Paying for Premium: Oops, seems your card or payment provider is having a bad day

[robsawyer]

**********************************************UPDATE**********************************************

(I wanted to include the most recent info (from April 9th, 2015) so folks can easily find it on the first post - the original post is below)

Update - It seems that Support has identified the issue. According to Spotify, they had encountered fraudulent attempts to use my credit card to subscribe to Spotify, which temporarily prevented it from making payments. I still don't understand why this stopped me from paying with my other Credit Cards though.

I am happy to have a solution.

Below is the update from Support:

Hi there,

Your case was passed to me to follow up on the message you sent us on Twitter. 

I'm sorry to see you've been running into these issues however I'm pleased to confirm that you should now be able to subscribe as normal with your credit card. It seems the issue here is that some fraudulent attempts have been made using your card by an unauthorised third party and so it was temporarily prevented from making payments. To ensure that his doesn't cause further issues for you I would recommend reviewing your bank statement and notifying your bank of the problem...

Please let us know if you run in to any further problems.

Kind regards,

Joe

Spotify Customer Service - Cambridge

Follow our customer service team @spotifycares for all things Spotify

 **************************************************************************************************

I know there are other posts regarding this issue - just wanted to share my situation incase I am able to help others:

I received messages via my Spotify App (OSX) stating "We've been unable to renew your subscription becuase of a payment problem. To keep your subscription, please update your payment details." I also received a corresponding email with the subject "Please check your Premium payment details" requesting that I update my payment info.

I logged into Spotify, using Google Chrome on my mac running OSX and attempted to update my Credit Card info using the form found at https://www.spotify.com/us/payment/change/

I entered my current VISA credit card info (which had not expired - so it was the same info as Spotify currently had on file) and attempted to submit. I received the following error after submission: "Oops, seems your card or payment provider is having a bad day. Don't worry, no money has been charged. Try again or use another payment method."

I immediately contacted my Credit Card company (in this case, VISA) and spoke with a service rep who was able to confirm that:

1. There was no issue regarding my card (in fact, I used the card earlier that day and continue to use it with no issues).
2. VISA had not denied any attempted charge to my account from Spotify.
3. VISA had not received any attempted charge from Spotify against my account on that day.

At this point, I curiously returned to https://www.spotify.com/us/payment/change/ and attempted to update my credit card info with an entirely different AMERICAN EXPRESS card. Much to my surprise, I was greeted with the same error: "Oops, seems your card or payment provider is having a bad day. Don't worry, no money has been charged. Try again or use another payment method."

Once again, I picked up the phone and called the American Express help line where I was able to confirm that:

1. There was no issue regarding my card.
2. AMERICAN EXPRESS had not denied any attempted charge from Spotify.
3. AMERICAN EXPRESS had not received any attempted charge from Spotify against my account.

At this point in time, I figured that this must be a platform or browser related issue. As I mentioned prior, I had attempted to update my info using Google Chrome on Mac OSX. As a test, I then tried to update my payment info using:

- Mac OSX - Google Chrome in Incognito Mode

- Max OSX - Safari

- Mac OSX - FireFox

- Windows 7 - Google Chrome

- Windows 7 - FireFox

- iOS version 8.1.2 - Safari

- iOS version 8.1.2 - Google Chrome

I was able to replicate the same error on all platforms and browsers.

After all of my attempts to find a fix for this on my own, I filed a support case. I quickly received the standard "No-Reply" reply message and replied to that email to ensure that my case was viewed by a support specialist. I included a detailed summary of the error that I was encountering, including screen shots and information gathered from the credit card help lines. I also sent a tweet to @SpotifyCares requesting assistance. @SpotifyCares replied back and informed me that they would take a look "backstage."

This morning, I recieved a support case reply from a Spotify Customer Support team member telling me that my transaction was refused by my credit card company, and that I would need to contact my Credit Card company again. This felt like a standard boiler plate reply, but I did as they requested and contacted the Credit Card company again. I was able to re-confirm that I have no blocks on my account which would result in charges from Spotify being denied.

As a last ditch test, I attempted to use an entirely different credit card this morning (the third card I have attempted to enter) and, much to my surprise - I received the same error: "Oops, seems your card or payment provider is having a bad day. Don't worry, no money has been charged. Try again or use another payment method."

