Always try before you buy. There's also 30 days trial for MS18.

You also cannot ask for a refund when you don't like the car you bought, just after the first drive. Therefore you should make a test drive before buying.

Always try before you buy. There's also 30 days trial for MS18.

You also cannot ask for a refund when you don't like the car you bought, just after the first drive. Therefore you should make a test drive before buying.

Except in this case Magix sent out an email to VMS users making it appear to be an upgrade - yes the email contents do say upgrade , I've just checked. In my view it's misrepresentation.

Comparing it to buying a car is ridiculous. You'd instantly spot that a car was totally different and not what you wanted even before a test drive, even if you got that far.

Fortunately from this forum I was aware of what Magix had done and binned the email when it arrived in my inbox. But others weren't so lucky.

It's even more misleading if in VMS17 under Preferences/General you have the "Use newsfeed......" option ticked as on starting up you get the following:

Where in that enticement to UPGRADE does it indicate that Movie Studio 18 is not really an UPGRADE for Movie Studio 17, but is instead a different programme, which just so happens has been called Movie Studio!!!!!!!!

Sorry if I sound rather negative but personally as a VMS user and moderator on this forum I'm very upset over what has happened.

I thought that refunds were given within a certain time period, depending on where you live on the planet. In the States, there are definitely laws about refunds. If you have an office and do business in the States, you have to abide by the law, just like here in EU.

Do I think that the emails are deceptive? Without a doubt. Refunds should be given without any issues, and an apology about the confusion, for anyone upgrading or thinking they are purchasing VMS for the first time. That would go a long way in smoothing out ruffled feathers and creating good will. Maybe offer the VP upgrade for the price difference if they want it.

I hope this is a lesson learned.

Completely agree with you @EricLNZ  ... under Australian Consumer Law (ACL), that offer would likely contravene the ACL.

From the relevant government website re this (https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/advertising-promotions/false-or-misleading-claims

Businesses are not allowed to make statements that are incorrect or likely to create a false impression.

This rule applies to their advertising, their product packaging, and any information provided to you by their staff or online shopping services. It also applies to any statements made by businesses in the media or online, such as testimonials on their websites or social media pages.

It makes no difference whether the business intended to mislead you or not. If the overall impression left by a business’s advertisement, promotion, quotation, statement or other representation creates a misleading impression in your mind—such as to the price, value or the quality of any goods and services—then the behaviour is likely to breach the law.

Note particularly the last phrase in the first sentence, "... likely to create a false impression."

In other ACCC advice re ACL, being silent about something that results in a false impression about a product or service is also unacceptable.

In general and depending on the circumstances, the customer can either get a replacement product (e.g. minor faults in the product) or a refund with major faults (sort of like a lemon law). I would think that a refund in a case like this would be the only option because there is no replacement product (i.e. there is no VMS18 as a true upgrade from VMS17).

Except in this case Magix sent out an email to VMS users making it appear to be an update - yes the email contents do say update, I've just checked. In my view it's misrepresentation.

As registered VMSP17 User I didn't receive any email form Magix yet, also checking for Updates or News in VMS17 gives no answer about an new Update/Upgrade for VMS17.

To my opinion an Update should be free of charge, while an Upgrade is not.

Blindly buying an Upgrade, I would never do.

Yes, let's not mix "update" and "upgrade" in VEGAS terminology.

Yes, let's not mix "update" and "upgrade" in VEGAS terminology.

It's my fault. The email actually said "upgrade" (not update) like the news pop up. I'll amend my post.

Always try before you buy. There's also 30 days trial for MS18.

You also cannot ask for a refund when you don't like the car you bought, just after the first drive. Therefore you should make a test drive before buying.

I mean considering I've been using Sony Vegas to edit for 13 years I didn't realize that with this "update" they switched literally everything....

 ... I've been using Sony Vegas to edit for 13 years

Sony hasn't been involved with Vegas for over 5 years - https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/sony-vegas-vs-vegas--119881/

It's hard to criticize a company when you haven't even got the company's name correct.

There's no need to be such an ass.

