Comments on: Digital River Costs Too Much

By: Martyn

Martyn — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:36:26 +0000

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
________________________________________________________________

By: Martyn

Martyn — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 10:20:09 +0000

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.

By: Martyn

Martyn — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 11:34:18 +0000

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.

By: Mykola Rudenko

Mykola Rudenko — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:54:36 +0000

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.

By: Martyn

Martyn — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:14:27 +0000

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

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
_____________________________________________________________________

By: Nick Hurst

Nick Hurst — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:28:37 +0000

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.