Adobe, an ethical company? Or Just inefficient?

This is my experience... Long post, but the attachments are necessary for accuracy.

Adobe, and its payment processor Digital River Inc., have been unfair in their dealing with me.

I bought and paid for the license to use Photoshop CS6 on my iMac the sum of US$900.00. This was done through an online internet purchase for the said amount and the payment was made to Digital River Inc. accessed via the Adobe internet site.

However, and contrary to all my previous dealings with reputable companies on the internet, I was not given an order number, nor a confirmation receipt, nor any instructions to download my software purchase. Neither at the time of purchase nor later was any acknowledgement sent to my email that I provided during the purchase process.

However, and this is important, my card issuer sent me a message immediately that a sum of US$900.00 was authorized on my card number to the credit of Digital River Inc. with the date and time of the transaction. My card issuer followed this phone confirmation with a message to my email address.

I tried to contact Adobe. This was the most painful and convoluted process I have ever been subjected to.

After repeated attempts with Adobe support ' live chat '; the matter is still unresolved. I have in my possession a transcript of my last ' live chat ' where I was assured that the matter would be raised to the next level for resolution asap. This was some days ago. Did I mention I received an email from Adobe in Taiwan in a language I do not understand!! This before my last ' live chat '. And I attached that too in my ' live chat'.

I have advised Adobe that I shall go on all the internet forums and mention this fiasco if my matter remains unresolved for sometime. It is more than 'sometime' now. I also told them I shall contact the business bureaus in the relevant jurisdictions to pursue my claim. And I shall instruct my card issuer to initiate not only a dispute for the paid amount, but inform relevant authorities that a fraud could have taken place with this transaction processor that Adobe uses. And Adobe can be certain that I shall take this matter with their MENA regional offices in UAE.

In fairness, I have to add that I have downloaded a trial version of PS CS6 Extended valid for 30 days and shall pay for it as soon as Adobe informs my card issuer that my original transaction amount has been reversed and/or remains unclaimed. So as not to be charged twice. Else, I shall not deal with Adobe anymore and shall pursue my claim against Adobe with all legal means available to me. I shall, of course, uninstall all trial versions of Adobe sw from my computer. I am more ethical than them.

I just want people to know that as big as Adobe might be, they are either inefficient or would not hesitate to take your money without giving you the product paid for and make it very very difficult to get your money back.. They are doing this to me right now.

Buyers of Adobe products, at least in the ME region, be aware.


p.s

1. Your American Express Charge card ending in ...13 was authorized for use at DIGITAL RIVER INC on 25-04 at 9:17:01 PM for the amount of 900.00 US Dollar

If you have any questions, please call 24 Hour Customer Service, Toll Free 800 124 2229 or International +9661 474 9035 or +9661 474 8023

Yours sincerely,
American Express Authorization Department

2. Transcript of ' live chat ' with Adobe agent..

General Info
Chat start time Apr 26, 2013 5:45:07 AM EST
Chat end time Apr 26, 2013 6:35:30 AM EST
Duration (actual chatting time) 00:50:23
Operator Amit

Amit: I have escalated your issue to the next level and you will be contacted back with the resolution via email, Apart from this Is there anything else I can help you with from my end?
fahim: please accept my thanks. being an senior executive in an int'l organization, I would haul the senior most guy in your place from his country club. ask him to resolve this issue with 5 seconds or have him forego his bonus for the year. in lieu give people like you the authority to resolve the issue or ask for urgent resolution from those sitting on their butts. best regards and best wishes.
Amit: I'll be right with you.
Amit: I apologize for the inconvenience caused in this regard. We will surely take this as a feedback and will work towards to improve on our services.
Amit: I'm happy to help. Do you have anymore questions for me?
fahim: you take care. thanks.
Amit: Thank you for contacting Adobe. We are available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Goodbye!

3. Message from Adobe?...Do give the Adobe contact URL provided a try!!!


Tilisi | Adobe.com | Ota yhteyttä
Adoben tapauspäivitys

Adobe-tunnuksesi:FMOHAMMED@
Tapaus:0210658397
Tapauksen Kuvaus:Chat:refund issue (CH55955402)

Hello Fahim,

Thank you for contacting Adobe.

Hello Fahim,

Thank you for contacting Adobe.

This email is in response to the inconvenience caused related to the deduction of $900. We regret to inform you that we have checked with the email address that you have provided in our resources, but were unable to fetch any records. Hence, we suggest that you kindly update the case with the scan copy of the credit card statement where it is mentioned that you have been charged for $900, so that we can check and assist you accordingly at the earliest. We apologize for the additional time this will take and look forward to a positive resolution.

If you have any questions, please contact our Customer Service Department: http://www.adobe.com/tw/aboutadobe/contact.html

Your customer Identification number is : 0133044973

We appreciate your patience in this regard and look forward to assisting you.

Tämä sähköpostiviesti on vastaus tukitapaukseen #0210658397 jonka fahim mohammed on lähettänyt.

Jos haluat vastata tähän päivitykseen tai tarkistaa tapaushistorian, kirjaudu sisään Adoben tukiportaaliin verkossa ja hae tapausnumero kohdasta "recent activity" ("viimeaikaiset tapahtumat"). Jos lisätietojen lähetys on tarpeen, voit tehdä sen avaamalla tapauksen ja lähettämällä päivityksen.

Jos sisäänkirjauksessa on vaikeuksia, katso lisätietoja Adobe-tunnuksen ja -jäsenyyden usein kysytyistä kysymyksistä.

