Dedicated to Rudenko of RoboSoft
As a software developer I should not criticise my peers, I am only too well aware of my own shortcomings. However after 8 years I can no longer be quiet.
My angst is over RoboSoft PAD Automation Software, and its excellent. It does exactly what I want, how I want it to and there are no modifications I want to the way it runs. It works.
The problem comes with their payment processor, Digital River, whose ability to handle online financial transactions “outside the box” is about as effective as a dead muskrat. If you attempt to purchase from an IP address that is not within 30ft of your billing address you are already in trouble so imagine how they react to someone whose ISP forces them to use a proxy server that spins IP addresses every 15 seconds?
Overcome their inability to understand technology and you might think you are on your way to solving the problem. ohh no. Absolutely not! I am an IT contractor and that takes me around the world, often the UK, Spain, USA and South Africa. According to Digital River that makes me a terrorist, or a financial risk (but I assume not both).
The fact that I have bank accounts that predate the Internet all in good standing, that I have had a Paypal account since January 2000 and “reputation” figure in the high thousands carries little influence with them. Because I exercise my right as a human being to have more than one address in more than one country I am a risk to them.
This means that if I wish to buy something from an organisation that uses one of their companies exclusively then its a lost sale. And that’s the problem I have with RoboSoft. Although I was able to buy from them in April 2003 I have not been able to renew my subscription again except once in 2006.
It was a memorable moment. Digital River approved payment although I was currently resident in the USA and on holiday in Spain. The next year, while in the USA I could no longer buy from them. A US bank registered and billed to my US address made no difference. It appears wherever I am in the world, if I am to buy from a Digital River supplier I must travel to Spain (a welcome prospect if not a touch OTT).
Its as if they “profile” their customers and judging by the number they add to the end of my email address each time I attempt to purchase I am suspicious they may be opening an account even though I have not asked for one or given them permission to retain my information (remember, I am not Digital Rivers customer, that has never, nor would ever, be my intention).
I am fed up playing email ping pong with them. I ask a question and they reply with the same answer which boils down to “We are a big company and only people we condescend to treat as humans may deal with us”. Their phone support is even worse… if you can imagine that.
However it occurred to me this is a bitter blow for Rudenko and RoboSoft, even if he doesn’t know about it. Because of Digital Rivers incompetence he has lost $805 in subscription fees due to the years I have not been able to purchase. Doubtless there are many thousands of people in my business that have the same problem with Digital River, and a few of those may have been Rudenko’s customers too.
Where are you Rudenko?
At times I have complained to Rudenko over the years but he has either ignored the messages or could care less. Perhaps he is earning enough already. Who knows. I’m even on his “friend list” at LinkedIn (he’ll probably remove me if he reads this) but nothing has ever been done.
Rudenko is $805 worse off and each year he continues to sell subscriptions he continues to lose more money, only he’s losing an ever increasing amount. In that position I would do something about it, claiming the Ukraine has problems with money transfers was a weak argument 8 years ago but things have improved dramatically so won’t wash today. Whereas DR still has not updated its software to handle VAT properly (They misunderstood the new rules in June 2004 and still do not apply them correctly, but that’s another issue).
How many more people suffer at the hands of Digital Rivers incompetence? Search google and you will see there are 642,000 websites for digital river scam. It maybe anecdotal evidence but overwhelming none the less. Use Digital River exclusively and you are throwing money away, and when there are so many cheaper, more reliable alternatives and much easier to implement its surprising anyone uses them at all.
Tags: Digital River, payment processor
People mistake us for Digital River and we get complaints for them regularly. Check our podcast in the AV RANT section for the last week in November where several people have the same complaint.
Share-It (Digital River) tell me I do not know how to use an email address, yet they managed to send this rebuke to the very email address I used to place the order – how on earth do you deal with comapnies like this?
Dear Martyn Walker,
Thank you for contacting the online store.
The order you attempted to place is incomplete, and your PayPal account
has not been charged. A new order will need to be placed for you to
receive the RoboSoft DB Updates Subscription, 300248840. When placing a
new order, ensure that you enter an email address that you regularly
check. We apologize for any delay or inconvenience this has caused you.
To attempt a new order, go to:
http://esd.element5.com/produc.....nguageid=1
Please use the PayPal link provided on the Order Confirmation Page to
access PayPal. This will ensure that your payment for the order is
processed correctly and applied to the order. We can?t guarantee proper
processing if the PayPal payment is sent independently from the order
placement.
When placing an order, enter the email address associated with your
PayPal account. If the email address entered on the Billing Information
page does not match the email address associated with your PayPal
account, your order may not process completely.
If you receive an error message, please reply with the error message as
well as your pending order number which can be found on the Order
Confirmation Page.
Sincerely,
Cynthia C.
Your share-it! Team
_____________________________________________________________________
share-it! – a service of digital river – http://www.shareit.com
Digital River GmbH
Vogelsanger Str. 78, D-50823 Cologne, Germany
CEO: John Strosahl, Carsten Grüttner
Registered office: Cologne / HRB 56188 / District Council Cologne
_____________________________________________________________________
In that position I would do something about it, claiming the Ukraine has problems with money transfers was a weak argument 8 years ago but things have improved dramatically so won’t wash today.
