If you’re thinking the current PS3 credit card promotion is too good to be true- well, that might just be the case. While I certainly hope that not everyone has the same experience I did, if you did, just know that you’re not alone.
With all of the financial issues surrounding banks right now, it didn’t surprise me that Sony was offering a great deal on the PS3 if you signed up for their Playstation credit card. Sign-up, get instant approval, and then immediately turn around and save $150 on a PS3. Granted, shipping cuts into your discount, but $284 for an 80GB PS3 is still an awesome deal. I figured I would sign up for the card, buy the PS3, pay off the credit card when I received my first statement, then cancel the card. I’ve done this before at a few department stores and it’s definitely worth the discount.
Long story short, I signed up for the card- instant approval! I printed out my credit card information and hopped over to the Sony site to buy my PS3. Oh, first I have to sign up with Sony Rewards-hmmmm- OK. I sign up, but when I try to register my card, the system says it can’t find my information in the system. I call Sony and they tell me that a lot of people are having trouble and the CSR transfers me to another department. I sit on hold for 30 minutes and finally decide to hang up and try again tomorrow.
This morning I logged in- same error. I call Sony again and, oh, my card wasn’t activated yet?! Now I realize when I receive a new card in the mail that you have to call a number to activate it. Unfortunately, Sony failed to put this information on my credit approval page- the rest of my information was on there (card number,
expiration, security code, etc.) but nowhere does it mention that I have to call to activate the card. Regardless, the CSR activated it and said everything should be fine. I try to register my card online again- no luck. I called Sony…again… and explain the problem. The CSR tells me that Sony is aware there is a problem and that I will have to wait to receive the physical card before I can use it online for my discount. Hold on- what?! I don’t have a credit card swiper connected to my computer?! Why do I have to wait for a physical card to be able to use it online? I guess something magical happens to the card while it’s enroute via USPS and the mystical mail fairies somehow make my card work online.
Also, let’s keep in mind that this deal is obviously marketed towards people looking for a good deal on a Christmas present. Not taking into account the rush delivery I was offered, it can normally take up to 2 weeks to receive a new card. Then, combine that with the time it takes to actually receive the PS3 after you’ve ordered it. Oh, and, don’t forget that the USPS is already bogged down with Christmas present packages and Christmas cards. My biggest concern was by the time all of this “mailing” was finished, I wouldn’t receive the PS3 till well after I needed it- like January.
Unfortunately for Sony, this was the end of the line for me and the PS3 card. I immediately told the rep that I would like to cancel my card. I spoke with a Chase rep (the bank the card is issued through) and he tried to keep me onboard (even offered to rush deliver the card), but I was done with the whole thing at that point. I just couldn’t get over the fact that I had to wait for a physical card, when I had all the information right in front of me.
So, now I’m on the prowl for a good PS3 deal- although, I won’t save as much as I would have through Sony, Amazon is having a deal on some nice 80GB bundles for $399…with free 2-day prime shipping. mmmmm…tempting and I know Amazon won’t tell me I have to wait till they send a physical verification before they can process my order. I <3 Amazon. =)
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12 users responded in this post
That sucks. Sorry for your issues… My transaction went really smooth. I was able to make the purchase but now I’m waiting for the infamous – “your order is being shipped”. I got the order confirm… But mmm… They say up to 2 weeks TO SHIP which means another week to my doorstep.
But, doubling the warranty *nd saving 150 bucks is a killer deal!
Are you serious? Idiot you always have to call in and activate ANY credit card.. That is for your protection. Imagine if some mail snooper opened your mail before you got it…. then just OH NO started using your card… you’d say, “Where is the protection?” Well there you have it.
Furthermore, to make any purchase over the internet, you need the card number and the 3 digit pin… do you seriously think a customer service rep will just give you that on the phone…
YOU DUMBA$$
Boy are you rude, did you even read the article? She did activate it with a phone call and she did have the 3 digit pin number as well as the account number. She had all the information needed to use the card. Plus the ad for getting card said you could use it right away, not after you receive the card.
LadyM ignore Harry as he is not only rude but ignorant when communicating his PERSONAL opinion. I have been trying to contact Sonny for other reasons and share your fustration on long wait and little help.
Thanks for sharing your story.
