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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Morelos, Mexico
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    236

    Default Feeling disappointed and deceived

    Yesterday I posted a request to talkgraphics members for advice concerning Xara Photo & Graphics Designer. This is a follow-up.

    Magix is currently advertising a special offer for new purchase of $49.99 (Regularly $99.94). Below additional text, it is specified that there is a $10 discount that is valid until March 25, 2020. I’m posting a screenshot.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    When I saw this promotion yesterday morning, I immediately downloaded the free trial and began experimenting, reading the old Xara Outsider tutorials, and basically dedicating my entire day to deciding whether or not the app would meet my needs.

    This morning (25 March), I went on line to make the purchase. I confirmed that the promotion was the same and went through the process. Unfortunately, I neglected to confirm the prices in the process.

    Result: I was charged the special offer price without the $10 discount that is offered.

    I sent a message immediately to Magix explaining the issue and requesting reimbursement for the discount.

    I have already received their response: The discount is already included in the price. It is not deducted extra.

    I am admittedly a bit perturbed. This feels to me like a blatantly misleading promise. The price and the discount are not exhibited as the same thing on their page. There is no asterisk indicating that the discount is included in the promotional price. And the fact that the difference between the regular and promotional price is $49.95, not $10, leads one not to assume that they are the same thing.

    I recognize that $10 is not a big deal, but I feel very misled. It is the principal more than anything.

    So, this post is 1) to warn everyone to be careful in dealing with Magix now, as they seem to be implementing dishonest practices, 2) to ask if anyone else has had a similar experience, 3) to ask opinions of my recourse. (I can apparently cancel the subscription up to 14 days after purchase. Would you cancel on principal? By the way, there are other photo editing options available, so I wouldn’t be cutting off my nose to spite my face.)

    Thanks for any input.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    21,282

    Default Re: Feeling disappointed and deceived

    is that version 16 you bought ? - version 17 will be out any day now... a good reason to cancel if you bought 16

    looking at your screen shot - Magix would say:

    it is 49.99 regular price 99.94- as stated

    we are including panorama studio worth 39.95

    49.99 + 39.95 = 89.94 which is 10.00 less than the 99.94, so there is you discount - it is all shown

    but of course, untill you get your head around the way Magix do this it is not clear

    and I would question how real the 99.94 and 39.95 figures actually actually are....
    -------------------------------
    Nothing lasts forever...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    SW England
    Posts
    17,743

    Default Re: Feeling disappointed and deceived

    Quite sad that no one in MagiXara is seeming to care.

    We do!

    If you have not Registered yet, hold off until v17.0 is released. That way, you guarantee an equitable "fall back" to v17.0 and not v16.n.
    If you have Registered, you could wait until v17.0 is out. Then check the version date. If it is before your Registration get the assurance from Magix that your "fall back" version will be to v17.0.

    Best of all, fight for a full refund. When v17.1 is out, buy in then.
    The current download is 04 November 2019, which is appalling.

    When you have your money back, buy Affinity Photo and set up your XWDP to link image editing to Affinity Photo.
    Work down the list of differences with XWDP and XP&GD in https://www.xara.com/uk/designer-pro/compare/.
    You will be spending $30 at most. I use Inkscape in PortableApps format for free, which is even cheaper.

    Acorn
    Acorn - installed Xara software: Cloud+/Pro+ and most others back through time (to CC's Artworks). Contact for technical remediation/consultancy for your web designs.
    When we provide assistance, your responses are valuable as they benefit the community. TG Nuggets you might like. Report faults: Xara Cloud+/Pro+/Magix Legacy; Xara KB & Chat

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Morelos, Mexico
    Posts
    236

    Default Re: Feeling disappointed and deceived

    Thanks, handdrawn,

    You may be right, but it is definitely deceptive. And you’re definitely right about the regular prices they display ($99.94 and $39.95). I’ve never seen them without some kind of discount in effect… but that’s not so bad as that is a fairly common practice. It’s not getting the software at the price they lead you to expect that bothers me.

    It’s version 16. 17 is still not available, I believe. They are probably offering the discount precisely for that reason.

    In the past, when I renewed WDP, the “included in the offer” items were “gifts”. They displayed the price so that you knew the apparent value of the gift, but they did not figure in any way into the charge. Assuming that Panorama Studio is the same in this instance, the effect on the cost, real or hidden, should be $0.

