Who do I contact when I have to purchase an app twice?

[alex2364]

So I have Nextgen Reader on my phone, but I don't see it anywhere in my purchase history. In addition, when I go to the app in the Store, it's asking me to purchase again. How do I get Microsoft to fix this??

 

[SnailUK]

have you actually tried to buy it?

When you go through to the confirm screen, it should just allow you to download it, if you've purchased it before.

 

[alex2364]

I haven't gone all the way, but I've gotten to the screen where it asks for payment information. I'm not gonna do it twice and have it charged on my credit card.

 

[Blkacesvf41]

I believe you can go to windowsphone.com and it will allow you to "send" the app to your phone if you've purchased it already.

 

[alex2364]

Not going to work when it thinks I've never purchased to app to begin with.

 

[dkp23]

There is a microsoft chat, not sure what the link is. I would go and contact windows support twitter and they should link you.

I know of a few apps that require you to re-purchase regardless if you purchased or not. MS has confirmed there is a glitch and will credit you if they can verify on their end you have purchased before.

I've gone through this with Metrotube, Sonic CD, and UNO. I contacted MS and they credited back after re-downloading.

 

[SnailUK]

Could you have purchased the WP7 version, and trying to buy the WP8 version?

I know i've brought a couple of WP7 RSS apps, then they've later been updated to WP8 versions, and i've had to buy again.

 

[Squatting Hen]

I have been waiting on a resolution from MS on this issue for three weeks now. They have know about it for months, but they can no longer "fix" it like they have in the past. I get an email updated every few days that says they are still looking into it. This has been happening to me for months, and in the past they would tell me to purchase it again and they would refund it. Now, they said the way it is setup they can no long do that, as a refund removes the app from your purchase history.

These are the apps (that I am aware of) I have/had this problem with:

Amazing Weather HD
WP Central
HeyDJ
Metrotube


MS (from what has been told to me) has no idea why some apps fall off our purchase history. If you login to your Microsoft Commerce account you can see that you have purchased them, but they disappear from you phones purchase history.

I have apps that I can't update as I would be charged again. Some of these I have paid for 3-4 times over again, but have been reimbursed by MS.

 

[dkp23]

Could you have purchased the WP7 version, and trying to buy the WP8 version?

I know i've brought a couple of WP7 RSS apps, then they've later been updated to WP8 versions, and i've had to buy again.

Same apps purchased on wp7 roll over to wp8. There are a number of games I've fled on wp7 I didn't have to pay on wp8.

 

[Squatting Hen]

Microsoft’s escalation team finally got back to me regarding this after waiting for over a month. What do you know…they didn’t even understand the question and replied back with a bogus answer. This after chatting and emailing back and forth with a representative who understood the issue perfectly. I was even asked to send over my commerce billing statements showing I paid for the apps and a printout of my window phone purchase history showing the apps were missing. I did all of that and the reply I received talks about free apps?!?

“I am following up with you regarding your escalated case.
In a recent change by the app providers, those applications are no longer being provided for free. A free trial may be available however functionality of the app may be limited. In order to gain full functionality you will need to purchase the app.
You can contact the app developers for additional information. Please feel free to reply to this email with any additional questions you may have. We will be archiving this case.”

Here is a previous reply where they understood the issue:

“Hello XXX,
This is XXX with Microsoft Support again. We tend to send out updates for on-going issues about once a week. This is still something that we are actively working on and are trying to find a permanent resolution.
Previously, we would just reverse the repurchase charge however recent changes in our refund system makes this option inadvisable as it just removes the app from the purchase history again, like you are seeing with your apps.
We will make sure to let you know once we have a viable solution and appreciate your patience.”

 

[alex2364]

I contacted Microsoft support and the rep offered 400 Microsoft points which is equivalent to the price of the app, but it can't be used to the purchase the app. It can only be used to purchase music or Xbox 360 games. It's a nice gesture but I don't plan on buying music or 360 games anytime soon. The rep said he'll escalate the issue so I'll see what happens.

Oh and just for comparison, I had a similar experience with iPhone and iTunes before, but they were a lot easier to deal with. The Apple support rep immediately offered twice the amount of credits that was equivalent to the app.