Jul 13, 2022, 8:15 am
Last edit by: moondog
The "FT People on WeChat" group
Our group chat is comprised of FT members and friends of FT members. We talk about pretty much anything except for politics (because Papa Bear has the ability to watch over us). The group has its own QR code, but it has a short shelf life (e.g. about 5 days), so I'm not including it here. The easiest way to join is to add me as a contact (moondogsh) and let me put you in the group.
Contacting Tencent Customer Support
If you want to get in touch with Tencent customer service (e.g. to update your passport number or change your name format so it aligns with your bank accounts), most web resources will advise you to simply message the "WeChat Team" contact. It is extremely difficult to get a human response when using this approach. Calling them also results in a bot experience.
However, the following drill works as of July 2022 (specific menu options can always change, of course; the key is getting yourself to step 5 below):
1. Dial 95716 (or +86 4009100100 from outside of China)
2. Select option 1 for personal accounts
3. Enter your connected phone number followed by #
3. Select option 2 for other questions
4. The bot will ask you to describe your issue using voice; just speak to it in English; it won't understand and will ask you to repeat 3-5 times before giving up
5. Now, the bot will give you ~8 menu options; through trial and error, I can state that option 7 is good for immediate transfer to a human (some of the others might work as well)
6. When the representative picks up, you definitely need to speak Chinese, but your request is presumably fairly easy to convey, and their responses are also pretty simple
7. They might want to move the conversation over to WeChat; this is okay because they will send you an invite to a special customer service queue, which is only ~60% automated
Our group chat is comprised of FT members and friends of FT members. We talk about pretty much anything except for politics (because Papa Bear has the ability to watch over us). The group has its own QR code, but it has a short shelf life (e.g. about 5 days), so I'm not including it here. The easiest way to join is to add me as a contact (moondogsh) and let me put you in the group.
Contacting Tencent Customer Support
If you want to get in touch with Tencent customer service (e.g. to update your passport number or change your name format so it aligns with your bank accounts), most web resources will advise you to simply message the "WeChat Team" contact. It is extremely difficult to get a human response when using this approach. Calling them also results in a bot experience.
However, the following drill works as of July 2022 (specific menu options can always change, of course; the key is getting yourself to step 5 below):
1. Dial 95716 (or +86 4009100100 from outside of China)
2. Select option 1 for personal accounts
3. Enter your connected phone number followed by #
3. Select option 2 for other questions
4. The bot will ask you to describe your issue using voice; just speak to it in English; it won't understand and will ask you to repeat 3-5 times before giving up
5. Now, the bot will give you ~8 menu options; through trial and error, I can state that option 7 is good for immediate transfer to a human (some of the others might work as well)
6. When the representative picks up, you definitely need to speak Chinese, but your request is presumably fairly easy to convey, and their responses are also pretty simple
7. They might want to move the conversation over to WeChat; this is okay because they will send you an invite to a special customer service queue, which is only ~60% automated
wechat（微信）
May 29, 2021 | 6:55 pm
#346
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Why not get full fledged accounts instead? The cell phone and bank account drills are only a minor PITA if you have your ducks in order, and foreign cards are easy to add; you just can't use them at Lawson's. I would not pay a 5% transaction fee (did I get that right?) to be able to use foreign cards with a tourist pass.
May 29, 2021 | 8:24 pm
#347
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: HKG
Posts: 1,397
As the contactless ticketing is mostly a Covid policy, I would presume things would change if the borders were to open. For the time being a foreign tourist can't even get into the country, let alone buy a ticket.
May 29, 2021 | 8:29 pm
#348
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2. The new smaller Y1 coins don't work in many vending machines, so if you do use cash at convenience stores, ask for the old ones
May 29, 2021 | 8:34 pm
#349
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I've been going to China since 2007. I can only use credit cards where they're accepted. Other than that, it's been cash. Next time I go back, I gotta find a way to at least turn the coins to paper currency. You got any idea? I got an entire jug full of PRC coins!
May 29, 2021 | 8:46 pm
#350
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Why not get full fledged accounts instead? The cell phone and bank account drills are only a minor PITA if you have your ducks in order, and foreign cards are easy to add; you just can't use them at Lawson's. I would not pay a 5% transaction fee (did I get that right?) to be able to use foreign cards with a tourist pass.
1. direct charge to your foreign card. For me this is my chase sapphire reserve. The payment amount is directly charged to your credit card through aliPay at today’s exchange rate with no fees or markup. Even merchants that cannot swipe foreign CC can do this. I have never had this fail once in Shanghai for any merchant that can scan aliPay QR codes.I used this at Lawsons in Jing An just yesterday to buy 2 ice cream cones.
2. a makeshift aliPay debit card. You can load RMB onto this from your foreign credit card for a 5% fee. I only use this about once every 2-3 weeks when option 1 fails. It is generally in a smaller city in a small cheap merchant where I’m not worried about spending a few RMB in markup fee.
For option 2 above I could also use WeChat pay to save the fee. But for me I’m paid in USD to my American accounts so the only way I get money into my WeChat account is doing a stupid cash + deposit thing since I’d prefer not linking up with my Chinese bank. I’m perfectly fine to eat a few bucks per month on aliPay fees to be able to manage everything through chase. And if someone is actually a tourist or even short term resident this seems far easier than dealing with a China sim, a second phone, and a bank account where you’re going to have minimal fun setting those up if you can’t speak Chinese.
