iTunes Fraud..I want my money back

[balamw]

It does say Season 1. It is the U.S. Season 1. This does not match the U.K. Season 1. iTunes wasn't trying to "pull one over" on anybody. It was simply a misunderstanding.

Just call up the iTunes people and tell them you thought it was season 1 of the U.K. series and see what happens.

FWIW (and this is really just an aside). They usually don't refer to a bunch of shows as a "season" on the other side of the pond as they don't generally follow the same rigid structure we have in the US they'll call it a "series".

Example: On DVD in the US "The Office, Series 1" refers to the BBC version "The Office, Season 1" referes to the NBC version.

A six episode series of a show like "The Office" (UK) is far more common in Europe than it would be here in the US, where shows either seem to need to last a whole 13-26 episode "season" or need to be a "mini-series event!".

B

 

[jkaz]

Thanks everyone for the discussion, I've learned quite a bit throughout the day.

All in all, I'm simply glad that I have at least 10 episodes of MH now on my computer.

I'd be lieing if i said i wouldn't prefer a complete collection in order of how they originally aired.

But like I said, at least I have 10 episodes.

 

[srf4real]

If I was Apple and you were my customer, I would refund your money and let you keep the ten episodes for your trouble, then go clarify the product information to avoid upsetting any other customers. But, then if I was Apple I'd be surfing in Tahiti right now and you wouldn't be reading this post.

 

[sierra oscar]

Fraud is perhaps the wrong word here

Deceptive practices may be better - and there are laws hopefully in your region that will protect you if you feel apple have been misleading in representing this product. Seek out what Apple say first before you take it your consumer authority - I know you are mad, but give them a chance to fix it.

I do think some of Apple's non=US marketting of products lean towards this at times (iTMs aside) - it's usually explained in the fine print - so they cover themselves - I guess we all have to be uber-careful we are buying what we think we are (with any company)

 

[milo]

I don't think "deceptive" applies here either.

Looks like the "season" configurations were just different in different countries. If apple did anything wrong, it's merely failing to say "US season 1".

But since that's the only "season 1" that has aired in the US, I'm not sure what would make someone buying in the USA think otherwise. If anything, complain to the US distributor who's showing the episode in a wacky order instead of keeping seasons intact.

 

[mkrishnan]

But, then if I was Apple I'd be surfing in Tahiti right now and you wouldn't be reading this post.

Stop with the surfing and get to work on the C2D in the MacBook, dammit! And NTFS write support in Leopard. And multi-session CD burns from Finder, FFS. Oh, and MSN video conferencing, please. That's pretty much all I want from you, Mr. Apple!

 

[jkaz]

I don't think "deceptive" applies here either.

Looks like the "season" configurations were just different in different countries. If apple did anything wrong, it's merely failing to say "US season 1".

But since that's the only "season 1" that has aired in the US, I'm not sure what would make someone buying in the USA think otherwise.

For what it's worth,

I've personally viewed at least 20 episodes here in the U.S. in the last calendar year alone.

I believe your concept does not apply in this circumstance.

 

[mkrishnan]

So have you received a response from Apple customer service yet? What was it?

 

[balamw]

For what it's worth,

I've personally viewed at least 20 episodes here in the U.S. in the last calendar year alone.

I believe your concept does not apply in this circumstance.

"Seasons" don't have to correspond with a calendar year, or even a September-May year anymore. They don't even have to have the same number of episodes.

Take Mythbusters for example.

Season 1: 13 episodes aired from 9/03-2/04
Season 2: 24 episodes aired from 6/04-8/05
Season 3: 16 episodes aired from 10/05-5/06
Season 4: 14 episodes to air from 7/06-11/06

Note that MB is also aired by Discovery Networks so it gives you an idea of how they structure their acquisitions.

B

 

[jkaz]

"Seasons" don't have to correspond with a calendar year, or even a September-May year anymore. They don't even have to have the same number of episodes.

Take Mythbusters for example.

Season 1: 13 episodes aired from 9/03-2/04
Season 2: 24 episodes aired from 6/04-8/05
Season 3: 16 episodes aired from 10/05-5/06
Season 4: 14 episodes to air from 7/06-11/06

Note that MB is also aired by Discovery Networks so it gives you an idea of how they structure their acquisitions.

