...and I urge you to join me in boycotting Handango.
For many many years, I have purchased untold amounts of pocket pc software through the Handango company. Neary every softward purchased comes with a guarantee to upgrade the software by simply re-downloading from Handango. Many of these softwares are free upgrades within the current number issue. There has never been a problem with this.
Handango has recently made a decision to "offer" you the opportunity to PURCHASE the ability to re-download for three months after purchase, at a price that is nearly a third of the software's actual sales price.
Also, any sofware purchased before, with the agreement to download free for life, or even for a time period, is now impossible to due, with Handango's new extortion policy.
I have communicated with them, and they said they understood, and would offer me a one-time free upgrade, and 10% off my next purchase, but would not do anything to re-consider their policy.
Below is my response to them -
...I thank you for your response. And I thank you for the "free DPS" whatever that is. And, I thank you for offering a 10% discount.
However, as you have indicated, this is not a solution.
You say there is nothing you can do about this decision that has been made.
Yes, you can do something.
You are an employee of Handango. Handango is in the business of selling software for companies. That business needs customers. You, the employee, can let your employer, Handango, know that they are now losing a very committed customer. Businesses know that keeping satisfied customers is far better than trying to gain new ones. You are losing a customer.
Handango does not have a monopoly in selling software for the Pocket PC platform. Since there are other places that would like to have my money, they will gain a new customer.
Further, I know for a fact that I am no alone in this decision. There are scores of others that have purchased through Handango, who will now take their business elsewhere.
Also, I am an active member of a number of PDAPhoneHome.com, a forum of users of Windows Mobile Phone Edition pocket pc's. My experience will be shared with them, and they will likewise be aware of this dishonest and unscrupulous practice of your company.
Should Handango change its policy, and STOP trying to fleece paying customers for more money, attempting to make them pay two and three times over for a product they have already purchased, and purchased with a promise of free upgrades, then I will re-consider my position. Until that occurs, I will not do business with a dishonest company.
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I strongly encourage every member of this forum to cease all business with Handango.
Further, I recommend that we all support this forum using its software sales, through MobiHand.
I realize that this post will probably be moved to the General forum, but wanted my fellow i730 users to be sure to read this first.
This depends to a certain extent on the software in question, but most of the developers have their own web sites where you can purchase directly, and get upgrades by providing the original email and key. Which means both that there will be a way around it for a lot of softwares, and that Handango is getting mad out of their own pocket by pushing customers away. OMG! It took me two more mouse clicks to get to my software - how inconvenient! (not)
I've also heard more than one developer complain about high fees on their end as well. Geez, these guys must be looking to disintermediate themselves.
For me, I've been gradually moving towards buying direct - more money in the hands of the folks really adding the value. I guess I'm totally there now.
I also found this odd, although I didn't know that this was a new thing. (I'm a recent i730 owner.)
My simple solution, though, was to upload the file to a site like streamload.com or use G-Mail or Yahoo mail to back up my file, so that I can never lose the file.
My simple solution, though, was to upload the file to a site like streamload.com or use G-Mail or Yahoo mail to back up my file, so that I can never lose the file.
Well, I have all my downloads saved too. THat's not the issue. THe issue is when you want to re-download a software because it has been upgraded. And, you have been promised free upgrades. And now Handango wants to charge for that. That is what is unethical. And, on top of that, they really gouge the developer with a huge cut.
I will either buy directly from the developer now, or use MobiHand within this pdaphonehome.com
I find Handango to be quite useful ... for finding out about software I eventually purchase elsewhere. Sorry I can't join you in your embargo - mine started a long time ago.
Most of the updates you can download the trial versions of the software and just plug in your original code, so I just do that.
I agree, I just saw the "additional" fee, and have bought my last software from them (I had to buy stuff from them as I had a $25 gift certificate coming to me), but I SWEAR, that's the last thing I am going to buy from them....
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-Michael
Need help setting up your i730/i830 or other WM2003/WM5 Phone, as well as the other hacks I have done, check out the MRailing Guides and Links
I use pocketgear for many years, they have the best customer care so far. I never liked handango since day 1, I only use it to search for software and buy it from pocketgear like the above poster.. I will support you with the boycott as I think some of the software is already expensive the way it is, and not able to download the upgraded version is just not right. Most of the software is upgraded by using trial, however I have purchased some software simply doesn't offere registeration code thus you need to download the full version rather than the trial. anyhow.. I am sure other people will boycott them as well..
