Scout505 Loc: Dallas/ Fort Worth Texas

I have been a DxO software user since 3/2015. I updated my software on 3/2018, and again last week 11/23/20019. I received an email promotion from DxO on 11/21/19 offering the upgrade to Photolab 3 for $69.99 and the offer was good until 11/24/2019. I took advantage of the promo and downloaded the software 11/23/2019. On 11/28/2019 I received another email from DxO with the same offer, this time for 44.99, offer being good from 11/28/2019 until 12/2/2019. I immediatlely thought this is not right and sent the following email...
-----
Nov 28, 4:34 PM CET
As a loyal customer since 2015 I updated my software too
DxO Photolab 3, on 23 Nov 2019 for $69.99...
Today, 28 Nov 2019, I received an e-mail offering me the same update for $44.99 I would like to take advantage of this additional discount.
-----
Riley (Support & Assistance)
Nov 28, 9:46 PM CET
Hello,

As you purchased your software recently, we are able to offer you a discount on your next purchase from us, equivalent to the difference in pricing between your purchase price, and the current sale price. If you are interested in this discount, please respond to let us know, so that we can mark your account with this offer. You would just need to contact us BEFORE your next purchase, and we will be able to provide you with the necessary discount code. PLEASE NOTE: This credit cannot be combined with any other promotions or discounts.

Kind regards,
Riley
DxO Customer Support
-----
Nov 29, 12:10 AM CET
Yes, I would like to take advantage of your offer of $25.00 off my next purchase…
John Nelson
-----
Riley (Support & Assistance)
Nov 29, 8:13 PM CET
Greetings,

Your credit of $25 has been added to your account at this time. It is not visible in your account, but it is on our end. Please contact us BEFORE you wish to use it on any non-discounted upgrade or full purchase, and we will generate a one time use code good for 7 days at that time. There is no expiration for this credit in your account.

regards,
Riley
DxO Customer Support
-----
Riley

I do not believe you should apply any conditions to this credit. I think the right thing for you to do is credit my credit card account with $25.00. Selling a product at one price and using pressure to ensure a sale by a certain date, November 24th, then offering the same product 6 days later at an even lower cost is deceptive marketing. As a repeat customer, I would expect more from a company that I thought would treat their customers fairly.

John Nelson

-----
Riley (Support & Assistance)
Nov 30, 3:26 AM CET
John,

I do apologize, we are unable to offer a refund to you. Your credit will be available in your account, and as mentioned it will not expire.

regards,
Riley
DxO Customer Support

These conditions really bother me (BEFORE you wish to use it on any non-discounted upgrade or full purchase). What would you do next...

Bill_de Loc: US

Amazon used to give refunds for price differences then stopped it. I never heard if they brought it back.

Is there a method to 'return' the product and get a full refund?

I wouldn't go too crazy over $25. You were satisfied with the price when you bought it.

Good Luck
--

Scout505 Loc: Dallas/ Fort Worth Texas

Yes, I really like their software...and yes $25 is not that big a deal if I am the only one they did this too.

Thanks for the reply

lautenk2

You should be happy with your $25 future discount which I am surprised they gave you (they didn't have to).

Do you seriously think that DxO requires your permission before they change their prices. If they'd raised the price you'd be happy. So instead they lowered it, and you're working yourself into a stroke. For your own sake give it a rest.

Scout505 Loc: Dallas/ Fort Worth Texas

No not really just venting...keeps me from having the stroke.

lautenk2

I occasionally enjoy (probably shouldn't be proud of it) a good rant.

Bill_de Loc: US

Check your credit card. I remembered hearing about this.

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/credit-card-benefits/purchase-protection-refund-price-drop/

--

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

I have had a few bad experiences with Amazon and before I buy anything on Amazon I google the product to see if anyone else is selling it cheaper. About 1/3 of the time I find a cheaper source for the same product. Also their customer service is spotty. I just got the wrong Fotodiox adapter in the mail from them, not the one I ordered, and so must return it, wait for a refund then buy the right one from Fotodiox direct. I ordered a 28 oz. bottle of malt vinegar from England and got an 8oz. bottle. Amazon wouldn't let me return it because it was food. The vendor did nothing. No recourse at all, even though I wouldn't have bought the 8 oz bottle at that price. I only buy items from Amazon if I can't get them anywhere else at the same or cheaper price. I'm not a big Amazon fan, but use them when they are the only choice. In the past they have put me on Amazon Prime and billed me for a year's membership without notifying me at the time or after the fact when I accidentally requested a free shipping option. It was 4 months before I realized it and had to speak to a supervisor in their Customer Service before they removed the whole charge. I tried to order a pay for view video and they gave me epsiode one instead of the one I wanted, again without any verification of the purchase. I spent about a half hour on the phone getting that rectified. They have several vendors that have been shoddy, never even filling the order. Unlike Paypal and ebay which are very pro customer, Amazon doesn't seem to care about the customer that much.

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

I got the exact same reply to the same request for a refund of pricing. I also upgraded because the advertising intimated the price would go back up after that final date. I am also taking the credit against future purchases, BUT am definitely NOT happy with the way DxO is treating their customers. There is no way now that I will purchase any new software from them and will only upgrade to use the credit. After that, I would have to seriously need a new feature for my work to continue with them on new offerings.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

What it looks like to me:
DxO offered a promo. You ACCEPTED that offer, along with the terms of that offer. Then, you find out DxO has a new, better promo offer. Now you want to back-peddle, void the first promo offer you willingly accepted and agreed to, and instead take the later promo offer. DxO generously agrees to meet you half way and by offering you a discount credit for the difference that can be applied to a future purchase. But this credit offer is not good enough to you. You demand a pay-out. However, DxO isn't really obligated to give you any credit at all, as you have already agreed to the terms of the first promo offer.

Customer loyalty? That doesn't really mean anything nowadays. At least not with large software companies that already have tens of thousands of customers. They rather just reel in new customers - cheaper for them than pandering to the old customers.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

This is why I don't pay for software, and I buy all the equipment I can used. Almost nothing I spend on my hobbies goes to the companies who manufacture the products. I pay enough already for internet, cable and Netflix (which is a bargain compared to the rest).

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

That is certainly true, I believed it was the lowest price and I only asked for a price difference refund as a matter of course. A lot of companies have a price guarantee within a certain period... it doesn't hurt to ask. But the condition that the credit cannot be used on any discount or promotion just irks me. I would be paying a final price with what is ultimately my money, regardless.

And customer loyalty not meaning anything anymore? Tell that to KEH, Roberts, Adorama or B&H. The possible user base for Photoshop style software is not infinite and it just got smaller by one as far as DxO is concerned. I don't agree it's cheaper to reel in new customers than 'pandering' and burn bridges with existing ones. Adding to customers for life is a good goal for any company.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

For pete's sake - you should have waited, like I did. Black Friday is a big thing, and companies all around the world are making it a "thing" - my daughter who lives in Naas, near Dublin, Ireland was telling me about all the Black Friday specials on everything from underwear to cars. You win some, you lose some. DXO is under no obligation to give you anything back. When you paid for the upgrade you got what you paid for. You asked for some consideration, you got that too.

So to answer your question, take the $25 and be happy you got anything, and just write an email back that says "thank you, looking forward to the next upgrade" instead of complaining.

FWIW, I've been using DXO since it was called Optics Pro, V3 (since 2005 or thereabouts), and I have always felt I got my money's worth.

jerseymike

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Looks like you're "subscribing" to regular updates to the DXO software. Have you thought about Adobe instead?