payment options

[Z3R0B4NG]

Please add some payment option(s) for the Big Box License that do not require a credit card.

In Germany those things are used very little (if i said i could use a CC like once every 3 years, that would be overstating things), they cost a yearly fee and i'm not willing to pay that or sign any contracts, i also don't like the idea of them checking my SCHUFA status just so i can buy a piece of software online (not that there is anything wrong with that, i just don't like the idea of people digging through my data for what should be a simple transaction).

I do have a PayPal account (millions of users have, works worldwide, i honestly don't get how you can ignore that) and last time i checked regular Bank transactions with IBAN/BIC work internationally (i don't know if world wide or just EU wide), those are the two payment options i can offer, if you got any other ideas that don't include a credit card or some stupid yearly fee i'm all ears.  

As for that "Amazon pay" button, that sends me to Amazon.com, Amazon.de accepts paypal just fine but Amazon.com (and also .co.uk) again insists on a credit card.

I can buy Amazon.com gift cards with PayPal, so i could in theory get money onto that .com account to buy stuff without actually owning a CC, but that gift card money does not work with Amazon pay... 
i guess i'm not the only one who has that idea, they have it written down in their FAQ after all (i mean frequently asked questions ;P i can't be the only one then...).  

Edited April 4, 2018 by Z3R0B4NG

[DOS76]

Its unfortunate that you find yourself in this situation. I just want to clarify one point for you PayPal used to be a payment option but then they flagged the program because to them emulation = piracy and copyright infringement which LB does not do in any way but that was their decision so that is why you can't use PayPal.

[Z3R0B4NG]

oh... ok, that sucks big time.

Well, maybe somebody can then work with me in some other way?  
I could send a amazon.com gift code for example if that would be acceptable?  

Any other suggestions are fine with me.

[Lordmonkus]

I believe you can use a pre-paid credit card if that is an option for you.

In the meantime though I will tag @Jason Carr and hopefully he can provide a suitable solution for you.

[Z3R0B4NG]

pre paid credit cards apparently also cost a yearly fee here, that would only get rid of the schufa checking thing. (there are some free offers when you look online but they apparently come with hidden cost like having a giro account that then will cost money etc.)  

I'm just seeing that Music Box Alpha accepts BitCoin... i've never done anything with BitCoin but i could look into how that works if that option was added for LaunchBox. (i'm assuming BitCoin is less of a PITA to deal with).  

[Lordmonkus]

I don't have any experience with a pre-paid credit card or bitcoin, no reason for me to use either since I have a normal average run of the mill credit card.

[neil9000]

Amazon.co.uk does not insist on a credit card, debit cards are just fine there, I think the issue you have is trying to use different currency in another country, without any sort of existing  bank account or card elsewhere. Unfortunately that's a issue we can not easily solve, most country's its not a problem, some it is.

[Z3R0B4NG]

...well .co.uk isn't an option anyway, that Amazon Pay buttons sends you to .com  
I just remember that .co.uk didn't accept PayPal that one time 5 years ago when i wanted to import some game that was censored over here or something like that.  
I would never import something from the US either, those shipping prices are freaking insane (fun fact, importing stuff from Asia via Plane to here is cheaper then sending stuff here locally by car. 
I did import region free Xbox 360 games all the time, takes a bit longer, 2 or 3 weeks, but saved a lot of money and no giant USK logo on the DVD box either.).  

BitCoin would probably do the trick. The option is already there on that Music Box App, so it shouldn't be unreasonable to add it to the Launch Box site as well.

Edited April 4, 2018 by Z3R0B4NG

[Z3R0B4NG]

OK, i finally caved and signed a credit card contract just now... 36€ per year for a pre-paid card, should be arriving sometime this or next week.  

Big Box better be worth the hassle, because i seriously would not need it otherwise.

[Noredor]

Well I almost did the impulse buy and bought it this weekend only to come to the same stop as you, Z3R0B4NG.

Would love to pay for the software but perhaps something can be arranged through a donation?

I am not going to sign up for a CC just for this piece of software.

I understand that, due to the nature of this software, that getting Paypal support will be rough but if you could point me to some other means, I will gladly make the purchase.

