NOD32 v3 new trial registration scheme has hurt their sales...

[Rmplstlskn]

Take this for what it's worth, it is not posted to start a big debate or analysis, just to let ESET have a heads up to what is going on in the industry...

I'm the Manager of a system builder & repair computer shop in VA. As you can imagine, easily 90% or more of our repair work is MALWARE related. In the past, after we removed corrupted NIS and McAfee software and disinfected their OS, we would load a TRIAL version of NOD32 (2.5 through v.3) and advise the customer to BUY the license within the 30 day trial. We literally referred HUNDREDS to ESET for registration over the last two years. That was THEN, this is now...

Now, the new v3 registration scheme has made it a BIG HASSLE to refer customers, and easily 50% or more of our customers has complained to us about how CONFUSING the registration process was. It would be OK if we could EASILY download the latest NOD32 but the ESET site requires you to enter email info and wait for the email. A BIG HASSLE when you are on someone elses computer... Plus many of the download sites (download.com, etc...) have EXPIRED TRIALS for download. What good is that? We download (as an internet test) and load a trial on a customers computer, only to have NOD32 tell us we cannot update it due to expired username and password!!!!??!?!

I'm sure I am not the only computer tech out there who has now begun to phase out NOD32 and the resulting recommendations due to our installing trail versions daily on almost every machine...

And YES, I know we could become a reseller, and the last time I checked, we had to buy a butt load of licenses to get going, and I refused to do that... Maybe it has changed lately...

Then there is the concern we have about NOD32 failing to block some recent ROOTKITS... Thank GOD for UNHACKME software, our new DREAM TOOL!

Anyways, I registered and posted here to vent while I wait for my trial emails so I can download a version of NOD32 that is not already EXPIRED!!!!

Just a heads up so that ESET knows they royal screwed up the free ride many of us out here were giving them... Dumb move in my opinion...

Rmpl
Manager and Senior Tech in the wilds of Virginia

[Rmplstlskn]

UPDATE!!!!!! Keep in mind my above post...

I just downloaded directly from ESET's web site the latest NOD32 TRAIL download and loaded it on a customer's computer...

It tells me the username/password has EXPIRED TWO DAYS AGO!!!! WTF, over?

This is exactly what I was talking about in my above post...

ESET has taken a great product and ruined it with a cheezy registration scheme!

I now have to take NOD off and load Kaspersky TRIAL...

Utter foolishness....

Rmpl

[ambient_88]

Originally Posted by Rmplstlskn

Now, the new v3 registration scheme has made it a BIG HASSLE to refer customers, and easily 50% or more of our customers has complained to us about how CONFUSING the registration process was. It would be OK if we could EASILY download the latest NOD32 but the ESET site requires you to enter email info and wait for the email. A BIG HASSLE when you are on someone elses computer...

While I can agree that it takes a bit more time than others to register, I do not see how the process is confusing. You enter your info, wait for the email, and follow the instructions. Simple as that.

Originally Posted by Rmplstlskn

Plus many of the download sites (download.com, etc...) have EXPIRED TRIALS for download. What good is that? We download (as an internet test) and load a trial on a customers computer, only to have NOD32 tell us we cannot update it due to expired username and password!!!!??!?!

I wouldn't download any trials from third-party download sites unless the official website directs you there.

Also, I've never experienced a trial failing to activate. I can attest to this because I've installed trials over and over before deciding to buy it. Of course, each install was done on a clean install of Windows Vista.

[Fajo]

Originally Posted by ambient_88

While I can agree that it takes a bit more time than others to register, I do not see how the process is confusing. You enter your info, wait for the email, and follow the instructions. Simple as that.


I wouldn't download any trials from third-party download sites unless the official website directs you there.

Also, I've never experienced a trial failing to activate. I can attest to this because I've installed trials over and over before deciding to buy it. Of course, each install was done on a clean install of Windows Vista.

I will admit.. I have installed Eset for many people to try out that needed something light on a older system.. the keys provided with the install normally varied from +30 days to as little as 5 days. So I understand where the Original poster is coming from the last trial that I installed was set to expire on the 17th of July. I downloaded it on the 7th. from Eset's website. needless to say I been steering clients other directions. one advantage of having so many options out there.

