TLDR ahead.. but I need to vent.
I’ve been a Creative Cloud subscriber for over three years now (since around the time it debuted). I always understood why longtime customers were unhappy with Adobe’s decision to go 100% subscription-based, but I’ve also always been happy with the CC model because it’s what opened the Adobe Creative Suite up to me.
Happy until now.
The first two years I paid the full $500 rate. But last year, and now this coming year, I’ve managed to find good deals on eBay for full 12-month subscriptions, paying around $700-$750 for two years vs. $1000. Both redemption codes were valid and redeemed with no troubles.
So yesterday I’m working on web project for a client who needs some new stock images for their website. I remember Adobe’s new "Stock" service is offering a one month trial promotion that includes 10 images, decide to save the client a little money on expenses, sign up, and check it out.
Big mistake apparently.
Today I look my Chase accounts and notice a $79 charge from Adobe on one of my cards. I sign into Adobe and see the same $79 charge + two pending credits and I’m not sure what’s going on. I call customer service thinking maybe I need to cancel the Adobe Stock subscription, only to be informed that signing up for the Adobe Stock Trial effectively cancelled my fully paid CC subscription—paid through September 2016—and put me on a brand new monthly $49 CC plan + $29 for the Adobe Stock subscription ($79 total). The two credits I was seeing were for the Adobe Stock trial this month, but should I decide to keep both services going forward, this is what I’ll be charged until November 2016.
So now I’m thinking surely they’ll look at my account, see that my CC subscription is already paid for the next 10 months, and quickly fix the error, right?
Wrong.
The first “solution” offered to me was to contact the merchant I bought the code from and request a refund. I couldn’t believe it. Had there been an issue with the code when I redeemed it over four months ago I would’ve demanded a refund, or taken action via Ebay, PayPal and my credit card if necessary to get my money back. But there were--and are--no issues with the code. It was accepted and redeemed by Adobe in June and I have email confirmation of this.
The second person I talked to basically told me my options were to either bend over and accept that I’m now going to be double charged for CC services until next September, or cancel my subscription.
Thankfully, the first rep I spoke with called me back after talking to her supervisor, managed to cancel the new subscription and provide me with enough service credits to keep me paid through Sept. And while I’m very thankful and appreciative of her for calling back and resolving the matter (at least I’m hoping it’s resolved, because if it’s not I will fight this in any way I can), I am absolutely flabbergasted by what I had to go through for nearly two hours on the phone (fighting, begging, threatening legal action, etc.) to get services I’ve clearly already paid for restored. And all because I signed up for stock image trial.
Apparently one of the smartest technology companies on the planet doesn’t have systems in place that are smart enough to make sure their customers aren’t double charged for their software leases. And apparently their customer service department is barely competent enough to fix such an error. The whole thing was a f*king mess, and if this is what being a loyal, paying customer gets you with Adobe, I’m left wondering if I need to reevaluate how heavily I rely on their apps in the future.
I’ve been a Creative Cloud subscriber for over three years now (since around the time it debuted). I always understood why longtime customers were unhappy with Adobe’s decision to go 100% subscription-based, but I’ve also always been happy with the CC model because it’s what opened the Adobe Creative Suite up to me.
Happy until now.
The first two years I paid the full $500 rate. But last year, and now this coming year, I’ve managed to find good deals on eBay for full 12-month subscriptions, paying around $700-$750 for two years vs. $1000. Both redemption codes were valid and redeemed with no troubles.
So yesterday I’m working on web project for a client who needs some new stock images for their website. I remember Adobe’s new "Stock" service is offering a one month trial promotion that includes 10 images, decide to save the client a little money on expenses, sign up, and check it out.
Big mistake apparently.
Today I look my Chase accounts and notice a $79 charge from Adobe on one of my cards. I sign into Adobe and see the same $79 charge + two pending credits and I’m not sure what’s going on. I call customer service thinking maybe I need to cancel the Adobe Stock subscription, only to be informed that signing up for the Adobe Stock Trial effectively cancelled my fully paid CC subscription—paid through September 2016—and put me on a brand new monthly $49 CC plan + $29 for the Adobe Stock subscription ($79 total). The two credits I was seeing were for the Adobe Stock trial this month, but should I decide to keep both services going forward, this is what I’ll be charged until November 2016.
So now I’m thinking surely they’ll look at my account, see that my CC subscription is already paid for the next 10 months, and quickly fix the error, right?
Wrong.
The first “solution” offered to me was to contact the merchant I bought the code from and request a refund. I couldn’t believe it. Had there been an issue with the code when I redeemed it over four months ago I would’ve demanded a refund, or taken action via Ebay, PayPal and my credit card if necessary to get my money back. But there were--and are--no issues with the code. It was accepted and redeemed by Adobe in June and I have email confirmation of this.
The second person I talked to basically told me my options were to either bend over and accept that I’m now going to be double charged for CC services until next September, or cancel my subscription.
Thankfully, the first rep I spoke with called me back after talking to her supervisor, managed to cancel the new subscription and provide me with enough service credits to keep me paid through Sept. And while I’m very thankful and appreciative of her for calling back and resolving the matter (at least I’m hoping it’s resolved, because if it’s not I will fight this in any way I can), I am absolutely flabbergasted by what I had to go through for nearly two hours on the phone (fighting, begging, threatening legal action, etc.) to get services I’ve clearly already paid for restored. And all because I signed up for stock image trial.
Apparently one of the smartest technology companies on the planet doesn’t have systems in place that are smart enough to make sure their customers aren’t double charged for their software leases. And apparently their customer service department is barely competent enough to fix such an error. The whole thing was a f*king mess, and if this is what being a loyal, paying customer gets you with Adobe, I’m left wondering if I need to reevaluate how heavily I rely on their apps in the future.
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