B

I was simply speaking to the repeated premise that the 10 episodes labeled as Season 1 in iTunes are representing the "U.S. season 1"

edit:

It was not my intention to claim that there was only 1 such "U.S. season" in the last calendar year or that multiple "U.S. Seasons" could have been playing.

but, if you can find a list "U.S. Seasons", that would be great. (likely would clear this whole thing up)

 

[GoCubsGo]

it's been a regular tuesday, get to the office, check emails, take care of the morning routine, take 15 minutes to check out iTunes for some tv to download for later.

to my delight, i see "most haunted" advertised in a halloween section.

great show, just started watching it last year.

navigate to season 1 of "most haunted" and it's for sale!

season 1 of most haunted for sale for $17.99

Long story short(too late) I bought it and upon further inspection, this is not season one, it is a hodgepodge of various seasons!

That would really make me mad, BUT that isn't fraud...plain and simple.

 

[jkaz]

So have you received a response from Apple customer service yet? What was it?

My first 'contact' with apple was a review of mh at the itms.

"I couldn't have been happier to see MH for sale on iTunes. To add to my excietement it appeared as though I would be able to collect this series from the very start. I clicked and bought Season 1 only to later realize that their so-called season 1 was simply a hodge podge of episodes from various seasons..FRAUD... I want my money back! and btw, you might want this to show up in the Travel Channel section, as I've never seen this show on any other channel in the U.S."

they did publish this review, which was somewhat satisfying since I now feel that apple has been made aware of feelings on the issue.

the issue at hand is not that I necessarily feel 'ripped off', though I do feel at the least slightly mislead. I would have thought twice about a blanket season purchase had I been fully aware of what I was doing. But as previously stated in this thread, I followed identical procedure that i used in my purchase of Ghost Hunters season 3 purchase: Read all information available(excluding individual episode information- mostly to avoid spoilers) I felt that my click on "purchase now" would have yielded like results, but of course we now know different.



My greatest hope is that I can purchase a comprehensive collection of MH.

 

[Counterfit]

So, you are saying that I was negilgent and iTunes was fraudulent.

No, he's simply saying that you were negligent.

 

[feelthefire]

You had to expect you were getting a US season, considering this was in the US iTunes store.

You also probably had to know that, since the copyright date was 2005, that this was probably not the "old" first season.

third, it says discovery channel, which is a US entity.

So what about this would have made you believe that you were getting a british show? I'm confused.

It is also possible, you know, to purchase episodes out of order and STILL get them all! I know, it blows the mind, but as long as you can find a list somewhere of what order they go in so you can WATCH them in order, what difference does it make? You got season 1. The US season 1. It's correct, not mislabeled. It is in fact the first season of the show that aired on the discovery channel in the US. Nothing fraudulent, negligent, or other legalese term about it.

 

[balamw]

I'd be a lot more upset if I had bought the Addams Family from iTMS without doing my DD. $43.78 for 22 episodes on iTMS $19.78 for the same 22 episodes + extras on DVD at Amazon.com. Plus, the burb at the top right implies 32 episodes instead of the actual 22. It's more than twice as expensive.

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewTVSeason?id=202956103&s=143441
http://www.amazon.com/Addams-Family...pd_bbs_sr_1/104-4004780-3151913?ie=UTF8&s=dvd

By contrast MH is not (yet) available on Region 1 DVD and so Discovery can call whatever they want to "Season 1" for the market in which they have secured distribution rights for the program. It ain't iTunes that is calling the 10 episodes that it's the people who provided the show to them, i.e. Discovery Networks.

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[mattniles007]

I think you have a legitimate complaint. I would call them

 

[balamw]

I think you have a legitimate complaint. I would call them

iTMS has no phone support. e-mail away (as many posters have already suggested).

B

 

[Earendil]

My first 'contact' with apple was a review of mh at the itms.

"I couldn't have been happier to see MH for sale on iTunes. To add to my excietement it appeared as though I would be able to collect this series from the very start. I clicked and bought Season 1 only to later realize that their so-called season 1 was simply a hodge podge of episodes from various seasons..FRAUD... I want my money back! and btw, you might want this to show up in the Travel Channel section, as I've never seen this show on any other channel in the U.S."

the issue at hand is not that I necessarily feel 'ripped off', though I do feel at the least slightly mislead.

