Dealing with Resellers ... specifically NOD32.NAME

So, I decided to renew my license. It wasn't due until August, but I decided to do it early.

Now, the way most of these work (for example, my old McAfee subscription) was that, EVEN IF YOU RENEW EARLY, they simply tack two years onto the subscription.

I looked around and found NOD32.name had a lower price than Eset, plus they offered multi-year renewals, so I decided to order through them.

What happened was that the renewal was set to be two years from the date of my order ... not August 2007 but June 2007. Now, this is NOT such a big deal, but I did find it unusual. I submitted the old username / pw and expected Eset, working through the reseller, to tack 2 years onto the original date. I also didn't expect a new username / pw. But I got one and the shortened extension.

So I emailed NOD32.name and asked them about it. What I didn't expect was the condescending and rude reply I received.

I QUOTE:

You ordered a 2 year renewal.

I am a reseller. You did not purchase your original license from me. My comment here is, so what? What difference does it make?

I will submit a request to Eset to change your renewal date.

If you expected this it would have been helpful if this was communicated to me. Er, why would I expect this? As I said when I did this with McAfee before this didn't happen.

I cannot read your mind. All I got was an order for a renewal. OK, this part is really rude. What about me reading HIS MIND? There was also no notation on the site about "if you haven't ordered your original license through me let me know". How am I supposed to expect this? I've never seen anything like this before, and I'm not exactly new at this (I'm a Windows programmer and have been on the Internet forever, as well as programming for over 25 years). I've licensed and renewed many products and never seen this.

Is this common? If you order a renewal through a reseller does this happen every time (meaning the shortened extension, not the rudeness. I would hope that does NOT happen). And why should they issue a new username / pw? I had to go in and reset it in NOD32 ... not a big deal, but why not just extend the subscription info for the old username / pw? I mean, I had to enter it to make the order.

Finally, I hope Eset will make sure their resellers are more professional than this one. I won't deal with him in the future, but if he wants to stay in business what happened to remembering "the customer is always right?"

Oh, and no I was NOT rude to him in my initial email. Though I was less than polite in my reply to his.

 

Not at all, the usual is for your renewal to start from the annual date of purchase.

It is unfortunate that you have had this experience, I can assure you, this too is unusual.

If you do not get it resolved, please send me a PM.

Cheers

Blackspear.

 

It would, of course, be interesting to see your original email along with his.

 

I asked our sales representatives to contact this reseller and ask him for an explanation of what happened.

 

Pretty innocuous. Just asking what happened.

I sent this text along with the emailed receipt.

My original date of expiration was 8/2005. I expected that a 2 year renewal would make the new expiration 8/2007, but the info I received from Eset says it expires 6/15/2007.

 

Like I said, it's not so much the error ... it's more the rudeness of the email plus I was wondering:

a) why issue a new username / pw (hassle because I had to go in and change it, plus I usually export the Eset registry entries and keep them backed up in case I need the settings again ... so I had to do this as well ... but NOT that big a deal. Just curious since I figured it would be easier to update the db w/ a new date for the old username / pw).
b) what happened (heh)

But it's only a couple of months difference. I was more shocked at his attitude because if you look at my email, I'm just asking what happened.

Originally I was going to let the matter drop without asking about it, but I figured, hey, I paid for that time, so ...

 

Sorry to hear of your problem. I just renewed mine, and the start of my new subscription is added to the end of the current one.

With the new subscription, I was given a new Username and Password though.

 

So the guy got back to me and apologized and said the date was adjusted. How can I find out if it's really straightened out. I'm not doubting the guy, but since the date is really on Eset's end (I guess, not wanting to step on any toes) how can I check? There some info in an about box (I looked, so if it's there I missed it) or something else?

I hesitate to ask the seller again as I don't want my head bitten off

 

For me, I was sent an email saying when the subscription would end.

 

Yeah, but the one I got was the one that said 6/15/2007 instead of August. I haven't gotten anything that says it's been adjusted to date xx/xx/xx from Eset, just from the reseller (like I said, I'm not necessarily doubting him, but I would like to see another email from Eset like the one I got saying it was 6/15/2007).

