PretonSaver Home Edition

1.0 stars

"Program OK. The company practices are a problem."

March 1, 2014  |   By ofannod

Version: PretonSaver Home Edition 1.0.3.8

Pros

It does use less ink, and relatively seamlessly.

Cons

Apparently you can reinstall this software only once. If you have to reinstall a 2nd time for ANY REASON, corrupted files, virus, hard drive crash, new computer etc. it will cost you, but the price is not made public.

Summary

I purchased a "Lifetime License" for the Preton Home Version back in late 2012. Before purchasing, I did ask the company what "Lifetime" meant. It meant that I can renew each year at a lesser price than the original purchase price. The wording seemed somewhat deceptive to me, but the pricing was acceptable. I declined their Customer Support Contract since I am no amateur software user. I troubleshoot all my own software difficulties and have done so for decades. I certainly felt competent to use this small program. Ah, so much I didn't know about this company and its practices.

Here's the problem. When my year old laptop's hard drive died, I spend a week moving files and programs from my backup to an old PC. So far so good. Unfortunately, I had a problem with the old PC too and had to reformat the hard drive and spent another week moving everything again. (Thankfully I had great backups) However, when I reinstalled Preton the second time, it wouldn't take my registration #. Their website offered no solution to the error message I received. So I contacted the company via email. Here is the context of my email. (with my name and registration number removed)

"Hello, Unfortunately, I've had to reformat my hard drive. Needless to say, all programs have to be reinstalled. I'm not having any luck entering my Product Key for Preton. Message tells me "The activation key has exceeded its allowed number of activations". I followed the instructions to release the current activations, but there were no activations listed to release. I'm not sure what to do next.
I am providing my license information if that will help you help me. Thank you for your assistance. "

Here is the reply I received:
"Our records show that you do not have a valid support agreement with Preton which means unfortunately that we cannot provide you with assistance. However, if you wish to purchase an updated support contract you can do so using the following link: https://www.plimus.com/jsp/buynow.jsp?contractId=3165562
Once you have a valid agreement we will be more than happy to assist you. Please resend your message once purchase has been made."

Hmmm. First time any software company tried to extort money from me to install or reinstall their program on a new or reformatted PC. I wasn't asking for a complicated time consuming problem to be solved. Any company that requires that you pay to move a program to a new or reformatted PC is suspect in my book. How many people never buy a new PC? Never have a hard drive crash? Or both, as happened to me? NONE of the other programs I have required me to pay to reinstall. And I have a LOT of software installed. In fact, there were one or two as I recall for which I could not even locate my Registration number - my fault. Those companies politely emailed my number to me without fanfare.

FREE programs don't offer support, which I certainly understand. But when a license has been purchased, I expect to be able at least to reinstall it.

That was about 8 months ago. I got less than a year's use out of this program. Being curious, last week I went to the Preton website and attempted to determine the current going rate for the program and then the rate for the "Support Contract". The price for the program was provided. And there was a checkbox to add "Two Years Support and Upgrades Contract" to the cart. The same page required the purchaser's credit card number. Here's the interesting part. There is NO PRICE SHOWN FOR THE CONTRACT! So, the implication is that maybe there is a cost for it and maybe not, but we're not going to tell you till we get your credit card number. By the time you get the price, you have already given and entered your credit card number. Personally, I find this company's practices unacceptable.

Bitter? Sure I am. Wouldn't you be? I purchased a program I couldn't use. And I still don't know the cost of the "Contract". Maybe by design . . .

That was my experience. Yours may be different. Me? I'm subscribing to a different ink saving program.
I cannot recommend this one.

Reply to this review

Was this review helpful? (0) (0)