Just a rant about wizards policy

[Ura]

Ahhhrrrrrggggg!!!
*huffs and puffs for a moment*

Thats better. I certainly hope I'm putting this in the right forum so here goes.

Wizards of the Coast, you have once again amazed me with your idiocies. Just when I thought to myself, "hey, wizards is doing good and making themselves great again." You have to go and screw it up.
To tell you what has spawned this rant I'll go back to square one. 6 months ago, yes thats SIX months, I sent an e-mail to the WotC branch for the Arena league and getting info on it. I run a game shop in British Columbia, Canada and alot of my regular players wanted something more than the tourny's I do every month without going so far as to join the DCI. So I decided to try and get Arena here. Just today they finally phoned me to get me signed up. I was impressed by this considerably. I mean WotC actually phoning me, talking to a real person rather than an e-mail. Wow.
But this brief moment of being impressed was quickly dissapated. After sitting on the phone for 30 minutes getting all the information in their computers I was asked for a credit card number. What do you mean credit card number, there was never anything metioned about that on the arena website and there was NEVER any mention of having to pay for anything. For those who haven't quite guessed, I don't have a credit card, I couldn't get one right now if I tried cause I'm $25,000 in debt to the bank from the loan to open my shop in the first place. Needless to say I was kinda stunned being asked for this out of the blue. I asked if I could pay in some other fashion like cheque or money order. To me it wasn't having to pay for the kits, I mean, its only $60 or so, which isn't to bad to get something good out of it. But then they told me that because I was in Canada they would only accept credit cards and nothing else. (insert several nasty words of your choice here)
So it leaves me wondering once again if WotC really gives a damn about anything other than the cash in their pockets. It sure doesn't look like it.
Now I've got a bunch of dissapointed customers who aren't all that happy with WotC and one very angry shop owner (me).
I really hope that one of those WotC lurkers reads this and takes it to mind and gets something changed cause I just lost a big chunk of faith in what was once a great company. I don't think its fair to discriminate against me because I'm in Canada, my cheques are as good as the next persons and I'm not such an idiot that I would screw up on sending a money order. I can see that getting out of country cheques and such could be a tiny inconviniance but hell, I would think you could afford to handle something like that.
At least say it on your website that a credit card is needed and that you have to pay for something to join the league.

 

[Mundungu]

Just a view from a newly imported foreigner ...

I am amazed about how credit cards are handeld in the states. You got one, you are king even if in debts for thousands.

Without a credit card, even better a US credit card you are -how to put it- treated like sh**, or a beggar.

Back in old Europe it is very different and there is a lot of control of credit cards, it is also much more difficult to get credit cards .... so other forms of payment are still ok.

Ok, that might seems to have nothing to do with you rant, but indirectly it has. There is not much flexibility in terms of payment in the US and if you are from the outside you are in trouble ...

In management schools they teach you the saying "Cash in King". I am afraid it is not true in the states, where Credit rules.

Most of you probably never noticed because never confronted with the problem, but it is a fact.

 

[Mordecai]

I find it interesting that they required a credit card *because* you were in Canada. Reminds me of what Omeed Dariani recently wrote about at Star City. When a Wizards rep at the Tournament Organizers conference was asked about "the Canada situation", he refused to give any sort of answer.

You'd think, being in Washington, that they'd be prepared to deal with a country that's on their STATE'S border!

 

[Gryphonclaw]

Hey Ura, I sympathize with your situation, but what about starting up an unofficial league, I only remember the 100-card highlander league, but that was fun, wasn't it rather successful as well?

As for Wotc, I don't believe that they have ever lost their preoccupation with the almighty buck. However, as a retailer who is selling their product, you deserve representation, or whatever it is that get's their attention.
You might check out to see if they have a complaints department, and if not, just send a letter (or e-mail) to someone in the hierarchy, if they are competent you will be heard.

 

[Wizard2000]

In response to Ura... screw WotC and DCI. Start up your own Canadian Magic League or something. You could make up some of that $25,000 debt if it did well.

In response to Mundungu... credit cards can be a blessing when you are dealing with someone that is not near you. Take eBay for example... I buy card, I send money order, 5 days pass, money order received, 2 days pass, item shipped, 3-5 days pass, item received. With a credit card it's usually I send payment, item shipped next day if not that day, item received 3-5 days later. For someone that does a lot of ebay deals having a Visa is fantastic. It is also much easier than having to apply for a loan. You are carrying a virtual loan in your pocket at all times.

If handled correctly and responsibly, credit cards are great!