[Lordmonkus]

Getting Paypal support isn't rough, it's non existent. It used to be an option before Paypal cut service because "emulation is piracy".

Jason has looked into getting it on to Steam but unfortunately they aren't accepting any "non game" software outside of some specific categories and Launchbox doesn't fall under any of them so that's a no go.

[Noredor]

I'm guessing Patreon is in the same boat?

Could, perhaps, a donation be made to ETA Prime as he seems involved with the team? Or can a donation be made to any other source? It can remain as "just a donation".

Wow this must be frustrating for you devs.

[Lordmonkus]

I'll tag @Jason Carr and @ETAPRIME so that maybe they will see this thread and provide better answers for you, i'm just a lowly volunteer moderator

[Z3R0B4NG]

for the record: the Bitcoin thing is also not happening, turns out that is an old option on the Music Box App website, which needs updating and Stripe stopped supporting Bitcoin.  

[Chadmando]

If you're anything like me, yes big box is worth it, pay for your credit card, buy bigbox + emumovies lifetime then cancel the card if you have to lol.

My son and wife love it, we play it when I have company over, everyone loves it. Nostalgia up the butt, and a thousand times easier than going through storage and going through the trouble of hooking up a console just to play one old game.

Edited April 30, 2018 by Chadmando

[CoffeePlay]

Good morning, I really want to buy the bigbox, but here in my country you need to have the international credit card, if you could adopt another payment practice to be paid in Brazil and until it is parceled out, because the dollar here in Brazil is very expensive Sorry for my bad English

[Doomsiren]

I would love to buy your product as well but it seems the payment options available won't allow me to unless I get myself a credit card. Hopefully you can get other options available. In my country (Netherlands) we use IDEAL to transfer payment. I hope you will add this in the future! 

[DarthTrayon]

Hi! 

Tom from Germany here. I have the same issue the fella that started this thread had. Its even more complicaded: I HAVE a licence, but it was as 1-year-licence and it expired some days ago. Just in time to miss this big last update of yours. The last year I made the best experience with your product, so now I want to go lifetime. BUT one year ago I had a colleague with a credit card to help me out. Very uncommon in germany. The credit card He´s often on vacation in the States. Now he´s no longer in our company, so I lost my only access to pay you. Is there ANY way to pay in a different way? Regular Bank Transfer? PayPal to a different account? My Disney+ Login for some months of use?  

I´d love to here from you! Best regards

Tom

[DarthTrayon]

1 hour ago, Pixelpiper said:

One quick solution for some buyers might be to post Amazon payment links with different Amazon domains - they should still work for the buyer and seller.  I just put through a transaction this past week using my Amazon.com account via a Payment link to Amazon.de in Euros. Worked without any issue whatsoever.

It's unfortunate not being able to accept PayPal as it's the DE-FACTO method for all online businesses around the globe. But once someone at PayPal gets a bug up their ass about something it's very difficult to undo for the client, even after escalation and even if PayPal is wrong and not following their own procedures.  Oh boy do I know about this.

Great idea! Would be easy with Amazon.de. Is there any chance for that? i was THAT close to buy an (in Germany very expensive) credit card just to pay LB/BB but that won´t happen  

[OrderedEntropy]

As to get help in advance, I will be running into the same issue as the people from germany (plus extra), in the netherlands one is not even allowed to have a credit card just because you want one. You need certain amounts of yearly income and/or other financial statuses (like the new type for students who do higher levels of education). I at my age with no prior strong financial history with just average wage won't be able to. And I used to be an indebted student as many have been (only paid the last of last year, which was way way overtime) so I won't be allowed a prepaid one either for the next 5 years still, I am blacklisted.

I am planning on upgrading to big box later this year (when I got all games and everything sorted in the free version), but it seems there will be 0 ways for me to get big box. Unless ya'll start using iDeal payment or something along those lines before then. We need something like giftcard options. Or other redeemable options. Something you first buy 3rd party using paypal, iDeal or bank transaction. And then use the redeemable thing on bigbox. My inexperienced guess is, now noone can yell piracy.

Since you are then selling a redeemable code, just make some premium aesthetic which then will be the advertiser for the redeemable codes. And using it on big box will then technically be (I could not find something to use it on so I upgraded instead) yet you bought it not for emulation.