Manipulation?
Written: Apr 16 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: I think it works but I have no proof.
Cons: Impersonal customer service and unfair rebate terms.
The Bottom Line: Unfortunately, with just a couple options on the market for virus products, I guess McAfee doesn't have to care about their customer focus as much as they care about revenue.
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| joesaccordion's Full Review: Network Associates McAfee VirusScan Home Edition 7... |
Here, I think the behavior by McAfee speaks for itself.
I bought and downloaded the product online. I was irked by the continual, annoying prompts to buy OTHER McAfee products besides what I set out to buy. I was stupidly lured in to buy VirusScan since McAfee advertised a $20 rebate, even though I don't recall having access to the requirements set forth in the rebate form until after I purchased the product. I sent in my rebate form a few weeks later ... and was promptly rejected by McAfee because they have a FIFTEEN DAY LIMITATION between download time and rebate submission time. Fifteen days? Don't most people pay their bills and do paperwork once per month? Don't they think it would be reasonable to give people at least a month to send it in? Are they even concerned with what's reasonable for their customers? It doesn't appear that way from how their customer service treated me when I complained. Plus ... it seems to me the competitor, Symantec, gives their customers a REASONABLE period to submit a rebate, such as a number of months.
So I complained about McAfee's stringent time period via email. They replied (someone in India I suspect) that I could contact them further over their PAID SUPPORT line and did not even directly address my multiple complaints. I sent them eight emails. Finally I asked for a complete refund altogether, because I had wasted much more of my time trying to get my complaint through to them, than the value of the rebate itself. McAfee finally called to say "SORRY BUT NO."
As for the product, I have no idea how effective it is at preventing viruses, but so far the program hasn't found any on my PC. Maybe McAfee spends just as much time desigining elusive rebate requirement schmes, and little marketing tricks (way more prompts than I have patience for) that net them the highest possible revenue at the expense of annoying and insulting their customers expectations of fairness. Another thing that I can't stand about this product ... it CONTINUALLY prompts me to UPDATE THE SOFTWARE!!! I click on the prompt only to be directed to buy other products that McAfee offers. I am so tired of that.
I also noticed the competitor's product at Sam's Club on sale for a little over half of what I paid McAfee for their version online.
I feel that McAfee has their hand in my pocket for whatever they can get. They did not make me feel like they cared at all about my experience as a customer. Their emails and the one call I received were very impersonal. I don't like feeling that way when I buy something. I'm not going to buy anything from them again, unless I have no alternative.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
joesaccordion
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Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
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