Forums > General Running > %&*$ Active.com
Last week they sent out a $15 coupon for the Chicago HM that expires today. I tried the coupon the same day I received it and their shopping cart said it was not valid. So I emailed them about it. Today (a week later) they finally send the response below:
"Thank you for contacting Active.com Customer Support. Please contact the Event Director with this request as Active.com only supports the event through online registration. It is the Event Director's role to provide its participants with any event date details, verify merchandise shipping status, as well as answer any event-specific questions. Thank you for your cooperation. If you require further assistance, please contact our office at the number below, and one of our representatives will be happy to assist you." The problem I have with this is that this email specifically says they support the online registration which is exactly the problem I reported. I would check this off as them not reading my email and responding with a form letter except for the fact that they conveniently waited till the coupon was a few hours away from expiring to respond, leaving me with no option but to waste time on the phone getting it fixed. There is no way it takes a week to not read an email and send a form letter. They are hoping to avoid giving the discount by making it difficult to redeem. </rant>
"Thank you for contacting Active.com Customer Support. Please contact the Event Director with this request as Active.com only supports the event through online registration. It is the Event Director's role to provide its participants with any event date details, verify merchandise shipping status, as well as answer any event-specific questions. Thank you for your cooperation. If you require further assistance, please contact our office at the number below, and one of our representatives will be happy to assist you."
The problem I have with this is that this email specifically says they support the online registration which is exactly the problem I reported. I would check this off as them not reading my email and responding with a form letter except for the fact that they conveniently waited till the coupon was a few hours away from expiring to respond, leaving me with no option but to waste time on the phone getting it fixed. There is no way it takes a week to not read an email and send a form letter. They are hoping to avoid giving the discount by making it difficult to redeem.
</rant>
Let me summarize:
<rant> Active sucks. /rant>
Active sucks.
/rant>
Why do they seem to own the market for race registration? Can't any other company make money by doing a better job at this?
Active truly sucks.
Maybe someday I can register for a race on iTunes, or Amazon....? At least then, I would feel like I am getting something in terms of customer service....and probably some great cross-sell recommendations (here's a PowerSong for your race, or, hey - don't you need a water bottle or some new shoes?, or hey, have you read Born to Run yet?)
I pray for the day when someone pulls Active from their existing pedestal.
Like they did to TicketMaster? Oh wait, nevermind...
And you can quote me as saying I was mis-quoted. Groucho Marx
Rob
No offense.
There are at least two other companies that deal in online race registration nationwide - signmeup.com and marathonguide (yes, that marathonguide. This is the way that the mg folks would like to make money).
Regionally, there are several other options as well. Up here in the PNW, we have databar, for example.
They ALL take their cut, of course, but they just don't feel as slimey and dickly as active. Plus they don't have employees like active's "director of social marketing" trolling other websites pretending to be newbie runners.
Anyhoo, there are all kinds of ways that mysterious fees can get rolled in. What's worse... paying $50 plus $6 to active or paying $60 with a "no fee for online registration" guarantee? I'm not saying all or even many races fudge fees... all I'm saying is that it is a wee bit complicated.
But active STILL sucks.
As to why active seems so much more prevalent than these other options and why no one has knocked them off yet, I have no idea. Race directors are the ones deciding to utilize active versus something else. So, huh. I assume active has a crackerjack sales force and/or gives RDs tools and benefits that these other options do not.
Ultima tastes like failure.
I've always known they suck but I thought it was because they are inept. Based on my recent experience I believe they are actually corrupt. It would not surprise me if they give kick backs to the bigger races. I've never had any issue with signmeup.com which is the other common service used at races around here.
running yogi
Active was the reason all the Coolrunning crowd moved here. Every time you asked them something they would send you an automated reply
Thank you for your inquiry. Your satisfaction is of utmost importance to us. A representative will review your concerns and take appropriate action. If there is anything else, please don't hesitate to contact us. MTA: typo
Believe it or not, most of the coolrunning crowd moved elsewhere.
Which sort of 'splains my presence here. For which, I apologize.
mileage hound
Believe it or not, most of the coolrunning crowd moved elsewhere. Which sort of 'splains my presence here. For which, I apologize.
There's a few of us left.
I have actually NOT run races because they required me to go through active.com.
2012 goals: Fastest race times since 2006.
I du! (+CX +Mtn.)
Next year I hope they consider other options. Or perhaps people will bitch about the registration fees. This event is organized to benefit a charity...seems sleazy that people need to dole out so much to benefit a for-profit registration service in the process.
Kirsten
'07: 1324.5 ••• '08: 1561 ••• '09: 1810.9 run ~ 208.7 bike ••• '10: 1,000.3 run ~ 3513.5 bike ••• '11: 710.3 run ~ 4157.9 bike
run 750 mi
bike 3500 mi
• more off-road
• gain proficiency @ CX mounts and dismounts (ie stop leap-frogging w/people who ride slower after every obstacle -- finish further up the field)
That's why I'm here...and happy to be here!!
2012 goal: Hoping to qualify for and run the NYC Marathon
Speculum Wrangler
Another CR refugee here.
Who prints out the reg form and mails a check if the online option means I have to give $$ to Active.
Another CR refugee here. Who prints out the reg form and mails a check if the online option means I have to give $$ to Active.
I've done that several times.
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