Is anybody minding the Pbase shop??

[helenpb]

I know this is an old complaint, but I have to wonder if anybody is still working at Pbase? I get that when they receive multiple complaints about a big problem, they might not be able to respond to everybody who contacts them, but my question to them involves money, i.e., paying for the renewal of my account earlier this week, except that the account has not been renewed, although my credit card company has received the charge. Turns out the charge is still pending because they need to get some kind of merchant authorization from Pbase to process it, but they haven't been able to get it (so they're frustrated). I have written to Pbase three times -- twice to the accounts address and once to customer service -- because I knew as soon as I authorized payment something was wrong, like it said "Processing payment" but then went immediately back to the "submit payment" screen. I have yet to receive an answer from anybody, not even a note saying we're working on it, which would be enough for me for now.

I've been a Pbase member since 2001, almost 20 years, and have always enjoyed the site and my Pbase friends here, but I'm beginning to wonder if I shouldn't try to find another home for my pictures if this is the kind of customer "service" they're providing these days.

[jwcoffman]

A short answer to your question is NO!!!! I know one man that has tried repeatedly to talk to them but it is useless. I love Pbase but there customer service is absolutely the worst I have ever in my entire life seen!!

[reticulatus]

After all the activity earlier in the year when the system was moved to the new servers and Emily was coming on the forum and providing updates for the bug fixes that were being done, it seemed that customer support might be improving. However, since then it's been a real disappointment how everything has just gone dead quiet again, with no responses from Pbase to customers' queries and problems.

Richard

[helenpb]

After all the activity earlier in the year when the system was moved to the new servers and Emily was coming on the forum and providing updates for the bug fixes that were being done, it seemed that customer support might be improving. However, since then it's been a real disappointment how everything has just gone dead quiet again, with no responses from Pbase to customers' queries and problems.

Richard

Yes, exactly. I just find it so discouraging and frustrating.

[kstuebin]

I know this is an old complaint, but I have to wonder if anybody is still working at Pbase? I get that when they receive multiple complaints about a big problem, they might not be able to respond to everybody who contacts them, but my question to them involves money, i.e., paying for the renewal of my account earlier this week, except that the account has not been renewed, although my credit card company has received the charge. Turns out the charge is still pending because they need to get some kind of merchant authorization from Pbase to process it, but they haven't been able to get it (so they're frustrated). I have written to Pbase three times -- twice to the accounts address and once to customer service -- because I knew as soon as I authorized payment something was wrong, like it said "Processing payment" but then went immediately back to the "submit payment" screen. I have yet to receive an answer from anybody, not even a note saying we're working on it, which would be enough for me for now.

I've been a Pbase member since 2001, almost 20 years, and have always enjoyed the site and my Pbase friends here, but I'm beginning to wonder if I shouldn't try to find another home for my pictures if this is the kind of customer "service" they're providing these days.

Please don't leave. We need photographers like you here. I have never had an issue paying. I use Paypal though. They're usually pretty good about collecting their money. The customer service has always been bad. It's infuriating to be ignored like that even though this site is not expensive. I've found other sites just don't have the camaraderie we have here. Flick charges now. I lost my Yahoo password and have not been able to recover it. I can't even log in any more. Try dealing with Yahoo's responsive but moronic customer service. Usually what happens is things get mysteriously fixed when people complain on here. So I'm pretty sure they read these posts.

[helenpb]

Please don't leave. We need photographers like you here. I have never had an issue paying. I use Paypal though. They're usually pretty good about collecting their money. The customer service has always been bad. It's infuriating to be ignored like that even though this site is not expensive. I've found other sites just don't have the camaraderie we have here. Flick charges now. I lost my Yahoo password and have not been able to recover it. I can't even log in any more. Try dealing with Yahoo's responsive but moronic customer service. Usually what happens is things get mysteriously fixed when people complain on here. So I'm pretty sure they read these posts.

Thanks for the response, Karen. I don't want to leave, and I have to assume that this will be fixed some time, but it's just infuriating that I can't even get a minimal acknowledgement of my payment problem. (And what happens if my account goes into arrears, which it will soon)? Do they limit access? Cancel it?) It was my hope that somebody from Pbase management would read my post here and do something, but so far, I haven't heard anything from them.

[helenpb]

A short answer to your question is NO!!!! I know one man that has tried repeatedly to talk to them but it is useless. I love Pbase but there customer service is absolutely the worst I have ever in my entire life seen!!

Thanks, Jim. I'd like to say I'm happy to hear I'm not the only person being ignored by them, but that doesn't help resolve my problem. I'm hoping somebody will read this and get the whole thing resolved. Some time.

[jypsee]

Here’s a thread for this issue from back in 2016
https://forum.pbase.com/viewtopic.php?f ... 4b94a0a3bb

If the problem doesn’t resolve and you’d like to stay with Pbase, get a PayPal account and do the payment again...AFTER you get your credit card to refund any money you’ve paid Pbase.

[helenpb]

Here’s a thread for this issue from back in 2016
https://forum.pbase.com/viewtopic.php?f ... 4b94a0a3bb

If the problem doesn’t resolve and you’d like to stay with Pbase, get a PayPal account and do the payment again...AFTER you get your credit card to refund any money you’ve paid Pbase.

Thanks for the link, obviously not a new problem. Ironically, I got what I'm pretty sure is a valid phone number for them from the merchant information on my credit card charge, although I haven't tried calling it yet.

I've never signed up with PayPal due to problems reported with it years ago, and I really shouldn't have to now since Pbase says they accept credit cards. I'm certain I'll have no problem getting the pending charge reversed (file a dispute due to service paid for not received, plus they can't get Pbase to verify the necessary information anyway), so maybe the easiest thing for everybody would be to just send a check.

[helenpb]

Well, after paying them twice, once by credit card and once by check, they cancelled my account today. I called them and left a message, but who knows if they'll ever hear it. Quite frankly, I no longer know what to do.

[helenpb]

Well, after paying them twice, once by credit card and once by check, they cancelled my account today. I called them and left a message, but who knows if they'll ever hear it. Quite frankly, I no longer know what to do.

And they just now emailed me and "uncancelled" my account. At least I can now post pictures until they process my check.

[lusobrandane]

I let my membership lapse in 2012 because of all the problems and my waning interest in photography. My pictures remained available until about 2015, then they disappeared, only to reappear a few months later. I renewed last month for the first time in seven years with no problem at all. Now I just need to relearn how the site works.