Now you are just getting petty. Did you really post the above quoted section to the itms? You complain enough here without ACTUALLY taking any of the advice given. Then you "comments to apple" come in the form of publicly using highly negative words that you have admitted do not actually apply.
Post problem with Apple, get advice on subject, use advice, move on with life. That is the way things should be done to get any respect, at least from me. Personally I think your soap box needs to be kicked out from under you


EDIT:
A few more quotes of yours from this thread, all posted before you rant on Apple's review location, all before you were given very helpful advice on who to contact and how... repeatedly.

thank you for your help, after a chance for a few replies on how to best contact cs, i will delete this thread if i am able.

All in all, I'm simply glad that I have at least 10 episodes of MH now on my computer.

 

[jkaz]

Now you are just getting petty. Did you really post the above quoted section to the itms? You complain enough here without ACTUALLY taking any of the advice given. Then you "comments to apple" come in the form of publicly using highly negative words that you have admitted do not actually apply.
Post problem with Apple, get advice on subject, use advice, move on with life. That is the way things should be done to get any respect, at least from me. Personally I think your soap box needs to be kicked out from under you


EDIT:
A few more quotes of yours from this thread, all posted before you rant on Apple's review location, all before you were given very helpful advice on who to contact and how... repeatedly.

my review on the itms was created before i started this thread.

further, it was submitted before any reviews had been posted.

 

[jkaz]

You had to expect you were getting a US season, considering this was in the US iTunes store.

You also probably had to know that, since the copyright date was 2005, that this was probably not the "old" first season.

third, it says discovery channel, which is a US entity.

So what about this would have made you believe that you were getting a british show? I'm confused.

It is also possible, you know, to purchase episodes out of order and STILL get them all! I know, it blows the mind, but as long as you can find a list somewhere of what order they go in so you can WATCH them in order, what difference does it make? You got season 1. The US season 1. It's correct, not mislabeled. It is in fact the first season of the show that aired on the discovery channel in the US. Nothing fraudulent, negligent, or other legalese term about it.

show me proof that this is "season 1. The US season 1."

then i'll respond to the rest of your post.

this thread has been begging this evidence since post one and has not yet seen it.

 

[jkaz]

That would really make me mad, BUT that isn't fraud...plain and simple.

here's how webster defines fraud:

1 a : DECEIT, TRICKERY; specifically : intentional perversion of truth in order to induce another to part with something of value or to surrender a legal right b : an act of deceiving or misrepresenting

prove to me that this wasn't an intentional and deliberate act to induce "buy season"

it will be plain and simple when you or anyone else can provide some actual facts.

 

[AdeFowler]

jkaz,

You're going about this all the wrong way. Come on, tell us, have you actually contacted Apple about this yet? (reviews don't count).

 

[dsnort]

Hmmm, sounds like pilot error to me!

 

[feelthefire]

show me proof that this is "season 1. The US season 1."

then i'll respond to the rest of your post.

this thread has been begging this evidence since post one and has not yet seen it.

Well it isn't the UK SERIES 1, which can be found on amazon:
http://astore.amazon.co.uk/jonsworld-21/detail/B000FKP5YQ/203-1558578-9231161

Note the different title, production company, and release date.

Here is the schedule for this season's airing in the US. Note that the episodes are NOT in order:

http://www.wnetwork.com/tv_shows/shows/most_haunted/fullschedule.asp

 

[balamw]

show me proof that this is "season 1. The US season 1."

Again. The proof is in the pudding.

Discovery Networks is providing this to iTMS as "Season 1". They have the exclusive right to distribute the program in the US, so however they decide to package/edit/mangle/maul/redub the shows is entirely up to Discovery. "Season 1" is what Discovery Networks says it is in the US. Take your beef to them, and don't blame the middle-man (iTMS).

W Network is a compelling and contemporary television network for Canadian women.

feelthefire: Don't use W network (Canada) to tell anything about what the deal is in the US. As differences between the iTunes US and Canada stores show there is no deal for music or TV distribution that crosses borders.

US Discovery Networks site:
http://travel.discovery.com/fansites/mosthaunted/mosthaunted.html
Current schedule:
http://travel.discovery.com/tvlistings/series.jsp?series=118072&gid=13881&channel=TRV

B