The list of sneakwrap gotchas keeps getting longer. One reader was recently stuck paying for an extra month's service from eMusic because he didn't read the online music site's fine print far enough to discover it thinks every month has 30 days.
"I suspect you've run into this with other vendors, but to my chagrin, I found that eMusic has a 30-day billing cycle, not monthly," the reader wrote. "Because of it, I thought I had cancelled at the end of the month, but in fact rolled into the next month so was on the hook for another fee."
The reader had begun using eMusic on Oct. 13th last year with a subscription that allowed him to download 40 songs each month for $10. As he knew that unused downloads would not rollover to the next month, on the 12th of each month he would make sure to download the number of tunes to which he was entitled. "I did a download on the 12th of December and January, thinking that I would had to use it or lose it on the last day of my 'month.' However, by then I was somewhat unhappy with the service, so after downloading the music on Jan. 12th, I informed them I was canceling, thinking that would end my billing."
Thus the reader was surprised when he noticed a $10 charge made to his credit card by eMusic on Jan. 11th. Thinking it was a mistake, he wrote to eMusic asking for a refund. Instead he got back a message citing chapter and verse of the eMusic terms and conditions. "Your credit card will be billed monthly in advance commencing on your initial trial expiration date and continuing thereafter on a monthly basis on the thirtieth (30th) day following the expiration of the preceding billing period," reads section 6.5 of that document. So the reader had actually been billed on Nov. 12, Dec. 12, and Jan. 11th, and the music he'd downloaded Jan. 12th used up his fee until Feb. 10th.
Basically, the reader lost $10 because he didn't read all the fine print, which really was just the final straw from his point of view. "A number of the artists that I had identified for future downloads 'disappeared' after I started. EMusic and the artists clearly have a right to change their minds, but having several of my choices go away did not bode well for the future. And some of the music that I requested for download didn't actually download. The way the system works, I was able to go back and request it again with no problem, but this happened on several occasions. Anyway, two strikes were already enough, and the third when I cancelled makes them unattractive."
Have you run afoul of a nasty term in a vendor's sneakwrap? Tell us about it on the Gripe Line voice mail at 1 888 875-7916 or write me at Foster@gripe2ed.com.
Read and post comments about this story here.
This whitepaper explains the terminology and concepts behind Data Replication technologies and establishes some sizing rules through worked examples. Learn the new paradigm in disaster tolerance—protect data anywhere.
Download now »
Server virtualization is a popular option for dealing with mounting datacenter costs. Another equally promising approach is the use of an Application Delivery Controller. Citrix NetScaler provides a low-cost way for organizations to reduce their server count and accrue cost savings from a reduction in space, cooling, power and personnel.
Download now »
The emergence of WLANs has created a new breed of security threats to enterprise networks.
Included in HP ProCurve WLAN solutions is security technology that alleviates threats from WLANs through:
* Monitoring wireless activity inside and out of the enterprise
* Classifying WLAN transmissions into harmful and harmless
* Preventing transmissions that pose a security threat to the enterprise network
* Locating participating devices for physical remediation
Effectively address data protection challenges, implementing solutions that help store and protect business–critical data while cutting costs and improving efficiency and reliability.
Download now »
Sign up to receive Business Resource Alerts
Recommend This