Eset needs to be aware of this problem and if possible fix it maybe set up a Key system like everyone else has for trials. where it emails you a trial key instead of incorporating them with there installs.

just my 2cents

[Rmplstlskn]

Originally Posted by Fajo

I will admit.. I have installed Eset for many people to try out that needed something light on a older system.. the keys provided with the install normally varied from +30 days to as little as 5 days. So I understand where the Original poster is coming from... <snip>

I had a conversation with the ESET South-East Region Sales Manager today about reselling, so I told him about my experience yesterday with downloading the trial directly from ESET that was already TWO DAYS EXPIRED with a virus database going back to MARCH... He was unaware of this problem... Now he isn't...

Until ESET clears this up, I have begrudgingly made F-PROT my standard load on older machines and Kaspersky on upper level machines.

Rmpl

[sparx]

Not a perfect solution, but you could always go with the 2.7 trial....

http://download1.eset.com/eval/win/v2/nentenst.exe

[Marcos]

We have checked it, http://download.eset.com/eval/win/eav/eav_nt32_enu.msi is actually valid until 08/20/2008

[agoretsky]

Hello,

As Marcos noted, the expiration on the current trial versions is in the third week of August.

Questions about the process of obtaining a trial version really fall outside the scope of this forum, which is focused on supporting the software.

What I can do is forward a copy of this message thread to our webmaster, who can review it and take appropriate action.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

[Biscuit]

I have pretty much the same issue as Rmplstlskn, except that I am fixing customer's computers on-site. For this reason, I am still installing v2.7 as I can then carry one bit of software on my USB stick. I use other products to clean the infected computers & only install Nod32 once the customer's computer is cleaned-up.

[mh348]

If you are a Registered Partner then you can just get the Evaluation/Trial Keys from the ESET Partner Control Panel. At the Begining of the Month they Issue new for the Month, both 30-day & 60 Day Keys. I keep a copy of the Keys on my flash drive so whenever I'm @ a clients premises I just use that key and update.

[agoretsky]

Hello,

I spoke with our business systems manager about this, and received the following response:

[A]bout having to go to your email, but many companies do this (and this is required to eliminate the thousands of bogus leads that would be created if we did not do this).

Additionally, they are investigating how trials are handled to deal with the issues surrounding the expiration dates.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

[Dave16]

I prefer the way Eset gives out licenses. That way if i had to reformat or something bad happened, I could just simply reinstall off the website, rather then wasting an install from a CD. And the process isn't difficult for I would imagine the majority of computer users, you just fill in a little bit of info that you SHOULD know,then once you order all the info comes in the email which usually arrives within an hour or two. Simple as that! - Just my opinion.

[Biscuit]

Originally Posted by mh348

If you are a Registered Partner then you can just get the Evaluation/Trial Keys from the ESET Partner Control Panel. At the Begining of the Month they Issue new for the Month, both 30-day & 60 Day Keys. I keep a copy of the Keys on my flash drive so whenever I'm @ a clients premises I just use that key and update.

Are you able to just carry around & use a single key for multiple customer trial versions for a whole month?

[Rmplstlskn]

Originally Posted by Marcos

We have checked it, http://download.eset.com/eval/win/eav/eav_nt32_enu.msi is actually valid until 08/20/2008

I just downloaded it, thanks...

As for the expired version, all I can say is that I clicked on the link that came in the ESET TRIAL email, which took me to a page with both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. I downloaded the 32-bit version and then immediately transfered to a memstick and installed it on a customers computer. After the install, I go to UPDATE and it tells me the username/password had expired two days ago and the def date was in March. That's all I know...

Rmpl

[saffron]

Originally Posted by Marcos

We have checked it, http://download.eset.com/eval/win/eav/eav_nt32_enu.msi is actually valid until 08/20/2008

Originally Posted by Rmplstlskn

I just downloaded it, thanks...

As for the expired version, all I can say is that I clicked on the link that came in the ESET TRIAL email, which took me to a page with both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. I downloaded the 32-bit version and then immediately transfered to a memstick and installed it on a customers computer. After the install, I go to UPDATE and it tells me the username/password had expired two days ago and the def date was in March. That's all I know...

Rmpl

There is a similar thread on DSL Reports. Same game, different players.

The trial online on 07/17 was expired and 3 months out of date and it could not be updated. It actually expired on 07/15.