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AdCenter Auto Closing Accounts

• 05-14-2008 2:21 PM

  • palmerinla
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  • Joined on 05-14-2008
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  AdCenter Auto Closing Accounts

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  I opened an account with AdCenter in May 2006 to "tryout" AdCenter.  I set-up my campaigns, ads, etc. and essentially just let it run.  For months and months it ran, my credit card was billed, no problems.  In the meantime, I lost my wallet in October 2007 and therefore my credit card #'s changed and therefore AdCenter could not charge my card starting in Nov 2007.

  Since I wasn't getting too much traffic from AdCenter and I was in the midst of getting all my new credit cards in place; changing my AdCenter credit card # was not the highest priority. Finally, I decided I should come back to AdCenter and place more ads, increase my spending on marketing and spend more money with AdCenter.  However, after trying to put a new credit card # in; it would not work.  I contacted customer service and I have been told my Account has been closed because the system attempted to charge my card 12 times then just automatically closed my account because I have a balance of $3.30.Are you kidding?  AdCenter closed my account for a balance of $3.30?  I was told the only way to advertise with AdCenter again is to sign-up for a totally new account, with a new user name, a new password, a new credit card, and then re-create all my ads all over again.  I have to do ALL this even though all I wanted to do was change my credit card #.

   

  Why would you close any account EVER?  Let alone a good advertiser’s account like mine with a balance of $3.30?  It’s not like I had been inactive for 5 years.  It has been 6 months.  Plus, it costs you nothing to keep my account active.  I can totally understand making my Ads inactive because of the balance; but closing the entire account??  Want to hear the most ridiculous part?  Not only can I NOT pay that balance anymore on my existing account; but I was told that after I spent the time and frustration of setting up a new account, I am suppose to call the AdCenter billing department to have them transfer the $3.30 balance over to the new account.  You have to be kidding. 

   

  Why would AdCenter create a system that automatically closes accounts?  What is the benefit to me or AdCenter?  Now AdCenter wants me to waste my time setting up another account, when all I had to do was change my credit card #, pay my $3.30 balance and be advertising again.  AdCenter could be making money from me RIGHT THIS MINUTE.  Instead, they have lost an advertiser.  And the worst part (which I am sure the business people would love to hear) is that Microsoft has spent so much effort and money to convince people the AdCenter product is worthwhile.  They made such an effort to get small businesses like me to try out the AdCenter product and move some of my Google and Yahoo spending over to AdCenter.  Then they totally ruin the relationship because of $3.30 and a dumb automated system that closes accounts automatically.

   

   

  I guess I will just spend more money with Google and Yahoo.

  Filed under: accounts, closed account, automatic, closing

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• 05-15-2008 7:16 PM In reply to

  • BrianH - MSFT
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  • Joined on 03-12-2008
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  AdCenter Auto Closing Accounts

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  Hi Palmerinla,
  I am sorry for the problem you have experienced with your account going into Inactive status and losing your business and I can see your point behind the $3.30 balance. The adCenter billing system does not check the value or length of service of an advertiser when attempting to charge the credit card that is on the account.
  
  When the system cannot charge a credit card due to declines, it will attempt to charge it again periodically. After the second decline, an email would have been dispatched to the email address on the account warning that we are attempting to charge a card, but it is failing.
  On the second day since the initial charge attempt the system will try to charge again, if it fails again, a ground mail is sent with the same information to the street address on the account. Once 90 days (11 charge attempts) is reached, the account does go into closed/inactive status and cannot be reactivated again.
  
  With the balance on the inactive account, you can still sign into the account; however, you will not be able to add another account as the inactive account will have a balance and also be in a status of Credit Hold. This status will carry on to all the associated accounts you have added.
  
  Again, I do apologize for your experience and do hope you change your mind and join us once again.
  
  Thank you,
  Brian H
  

  Filed under: cancelled, inactive, credit hold, billing

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