Fool Me Once, Shame on You-Fool Me Twice, Shame On Me
Written: May 01 '01 (Updated May 02 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Are There Any "Pros" to Deception ???
Cons: Deceptive Business Practices/False Advertising
The Bottom Line: I don't recommend MS FP, or any of their software because of their deceptive practices and lack of concern for the consumer. They only want your money, not your patronage!
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| Jannie0's Full Review: Microsoft FrontPage 2000 |
I'm not going to write about the good or bad of the product. Enough reviewers have already done that.
I'm going to tell you about my first-hand, personal experience I've endured and warn you of the bad after taste left behind.
What's up with Microsoft's software? They’ve stooped to defrauding the consumer these days, that's what's up.
I purchased Microsoft FrontPage 2000. That’s all right in itself, however, the product box is misleading, to say the least.
Beware.
On the front of the latest version's box is a red star-like sticker in the upper right-hand corner. It reads:
Latest Version!
$40U.S./$60CDN
rebate included for users
of qualifying products.
Special Web
hosting offers from
leading providers.
(See side panel
for details.)
The side panel reads:
REBATE:
$40U.S./$60CDN rebate coupon
Inside for users of the following
Products for Microsoft
Windows and Windows NT
Workstation (and for MS-DOS
Where noted*):
Microsoft Office (any edition) 4.0 or later
Microsoft Word*6.0 or later
Microsoft Excel 5.0 or later
Microsoft PowerPoint 4.0 or later
Microsoft Access 2.0 or later
Microsoft FoxPro 2.6 or later
Microsoft Visual FoxPro 3.0 or later
Microsoft Project 4.0 or later
Microsoft Publisher 97 or later
Microsoft PhotoDraw 2000 or later
Limit one rebate per customer. Offer expires December 31, 2001. Offer good in the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and Canada only.
Web hosting offer expires October 31, 2000.
Where on the red star-like label or side panel, or anywhere on the product box, does it state: "OME ineligible"?
You are the consumer. There you are shopping in your favorite office supply or discount store. You search, investigate, peruse and read the various web site creation tools. You have Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft products installed on your computer. Microsoft FrontPage 2000 offers a mail-in rebate. You ask yourself, ‘Why not?’
Sucker, beware.
Remember, the product box is sealed, right? You can’t open it can you? No, of course not. The sales people won’t allow that. You trust what the star-like sticker and side panel says about the rebate offer, right?
Wrong.
You've now bought Microsoft FrontPage 2000 and you've completed and mailed in the rebate form with a nice clear copy of your sales receipt proving you've purchased their product, and also the product's box top with the product numbers and UPC coding.
Guess what will happen next....
Two weeks later you’ll receive by mail, the sales receipt, product box top and completed rebate form you mailed in, with a rather crude letter telling you that you don’t qualify for the advertised rebate!
Yes! You do not qualify!
Why?
Because, you have to send in a product box top or the front cover page of a users’ manual of one of the above listed Microsoft products you've previously purchased and installed yourself to be eligible for the rebate...
‘What?’, you ask. Yes, you read that right.
On the reverse side of the rebate form, in very, very small print...it states:
"Rebate is not valid for upgrades from or on Microsoft products pre-installed or supplied by a manufacturer (OME)."
Questions to ponder:
1) Did it print that statement on the outside of the Microsoft FrontPage 2000 product box? (ANSWER: NO!)
2) Did it print that statement on the side panel? (ANSWER: NO!)
I called the toll free number printed on the rebate form: 1-800-622-4445. It wasn't Microsoft. It was a "rebate center" working the rebates for Microsoft. They spoke rudely, crudely, and was even cussed at. Then, they hung up on me after requesting to speak to a supervisor.
Like most computers today, mine came with previously installed software from the factory (OME). No user's manuals or CD's or even diskettes came with it, just the typical Windows '95 manual. How could I possibly have a sales receipt or front cover page of a user's manual of one of their advertised and required software programs to rip off and mail in? It's 'OME' for God's sake! But I'm a registered user for Microsoft Windows '95 and other MS products installed on my pc....a registered user of the qualifying software listed above even! That doesn't matter though. According to the Rebate Center, they don't (and claim they can't) check for registration of Microsoft users to verify you're legitimate.
Isn't my OME software still a qualifying version that I paid big bucks for and legitimately registered? Why is it disqualified just because Compaq installed it for me already and had it offered on the computer for purchase? I paid for it and I registered it! To use my computer and it's software, didn't I have to register with Compaq and register with Microsoft after I bought it? You betcha!
Big picture here is the fact that Microsoft does not advertise and explain in print anywhere on the product box, that the OME is disqualified! There is no way the consumer would know that until after purchasing the software! Bottom line! Period!
I called them back. I finally got a Microsoft toll free number to call: 1-800-426-9400 Sales Office. They couldn’t help me, so they gave me another toll free number to call for the Refund Center that decides whether you can be refunded your money for the product: 1-800-673-8624.
***There is only a 30-day money refund guarantee.***
I purchased the Microsoft FrontPage 2000 on 3/13/01.
I mailed off the completed rebate form thinking I’d receive a rebate check in a few weeks. On 4/28/01 I received the letter stating I didn’t qualify for a rebate.
Funny, it’s now over the 30-day money back guarantee time allotment isn’t it?
Was that part of their big plan too?
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
Jannie0
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Location: Texas - Biggest, Sunniest and Hottest
Reviews written: 86
Trusted by: 132 members
About Me:
A writer, novel is in progress. I was offered e-publishing, but have elected hard copy.
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