Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!mcsun!ukc!icdoc!bilpin!jim From: jim@bilpin.UUCP (JimG) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Preferred Publishers: A cautionary tale Keywords: McSink Message-ID: <2519@bilpin.UUCP> Date: 4 Feb 90 16:05:42 GMT Organization: SRL, London, England Lines: 45 Having been using Dave McWherter's program for some weeks, and finding it very handy, I decided to send off the shareware fee to Preferred Publishers Inc, despite it being rather on the steep side than otherwise ($45 + $6.50 postage). Being a rashly generous soul, I decided to allow a bit more for airmail, and to allow for any price increase since the version had been released that I had, so I ended up sending a money order for $60 in total. When I received the update disk and manual, I found that the extra money I had included had not been credited to me, but had been added to the notional cost of the product - thus in effect taking this $8.50 from me for nothing in return. In addition, and what really annoys me, is that the package was not sent by normal air mail, but by a totally unnecessary and extravagant UPS next day courier service (!!), *carriage* *to* *be* *paid* *on* *delivery*, for which I was charged the preposterous sum of #17.58 (about $27), for a package which only weighed a few ounces. I of course was somewhat miffed over this, so wrote to both Preferred Publishers and Signature Software explaining the situation and asking for some reimbursement. Two months later I received a reply from Preferred Publishers, giving no apology or explanation at all, and in addition stating that I hadn't paid for the copy of McSink which I had been sent! This despite the fact that the invoice (#1369, if anyone from PP Inc is reading this and is shamed into action - not very likely) clearly stated 'Pre-Paid Money Order" at the top! So, I can only presume that they attach no import to the facts that I was charged $53.50 for a $45.00 product, charged $6.50 for shipping for which they never paid, and then was sent McSink by a preposterously expensive next day courier service. In total I had taken from me an *additional* $42 for McSink (and that's not counting the #5 surcharge for the money order), and they don't give a shit! Going over this again is making my blood boil, as you can probably gather, so I'll wind up now. I leave you to draw your own conclusions with regard to the advisability of leaving oneself open to being ripped off in the same way. To end on a more positive note, I should add that I have about a dozen shareware products for which I have sent off the fees, and Preferred Publishers Inc is the only one that has screwed me around; all the others have dealt with me honestly and fairly. -- Another Fine Product from {JimG : Hatfield, England} "Life is sure funny, isn't it, Chuck?" . . . . "It depends on the punch line."