Summary:

1. Spotify informed me that they have been unable to charge my credit card and asked that I update my payment info.
2. I attempted to update payment info with VISA card and received the  "Oops, seems your card or payment provider is having a bad day..." error.
3. I contacted VISA - no issues with account and no attempted charges from Spotify.
4. I attempted to update info with VISA card across multiple platforms (OSX, Windows 7 and iOS) and browsers (Chrome, Safari and Firefox) and continued to receive the same error.
5. I attempted to update payment info with new AMERICAN EXPRESS card and received the  "Oops, seems your card or payment provider is having a bad day..." error.
6. I contacted AMERICAN EXPRESS - no issues with account and no attempted charges from Spotify.
7. I contacted support using the online form and by contacting @SpotifyCares.
8. I received a reply email from support once again claiming that the error was on my credit card's side.
9. I recontacted both Credit Card companies and re-confirmed that both accounts were good, there were no issues that would lead to Spotify charges being denied.
10. I replied to support explaining what I was once again told by the Credit Card support specialists.
11. As a last ditch effort, I tried an ENTIRELY new credit card and received the "Oops, seems your card or payment provider is having a bad day..." error AGAIN.

I will update with information as it becomes available...

rob

[MattSuda]

Were you ever able to get this resolved?

If not, let me know and I can pass this post on so that this can be looked into for you.

[robsawyer]

Matt, this has not been resolved and I have not been contacted by anyone in support since posting this.

I would appreciate any help!

Rob

[MattSuda]

I have forwarded your post over to a Spotify employee so they can help you.

It is currently the weekend, so the earliest they would see this is Monday. 

[robsawyer]

I received an email from from Support over the weekend, confirming that they can see the error. The work around proposed is to revert the account to free and then wait a few days before attempting to pay for premium again. (I think that is what the support team means when they say "The only method for this issue to be solved is to wait for a few days before signing up to our subscription again.") OR to sign up using Paypal instead of using a credit card. Both don't sound like great options. Since I don't have an active Pay*Pal account - I will wait a few days and try entering a credit card again, in hopes that it works.

They also confirmed that the error is related to their (Spotify's) ip and email address. I don't quite understand the explanation - but thought it was worth noting.

I have never had so much trouble trying to pay someone - seems like it would be important for support to determine a better solution for a problem that causes Spotify to not be paid.

Email from support:

Hey there,

Thanks for getting back in contact with us.

I have looked at our systems and can see that we have been having problems processing your payment information on our system. The only method for this issue to be solved is to wait for a few days before signing up to our subscription again. The reason as to why other cards are not allowing the payment to go through is as the error is linked to our ip and email address. 

One method to get your premium subscription working again will be to sign up to your subscription using Paypal as this will bypass the payment system that is currently causing you the problems signing up, If this is not an option to you we can then do is revert your account back to free along with your sub account. Once this is done I can then add a month of premium to your account and your sub account.

After the month of premium runs out you should then be able to sign up to your subscription using your payment card but I cannot guarantee this.

Please let me know how you would like to proceed,

All the best.

XXXXXXX

[mariano6688]

I'm having the same issue: I get that error all the time with different cards, on different browsers and even on different computers. The support team is not being very helpful to be honest. The second time I got in touch they told me to wait 24 hours and it would be fixed. Of course, it's been 48 hours and is not fixed. So frustrating.

[srgarv]

The paying account on my family plan also has been having this issue with multiple credit cards for days, all of which work fine elsewhere. I'll probably live without spotify for a while since it sounds like support isn't helping others too much.  Hopefully this is straightened out so I can resubscribe at some point.

[robsawyer]

Support has not solved this case for me. Is very frustrating. I have
offered everything I can. No work around or solution other than hoping
it works after canceling my premium family membership.

[Bain22]

I am having the exact same problem! None of my credit cards work and am not getting any help from them. I use these credit cards everyday without problem. Have no clue how to fix this.

[mariano6688]

Just heard back from them again and the only solution they're giving me is to use PayPal... 

[robsawyer]

That was an option provided to me as well. I didn't accept it as a
solution. I'm still hoping they can find a better resolution to this
issue. I'm just about to the point of just leaving spotify all
together and using a different service that has better support and is
able to process my payment info appropriately.

I hope to hear more from support tomorrow.

[rossbates]

fwiw, I'm having the same issue. My card was working fine for over a year then suddenly it was denied and my account was cancelled. Talked to the credit card company, none of the charges are being blocked, they are not even making it to the card provider.

