podcasts don't play on Alexa! HUGE feature, completely missing?!

[meganfortheanimals]

there is a long standing KNOWN ISSUE of podcasts not paying on Alexa devices has been going ignored by Spotify since 2018 according to their own community board posts.

the most recent megathread regarding this issue has been marked as "SOLVED" when that is absolutely not the case in the slightest. the only "support" Spotify has offered for this is to waste 3+ hours of customers time on completely useless troubleshooting methods that all fail. there used to be a user workaround of uninstalling both Alexa and Spotify apps, clearing all settings, hard resetting the Alexa device, and uninstall/re-installing the apps. this is no longer a viable option, and the other offered "solutions" are a slap in the face.

why should WE, THE PAYING CUSTOMERS, not only be expected to pay for a service of which the advertised main features are completely unusable, but to then also perform the job that Spotify themselves should be doing to FIX THIS ISSUE? when you take your car for an oil change, you don't pay for a mechanic to show you how to do it.

here is my proposed solution for a rapid and permanent fix to this long-ignored known issue;

1) flood the community help boards with this issue, and if they mark as resolved/closed when it isn't then post it again. if possible, directly @ the mod who closed your topic and ask why, and what THEIR solution is. include a link to the oldest similar topic marked resolved that you can find.

2) contact support via email or chat and in reference to this issue specifically, ask for a 50% backdated discount on your subscription fee, applied until the issue is PERMANENTLY RESOLVED, WITHOUT excessive customer input aka us doing 3+ hours of work for no compensation. i was never even offered anything to make this right while waiting patiently for 8 MONTHS.

3) alternatively and additionally, temporarily downgrade to a free account as a form of protest, making it known to customer service that charging a fee for products and features that are unusable is not only unacceptable, but a form of fraud.

at first i was being very understanding as this issue was investigated. i've been in touch with customer service since the issue began for me in December 2021, and they've not only made no progress on a solution, the bogus "troubleshooting steps" are the same and STILL don't work. what inspired me to finally write this after 8 months is the fact that this issue was FINALLY trending on the community boards yet all that's been done is again, NOTHING. marking topics as resolved/closed and leaving a comment saying "should work for everybody now" IS NOT A SOLUTION.

when a mod answers this topic, I'd like to know EXACTLY what is being done 4 years later to FINALLY actually resolve this issue? and why is that supposed resolution STILL NOT WORKING?

[meganfortheanimals]

this is the attitude of "escalation supervisors" like Josh. it took me 3 hours to get cold transferred to him, offers no help, completely dismissive and disgusting reply. seems not to care whatsoever that Spotify is actively committing fraud by charging for services they know don't work.

[fmlnet25354109]

I'm having problems with my Alexa, I request songs, she responds, but it doesn't play them, this problem started this week, I've already uninstalled, reset and configured all devices and still nothing, I'll wait until Monday, otherwise I cancel my subscription, because only is happening with Spotify.

[meganfortheanimals]

i've been waiting since DECEMBER for this issue to be fixed on my end. when i initially made this topic, i was immediately banned for 7 days and threatened to be permanently banned from Spotify, accused of knowingly causing "multiple violations" and "aggressive behavior",  just for posting the same topic in two different help forums.  instead of helping us, they've chosen to gaslight and threaten us. they want to continue to defraud us without it being questioned. it's abhorrent to say the least, and i for one plan to contact support monthly for a refund until there is finally a FIX. all they ever offer is to wipe my account and i am not interested as that hasn't worked for anyone else, nor have any other troubleshooting steps. this needs more attention in order to get a resolution, but they obviously don't want that.

[jazzpazz]

With all due respect, I can't fault Spotify for the ban. The steps you suggest people take are not helpful in solving the issue, instead they incite spam-like behaviour and come across quite aggressive. There is nothing I can see here that would amount to your accusation of gaslighting and threats. 

It's very frustrating that this issue remains unsolved and that Spotify relies on their "community" to solve issues that should be solved by them as a service provider. However, posts like this don't solve it either. 

[meganfortheanimals]

LOL Hun, your gaslighting in addition to their gaslighting me just makes you look silly. especially when I posted multiple screenshot of actual proof of their gaslighting and threats so, i guess sorry about your inability/unwillingness to read? what was even the point of YOUR comment? I genuinely don't care about your opinion on whether their attempt to silence me was justified, but now I see you're only here to attack people who you should be working with, not against, to get a solution to an issue that Spotify has caused and perpetuated for over four years now. I definitely wasn't inciting anything, and even suggesting so makes you seem incredibly dishonest and also quite fragile. Spotify only played this card to shut me up because I am calling them out and they hate it, it's easier for them to just ban people. encouraging other members to utilize the forums the way they were meant to be used is how we are SUPPOSED to be able to get help. now I'm sorry I bumped your topic and replied at all, thinking someone who's been through the same would understand. white knighting for Spotify isn't going to get you anywhere but you do you.

[jazzpazz]

I see you've edited your response to tone down some of the inflammatory language, however:

1. Someone disagreeing with your opinion and behaviour is not gaslighting. 
2. The tone of your messages so far comes across aggressive and rude.

3. It appears that you are here to campaign, not to cooperate in finding a solution.

I understand that you're angry. I don't think this forum is the place to vent that anger. It makes it harder for people to follow the topic and find a solution. 

[meganfortheanimals]

since my initial response apparently never went through, i'll once again have to take the time to explain how embarrassingly wrong you are. since you very obviously struggle with grasping incredibly basic concepts, this reply is moreso for anyone who may read this thread that you've gone out of your way to derail by victim blaming and gaslighting me. maybe you work for Spotify since it seems that is the full extent of the job of the "support" team. anyway, let's debunk your hysterical points one by one;

1) i never said it was, lol, what an absolutely pointless comment. i said you were gaslighting and you were, not bc you disagreed.

2) i genuinely, truly do not care whatsoever about how incredibly fragile you are, and i am so deeply sorry if it ever came across that way. YOU came to MY thread to be an absolute clown, nobody is forcing you to interact, and i have and will continue to report your comments since you are clearly not here to contribute to this conversation meaningfully in any way. story of your life, i'm sure.

3) that is the most epically pathetic projection i have EVER SEEN, **LOL**. all you've done is go out of your way to get personally offended over a situation that doesn't affect you whatsoever. idk what kind of help you need, but please seek it out immediately. 

if you continue to respond to me i will report you for harassment, again. thanks for nothing and have a terrible day 🙂