Comments on: Is Symantec Store Using Ethical Sales Practices?

By: Daniel

Daniel — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 05:31:05 +0000

Any way you slice it, this is absurd. What I hate even more is that Symantec started disabling your local antivirus protection when your subscription ends. In times past, you’d simply lost your access to their servers and stop getting virus definition updates.

By: Jeanette

Jeanette — Sat, 07 May 2011 15:42:16 +0000

That saves me. Thanks for being so ssenblie!

By: Tehillah Hessler

Tehillah Hessler — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 06:23:20 +0000

Last summer I learned about this download insurance via an encounter with Corel. A few years ago I purchased an update to Paint Shop Pro (which I’ve been using since its inception) via download. I normally opt to Save the file to my drive prior to installation (for reinstalls when necessary), but it wasn’t an option and I was extremely busy so I didn’t bother to question the odd behavior. They probably had an opt-in for insurance in the shopping cart, which I obviously didn’t select.

Fast forward 2 years to a laptop crash. Disgusted with Windows Vista problems and the current crash, I decided to wipe my machine clean and do a fresh install of Ubuntu and Windows 7. As I spent a brutal day installing all my software from an external drive, I realized that I didn’t have an executable file for the latest Corel Paint Shop Pro version. So I opened the PDF I had created of my Corel web site receipt and clicked the link to the download location. Guess what? It was no longer available!

They had a newer version out and if I wanted it, I’d have to pay for it. I didn’t want it, I was perfectly happy with the version I had been using and not willing to pay another penny for an upgrade. So I complained to “customer service” and they pretty much told me I was SOL because I hadn’t paid for the download insurance – if I wanted the software I would have to buy a new copy!

Despite the fact that all correspondence with them was online, it took them almost 2 weeks to finally tell me they didn’t care about my business. During that time I still needed to work on client’s websites so I explored other options and after evaluating Snag It during a FREE trial period, I decided I liked it – and TechSmith – better.

Snag It is now running nicely and serves my needs better than Corel Paint Shop Pro – and the installation file is stored on my external drive should I ever need to reinstall.

From this experience, I have decided to BOYCOTT any company that insists I have to buy download insurance. Computers crash, it’s a fact of life, and that in itself is stressful enough to deal with – I shouldn’t have to (and won’t) pay extra for the privilege of being able to reinstall the software too!

By: Krishna

Krishna — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 18:41:52 +0000

You are right, that doesn’t make any sense, if I bought the software, its mine to download again anytime I want. Hosting and bandwidth are so cheap, Symantec is basically charging customers for something that should already be a part of the big price tag.

This is not the first example of how Symantec’s customer service lapses. Also, I hear their emails can be pretty “persuasive” – read using scare tactics :-). What’s happened to anti-virus vendors all of a sudden?

Cheers,
Krishna

By: Robert Donnell

Robert Donnell — Tue, 18 May 2010 13:57:48 +0000

Absolutely unethical!

I am increasingly convinced the Peter Norton is the anti-christ (humor).

Seriously, products that cause PC problems, hinder performance and deceptive sales techniques… what more can you ask for?

By: Martin Liverance

Martin Liverance — Wed, 12 May 2010 10:33:11 +0000

Recently Symantec billed my card for $75.00 without authorization. I am a computer professional. I was buying a new Symantec antivirus product for one of my customers. I was not able to locate the customer to get their credit card, so I used my card to facilitate the purchase, billing them later for the product. Symantec took my card information and banged another $75.00 on the card a week later to pay for some other renewal products that the customer had overdue. They somehow justified it, but I was appauled. DON’T EVER USE CREDIT CARD INFO OVER THE INTERNET WITH SYMANTEC. You never know when later they might bang your card.

By: Derek

Derek — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 23:10:58 +0000

There’s one major difference though… they ASK you to sign up. They don’t just ring that up on your bill and expect you to opt out.

By: Marie Culver

Marie Culver — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 23:07:12 +0000

The real problem is in the lack of consistency. The extended download service is not all that bad of an idea…if it wasn’t for the fact that anybody could download Norton at any point. All you really need to keep handy is a valid subscription key. The only tough part is that in order to re-download Norton, you have to take a scenic route through the website. Rather than logging in and clicking through a link in the account area.

As to what auto-adding the service is like…I’d compare it to what many stores have their employees do at checkout. When you start to pull out your cash or debit card, they ask if you want to sign up for a store credit card. It’s a tiny bit annoying, but you say no and move along.

By: Derek

Derek — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 18:54:44 +0000

Absolutely. Couldn’t have said it better myself.

By: Matt Langford

Matt Langford — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 18:48:05 +0000

Derek, I agree with you here… I think it’s absolutely unethical!

What if that gas pump automatically included the car wash instead of asking you to opt in? How many people would rush through the process and not realize what they’re buying? It’s taking advantage of their buyer’s situation, plain and simple.