Purchase Microsoft Points With Your Phone... In Japan

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/05/docomo-to-suppo.html' target='_blank'>http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/05...o-to-suppo.html</a><br /><br /></div><img alt="" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com//dht/auto/1211906410.usr2.png" /><br /><br />What if filling up on <a target="_blank" href="http://points.microsoft.com/">Microsoft Points</a> was as easy as picking up your phone and having the cost added to your phone bill? That's how it is for <a target="_blank" href="http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/05/docomo-to-suppo.html">NTT DoCoMo users in Japan</a>, and hopefully, that's just a starting point.<br /><br />If Microsoft is working with other carriers to make this available around the world, great. If not, they probably should. A vast majority of Xbox Live Marketplace and Zune Marketplace users <a target="_blank" href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/mobile-phone-users-top-33-billion/2008/05/25/1211653822824.html">probably have a mobile device</a> of some sort - some have their reasons against directly linking their Windows Live ID and credit card together, while others don't always want to make the trek to their local store to pick up one of the many Microsoft Points cards on offer, so this third option makes a lot of sense.

[Dyvim]

There's something just so wrong about the whole "Microsoft Points" scheme. I'm sorry, Microsoft, but if you want to sell me online stuff, just charge me whatever the price is and be done with it. This whole points thing is patently ridiculous.

Sorry, rant off.

[Jason Dunn]

There's something just so wrong about the whole "Microsoft Points" scheme. I'm sorry, Microsoft, but if you want to sell me online stuff, just charge me whatever the price is and be done with it. This whole points thing is patently ridiculous.

You're not alone, it seems that a lot of people dislike the points stuff. It allows for the sale of content that otherwise wouldn't be reasonable to sell (50 cent theme packs for instance) because of credit card processing fees. Myself, I don't mind it at all - or at least, I didn't until I got the Xbox movie content here - I find it frustrating not knowing how much I'm really paying for an HD movie rental unless I do the calculations to figure it out. I wish there was some sort of "conversion" rate listed so I'd understand the real dollar amount.

But the idea of buying $50 worth of points and using them up until they're gone is just fine with me - it's nice and easy.

[Dyvim]

It allows for the sale of content that otherwise wouldn't be reasonable to sell (50 cent theme packs for instance) because of credit card processing fees.
iTunes, Amazon.com, Walmart etc. seem to be able survive charging me 89 or 99 cents for a music single. iTunes even lets you pay using PayPal instead of a credit card if you so wish.

Of course Microsoft wants you to buy that $50 card and get their money up front with no guarantee that you'll ever even use it. True, Apple hopes for the same thing when it sells you a $50 iTunes gift card (as does every business that sells gift cards), but with iTunes you don't have to pay that way if you don't want to and can just pay as you go.

I know iTunes tries to batch purchases together. i.e. it won't actually charge you that $0.99 immediately but wait a few days to see if you buy anything else and try to combine purchases into a single charge. But that's fine by me.

I don't like prepaying- I'd rather keep my money in my account earning interest for me for as long as possible.:cool: And as you mentioned, I like knowing how much something costs without having to run a currency calculator.

[nmcclana]

Ostensibly, they use points to avoid having to pay transaction fees to Visa and Mastercard (they usually charge a minimum amount, say 10¢) on each transaction. It seems more likely, however, that the purpose is to get consumers to feel as if they aren't spending 'money'. And, microsoft gets a 0% loan, and gets to keep any money that consumers fail to redeem.

What's in it for me? Hopefully this scrip bullcrap will die. More annoying is how they try to make it hard to figure out how much money you're spending (80pts = $1), and on the xbox marketplace, they sell blocks of 2000 points while most things cost 800 points. Like selling packs of 10 buns and 8 hot dogs.

the whole microsoft points thing came out when zune did, right? Microsoft charged 80pts for a song instead of itunes' dollar (of course, 80pts = $1).

[Jason Dunn]

iTunes, Amazon.com, Walmart etc. seem to be able survive charging me 89 or 99 cents for a music single. iTunes even lets you pay using PayPal instead of a credit card if you so wish.

Ah, but I didn't mention music now did I? ;) It's fine for commercial music, but with the Xbox, Microsoft had to come up with a system that would allow for "small" items to be sold - gamer theme cards, images, small in-game items ("Get a +5 Sword for 25 points!") - that sort of thing.

And what if there are some smaller, indy bands that want to sell their music for 50 cents? Suddenly those per-transaction charges start to prevent things like that.

[Jason Dunn]

the whole microsoft points thing came out when zune did, right? Microsoft charged 80pts for a song instead of itunes' dollar (of course, 80pts = $1).

Nope - it's been around since the Xbox Live service launched with the Xbox 360. The Zune just got adopted into the system.