Shocked a company of their size is unable to figure out how to handle credit card payments. From these threads this has apparently been a problem on for a while.

I got  a response from support saying they could "reset" my account and then I would need to add my card back in "ignito" mode on Chrome. 

Here's the relevant part of the response:

------------

We're taking a look at your account and we see that it's subscription has been cancelled due to the system not accepting the payment. No worries, sometimes the system gets stuck, we apologize for this inconvenience. What we can do is remove the current payment details from your account, so it's like a reset. Then, you can subscribe to Premium again, but this time please give it a go using a different browser or Incognito window in your current browser. In order for us to "reset" your account, we'll need your help with the following: 

• Date of birth registered in the account.
• Postal/Zip code.
• Last 4 digits of your payment card. 

------------

I really love Spotify and hope they get it resolved, however the levels of incompetence being displayed here is making me want to cancel on principle alone.

[robsawyer]

Good luck Ross - my subscription was canceled on 3/23/15 becuase they were unable to process my payment. I have attempted to enter my credit card using incognito mode, different browsers, different operating systems, etc and still have not been able to renew my premium family plan. It continues to baffle me that Spotify - a company who relies on paying memebers as a revenue stream, cannot or will not provide a proper solution to this issue.

One other piece to add - Spotify's Support System is severly flawed. I have not worked with a consistent Support person and many of the support emails I have received are redundant, causing me to need to re-explain the case. I have since started directing the Support memebers to this thread as I feel like the original post outlines the issue quite well. I just wish that there was one person who was helping me who I thought fully understood the issue and was working on my behalf to find a suitable resolution. (Here's a hint - canceling my sub and hoping that I might be able to reenter my credit card info - is not a suitable solution.)

[rossbates]

Interesting, I upgraded to the family plan in early March and the problem started with the following billing cycle.

Beginning to wonder if it's not just a problem with the premium plan, maybe it's people who upgraded to the family plan. At least that would make more sense as to why the problem suddenly appeared.

Here's hoping they can get it figured out.

[rossbates]

No luck. I provided customer support all of my account details and they "reset" the account.

I tired logging in from a totally separate laptop/browser and I'm still getting the same error message when I try to add my credit card.

Called the bank one more time. These charges are still not ever making it to the payment gateway. 

It's not my card or payment provider that's having a bad day Spotify.

[robsawyer]

I'm still in the same boat. Since I was having no luck contacting support via email - I sent a message on Twitter to @SpotifyCares - last night I recieved an email stating: 

Hello there,

Thanks for coming back to us, I hope you're well.

Apologies for the delay in response. You should be able to go ahead and add your payment details again now.

Please come back to me if you are still experiencing difficulty.

I'll look forward to hearing back from you.

Kind regards,

Geraldine ♫

Spotify Customer Support

I attempted to re-enter my card info using Google Chrome in Incognito mode AGAIN and, as I expected, I received the same error. I responded to support with a screen-shot of the error. and have not heard a word. The frustration continues.

[rossbates]

Yeah, I tried twitter as well. Just given a link to some generic articles.

I was thinking it might have to do with family plans, but I saw another thread where people were having the same issue using Chase credit cards. That's the card I'm using as well.

Rob - is your card a Chase Sapphire card or similar?

[robsawyer]

I have had the error when attempting to pay with:

1) Chase Southwest Airlines VISA card

2) American Express Blue Card

3) American Express Gold Card

Interesting that there is a link with Chase here - but not sure what it means since I have replicated the error with my AMEX cards.

[rossbates]

Huh, ok maybe it's not Chase if you are seeing the same problem with an Amex.

Funny how we're all sitting here racking our brains trying to figure out to give a company money.

I wonder if Jay-Z figured out to accept credit cards for his little outfit. He certainly could use my hard earned $$ 😉

[robsawyer]

I'm not sure if this will help any of us out, but I sent info regarding this thread and my case to Daniel Ek - the CEO and founder of Spotify via Twitter. He responded, stating that they are looking into it. I hope this leads to some sort of resolution so Spotify can take our money and we can enjoy our premium memberships.

Rob Sawyer ‏@rob1sawyer

@eldsjal Spotify cannot process payments for many premium subscribers http://goo.gl/pRNGi8  Support unable to fix Case Nbr:02645221

Daniel Ek‏@eldsjal

@rob1sawyer we are looking into it