-RCQ
Like to know even worse case. I got my physical card and tried to purchase PS3 through the Sony reward site, and site told me that I can’t get the $150 instant credit. So, I called the Sony rep and the rep tried to purchase for me. Sure enough, the sale rep can’t get me to purchase the PS3 either. What a joke….. I think Sony is really screw up this time. I really like to find a way to let Sony know that this is really unacceptable…
The worst is that the sale rep told me that I can’t use the card to purchase PS3 from local store because I won’t get my $150 credit back if I did not purchase through the Sony reward site….
What the #$#$%#^%$….
LadyM- thanks for setting Mr. Harry straight. As he apparently didn’t know, it’s usually best to read the entire article before making an inane comment.
JJ3001- see, that would have ticked me off even more if I had waited for the card only for them to make me jump through even hoops to get a PS3 (which you can’t even do now- at least not in a way that’s going to save you $150.)
I saw the deal and did not think shipping would be here by Christmas,so called Sonystyle in Seattle they assured me they had plenty of them there and after instant activation I could purchase.I have 720 credit so drove to Seattle 100 plus miles.After applying I was told I would get my card in 2 weeks.went home a week latter I was accepted I asked for over night shipping on card got it and went back (in snow storm) and got one.I just hope the 150 card credit comes through they don’t have it together very well on this deal.
PlayStation Card is issued by Chase Bank USA, NA, and is subject to credit approval. To qualify for this offer, you must apply for your new PlayStation Card by 12/31/08. To qualify for the $150 card credit, you MUST purchase a PS3 system with your new PlayStation Card (?PS3 Purchase?) at an authorized Sony retailer such as SonyRewards.com, Sony Style store and SonyStyle.com. Complete instructions will be sent upon your approval for the PlayStation Card via email. To receive card credit, your account must be opened by 01/31/2009 and PS3 Purchase must be made by 03/07/2009. Card credit will be posted to your PlayStation Card Statement within 8-12 weeks after PS3 Purchase. This promotional offer is available to new PlayStation Card accounts only and only one $150 card credit may be earned per PlayStation Card account. Existing PlayStation Card account holders or accounts are not eligible.
SOLUTION
In the e-mail you received the link isn’t broken…it is typed incorrectly. You need to delete a few ” ..” and “/” so that the link is https://www.sonyrewards.com/en/register/
Try this. The $150 credit isn’t attached to the registry of your card. That will come later.
Here was my experience:
1. Applied December 11, received an email on December 26th advising the Playstation card was approved
2. I recognized the typo in the link provided in the email. I typed in “www.sony.com/playstationcard/register” which defaulted me to “https://www.sonyrewards.com/en/register/”
3. I registered myself, but not my card as I had not yet received it.
4. I received the card on December 29th. It was a Sony Rewards card, not a PlayStation Card, but it had a note that said it was a “temporary card” and that the permanent card would be arriving in 60 days.
5. I went to the Sony Store at Fashion Valley in San Diego to see if the SonyRewards card would be treated the same as the Playstation card. I was told the rebate offer expired January 31 and that Sony had nothing to do with the card, it was strictly a Chase offer.
5. I called Chase, advised them that there were still some very large signs (20 feet by 10 feet) posted in high visibility areas of the mall proclaiming the $150 rebate for those who applied for the card and purchased a PS3 with it, but that the Sony store employees were advising the rebate was no longer available.
6. I was forwarded to a Sony contact who assured me that the offer was good, that once I used the card to purchase a PS3, the rebate offer would appear on my account at the Sonyrewards.com site.
Can anyone who has made a purchase with the card confirm they had the rebate offer appear on their Sonyrewards page, after they made their purchase?
OMG! What an Idiot. You forfeited $150 because you couldn’t be patient. Unbelievable!!! Now you want to pay Amazon full price and think free shipping is comparable to a $150 discount? Well I guess gamers can’t be expected to be financially smart.
[...] I could go on, really. Heck, just Googling the terms “Sony” and “debacle” gives you enough to read for weeks. I remember, around the time the rootkit fiasco was winding down, digging out my little boom box and wondering what happened to Sony. In my youth, if you had to contact them because of an issue, they bent over backwards to accommodate you. Now, they give you the run-around over their credit card. [...]