You obviously haven't seen the community rules for posting on this forum, particularly:

1. This is a community – not a competition

Respect the opinions and views of other members of the community.Insults, coarse language, and harassment of any kind toward other community members is forbidden. Avoid provoking other members and keep your comments factual and objective. Angry posts written to blow of steam will be deleted. Members of the community who write such posts will be warned. Repeat violations will result in removal from the community.  

How about getting you facts right before posting.

Please note that the correct branding of the software on the forum has been advised by the VEGAS Team as "they want to avoid the appearance of misusing a brand that isn't theirs".

Like I said to Dexcon before he got upset that I called it Sony Vegas. I've been using the software for 13 years when it was first owned by Sony, so im used to calling it Sony Vegas, but my point still stands, even in the 5 years where Movie Studio hasn't been owned by Sony, The changes to this software have never been this drastic, its always stayed quite similar which is why I liked it because there was never the huge learning curve, but with this, I purchased it because I needed to upgrade my software only for it to look like a completely different program all together that was an absolute nightmare to navigate.

Do not compare 2 different things- software and a car.... a car wares off, where software is made once and sold to many...

I have just bough vegas pro 18, and can't use it...it crashes every time i render...I am sick of it...

There is no phone number....there is no direct help, only forum, and pre-made Q & A- they only have some very few..so it is not covered.

So you buy expensive software and can't use it...Yes, it was a trial, but it says it allows 2 minutes rendering with trial, however it didn't allow me any....I have no problem paying money for something I like and can use.

I hope it's resolved quickly....

I LOVE the product, but how good is it if you can't use it...

@Rina your post is offtopic in this thread. A user-created tutorial for VEGAS Support here

Do not compare 2 different things- software and a car.... a car wares off, where software is made once and sold to many...

I have just bough vegas pro 18, and can't use it...it crashes every time i render...I am sick of it...

Comparing again with cars, don't buy a trailer when you're car doesn't have a trailer hitch or enough horsepower to pull it.

Wow, try software before you buy it and check if your PC meets minimal requirements to run it. There're enough threads here dealing with your issue.

I've been using Sony Vegas to edit for 13 years I didn't realize that with this "update" they switched literally everything.... 

I've been using the software for 13 years when it was first owned by Sony, so im used to calling it Sony Vegas, 

Just to clarify ... the OP clearly has a cause to complain as others have done about the MS18 'update' offer - no question about that - but portraying current VMS versions as a Sony product, particularly when the issue relates to an alleged ethical issue such as the current upgrade offer, unreasonably associates and implicates the Sony Corporation into a situation in which the Sony Corporation has absolutely no involvement at all. In fact, the OP specifically blames Sony (the 'they' clearly relates back to 'Sony Vegas'). Further, the completely new Movie Studio 18 release is not and has never been owned or controlled by Sony - it is a brand new product launched by MAGIX. The OP has blamed Sony for 'switching literally everything' even though Movie Studio 18 is 100% a MAGIX product.

Blaming Sony for the current situation is clearly a false accusation. Be careful. Companies have been known to take legal action against individuals and/or corporations for reputational damage caused by false and/or careless accusations which impugn that company's ethics.

This is why it is important to get corporate names correct particularly when criticising a product.

Always try before you buy. There's also 30 days trial for MS18.

You also cannot ask for a refund when you don't like the car you bought, just after the first drive. Therefore you should make a test drive before buying.

sorry but your car example is super ridiculous

if you want to compare it correctly with cars then should be like this: for all your life you own ford mustangs and upgraded to every new mustangs because you love all mustangs so much and upgrade blindy without even trying them. Then Ford tells you hey mustang lover we have new upgrade for you in 2021 then you order it without going to the dealership because you love mustangs and you also trust ford. but instead of receiving a 2021 mustang you get a 2021 Corolla that has been rebranded as 2021 Mustang 😱 And after buying the fake mustang ford tells with cold blood hey yes it is not a mustang but a better and "state of the art" replacement (AKA OSR or Old Shitty Replacement) and we want you to give it a go and give us feedback ... and nop no refund this time because we changed our refund policy 🤑

WOW!!!! I am SOOO ANGRY! I just "Upgraded" from VMS14 to VMS 2022 and this program is shit! I can't believe this, and yes this is FALSE advertising!!! This was not an upgrade it was a completely different program. I will NEVER give this company any more money again. Time to find a new editing software!