jim@bilpin.UUCP (JimG) (02/05/90)
Having been using Dave McWherter's <McSink> program for some weeks, and
finding it very handy, I decided to send off the shareware fee to
Preferred Publishers Inc, despite it being rather on the steep side than
otherwise ($45 + $6.50 postage). Being a rashly generous soul, I decided
to allow a bit more for airmail, and to allow for any price increase
since the version had been released that I had, so I ended up sending a
money order for $60 in total.
When I received the update disk and manual, I found that the extra money
I had included had not been credited to me, but had been added to the
notional cost of the product - thus in effect taking this $8.50 from me
for nothing in return. In addition, and what really annoys me, is that
the package was not sent by normal air mail, but by a totally
unnecessary and extravagant UPS next day courier service (!!),
*carriage* *to* *be* *paid* *on* *delivery*, for which I was charged the
preposterous sum of #17.58 (about $27), for a package which only weighed
a few ounces.
I of course was somewhat miffed over this, so wrote to both Preferred
Publishers and Signature Software explaining the situation and asking
for some reimbursement. Two months later I received a reply from
Preferred Publishers, giving no apology or explanation at all, and in
addition stating that I hadn't paid for the copy of McSink which I had
been sent! This despite the fact that the invoice (#1369, if anyone from
PP Inc is reading this and is shamed into action - not very likely)
clearly stated 'Pre-Paid Money Order" at the top! So, I can only presume
that they attach no import to the facts that I was charged $53.50 for a
$45.00 product, charged $6.50 for shipping for which they never paid,
and then was sent McSink by a preposterously expensive next day courier
service. In total I had taken from me an *additional* $42 for McSink
(and that's not counting the #5 surcharge for the money order), and they
don't give a shit!
Going over this again is making my blood boil, as you can probably
gather, so I'll wind up now. I leave you to draw your own conclusions
with regard to the advisability of leaving oneself open to being ripped
off in the same way. To end on a more positive note, I should add that I
have about a dozen shareware products for which I have sent off the
fees, and Preferred Publishers Inc is the only one that has screwed me
around; all the others have dealt with me honestly and fairly.
--
Another Fine Product from <mcvax!ukc!icdoc!bilpin!jim> <jim@bilpin.uucp>
{JimG : Hatfield, England}
"Life is sure funny, isn't it, Chuck?" . . . . "It depends on the punch line."moriarty@tc.fluke.COM (Jeff Meyer) (02/07/90)
Whew! I'd be pissed off, too. What REALLY would hurt is that you can buy
Vantage, the commercial version of McSink which is a superset of McSink
capabilities (and some very nice documentation) for $55 + $3 Overnight P&H
from several of the mail order stores.
Speaking for myself, I've never had problems with Preferred Publishers,
until recently. I bought McSink as a shareware product some years ago, was
notified of a $25 (I think) upgrade to Vantage when it came out, and was
very pleased with the new product and its documentation. When the upgrade
notice for the new version of Vantage arrived after Christmas, I sent off
for it, and then waited a month. Finally phoned, and talked to some poor
woman who was overloaded with upgrade orders. She said she'd make sure mine
went out the next day, and sure enough, it arrived a couple of days later.
"The only really happy folk are married women and
single men."
-- H.L. Mencken
---
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
INTERNET: moriarty@tc.fluke.COM
Manual UUCP: {uw-beaver, sun, microsoft, hplsla, uiucuxc}!fluke!moriarty
CREDO: You gotta be Cruel to be Kind...
<*> DISCLAIMER: Do what you want with me, but leave my employers alone! <*>