Symantec – Good Products – Bad Delivery

Power, Performance, Protection. ParetoLogic products put you in control of your PC’s performance and security

Shame on Symantec for releasing Norton 360, a new product that is nothing but a pain in the ass to buy and an even bigger pain in the ass to install. Today I will talk about the online purchase process of a Symantec product so you are aware of the pitfalls of these weasels.

If you are reading this because you are at wits end, with respect to your install, then tomorrow is for you. Hopefully my experience will help you to not have one that is similar.

Why the Purchase?

This all started when I made my first purchase using MyPowerMall.com. I wanted to test the mall system to see if I got credit for making the purchase. Since my Norton Security 2007 was expired, I figured that I needed it, so I did the the upgrade.

Up-sells, Symantec style, pissed me off
I conducted the transaction and the first thing I noticed is that when I clicked the ‘buy now’ button, I was offered a choice to buy Norton 360 for two years. No problem, I only wanted it for 1 year so I declined.

That is the way it should be. It is ‘professional’ and the generally accepted way to buy online. Offer an up-sell and let the buyer decide whether to buy it or not.

Next I added my order to the cart and immediately I was pissed off. Norton had added a $10.99 extended download service plan to my order. I was not asked if I wanted it. They just assumed I did and added it to my purchase.

This type of up-sell technique, although not illegal, is not ethical. I should be given the choice to add items to my purchase. Instead the onus is on me to remove it.

Before removing it, I had to see what was so good about this little gem that I simply had to have it. Clicking on the ‘>What is the Extended Download Service?’ link I saw that this was an option to extend the 60-day length of time I could download my purchased software from Symantec. WTF? I paid for it. It was mine. 60 days from now it will still be mine. I am paying for it for a year so I should have access to it for a year.

This is ludicrous. They expect me to pay them $10.99 so I can have the privilege to download my software outside the ’60-day’ window they decided to give me. Kiss my blue monkey butt Symantec. I promptly clicked the little garbage can icon to the left of this item and removed it. Fitting that the icon is a garbage can!

You think that was bad. It gets worse.

Beware of the Symantec Auto-Renewal Policy

This was a shocker. In order to buy from them I have to agree to their auto-renewal policy. I could not opt out prior to purchase. This is bad…really really bad. Symantec you should be ashamed of yourself. There is no need for this type of marketing from what I had previously considered a professional corporation.

Norton Ongoing Protection

By placing this order, you consent to Symantec automatically renewing your annual subscription. Symantec will notify you by email prior to expiration of your current subscription. Do nothing and the regular subscription renewal price (plus applicable tax) will be automatically charged using the payment method (e.g. credit or debit card) provided. You authorize Symantec to use contact and billing information provided during purchase activity to charge each renewal. You also authorize Digital River, Symantec’s authorized online reseller, to transfer the contact and billing information provided for your purchase today to Symantec for this purpose.

If you do not want to be automatically charged, you may discontinue the auto renewal feature of Norton Ongoing Protection at any time after completing this order by following the instructions contained on the Symantec website and in the confirmation email.

Oh good! Fantastic! I can choose to opt out of your auto-renewal policy AFTER I make the purchase. News flash dipsticks I am supposed to be offered a chance to do this BEFORE I make my purchase.

Symantec your sales techniques and marketing strategies show that you have placed profits over customer service. The only reason you do this is because you hope that unsuspecting individuals will not notice until it is too late. You are deserving of the title weasels!

Power, Performance, Protection. ParetoLogic products put you in control of your PC’s performance and security

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