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 ?

[user-removed]

Actual footage of Spotify's web development team

[MattSuda]

Hey guys!

This is currently being looked into. There isn't any new information about this right now.

I have merged a few threads into this one so that it's easier to track. 

[svotour]

So when we do actually become premium members and have a problem what will their customer service be like? Kinda gets me thinking about paying them my hard earned cash!

[user-removed]

Having seen that this is an ongoing problem for some since last week (!!) with no actual official anouncement from any employee/manager/I.T guy, and with only the moderators trying to help us (and in all fairness it gets to a point where they shouldn't have to be dealing with people's frustrations - its not their place) I'm cancelling my account. The whole thing seems ridiculous to me.

I took a paid Xbox music subscription this afternoon and happily up and running within minutes - great!

For those who don't wish to use Microsoft or Google, I've seen that Rdio is very good - well, we all know there's plenty of decent alternatives.

IT'S WRONG AND UNFAIR TO BE SUCH A LARGE ORGANISATION WITH MILLIONS OF SUBSCRIBERS AND RELY ON WILLING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS VIA A FORUM RATHER THAN A PROPER SUPPORT DESK.

I've had a couple of replys to my emails from 2 nice staff members, but clearly these situations are outside of their job description.

Thank you to the unpaid forum moderators who have tried to help us. It's appreciated and none of this refelcts on you guys.

[user-removed]

I've heard good things about Rdio as well.  I think I'm gonna send them an email right now asking if they'd like my business, and if they reply with a "yes" before this issue is resolved, I'll give them my money instead.

[moesother]

I went to Google Play.  I will never pay money to a company that has no live support.  The only reason I'm sticking around here is to see how long the sharade goes since its quite comical. If I get a good collection I'll post the funny canned email responses somewhere. Imagine this!:

Poor sap: I get error x trying to enter my postal code. This is preventing me from paying for a premium account. I've tried all the suggestions already.

Support(2 days later): Canned automated response with link to page to edit account details. The exact same page thats giving the error. No details on how to continue the case.

Poor sap: Replies to email based on tip by community mod. "Ive alredy tried all suggestions"

Support (2 days later): Try a different browser.

Poor sap: I already did, I just tried again with a few different ones and it didn't help.

Support (1 day later): Try a different browser and clear your cache.

Poor sap: I had already tried that but I did it again just in case and it didn't help. I have done all suggestions and it didn't help.

Support (1 day later): Try with Chrome.

Poor sap: I already did, both on a PC and my mobile device.

.....

Thanks to the community mods for doing their best though!

[MattSuda]

Latest post by a Spotify employee:

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

"Hey guys!

Thanks for posting in the community here 🙂

We're investigating this at current, so hopefully we'll have a fix shortly. In the meantime, could you try entering the postcode with/without a space or in lower case/upper case (or a mix of the 2). How does that help out with things?"

[user-removed]

Bumping the thread for visibility.

[Idunnook]

Well I've more or less had it with the nonsense from Spotify at this point. For anyone else looking for the solution to this, here is what I came up with:

Deezer

Rdio

Google Play Music

Xbox Live Musix Services

All of them are more than willing to support their customers / take their money / sell their products.

[user-removed]

It's actually a good thing this happened, because I started reading up about Google Play and it seems to have better features.  I've also noticed that my Spotify stations are already recycling songs after a few days of listening to them.  I mostly wanted this service as a music discovery tool and the discovery features really aren't satisfactory IMO.

Going with Google Play and I'm not going to bother coming back to Spotify. 

Also, reading through this forum and reading Spotify's history suggests that they do creepy things like make it difficult to cancel their service.  Not really interested in that.

Have a good day everyone, I'm gonna go sign up for Google Play. 

[svotour]

Wiil Google play work on apple products or are just for android devices?

[svotour]

Just signed up to Rdio up and running within seconds!!!!! Sorry Spotify!

[moesother]

Yes Google play works on Apple products.

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/google-play-music/id691797987?mt=8

[moesother]

I'm stuck in a loopback with their support!  They are trying all caps and no spaces again. This hasn't worked for a single person with this issue that I know of yet they have asked me to try that three times now in the same support case.

- Morgan

[MattSuda]

@moesother 

Spotify is currently trying to fix this problem.

Hopefully it will be fixed in a future update.

[squonk]

"Spotify is currently trying to fix this problem."

Having been in IT for 34 years, I know this to patently false. If were even vaguely true, the problem would already be fixed. It's not rocket science and it's only barely computer science. How an international company cannot treat it's billing system as mission critical is truly bewildering.

[user-removed]

---

@squonk wrote:

"Spotify is currently trying to fix this problem."

Having been in IT for 34 years, I know this to patently false. If were even vaguely true, the problem would already be fixed. It's not rocket science and it's only barely computer science. How an international company cannot treat it's billing system as mission critical is truly bewildering.

---

Someone probably determined that it would be cheaper to lose a few customers out of this than it would be to fire the people who need to be fired.

[pinecone]

Kinda a bit of an insult to canadian users.

Was really stoked to use your app.

Guess I will use an inferior product that actually wants my money.

[SJN]

Just plain awful support whether it's on here, on twitter or on their contact form. Considering we are customers that are trying to pay them money and subscribe, I'll take my business elsewhere to a company that actual cares.

[MattSuda]

Can you guys try now?

Some people have said it now works for them.

"Experienced the same issue for three days, was finally able to subscribe a few minutes ago. Used Google Chrome browser in Incognito mode, entered postal code in lowercase without spaces, as advised by their support team."