Skype Journal: Skype Billing Puh... lease
July 5, 2005 08:15 AMI've been buying SkypeOut minutes since June 2004. There have been many complaints about billing, not being able to pay etc. Yet the call quality is obviously much improved. The problem is the billing system. It sucks.
Skype has had problems with credit card fraud. They are apparently not alone. At different times different payment methods have been available to us in the US. Because of this I've used two credit cards and one paypal account to buy SkypeOut minutes on my everyday Skype account.
However, sharing my Skype with others in the family for SkypeOut calls can stop one from working --- even when the other party is on a cordless. Over the weekend I tried to buy minutes for my wife on her credit card on our shared Visa account. This was the result.
So let me see. I've spent Euros 135+ with them since June 2004. Not a huge sum, and 60 Euros relates to two SkypeIn numbers. So now I try and extend accounts. They won't let me have multiple names on one account and they refuse to take my money to open additional accounts. I know I am not alone.
So, add another simple criteria to beating Skype. Provide a billing and account system that works, and provides easy access, multiple accounts, multiple ID's, and remembers who you are. Even allows you to link accounts together. I've noted before that no-one else has done this on a truly global basis. Still that is tomorrow's business. To exist in this global world and provide a billing and accounting system that we can also use for other transactions could be magic.
Could the original accounting and billing structure have been such a poor choice that it is an achilles heal until fixed? Could Om be proven right?
I simply don't buy these policies and instructions as an acceptable solution for a protecting against fraud. I'd suggest Skype is turning many dollars away with such policies. Do they have any idea how much?
In order to protect our users we do not permit this.Similar to other Internet merchants, we have a restriction that only allows you to use your credit card to fund one Skype name. If you attempt to fund two Skype names with the same credit card all orders placed to the second Skype name will be reversed and listed as "Cancelled" in your account summary. The money will be sent back to your credit card and you will not be charged. Click here for more information on Reversed orders.
We understand that this might be an inconvenience for some people, but it is a necessary step we must take in order to reduce fraudulent transactions.
Skype Help
If you receive the message that your account has been restricted to Moneybookers only it is because you have activated one of our internal fraud checks. We limit the number of purchases and purchase attempts in a specific time period for all customers, if you exceed that limit your account is restricted to Moneybookers only because it is a secure payment method.The length of the restriction varies depending on a number of factors. Sometimes it is a day, or a week or potentially longer. We can't tell you exactly when it will be lifted because that gives fraudsters too much information and defeats the purpose of the restriction.
We apologize .....
Skype Forum
See Skype Knowledge Base.
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Comments (6)
You might want to blnak out your order no and username from the screenshot
Posted by: phil at July 5, 2005 2:09 PM
Stuart,
Thanks for your order information.
In my follow-up graph of number of orders there is a slight slowing down of the number of orders! But i guess there is a quite significant slow down of the growth of incoming cash for Skype ... because even cancelled orders like yours receive a sequential number!
They HAVE TO INNOVATE in their money collecting policy if they don't want to loose cash! They already lost on my side too!
Jean
Posted by: Jean Mercier at July 5, 2005 2:10 PM
Hey Stuart, I definitely agree with your frustration. Skype needs to find ways to give customers a better experience with billing, especially their best customers. Hopefully, they are working on it.
Keep in mind, though, that criminals and fraud are the reason Skype has to take drastic measures.
Posted by: Rick at July 5, 2005 3:54 PM
Hi Stuart, thanks for once more raising the topic, it is the most frustrating point that I have with Skype and guess that I'm not alone. Skype is a brilliant technology but to go to the next level they need to become an easier company with which to do business. Technology is often the easier of the problems to solve but the best technology does not always make the most successful solution. This has been proven many times in this IT industry of ours.
I believe that Skype is looking at this next hurdle seriously but it takes getting the right people, ideals and focus into an organisation that I suggest has until now been focused mainly the technology.
To help judge the size of issue how about running a survey through Skype Journal to see how many of Skype's paying customers have encountered a payment issue. If the numbers are as great as we believe them to be then this may help Skype in justifying more focus on this important issue.
Regards
Graeme
Posted by: websetters at July 6, 2005 12:57 AM
I think they need to work heavily on customer service in order to continue their domination (as far as name recognition) in the talk-talk voip business. It's not adding video, it's fixing their payment system that's going to bring them miles above anyone else
Posted by: Daniel at July 6, 2005 2:19 PM
Try the Paypal payment service. Works Great For me!
Posted by: anon at July 6, 2005 5:08 PM