Kiitos,

Adoben asiakaspalvelu

Hi Fahim
wow, what a bad experience.
Didi you also contact Digital River? maybe these are the faulty guys…

Nicolas Claris said:

Hi Fahim
wow, what a bad experience.
Didi you also contact Digital River? maybe these are the faulty guys…

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Hi Nicolas.

No, I have not contacted Digital River Inc.
So far the monies have only been authorized, but not claimed/transferred to the other party.
Once it happens then Amex has assured me , they shall initiate a dispute and ask their offices in the States to see if it was/is a phishing site.

I shall await till then before I write to the chamber of commerce in the UAE re: Adobe.

This leaves a bad taste in my mouth and takes away any excitement from the purchase.

Kindest regards.

But did you buy FROM the Adobe web site?
I never had any problem buying from adobe.com (except their expensive rates!)

PS Wrote as waiting in Paris CDG to Embark for Istanbul, I love that city!

Nicolas Claris said:

But did you buy FROM the Adobe web site?
I never had any problem buying from adobe.com (except their expensive rates!)

PS Wrote as waiting in Paris CDG to Embark for Istanbul, I love that city!

Click to expand...

Yes, purchased from the Adobe site.

Let's not spoil your fun of Istanbul though. A wonderful city. I love Turkey.

Here are some quotes regarding Istanbul by Frenchmen ( mostly ); they understand elegance and beauty of Istanbul.


"If one had but a single glance to give the world, one should gaze on Istanbul." - Alphonse de Lamartine

"All other cities are doomed, but I imagine that as long as people exist, Constantinople will exist." - Petrus Gyllius

"Holy Istanbul! Your name is the most enchanting one of all names which enchants me." - Pierre Loti

"Istanbul, a universal beauty where poet and archeologist, diplomat and merchant, princess and sailor, northerner and westerner screams with same admiration. The whole world thinks that this city is the most beautiful place on earth." - Edmondo De Amicis

"Either I conquer Istanbul or Istanbul conquers me." - Fatih Sultan Mehmet

"İstanbul is a magical seal which unites Europe and Asia since the ancient times. Without a doubt, Istanbul is certainly the most beautiful place of the world." - Gerard De Nerval

"People were right when they say there is no other place on earth as beautiful looking as Istanbul." - Chateaubriand


And a quote from none other than Ataturk himself:
"On the meeting point of two worlds, the ornament of Turkish homeland, the treasure of Turkish history, the city cherished by the Turkish nation, İstanbul, has its place in the hearts of all citizens." - Atatürk

Have a safe journey to and back. And please say hi to Istanbul from me...lovely lovely city indeed.

Our plane is late…
Yes Istanbul is one of my fav (as it is for Cem!).
I get there once or twice a year for shooting and it's a delicious place!
The Air France plane we usually take arrives always around midnight and the travel to the Asian part from Ataturk airport, driving thru the Bosphorus and its billion lights is just unbelievable…

For sure I'll have a thought for you and Cem when we'll be on that bridge later tonight :-D

PS Not to forget the Blue Mosquée! (I think Cem did post a beautiful photo of it a long while ago… Cem? can you find it?) and sorry for the OT…

Wow,
Several years ago there was a bit of fuss about Adobe changing policies regarding Upgrades.
I upgraded from CS2 - CS5.5 and was assured that if I did it that day that I would receive CS6 when it was released. Because they [Adobe] took so long they told me I was not eligible and so they disallowed my claim. So someone there lied to me. They, [Adobe] is not honourable.

I should have got it in writing.

Grant,

From being a small universal utility that was a glue and painting box to creatives, it's become a corporate taxing authority to artists. The current pricing system is harsh, to say the least. Loyalty has less and less importance now.

Asher

fahim mohammed said:

Did I mention I received an email from Adobe in Taiwan in a language I do not understand!!

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But I do, Fahim! That language is Finnish. What a story! Any updates, are you winning?

Well you can still buy an upgrade to CS6, My Standard CS5.5 suit to CS6 is USD $275, however....will I ever receive it?

I don't condone pirating, but it has come to my attention that even CC is being pirated.

If every one paid there fair share then maybe we wouldn't be in this mess. Maybe!

Grant Kernan said:

Well you can still buy an upgrade to CS6, My Standard CS5.5 suit to CS6 is USD $275, however....will I ever receive it?

I don't condone pirating, but it has come to my attention that even CC is being pirated.

If every one paid there fair share then maybe we wouldn't be in this mess. Maybe!

Click to expand...

The inverse is also worth pondering, Grant!

If one has paid full price for all the years, then suddenly it becomes a taxation system, then I can see how people might feel that they have been cheated and that if they don't get a reasonable offer, then why not join the marauders?

Civilization breaks down when one feels one is being grossly cheated of reasonable expectations of the system in power. So, in a way, pirating is a natural consequence for the natural marauders but now also for the loyal PS supporters who feel stranded!

Asher

Jarmo Juntunen said:

But I do, Fahim! That language is Finnish. What a story! Any updates, are you winning?

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Jarmo, there was no further communication between the company and myself re: this issue.

However, my cc issuer called and emailed me to say that no charges have been debited, further to the initial charge, and since no further authorization was required the cc would not bill me for the charged amount.

Later on, I did go the MEA site of the company and downloaded ( and paid in full ) a license for CS6. It is running without problem on my system now.

Thank you.

p.s. I did log into the Adobe site just to check my purchases..it does not show any!! Either now or from all the years I have had their products.