pocket informant refund

rube · 03-13-07, 11:56 AM

wanted to share my experience with pocket informant support, leaving me a bit disappointed - readers can decide. After being fed up with the default pim program for my Axim, and receiving warm recommendations here on the forum for the pocket informant, I purchased it online (via pocketgear).
After using it for a number of days, it became clear that it didn't add for me any significant functions - and it greatly slowed down my system which was very irritating.
pocketgear referred me to pocket informant developers, who inquired why I was unhappy with the product. After elaborating i received their response saying that sinse I had the option to try before buy - which i hadn't been aware of - they were not going to refund the product.
Formally, this could be the policy and yet..... You can decide

AKAJohnDoe · 03-13-07, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by rube

wanted to share my experience with pocket informant support, leaving me a bit disappointed - readers can decide. After being fed up with the default pim program for my Axim, and receiving warm recommendations here on the forum for the pocket informant, I purchased it online (via pocketgear).
After using it for a number of days, it became clear that it didn't add for me any significant functions - and it greatly slowed down my system which was very irritating.
pocketgear referred me to pocket informant developers, who inquired why I was unhappy with the product. After elaborating i received their response saying that sinse I had the option to try before buy - which i hadn't been aware of - they were not going to refund the product.
Formally, this could be the policy and yet..... You can decide

WebIS (PocketInformant) has a very reasonable policy that is documented here. There is a fully functional trial available for download. Further, PocketInformant has been recognized as the Best PIM for several years running.

Always try before you buy.

Sorry it did not work out for you.

psionandy · 03-13-07, 12:17 PM

Well, on the pocket gear page for pocket informant it does give the link to download a trial version......

rube · 03-13-07, 12:25 PM

not disputing the fact that there is a trial version, or that it is a program which has many usefull functions for some. Rather that nevertheless the option of refund should be implemented.

psionandy · 03-13-07, 12:37 PM

But surely the reason for the trial version, which has equal visibility to the 'buy' button is so you can try it before you buy.

If they gave a refund that's above and beyond the call of duty.. but they have absolutely no legal, moral, ethical or other reason to do it, simply because someone changed their mind after buying it, or chose not to try it on first.

Otherwise people could simply buy the software, recieve an unlock key, say they don't like it and demand a refund. They'd be out of business in a week

rube · 03-13-07, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by psionandy

Otherwise people could simply buy the software, recieve an unlock key, say they don't like it and demand a refund. They'd be out of business in a week

I hear your point

psionandy · 03-13-07, 12:48 PM

It's a shame though, as I can see your side too...

rube · 03-13-07, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by psionandy

It's a shame though, as I can see your side too...

alas, again subjectivity reigns:)

cchiang12 · 03-13-07, 02:25 PM

Well, almost all the pda products are free to try before buy....simply because the pda program may not work for all pdas that are out there.
Too bad you found out the hard way....
PI is a good program in my opinion. But it is true, PI doesn't work for everyone.

03-13-07, 04:21 PM

Pocket Informant might grow on you--I keep learning more of its powerful functions and find it more useful every day.

If you're having issues, you might post your problem here or with PI--both places have been very helpful in my experience.

moonlonely · 03-13-07, 06:08 PM

Unlike PC software, which may require that you insert a CD every time you run it, once you download and install PDA software, it's pretty much yours. Even if it came on a disc or an SD card that you can return, it doesn't make a lot of sense for companies to provide a full refund to everyone who says they don't like it.

This is why I've always been unhappy with companies that don't offer any sort of free trial for their software. I've never bought PDA software that didn't have a trial. That's why I wound up with Spb Backup instead of Sprite Backup, for instance. Even though Sprite was often touted as being the best around, there was no free trial (something the company has finally remedied), so I went with the program I could try before I paid.

That said, what system are you running PI on? It's pretty snappy on my X50v, although not quite as fast as the default PIM. I'm willing to put up with that for the vastly improved week view in the calendar. I've also noticed that it runs much better when you install it into main memory than when you run it from a memory card. Of course this is moot if you're using an X51v.

mynameisDrNo · 03-13-07, 06:21 PM

Software is buyer beware my friend.

03-13-07, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by hstn

Pocket Informant might grow on you--I keep learning more of its powerful functions and find it more useful every day. If you're having issues, you might post your problem here or with PI--both places have been very helpful in my experience.

I agree :approve:

You might want to list some of the other programs you have installed....

Their might be a compatibility issue...which is causing it to seem slow.....

Susan

callmemoe · 03-13-07, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by psionandy

But surely the reason for the trial version, which has equal visibility to the 'buy' button is so you can try it before you buy.

If they gave a refund that's above and beyond the call of duty.. but they have absolutely no legal, moral, ethical or other reason to do it, simply because someone changed their mind after buying it, or chose not to try it on first.

Otherwise people could simply buy the software, recieve an unlock key, say they don't like it and demand a refund. They'd be out of business in a week

This is true. Once someone has a valid registration key, there is nothing to keep them from continuing to use the software after they have received a refund other than their own honesty. Sadly, I don't think that most people are that honest. Trial versions protect software developers from this but also means you will not get your money back in most cases. Chalk it up to caveat emptor.

rube · 03-13-07, 10:34 PM

thanks all for the assistance. love this site!:love:
the only other program which I am running which is memory resident is pocket plus.
the slugishness is especially irritating when it comes to my ability to jump a week ahead and back in my appointments, which I do endlessly. this was extremly smooth with the default pim and requires a couple of seconds delay in each direction with the pi.