Photoplus 10 freebie with S@N

[sanmatt]

I'm after a bit of a moan. I tried to get the registration number for the Photoplus 10 and had a barage of sales spiel at me for 15 minutes and still Yassif wouldnt let me have a registration number for the software.

He still wanted to tell me how PP10 was very outdated and 10 yrs old and I should buy the newer version, despite me telling him I dont want it. Three times I said I didnt want to pay to upgrade the new version. And three times he told me why I should.

I put the phone down, and came away with no registration number. I'm not too happy about this, being new to astrophotography and a new subscriber to S@N I am keen to try the editing software but I dont want the heavy hard sales speil that goes with it.

So they have all my details now and no doubt I will get spammed to death.

Meh

Did anyone try the new software? Was it worth the hassle to get the reg number? Did you think blow this and put the phone down?

[Bizibilder]

That's the routine with Serif - they give away old stuff with SatN about once a year just so folk phone and get the sales pitch.

[sanmatt]

Oh stuff that then, I shant be bothering anymore.

[JamesF]

Perhaps I should get a copy of S@N. Then I could phone them up when clients have been giving me a difficult time and have an argument

James

[sanmatt]

ahha yes then post back the flipping registration number

[sanmatt]

Low and behold a registration number has just been emailed to me.

[themos]

you see, moaning pays!

[jfox61]

I have literally just had that about 25 minutes ago. First, exactly as the OP stated. Firstly He offered me PhotoPlus X4 at £25 as a special offer to S@N readers, I said no. He then "went away" for the reg number and a word with his boss. You see where this is leading? lol.

The boss has authorised him to come down to £19.99 still no number though. I say no again, and immediately the ball is returned to my end of the court with £15 with 2 months free trial and full refund if not happy.

I tell him to wait and go online for a review of Serif X4 and it seems ok. I use Photoshop 4 not bad but getting abiot dated now, he assures me X4 is better. I take the plunge.

Afterwards I go to their official website and what do I see..... Photoshop x4 available for £9.99 WITH a copy of Panorama plus free!!! That's £5 more than their "reduced" exclusive offer, and a whopping £15 cheaper than originally offered.

So back on the phone for a rant, luckily theirs is an 0800 number so just time involved.

Told them I was not a happy bunny and thought they were being underhanded the way they tried to sell me a product at a grossly inflated price initially.

After a little bit of blustering the guy apologised and told me he had gotten mixed up with products and was talking to me about Pageplus, when he should've been discussing Photoplus X5.

I asked to cancel the order, at which point he offered me Photoplus X5 for £10. I found a review from PCplus and made him wait while I read the review.

Ten minutes later I decided that the software did indeed look fairly good so have decided to get it on the 2month trial basis offered to me.

So to make £10 this guy has had to endure my personal rants and reading of reviews for about 45 minutes. Do they actually make any money?

[sanmatt]

haha well done you! Making him wait and no doubt get a rollocking (Ive worked in sales in the past, albeit hospital/medical so not a hard sell but even so).

[Gina]

Yes, well done - nice result

[Lynpy]

BTW-the promised refund is not that easily obtained either!

[x6gas]

I registered this software and it took me about 30 seconds with no problem at all.

HOWEVER: (all this IIRC) If you read the blurb on the registration webpage with the phone number to ring it does say to tell them if you don't want to be on their mailing list.

I said as soon as the phone was answered that I (a) did not want to be offered any upgrade deals and ( I did not want to be added to any mailing list etc. The chap said they needed some info but I wouldn't be added to the mailing list and so far they have been good to their word and not sent me anything.

To be fair, they're offering something for free, and they didn't try to up-sell me at all.

And I think the software's pretty good, but then the last version of PS I used was a long, long time ago...