the Spotify team members will get back to you as soon as possible.

Don't forget to check your Spam Box 😉

[Josh]

Hello @Idunnook, welcome to the community!

This problem should be getting looked at by Spotify staff soon 🙂 You can directly contact Spotify using this form here, if you get an automated reply, reply directly to that email (even if it is a no-reply). You can also sometimes get faster service via twitter @Spotifycares 

[Idunnook]

This seems like a really simple billing issue, or if not a billing issue it's a coding issue with the payment website. Either way I've been trying to sign up for several days and none of the available support channels are of any use, including this forum apparently. 

[svotour]

At least you have got a response from them....I have been trying for a few days also without a response! Maybe our Canadian money is no good to them!

[user-removed]

You're still a step ahead of me.  I didn't even get an email from them when I filled out the web help form.

But it seems like they're aware of this problem so I'll just grit my teeth through the Spotify ads begging me to buy a subscription that I really wish I could buy.

I wonder how much money Spotify is losing every day they go without fixing this?

[moesother]

Exact same problem.  No matter what I say in the email they don't even bother trying to read it.  They just give canned responses like "Try a different browser."  I'm starting to wonder if their support team isn't just a bot.  Its funny a bot takes so long to reply!  haha.

To answer your question @MattSuda says:

"Spotify does not have phone support or a live chat. Only email and @SpotifyCares on Twitter."

Should we be giving money to a company that has such poor customer support?  Especially since there are comparable competitors out there.

My post:

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Help-Accounts-and-Subscriptions/The-postal-code-you-entered-was-not...

[svotour]

Maybe if enough of us complain to news outlets about this problem and it
gets air time...they will be pretty quick to fix the issue!

[Idunnook]

That's what annoys me most about the whole situation. It's definitely on the end of Spotify, because I know for a fact that every other factor involved (my credit card, postal code, address, etc) are all valid and work everywhere else. My Paypal ALSO works elsewhere, but provides a zip code error with spotify. And even though I've provided this info multiple times to them, and it appears you all have done the same, we STILL get a canned response, if at all. It's basically the tech support equivalent of talking down to your customer and calling them an idiot.

---

@moesother wrote:

Exact same problem.  No matter what I say in the email they don't even bother trying to read it.  They just give canned responses like "Try a different browser."  I'm starting to wonder if their support team isn't just a bot.  Its funny a bot takes so long to reply!  haha.

@TO answer your question @MattSuda says:

@"Spotify does not have phone support or a live chat. Only email and @SpotifyCares on Twitter."

Should we be giving money to a company that has such poor customer support?  Especially since there are comparable competitors out there.

My post:

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Help-Accounts-and-Subscriptions/The-postal-code-you-entered-was-not...

---

[user-removed]

My guess is that they probably have a third-party customer service provider handling their emails.  No company in their right mind would do something so damaging to their own bottom line.

The message I'm getting here is that if you want customer service from Spotify, your recourse is either twitter or the forums.  Twitter sounds a little better than email because it is public rather than private.  I don't really want to make a Twitter account just for this, though.

Of course, if this isn't resolved before the week is out then I will not be purchasing a Spotify subscription because I don't want to deal with a company that cares that little for its customers.  This is already a pretty big red flag.

[user-removed]

I've already posted about this too as I've been trying to register payment since Saturday.

People are working on this issue.

There is a support guy who is being very helpful and does reply to my emails. I guess its a technical issue to do with the billing dept or something. But its strange its taking several days to sort!!

I've tried everything and my trial ends in 6 days!!! Thankfully I still have my XBOX music subscription so all is not lost. I'm just suprised its taking days to sort this with no solution yet. I'll wait until my trial expires and then see what happens.

Although I'm disappointed I want to say clearly that the guy who's been replying to my emails is really nice and helpful and its not a reflection on him in any way.

[MattSuda]

Hello everyone.

This is currently being looked into. If I hear any updates about this I'll let you know.

[invalidzipcode]

After 3 days of completely unhelpful support emails, Spotify has now told me to take the issue up with my bank. I honesly don't think they even read any of the replies I provided to the 4 separate emails they sent me about this issue. 

The problem is 100% with Spotify's website, not my card or bank. 

[Idunnook]

You're far from the only person experiencing this, but until support removes their head from the sand, nothing is going to happen. It's just a bunch of clueless support people who don't actually know how to solve the problem doing some high quality finger pointing. Spotify is the problem, you're right. This has been an ongoing issue for several days for many people, and yet no official response from Spotify, just a bunch of community mods with no affiliation with Spotify spewing the same garbage canned responses as the support team. Reading the problem must not be included in their training package, only copy-pasting from a generic chart.

[invalidzipcode]

I think this is the worst part about it. 

The "moderators" who provide support on this website don't appear to have any more contact with actual Spotify staff than I do as a customer, and neither do the people providing email support. I send an email to the support staff outlining exactly what steps I took to try and solve the problem myself, and they reply 10 hours later telling me to do the exact same steps I told them I took in the first place. Then they ask for a bunch of irrelevant details like the last 4 digits of my credit card and never follow up. Then they simply say "it's not our problem". 

It seems the best chance to get an actual person capable of helping to take notice is calling them out publicly on Twitter, and even then there's a good chance you'll be ignored. 

[Zenmasta]

Same problem here from canada ,trying to subscribe to premium for the last few days...

[user-removed]

I imagine this has been sitting on someone's desk for a week now.  They'll eventually look at it, think hard about it, google "Canadian Zip Codes," and then be like "wait, Canadians don't have zip codes, they have postal codes?  weird" then fix the website, then go on coffee break.

Until then we'll just have to enjoy radio plus LIKE SPOTIFY?  UPGRADE TO SPOTIFY PREMIUM every few songs.  I guess it could be worse.

[squonk]

Having the same problem - got the same ridiculous response (try a different browser - which I had done PRIOR to contacting them). How a company with 15M paying customers cannot address a simple billing issue is truly bizarre. "ebusiness" is nearly 20 years old!!!

[Idunnook]

On the plus side, I've now listened to dozens of Spotify premium advertisements, so I've got that going for me. Going on 5 days of canned responses with nothing from anyone of any importance at Spotify.