    For me, the numbers don’t stack up in any direction.

    The “full value” of P&GD $99.94 and Pan Studio $39.95 would be $139.89. $10 off either would give $129.89. $10 off Pan Studio with the P&GD discount price would be $79.94 ($49.99 + $39.95 - $10). Your calculation of $89.94 leaves me perplexed. It is beyond creative… it is Magic(x). And there’s no reference to such a number anywhere.

    I can’t get past my interpretation of the numbers as they are displayed. So, you may be right, but it is definitely deceptive.

    In view of Acorn’s subsequent post, I’m considering my options.

    I genuinely appreciate you input.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Morelos, Mexico
    Posts
    236

    Default Re: Feeling disappointed and deceived

    Thanks, Acorn.

    As always, I really appreciate your response.

    I downloaded the P&GD software yesterday, as a free trial. I registered the copy with the trial serial number. I haven’t registered the serial number associated with the paid subscription yet… too busy smoldering in my disappointment, I suppose. So I’m really glad I read your response before doing so. The confirmation email lists only “MAGIX Photo & Graphic Designer” as the product… without a version number specified. Nevertheless, the link included shows a url directed to version 16. I’m not sure how it will work if I wait to register until I have downloaded v17, so I will perhaps get in touch with Magix, as you suggest, to find out what they will consider my fall-back version.

    I installed the Affinity Photo 90-day trial version last week when someone on talkgraphics mentioned the 50% promotion they have until 20 April. I followed a number of the tutorials, and it looks quite good. The disadvantages are 1) that P&GD includes graphics, which is a separate module in Affinity that is purchased independently, and 2) I have so much experience with Xara WDP that learning the interface is zero work… in fact, a subset of the photo and graphics options are already familiar to me as part of WDP.

    I actually installed Inkscape (desktop) and GIMP several years ago when I started developing our website. I played around a little with them, but was concentrating more on learning website development. I think it may be time to revisited both.

    It seems that I have a bit of thinking to do in the coming days to decide which course of action to take.

    Again, many thanks.
    Greg

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    21,282

    Default Re: Feeling disappointed and deceived

    ok

    magix approach to selling is 'bucket shop' in my opinion, not a compliment

    it would put me off buying this software were i looking at it afresh today
    -------------------------------
    Nothing lasts forever...

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    La Malbaie, Canada
    Posts
    695

    Default Re: Feeling disappointed and deceived

    What I see:

    Current discount price 50$
    Discount 10$
    Pan Studio 40$
    ------------------
    Total 100$

    It says Regularly 100$.

    Without the 10$ discount, the price will be 60$, not 50$.
    John CB
    Xara DPX(19.0.1.65946)

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    UK
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    Default Re: Feeling disappointed and deceived

    another way of looking at the same thing
    -------------------------------
    Nothing lasts forever...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Morelos, Mexico
    Posts
    236

    Default Re: Feeling disappointed and deceived

    Quote Originally Posted by browj2 View Post
    What I see:

    Current discount price 50$
    Discount 10$
    Pan Studio 40$
    ------------------
    Total 100$

    It says Regularly 100$.

    Without the 10$ discount, the price will be 60$, not 50$.
    Thanks for another perspective. If that's the case, I'd prefer them to leave Pan Studio off and let me keep the $40!

    But I can state definitively that when I renewed WDP in September, the "included" items were: Photo Manager Deluxe, PanoramaStudio, Pack Website M, and Hello Engines!. The listed price was around $50 total (the same as P&DG), and there was no mention of a discount, as there is now... only the main promotion. My assumption is that the stated price of $50 was the promotional price exclusively for the renewal of WDP, and that the other items were $0 cost.

    So if what you say is true, they have changed the way that they publicize the sale.

    Just to mention: the versions of the "included" items that they offer you are not current. It appears that their tactic is to give you a taste of the product in hopes that you will upgrade for the newer paid version. Nothing wrong with that. It's a sales technique. But one doesn't expect that it would be charged, particularly if it's not what the customer is interested in buying.

    Thanks again.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Morelos, Mexico
    Posts
    236

    Default Re: Feeling disappointed and deceived

    Addendum to precious post responding to browj2:

    Pursuant to your suggestion, I checked the invoice that Magix sent for my purchase. Indeed, the only charge listed is for the P&GD. PanStudio shows as $0. So, effectively the only charge is for the main software.

 

 

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