 

Go to www.eset.com, support center tab, fill in registration email and you recieve your username / password and end of subscription date.

 

Humm.. lets think about this a bit?... There abit I don't know about this process, so maybe someone can shed some light?
It would prob help if the renewal date was explicily expressed as being the date of purchase on the box.... I never had a box, so I don't know if it is or not,
But there is a better way?

The reason this happened is that there is a big difference in how Mcafee renews your subscription.... at least with version 7.0 and ealier...
Mcafee put little notes in code into the registry of the installing computer so that when One year comes around.. it knows when your date is up. If you know where to go in the registry.. that info can be removed and and simply reinstalled again to renew the subscription and then the installing computer "and" Mcafee is none the wiser that the product ever existed on the system and so the renewal date starts over? .. The reason I know this is not so much because I went out of my way to pirate Mcafee, but rather it was such crap and crashed my system with its earlier versions.. I had to "peel" it out of the registry to finally get rid of its bugs.... in the process, I noticed my renewal date started over!

However NOD puts a note on "their" server as to when your product was purchased... irregardless of what you do to your computer.... even if you reformat... NOD still knows when your renewal date is.
More and more products are moving to nternet based servers such as this to store your info to prevent piracy.

The suggestion I have is that NOD start the renewal date from from the moment their server senses the product starts looking for a dat update?
True, it will be more difficult for NOD to tie a product # to a specific person and address, but why is that important anyway?
All that matters is that a given purchased product only get serviced for dat updates for one year.... irregardless?
NOD still and always will reserve the power to "kill" that product # from receiving dat updates if it is misused during the year subscription period?

It appears NODs servers blindly count the days from when the product was uploaded from their server, and as far a retail, they must be dependent upon the vendor to send in the purchase date "which would be a hassle to the retailer if this is the case?"

Why not "not" worry about when it was purchased, but rather when it starts being used?
Its not like you can use it "or even need it" if your not online maintaining and updating the dat files anyway?

Just a suggestion......

 

All,
I have never suffered from reseller problems, but the horrors I have seen and heard. Never will. I go right to the creator when I can.

 

I had a much better experience when I purchased my renewal. I renewed though an American reseller for a period of two years. I renewed early and installed early. Someone told me that if I would write to Eset tech support that they could "reset" the expiry date correctly. I did this and received a very nice and prompt reply from Nigel Cook at Eset support. This is what he said: "Hello J...,
I have altered your expiry date to 1st of February 2007 as you requested. It's a minor problem that we have when users renew early which we're trying to resolve automatically. Thanks for advising us and sorry for the inconvenience.
Regards,
Nigel

Now how could anyone have been nicer or more helpful than this? And this is the experience I have had with Eset and Nod32 ever since I switched to this AV.

 

Ahhh you have experienced Mr Coot aka Bandicoot, better not let him see your post, his head will swell

Cheers

 

My experiences with Eset's (nod32.com) support and sales have been nothing short of fantastic.. one of the friendliest companies I have dealt with. I wouldn't let one experience with one person sour you, everyone has bad days, even those on the other end of the phone/email

 

I totally agree. I have dealt personally with Marcos, Nigel, and Mike, and consider them all the best as far as customer service. I have also dealt with Lisa at the NOD USA offices and she was exceptional in her customer service. I had a problem with renewal, wanted to pay by check, and everyone was great. I could not ask for anything more from any of them!!!

And do not forget Craig (Blackspear) as his customer service bars none also ...

 

Thanks Ron for mentioning her. I have dealt with her often also and she is excellent. I do not know how I forgot , guess its this getting old thing ...

 

Add Rumpstah to the great service too.

 

Who?

 

Me Three ... An outstanding Gentlemen, excellent service

Steve

 

And of course Blacksmear

You're the best too ... Thanks for everything you've ever done for me You don't know how much I appreciate it.

Steve

 

Oh stop it, his head is going to swell, won't be able to fit him into the forum shortly