[Stinger]

More annoying is how they try to make it hard to figure out how much money you're spending (80pts = $1), and on the xbox marketplace, they sell blocks of 2000 points while most things cost 800 points. Like selling packs of 10 buns and 8 hot dogs.

You've hit the nail on the head here. Microsoft sells points in bundles of 500 and games are sold in multiples of 400. It's Disney dollars nonsense.

It's my biggest Xbox gripe after reliability. Heaven help any poor Zune user who only wants to buy one track...

[Jason Dunn]

You've hit the nail on the head here. Microsoft sells points in bundles of 500 and games are sold in multiples of 400.

I guess there's an intellectual gripe factor there that's understandable (the old hot dog bun thing), but in reality we're only talking about $1 or so...it's something I put under the "Doesn't Matter" column in life. ;) I understand why it frustrates some people though.

[Stinger]

It's the principle. It proves that the points system is just a cynical attempt to extract money from people.

And when Apple are giving people better value for money, you KNOW something is wrong.

[Jason Dunn]

It's the principle. It proves that the points system is just a cynical attempt to extract money from people.

Well, I don't know if it proves anything, but I agree it is pretty silly. Let me see if I can get a public statement from Microsoft on why they do it that way...

[Jason Dunn]

It's the principle. It proves that the points system is just a cynical attempt to extract money from people.

Ok, this is strange...

Xbox Live points are sold online in 500, 1000, 2000, and 5000 blocks.
Xbox Live points are sold at retail in 1400 and 2800 blocks.
Zune Marketplace points are sold online in 400, 1200, 2000, and 4000 blocks.

So, ironically, it's better to buy your points through the Zune system than the Xbox system if you want to have 400 points to buy a game. Isn't that odd?

[Darius Wey]

Xbox Live points are sold at retail in 1400 and 2800 blocks.

Here's where it gets worse. Each region stocks different Microsoft Points cards. In Australia, 1500 and 3000 blocks are prevalent. Elsewhere, I've seen a more sensible 1600 and 4000. Yet the cost of Xbox Live content remains the same across all regions.

I agree that having to deal with a totally different currency for Xbox Live/Zune content is silly. Thankfully, sites like this (http://www.mspconverter.com/) handle the arithmetic for us.

[Jason Dunn]

Thankfully, sites like this (http://www.mspconverter.com/) handle the arithmetic for us.

Ugg. That site reminds me how unfair the exchange rate stuff is - one Zune marketplace track is 79 points, which is $1.26 according to that site...but only 99 cents USD.

*goes and does some math*

Ok, I don't know what kind of math that conversion site is based on, but if I take a retail card for 1400 points, which is $19.99 CAD, then add tax (5%), then the points into the dollar amount, I get 1.5 cents per point...which makes a Zune marketplace track for 79 points cost me $1.18.

[Darius Wey]

Ok, I don't know what kind of math that conversion site is based on, but if I take a retail card for 1400 points, which is $19.99 CAD, then add tax (5%), then the points into the dollar amount, I get 1.5 cents per point...which makes a Zune marketplace track for 79 points cost me $1.18.

It uses the conversion rate that Xbox Live uses.

What's sad is that it's not uncommon for Microsoft Points cards to carry a markup when sold at retail. That's not the case with iTunes cards. They always sell 1:1 or even less. Last week, I saw one store selling $50 cards for $30. The week before, another store selling 2 x $20 cards ($40) for $20. That's bang for buck! And no futzing around with Points, fortunately.

[nmcclana]

I do appreciate the idea of micro transactions. I can understand how different countries pay different rates for points (maybe I should make a business of importing points cards to canada!).

The 800pts to the dollar thing probably has something to do with the different international prices. They want card values to line up with round numbers ($5 for 400 pts).

I doubt MSFT really cares about my short term loan, too. And, I'm usually only loaning them 5 or 10 dollars.

BUT!!! we already have a means of exchange. It's called 'money'. I have $10 left in wii points, $15 on MSFT points, a $20 gift card I never used, $10 in Playstation network money, and so on. I see how these fake currencies benefit the currency makers, but really fail to see how it benefits me. I'm still lugging around a $10 pete's coffee card is seemingly accepted at ZERO Pete's locations.

And while I could buy the micro transaction excuse, I don't think anything on xbox marketplace costs less than a dollar. The margins for these digital downloads are very generous; Apple can process my $1 purchase, why not MSFT?

Many consumers are just as turned off as I am. Maybe it's (a very small part of) why iTunes is more popular than the zune marketplace.

[Jason Dunn]

And while I could buy the micro transaction excuse, I don't think anything on xbox marketplace costs less than a dollar.

Sure there is - do you have an Xbox 360? Take a look at the picture packs, theme packs, backgrounds, etc. Now maybe that's not a good enough excuse to warrant the hassle with points, but there is content being sold for under 79 points - I've bought some of it. :)