I agree. Things have improved. Icons and stuff… The problem is that you are still not allowed to accept money with a Ukrainian Paypal account. Here is today’s screenshot:
http://rudenko.com/temp/paypal.png
According to the error message they hope that one day we’ll be allowed to use their award-winning services… I hope for the better too when staying in a queue without a mobile and a belt on my pants (security measures), carrying a bunch of papers and waiting for an interrogation in order to obtain a two-week European visa. With improvements of that kind it wouldn’t surprise me if they ask me to wear a muzzle when I cross the border next time… Why not? Have you seen Ukrainians in Hollywood movies? Scary people…
We have to use a Paypal-enabled service like Shareit. I’m sorry that you have problems with them. Most of the RoboSoft users can pay through them. Yet I’m aware that some people experience these problems repeatedly. We have no control over Shareit and unfortunately cannot help processing your payments. Instead, we provide alternative payment methods like vendor-to-vendor transfers through the main registration services and Webmoney.
It used to work ok with Regsoft and Esellerate, but guess what? Digital River bought them (or should I say shut them down) and no longer do they accept payments from anyone outside their limited risk group.
If you would like an alternative try Google Checkout. One company that might be outside of DR’s reach.
Well I was gonna leave this but I got this reply from them, read their copy of my message at the base of their reply first. This is a company with no self-respect.
Dear Martyn Walker,
Thank you for contacting the online store.
The order you attempted to place is incomplete or rejected, and your
PayPal account has not been charged. A new order will need to be placed
for you to receive the RoboSoft DB Updates Subscription, 300248840. When
placing a new order, ensure that you enter an email address that you
regularly check. We apologize for any delay or inconvenience this has
caused you.
To attempt a new order, go to:
http://esd.element5.com/produc.....nguageid=1
Please use the PayPal link provided on the Order Confirmation Page to
access PayPal. This will ensure that your payment for the order is
processed correctly and applied to the order. We can?t guarantee proper
processing if the PayPal payment is sent independently from the order
placement.
When placing an order, enter the email address associated with your
PayPal account. If the email address entered on the Billing Information
page does not match the email address associated with your PayPal
account, your order may not process completely.
If you receive an error message, please reply with the error message as
well as your pending order number which can be found on the Order
Confirmation Page.
Sincerely,
Khrissian C.
Your share-it! Team
_______________________________________________________
share-it! – a service of digital river – http://www.shareit.com
Digital River GmbH
Vogelsanger Str. 78, D-50823 Cologne, Germany
CEO: John Strosahl, Carsten Grüttner
Registered office: Cologne / HRB 56188 / District Council Cologne
_______________________________________________________
Original Message Follows: ————————
Please explain what you mean by “incomplete”, I use Paypal on a daily basis and so my experience with making payments is good.
My experience is pretty good with email too, by virtue of the fact you send this message and I receive it clearly displays my skills in this matter are adequate. This email address is also the same as used on my Paypal account. So please do explain what I am doing wrong or need to improve so that I may work with you to correct this error please.
I have tried paying with credit card and get the same problem but you never explain what the problem is or how to fix it.
Instead of a canned answer would someone please reply with the real reason for these problems and an explanation of how this order can be completed.
And rather than request I “attempt” a further order could someone at your company “ensure” the order is processed, this is fifth attempt this year. Over the years I have had two succesful orders but there have been many more failures. It would be good if your consistency would be with service rather than diabolical ignorance.
Thank you.
One of the “failed” attempts made over a week has regained life and the money taken from my credit card. At first I thought this might be one of those ghost payments that are not actually a payment, just an attempt to take it to see if you have it (a kind of legalised fraud, many firsm will do this, in particular travel agents and hotels).
So imagine my surprise when the product was delivered! This is a payment I cancelled.
With several attempts and four different credit cards this could become an expensive mess.
I wrote to them asking them why they had taken the money for a cancelled transaction (also pleading with them to ensure they do not process any of the other failed or cancelled attempts) and here was their answer:-
Dear Martyn Walker,
Thank you for contacting the online store.
We apologize for the inconvenience. Unfortunately, we are unable to
assist you with technical support issues for order number 312139485
containing “RoboSoft DB Updates Subscription.” Please contact Rudenko
Software directly for answers to questions regarding the licensing,
available upgrades, along with offering installation and technical
support for the product as well as your refund request.
You can contact the publisher directly at:
[Email removed to avoid spambots]
Sincerely,
Sheila Mae B.
Your share-it! Team
________________________________________________________________
share-it! – a service of digital river – http://www.shareit.com
Digital River GmbH
Vogelsanger Str. 78, D-50823 Cologne, Germany
CEO: John Strosahl, Carsten Grüttner
Registered office: Cologne / HRB 56188 / District Council Cologne
________________________________________________________________