we have sent money to our researcher account around 3 weeks ago. Unfortunately, we had supplied an incorrect reference number. After 2 weeks, the money hasn’t arrived.
Step 1: I have sent an email to prolific stating the problem, along with the incorrectly provided reference number, AND the correct reference number.
Step 2: “Victoria” sends me a message:
“We believe we’ve located the bank transfer which is intended to be credited to your Prolific account. I can see that you have a Workspaces account. To assist us with matching your transfer, please can you also let us know which Workspace you would like the funds added to? If you navigate to the Finance tab on the relevant Workspace and click on ‘Add Money’, you should find a reference code in the top ‘Reference number’ box on the ‘Bank Transfer’ tab. If you could send that as well as the name of the Workspace, that would be most helpful!”
I replied to the email: “as stated in my previous message, the reference number is IKTMI7RK-I5UNCSXK. The name of the workspace is “My Workspace”.”
Step 3: I do not hear back from Victoria. I send her message 4 days later that I still did not receive the money.
Step 4: “Sheila” sends me the SAME email that Victoria has sent me a week ago.
There have been more than one report of slow money transfers, especially around holiday seasons. There is a human element and holidays can result in a backlog.
I find that credit cards work pretty much instantly.
Support is about the only option for support of this type, but if by posting you are seeking to apply pressure, then perhaps similar sorts of posts as responses to Prolific’s Twitter account might be more potent.
Pacifist that I am, I would be inclined to use a credit card, or wait.
thanks for your reply. The idea with the credit card is nice, but unfortunately I cannot pay for my research out of my own pocket, or advance the money. Unfortunately I don’t have that kind of money to spare as a PhD student.
I understand that there might be some internal issues at prolific. Unfortunately, my university’s finance department is pressuring me for the year’s final tally, it’s been three weeks that we’ve made the transfer, and prolific’s customer support is notoriously poor and slow. If people are on holiday, then an automatic reply would be the least to ask for, but the way it is now, I’m feeling left hanging.
Is there no official university credit card? Our university has a credit card for online payments. And also in special circumstances we (faculty) are allowed to pay and then charge the university, again in the case of online payments.
Is there no official university credit card? Our university has a credit card for online payments.
Yes, this SHOULD be the standard, but my university doesn’t have that. It’s frustrating…
And also in special circumstances we (faculty) are allowed to pay and then charge the university, again in the case of online payments.
Well again, unfortunately I am not in a position to advance the money. I will talk to my supervisor whether he can do that in the future, but obviously this won’t help regarding the transfer we already did.