Rip off or reasonable?

[Eaglefeather]

First let me say I have no intention of purchasing this product. However I felt it probably would be a good thing for those that really have no clue and need all the help they can get.

On the surface it sounds like a really great product and if it works most likely would be good to have.

But at what cost?

At what point does something that is basically good, become a rip off?

The link will take you to the page with the add. Notice how they scare hell out of the unwary, keep emphasizing it is free at the top and minimizing the fact that a fee will be required to fix problems it finds.

Notice how they keep pushing the high cost of taking your PC to a technician for repairs.

Notice that there is not indication of the cost of this thing until you get to the very, very end.

Notice how they try to convince you that this is a whole new conscept in the PC industry, "rentware".

Please have a look and I hope when you come back you tell me I am not off in deep space somewhere.

http://www.pcpowerscan.com/index.html?1464

I do not know what your costs would be in the States. You would have the exchange rate on the dollar as wel as whatever taxes might be due in your state.

Canadians will have to add Provincial sales tax and Federal Sales tax. In my province that is a total of 15%.

Over a four year period that would amount to

$67.00 + 15% tax $10.50 = $77.50 first year start up.
3 years x $97.00 + 15% tax $14.55 = $111.55 = $334.65

$77.50 + $446.20 = $412.15

And that is only for them to provide you with a key code every year. And this is only for one PC.

Now if you take my AV, it cost me, $59.00 + 15% tax $8.85 = $67.85 for initial purchase and one year of full daily update protection and I am licensed for up to 5 PC in my home. On my first renewal it was $39.00 for 3 years of daily updates. $39.00 + 15% tax $5.85 = $44.85

$67.85 + $44.85 = $112.70

Now over the same period of time if I fell for this scheme I would pay $399.45 more for this rather dubios product then for my AV and could only legally use it on one PC. What really bugs me is that the AV people must constantly be working to upgrade my sig files and so they do something to earn the money I pay.

This other outfit does nothing. Nothing at all except to send me a key code for that $111.55 every year.

Personally I think this is wrong. It seems to be a trend in the computer industry that gets worse and worse everyday. Would be very intested in hearing what you you think.

[Force Flow]

I think it screams "scam" to me. The big tip off is the style, much like annoying pop-up ads and spam email.

"Time bombs", my eye. That's another tip-off there.
"Rentware"?

I can think of something better to get: Norton Anti-Virus, RegCleaner, adware, and spychecker.

[Eaglefeather]

Had hoped more folks would have commented. I wrote a rather long letter to the company telling them what I thought of their underhanded scheme. I also told them the price was out and out theft as far as I was concerned.

They sent me back a nicely worded note, considering I had called them thieves, in a nice way of course. , They said that there were many folks that would not agree with me and would willingly pay that amount for the peace of mind the program would give them.

I also wrote a note of protest to Sympatico, my service provider. The article/ad for this piece of highway robbery was featured in the January monthly newsletter and the way it was featured gave the impression it was an article supported by sympatico rather than an ad.

Sympatico is part of the Bell Canada network of companies. It is the largest internet service provider in Canada. They however have not bothered to answer my complaint. It's ok, I am going to keep sending them complaints until they do answer.

I would still like to hear from more folks here at PC Mech . Surely some of you must have opinions, pro or con?

Thanks, force_flow, appreciate your taking the time to answer.

[i3OSS]

hey,
its business what can you say, if you did the math and dont want to then dont, but theres always careless people

Keep on saving eagle

i3oss

[Tuf]

I believe most people will be smart enough to see that is a rather overpriced nothing service.

[Mac Medic]

It's not a "scam" though. They are providing software and a service for a fee. It may only be a registry scanner, but it still can't be called a scam. My advice, if you know anyone who may be considering this, buy them a copy of system works instead.

[Cheryl]

Unfortunately, there will always be people who will buy into this type of stuff - "reading is believing", whether on the net or "as seen on tv". Hopefully, tho most will see through it.

As to the ones who sell this "stuff"...well, let's just say it's definitely a person who has way different priorities in life than I do. I couldn't rip people off like that.

Just my opinion.

Cheryl

[Eaglefeather]

Point well taken oem, thanks.

Thanks for comment I3OSS, interesting view.

I would tend to agree with you tuf, it doesn't take most folks long to recognize a bad deal when they see one.

What you say is true Cheryl, particularly when something like this is endorsed by a huge, nationaly known compay such as Sympatico.

My biggest beef and what really made me angry was the fact that Sympatico would lend themselves to such a thing. Because it was on a Sympatico News letter and looked like an article rather than advertising, a lot of folks that would other wise have used common sense here, will get taken in. They will believe that it is endorsed by Sympatico, aka Bell Canada, a name they have come to trust.

Thanks to all who replied.

[reboot]

What really irks me, is the number of people that will pay for this sort of thing, and keep paying, because they know no better.
Education and research are the two largest free tools, anyone can learn, and anyone can do a search, but the lazy and/or ignorant will always get scammed, and sites/companies like that rely on those people to stay in business.
Sympatico is a business. In order to keep customer costs down, they take advertising. All companies are doing it, so it's nothing new. Just because an ad is on a companie's page, doesn't mean they're endorsing the product, it could simply mean a marketing geek at Sympatico got scammed to put the ad on the page, just as hundreds are going to get scammed buying this crap.
Sigh...just another case of buyer beware.