Digital River No Refunds even if you didn't receive the product. Eden Prairie, MN 55344Eden Prairie, MN Eden Prairie Minnesota

I paid for the download and disk and received the download but no disk. I was told by customer service to wait till March 22nd. My mail came and gone no cd, so I contacted Digital River and all I got was the run around with no real answer except that they could reorder which of course is another 7-14 days. Now I have a problem with this as I live only 20 miles from them and when I asked about coming there to pick up the disk all I got was we can reorder. So you can believe tomorrow I will go there and ask senior management if this is how they want the business known for and I bet I get some results when it is face to face.

I work specifically with the Microsoft Customer Service for the Student Office, Ultimate Steal program. There are few problems with this rip-off report I would like to point out.

1. The strict stipulations of the special program, which provides a student with an almost 800$ software for 59.95$, are included in the terms and agreement to participate in the program. This includes eligibility requirements, as well as the no - refund policy, which the student must agree to before submitting the purchase. The no-refund policy is also posted at the Promotion's customer support FAQ page.

2. Digital River does not provide technical support. Only the publisher of the software can do this. Part of the stipulations of the program set by the publisher is that technical and customer support is only offerred free Online and Via email. This is what helps make the software available at this price to students. When a customer calls a Digital River corporate number, they will get a general customer service switchboard and an agent that is not authorized to handle Microsoft billing services for the purchase. Because there is no phone number to contact that department directly (all service is provided via email) the customer will need to be transferred to speak to somebody by phone. For free installation assistance, or help using the Student Office Software, the customer should contact technical support through: http://support.microsoft.com . Students should also tap their own resources- tech saavy classmates, friends, or family members- to help them install the software properly.

3. The individual who filed this report was angry that they couldn't look up their order, after receiving the order confirmation email for the purchase. The problem described with completing the order indicates some internet connectivity issue, which happens occasionally. However, the customer seemed disappointed that there was a problem with the order, and clearly wanted the software. The shopping cart is set up so that you can't navigate backwards and submit your order again. This is to prevent the customer from being charged twice, but also, only one purchase is allowed per student. It is important to note that the directions on the order lookup page for the Student Office tell the customer to enter their email address and last 5 digits of their credit card number, not 4 digits. Customers who do not follow these directions will not be able to pull up their orders. The customer was provided a password at the end of a link that they used to complete the order in the first place. So it is true, the customer does not create a password. One is created for them and given to them ahead of time- and they use this password to log into their secure account to complete the order in the first place. Customers who cannot find or remember their passwords should use the forgot password link on the customer service page to have their password resent to them. A password is only required if a customer chooses to look up their order using the order number and the password created for them.

4. There are many companies that have a no refund policy for purchases- this is not a scam or unethical practice. With the student office promotion, a refund request can be submitted at an agent's discretion, but goes through a strict reviewal process that can take up to 10 days. These refund decisions are made by the publisher of the software, not an agent, and per the no-refund policy for the promotion, it is probably better for a student to take the time to follow the directions sent to them so they can install their software. Once the Microsoft Office Ultimate is up and running, they will be glad they did. The software and the promotion are simply phenomenal.

5. The Student Office software is primarily a digital download purchase- which means it is available for immediate delivery. Some students may have difficulty trouble shooting why their computer cannot complete a download. They can email customer support for further suggestions. Students who purchase a backup disk with their initial order can expect it to arrive within 10-14 business days. There may be times, when demand is especially high, for example at the opening of the school year when this customer purchased, that the disk purchase may take longer to process and ship. The customer is not charged until the disk actually ships, and the best news is that the software is available for immediate download and installation- no need to wait for the disk.

6. Students should also be aware that only one purchase per student is allowed. A student who requests a refund, and a refund is granted, is ineligible to purchase through the promotion again in the future.

7. All customer service contact information, i.e. email form and a frequently asked question page, as well as the log-in page, can be found under the customer support link on the bottom of the ultimatesteal.com page. Customers who need help installing the software or using the software need to contact technical support for assistance.

8. Students who submit a request for billing or download support should expect a response via email within 24 business hours and should plan to wait patiently for a response. Most requests are responded to much sooner, however, many students do not check their junk, spam, and bulk mail folders for the responses.

9. Digital River is a premier international fortune 500 company on the cutting edge of e-commerce solutions. The company is trusted by the world's largest and most successful and reputable merchants to provide the industry's best in customer service and online shopping experiences.

10. The Student Office promotion is an incredible program that has helped hundreds of thousands of students get the Microsoft Office products at an affordable price to them- helping them in their success at school. I am proud to be a part of this endeavor, because of the impact and help this program has provided especially to students in poverty- and the philanthropic value of it. This is no scam. This is just one of the many ways that Microsoft and Digital River give back to the community.