Caveat Emptor

lajeffk wrote on 9/28/2007, 9:58 AM
I'm posting this here in case anyone is thinking of buying or upgrading Sony Media Software products via this website.

Advice: don't.

Two days ago (Wednesday, September 26) I upgraded from VMS Platinum 8 to Vegas Pro8 via Sony's website. Credit card charge and download went smoothly. But I received no e-mail containing my serial number(s). When I called Sony Media Software's 800 #, I was cheerfully informed that SMS was closed for a "companywide holiday," and that I should check the user forums for "useful information."

[OK, I'll bite: anybody out there in forum-land have a serial number for me? Haha, just some of that famous Sony humor!]

Here it is, Friday, September 28. Sony Media Software's contact phone numbers--EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM LISTED ON THIS WEBSITE--still play a "we're closed for a companywide holiday" message and direct callers to these forums.

Funny--there didn't seem to be a "holiday" when it came to charging my credit card two days ago for a product that is unuseable without a serial number. More Sony "humor," I guess.

In the 29 years I've been using credit cards, I have never had occasion to dispute a charge because the merchant did not deliver the goods or services promised.

Until today.

Here's the saddest part: I *like* the Vegas product. It's been fun to learn and use, has made my work better, and has never malfunctioned.

The malfunction, it seems, is limited to the ethics-free folks at Sony Media Software.

Comments

TheHappyFriar wrote on 9/28/2007, 10:11 AM
it worked perfectly fine for me. i got the e-mail invoice + SN within minutes. since you've only made a couple posts, I'm assuming you waited two days to follow their advice & ask. If you were the only person who said this happened to them I'd say you're a troll here just to cause problems & a liar. but a few "regulars" have said the same thing.

Was it in "my software"?

je@on wrote on 9/28/2007, 10:12 AM
Good idea, rique, but I'm not sure that would work. I upgraded to V8 2 weeks ago and neither my V8 or DVDA4.5 are listed. Don't know what would explain the delay.
lajeffk wrote on 9/28/2007, 10:13 AM
Behold indeed:

Doing what you helpfully suggest reveals a list of all my *previous* software purchases, together with the serial numbers that *I* entered--not the serial number for my *current* purchase.

But thanks anyway.

[Also, I erred in my previous posting: it's Sony *Creative* Software, not Sony *Media* Software. Step away from your keyboards, y'all with the copy-editor-DNA.]
jrazz wrote on 9/28/2007, 10:19 AM
Can you not download the trial and use it until you get your serials?

j razz
Chienworks wrote on 9/28/2007, 11:01 AM
The "My Software" page only shows serial numbers after you've registered them, and it's kind of hard to register them before you've received them.
Spot|DSE wrote on 9/28/2007, 11:40 AM

I just dialed 608.256.3133.
Pressed 1 to speak with a person in customer service
Pressed 3 for customer service and pre-sales questions about pro software.
Pressed 5 to speak with someone about Vegas software.
I ended up getting Eric on the phone. He informed me that they have been there all week, are taking calls all week, and are available for customer support right now. Eric doesn't know me, and I don't know him. It took about 2.5 minutes to go through the process to get to a live person.
I found this number (608.256.3133) on the Sony Contact page.
TLF wrote on 9/28/2007, 12:16 PM
First, although it is usually very quick, emails do sometimes get delayed. Sometimes the incoming mail server of an ISP will reject emails if it believes them to be coming from a spammer.

I'm not trying to defend Sony here, merely reminding people that email is not alway instant... this week I have fielded calls from at least one person complaining that emails weren't reaching him, but it turned out that the messages were being incorrectly rejected by yahoo.

Second, are you absolutely sure you entered your email address correctly? It's so easy to make an error. , instead of . for example. Happens to me all the time...

Whatever the cause, I hope it is resolved for you soon.
TimTyler wrote on 9/29/2007, 2:18 PM
Over the years I've bought Sony software from this very web site at least for or five times without any problems at all.
Soniclight wrote on 9/29/2007, 2:20 PM
lajeffk.

OK, all the above back and forth views with or not withstanding, where are you at now in the process?

My VP8 upgrade experience was as with most, without a hitch. But I too panicked for a half hour or so after I got the email sale confirmation from Sony... Where is the SN??

Well, I just hadn't looked carefully enough.
It was in there as was the DA one.

Did you get ANY email from Sony after the sale?

If you did, look in there. If not, well, hopefully you'll get this resolved Monday.

Unless you have a production deadline this Sunday in which you absolutely need to use VP8, take a breath, relax. Even if you do, you can call the client, 'splain.

As to "My Software" page, I agree that it would be nice to have progs purchased show up automatically. But my experience has been that it is up to me to input them with their SN.

This may or may not be a form of security measure by Sony to limit non-registered and so-called "troll" participation in the forums. Dunno.
___________________________

Short version: LIfe still goes on, the sky isn't falling. Nobody's perfect, not even Sony :)
It's just another day in the modern world where cyber-glitches happen.
.
Soniclight wrote on 9/29/2007, 7:54 PM
".... enter your serial numbers using the form field at the bottom of the My Software page before they'd show up on that page"

That one. I believe I had already fired up VP8 for the first time, gone through the online registration process, Shortly before or after (can't recall) hecked to see if "My Software" page showed my purchase.

Frankly, I really don't remember what I did or did not do there this time. I was far more more focused on just getting VP8 running.
Harold Brown wrote on 9/30/2007, 7:51 AM
lajeffk post was rude right from the start. Look at the subject line! What do you expect to happen? I can absolutely tell you that I would never have that experience with Sony and I wouldn't post something like that. Calm yourself down and figure things out.

I can understand frustration and even being mad (I curse my computer on a regular basis) but when it is time to write something down you have to lose that mind set and think about what it is you need and ask for it. Express you desperation not your anger.

My post would have been more like..."I need Help Please". "Am I doing something wrong and who can I contact or what number can I dial" .

Everyone else...Stop defending rude behavior because you think it is justified. A smiley face tells you that it is humor or light hearted or sarcasm and not to be taken in an offensive way. How hard is that to figure out? You can figure it out when you are calm.

Soniclight wrote on 9/30/2007, 3:02 PM
R.I.P. -- Live, Learn, Let Go (Nobody's Perfect)

I've read through some of the "fire" going on here, and it seems to me that mistakes were made on both sides. I know what it's like to have that rush of blood and anger come up when someone either misunderstands us or seemingly seems to attack us or simply perceived as such.

The problem with 2D communication (forums, emails, etc.) is that each person's communication style differs and that without the added and important factors of voice tone, body language, etc., things can get messed up.

Bottom line: There is a point where feeding a fire only fans the flames with no constructive purpose, degrading into defensive behavior way past the issues discussed. Often this manifests as recycling points over and over.

Frustration happens, anger happens.
Everyone screws up, everyone has valid points.

I hope we've reached this point of cyber wisdom here. I.e. forgive others and oneself, learn something from what happened. And move on,

Gracefully.