This is a matter of a company looking at the bottom line, not how it will affect their day to day business or their customers. The fact that we could re-download our previously purchased applications WAS a big reason why I purchased at Handango.
Thanks for the heads-up I've made my last purchase with them.
Kevin
I noticed this a few months back when a maint release to a program I had purchased. I went there to download the update and was greeted with a message saying I hadn't purchased the "download protection guarentee"! What!?!? So THEY wanted to charge me to download the free update to the software. I email the software author and they sent me the file I needed after I provided my registration number, but that was the last time I purchased ANYTHING from Handango.
It's just like Verizon and a lot of other companies out there right now. I'm just tired of being nickle and dimed to death!
So I guess you could say I pre-joined your boycott!
What infuriated me was that they stuck in the download protection into my cart, with asking. I didn’t notice it, until I was trying to figure out why the price was so high. I think that type of sales ploy is unethical at best. With there current policies and tactics, I will not be buying through them again.
What infuriated me was that they stuck in the download protection into my cart, with asking. I didn’t notice it, until I was trying to figure out why the price was so high. I think that type of sales ploy is unethical at best. With there current policies and tactics, I will not be buying through them again.
That is my point from earlier. I recently bought a $6 application and was surprised when the bill was $11. WTF.
I am done using Handango.
Never used Mobihand before, but I will start looking their way now.
I agree and have stopped purchasing from them. I am however able to download software that I purchased in the past bt nothing after a cetain point, when they invoked the policy. Let's put these guys on notice and out of business.
SPREAD THE WORD TO OTHER FORUMS!!!
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I started with a Psion Organizer in 1987!
What infuriated me was that they stuck in the download protection into my cart, with asking. I didn’t notice it, until I was trying to figure out why the price was so high. I think that type of sales ploy is unethical at best. With there current policies and tactics, I will not be buying through them again.
This is exactly what ticked me off a few months ago. I noticed this very ploy to take money from someone in a hurry who didn't look at their cart carefully before completing the checkout process. That's when I stopped using Handango. Pathetic!
I have not used Handango for a long time now myself. I had bought an app from them for my MM7400. I had gone through 12 of them due to frimware issues. I then got a MM8300 and needed the file resent to my phone and they would not do it. I had gotten the registration key changed and all I needed was the file. I still had the original reciept and emails from the purchase with all the needed numbers and they refused.
WHAT A JOKE!!
Luckily I had the right mind when I kept the jad and jar files (even though I forgot, otherwise I wiould not have needed Handango) and just uploaded them to my phone and input the key and off I went.
It would have been MUCH easier to just have them send me the file, like they did when I bought the darn application. Since then, they have left a bad taste in my mouth.
I TOO WILL (AND HAVE BEEN) NO LONGER BUY FROM, OR SUGGEST ANYONE TO BUY FROM, HANDANGO.........
I for one think you all are WAY over reacting... Yes Handango used to offer this valuable service for free, and Yes it was extremely convient. But this is obviously a service that requires resources to operate... obviously not every software developer offers free upgrades and it would be a large effort (i imagine) to constantly keep track of that fact for EVERY single piece of software they sell... not to mention the continual bandwidth costs (although probably fairly small with these size files)...
My point is that this was a service they previously gave away for free and now decided to charge for. It's a business decision pure and simple. Unscrupulous???? Unethical??? I think not. If you choose to shop elsewhere because of it fine, but demanding a boycott and tossing around words like unethical I think is way uncalled for.
And FWIW I have absolutely no affiliation with handango, I'm just a PPC user like you all that has used Handango often in the past. I for one plan to keep shopping there because it is still IMHO the best place to find and read about all the PPC software that's out there. I can hardly ever find the SW cheaper elsewhere so why would I not buy there?
I will support you with the boycott as I think some of the software is already expensive the way it is, and not able to download the upgraded version is just not right. Most of the software is upgraded by using trial, however I have purchased some software simply doesn't offere registeration code thus you need to download the full version rather than the trial. anyhow.. I am sure other people will boycott them as well..
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