Gradware.com

Learning the skills required for a new profession (web design in my case) can make you feel you'll have to hock the family farm to afford to educate yourself, but I was pleased to find that there are discounts available for software and hardware for ...

I hope that this survey is not a waste of my time. I will know if I receive a written response or not. I am a teacher registered with Gradware for a number of years. Every year I renew my academic proof with Gradware. In past years, my experience was ...

Price isn't ANYTHING if the company is unresponsive and never processes the order....Been 1 week and the order is still in "process" and I've received no response to multiple e-mails and when I called (4 x today) the recording said I called outside normal business hours -- they must define normal business hours as 9:00 - 9:01 'cause I called at 9:15 am, 11:00 am, 2:00 pm and5:00 pm eastern time.

Apparently gradware is the same as Academic Superstore -- dialing gradware, Academic Superstore answers. (Well...the recording did, no humans there either!)

I'll take my business elsewhere and challenge the credit card charge....maybe forward the experience to the Texas A.G. office.

Appears great on the surface, but poor communication, poor service and poor response time with buyer. Sent eligibility for my son - the told they didn't have it AFTER I placed my order - then they told me (days later when the order wasn't processed) that my credit card didn't go thru - my credit card company denies declining any purchase from gradware.com or academicsoftware.com or studica.com. Then, shipped a partial order and 1 of the products was unsealed and validation code missing - it's been 2 days and still no RMA -- 1/2 of order still 'in process' which one of their phone reps told me was IN STOCK and she didn't understand why it wasn't shipped.

I have no idea what the deal is with this company - my first emails went to an address in Mexico...but the physical address of the company is in Austin, TX - go figure.

Not a good experience, despite the price. I will shop elsewhere and READ reviews before I purchase more software for my son. This order has been over a month and still only 1 of 3 products delivered...

I placed my first order with Gradware on Monday. At that time, I faxed in my eligibility documents. Today is Wednesday and my order is still not processed. I have called each day and they keep telling me "that department" is behind. I asked if I could confirm that my fax was actually received. I was told no so without any acknowlegement of receipt, I have no actual knowledge that my order is indeed being processed. This morning I emailed the documentation to them which their website says is the fastest way to getting your order shipped. We'll see.
There is no disputing that Gradware prices are great. The great price is quickly being diminished by lackluster customer service and order processing.

Followup: I just cancelled my order with Gradware. After 2.5 days of Gradware "processing" my order, it is now BACKORDERED.  Many sites offer "low price guarantee." I would get Gradware's price on an item and then order from another vendor showing them Gradware's price (assuming it's the lowest).

10/27/2009
I recently purchased Adobe Elements 8 and had no major issues.  I would give Gradware an overall rating of 4.5 for the pricing.  The only delay that I encountered was the eligibility issue and would rate that aspect a 3.5.  The product was on Back Order status for several days (understandable since it’s a new software program) and I couldn’t get an estimated shipping schedule from customer service.  Therefore, I was going to buy the product locally and I canceled the order with Gradware but approximately 1 hour later I received confirmation that the product shipped.
Overall the process went pretty smooth and I’d rate the experience 4 out of 5 stars.  I will use Gradware in the future now that the eligibility issue has been resolved,
FK
San Diego