EDIT on 05/21/09: see bottom for more details
Update on the foreign transaction fee issue. After waiting a few days for a response to my previous call, I decided it would be better to call them. After explaining the situation to “Hugo,” I was transfered to a supervisor (“Mr. Thomas”). I explained the situation to him, and he stated that the foreign transaction fees are automatic and they do not watch for them. Since it is so common for US businesses to process through Canada (and warn their customers of possible fees) they don’t bother with alerting customers of foreign purchases. He waived the $1.92 and thanked me for being a customer. I’ll be checking my account online at the end of the business day to verify that it’s been taken off.
If Valve had at all stated that they process payments outside of the US (in plain text would have been nice, but they didn’t even have it in legalese), I would have made the purchase in a different manner.
Also, I must remember that the online customer service is pretty much “read only”—any actual changes require a phone call.
UPDATE 05/20/09: The transaction fee is still not gone; I have received no credit for this fee at this time.
Here’s more from Valve:
« MESSAGE BY THOMAS ON TUE, 19TH MAY 2009 5:11 PM »
Hello Amanda,
We are still working on this issue and have been talking to the bank, can you please confirm the dollar amount of the foreign transaction fee that they are charging?
I gave them the amount ($1.92). Nothing new since then.
UPDATE 05/21/09: COURTESY REFUND -$1.92