May 29, 2021 | 8:52 pm
#351
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No thats not correct Ill try to be more clear this time. On AliPay tourist pass function, you get two QR codes that merchants can scan:
1. direct charge to your foreign card. For me this is my chase sapphire reserve. The payment amount is directly charged to your credit card through aliPay at todays exchange rate with no fees or markup. Even merchants that cannot swipe foreign CC can do this. I have never had this fail once in Shanghai for any merchant that can scan aliPay QR codes.I used this at Lawsons in Jing An just yesterday to buy 2 ice cream cones.
2. a makeshift aliPay debit card. You can load RMB onto this from your foreign credit card for a 5% fee. I only use this about once every 2-3 weeks when option 1 fails. It is generally in a smaller city in a small cheap merchant where Im not worried about spending a few RMB in markup fee.
For option 2 above I could also use WeChat pay to save the fee. But for me Im paid in USD to my American accounts so the only way I get money into my WeChat account is doing a stupid cash + deposit thing since Id prefer not linking up with my Chinese bank. Im perfectly fine to eat a few bucks per month on aliPay fees to be able to manage everything through chase. And if someone is actually a tourist or even short term resident this seems far easier than dealing with a China sim, a second phone, and a bank account where youre going to have minimal fun setting those up if you cant speak Chinese.
1. direct charge to your foreign card. For me this is my chase sapphire reserve. The payment amount is directly charged to your credit card through aliPay at todays exchange rate with no fees or markup. Even merchants that cannot swipe foreign CC can do this. I have never had this fail once in Shanghai for any merchant that can scan aliPay QR codes.I used this at Lawsons in Jing An just yesterday to buy 2 ice cream cones.
2. a makeshift aliPay debit card. You can load RMB onto this from your foreign credit card for a 5% fee. I only use this about once every 2-3 weeks when option 1 fails. It is generally in a smaller city in a small cheap merchant where Im not worried about spending a few RMB in markup fee.
For option 2 above I could also use WeChat pay to save the fee. But for me Im paid in USD to my American accounts so the only way I get money into my WeChat account is doing a stupid cash + deposit thing since Id prefer not linking up with my Chinese bank. Im perfectly fine to eat a few bucks per month on aliPay fees to be able to manage everything through chase. And if someone is actually a tourist or even short term resident this seems far easier than dealing with a China sim, a second phone, and a bank account where youre going to have minimal fun setting those up if you cant speak Chinese.
I'm wondering why in certain cases option 1 doesn't work and have to resort to option 2?
May 29, 2021 | 8:55 pm
#352
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Tourist Pass is just one of the features on the standard aliPay app. Its in the top left portion of the app when you open it. Unfortunately all of the charges code as shopping
Theres probably not a ton of info available online but setup was very straightforward.
May 29, 2021 | 8:56 pm
#353
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May 29, 2021 | 8:59 pm
#354
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I do not know the answer to those, but I assume its some way that the merchant is setup. Im happy with my success ratio though.
May 29, 2021 | 9:00 pm
#355
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Yeah I was mystified when I first realized you could directly charge CC. Never thought that would be possible.
Tourist Pass is just one of the features on the standard aliPay app. Its in the top left portion of the app when you open it. Unfortunately all of the charges code as shopping
Theres probably not a ton of info available online but setup was very straightforward.
Tourist Pass is just one of the features on the standard aliPay app. Its in the top left portion of the app when you open it. Unfortunately all of the charges code as shopping
Theres probably not a ton of info available online but setup was very straightforward.
May 29, 2021 | 9:08 pm
#356
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I am a guy who did Valuemags (back in the day), and bought a van (paid off within a week) solely to do dollar coins.
With the 5% bar, someone would need to do something extremely stupid in order to create a useful opportunity.
With the 5% bar, someone would need to do something extremely stupid in order to create a useful opportunity.
May 29, 2021 | 9:22 pm
#357
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Alipay is a separate app and available on iOS and Android? Again, I have no experience with this and just missed your response. Will AMEX work? I rather use a different card than CSR if everything codes as "shopping". I'm assuming the charges are in CNY/RMB and then Chase converts it to USD?
By the time China opens up to tourism or even business travel, this will likely all be different though. Not to be a Debbie downer but its going to be a long time.
May 29, 2021 | 9:29 pm
#358
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Are you in China at the moment? You got an AMEX? Maybe you can test it since you are earning 1 UR per USD. I'm assuming the charges are in CNY/RMB and then Chase converts it to USD?
May 29, 2021 | 9:45 pm
#359
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I am indeed here but I dont have an Amex personally. I believe you could try to set it up from abroad and load 100RMB if youre super eager to test it ahead of time. But like I said I rarely use the pre-loaded top up method because its not usually needed and you lose 5%.
May 29, 2021 | 9:48 pm
#360
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I am indeed here but I dont have an Amex personally. I believe you could try to set it up from abroad and load 100RMB if youre super eager to test it ahead of time. But like I said I rarely use the pre-loaded top up method because its not usually needed and you lose 5%.
I'm assuming the charges are in CNY/RMB and then Chase converts it to USD?