Prestashop Addons Refund

[Lem]

Has anyone managed to successfully obtain a refund from Prestashop Addons?

 

I bought a module on the 29th Nov to pull Prestashop blocks into Wordpress. I found it used flash to read some data from Prestashop (odd but true).

We get quite a bit of traffic from iOS devices and having been on the receiving end of complaints when I changed the zoom function to one that wasn't touchscreen compatible, I decided not to implement this module.

 

So.. I sent an email on the 1st Dec asking for a refund.. Nothing, not a peep.

I sent a second a week later and also filled in the online contact form. Nowt.

I then email Mike Kranzler who does actually reply quite promptly and suggests I call the customer service team in the US. Ok, a bit of a bind as I live in the UK and supposedly bought this from a french company, but decide to give it a go. Get a nice reply from their customer service manager who forwards my request to france asking them to sort it out.

This was 11 days ago. I have again, heard nothing at all. Not even a confirmation email.

 

I have now filled a paypal dispute and failing that, I thankfully bought it on a credit card.

 

Has anyone else had such difficulty? I have bought a few modules over the years as it's saves a lot of coding time, all from independents rather than Prestashop and have always received stellar service from these largely one-man outfits.

 

PS charge a premium for their modules compared to other suppliers so I was expecting a service to match. If I ran my e-commerce business like this, I doubt I would be very successful.

[Carl Favre]

Hi Lem,

 

In PM could you send me your name / email / module you bought so I can check with Addons directly what is going on?

 

Thanks.

[Lem]

Well after all this palaver, I have received notification that 'We will contact the developer about obtaining a refund'.

 

I'm sorry, but this simply will not do. The sales contract was with 'Prestashop SA', therefore they are entirely liable for maintaining the legality of the contract, including my right to cancel and subsequent refund.

EU Distance Selling regulations dictate that the customer may terminate the contract without supplying a reason within 7 days of purchase.

Refunds are to be paid to the customer within 30 days of notification of cancellation of contract. I therefore expect to receive funds by the end of the week.

 

I was quite interested in the Prestashop Mobile platform but having witnessed your level of customer service for paid products, I think we shall certainly forget that notion.

 

I don't like having to publicly lambast Prestashop online, but it's the only route to any signs of resolution.

[shacker]

The refound always contact the developer of the module to ask if a refound can be done of have other problems.

ex: You purchase a module, and later want a refound. If you not contact support for any problems for the module, maybe you only want a refound for use the module and dont wanna pay for it. And this is software, this means that you can purchase one time, and resell, use in multiple sites , etc. So before refound, addons must know that the module dont work and the support have tried all things to get it working. If you dont recive response of the developer of the module, you are right and the refound must be done

[Lem]

Shacker,

 

This may be the case, but you may be unaware of the requirements of contract law. Furthermore, as there no declaration at the time of sale to the contrary (nor in t's and c's) the sale contract is between the buyer and Prestashop SA.

Under EU distance selling law, the buyer can withdraw from the sale within 7 days (without giving a reason if they so wish). Obviously, if you are then found to be using the product then Prestashop would have course for action, but they are obligated to comply with the relevant legislation.

Prestashop charge developers a reasonably healthy 30% commission, but appear to offer very little in backup or support to justify this.

 

I would probably have been happy to talk with the developer about modifying the module had I not had to email and phone people directly within Prestashop to get any kind of response. At it stands now, I am simply fed up and want my money back.

 

Prestashop appear to be gearing themselves up to become more of a service provider with the advent of the mobile application. However, I do sincerely hope there are lessons learnt from this in terms of service and support before they upset too many people.

Thankfully I have been using PS for over 2 years and know that it is a great product. This episode has simply served to irritate me greatly and make me never buy anything from the Addons store ever again. A new user would have walked away from Prestashop entirely.

[shacker]

In the terms and conditions of prestastore, you have article 9 and 10, and the refound is available in 30 days. So they are in time. But virtual products are not refoundable, only if these products dont work or can be changed for another

[Lem]

For example shaker;

 

I actually purchased a module from your store that I had a little trouble with in my configuration. I sent you a mail to see if you any suggestions or a workaround.

You replied the same day, we had a short email discussion about the problem and two days later a fix was released which benefited both me and other users of the product.

One happy customer, and an improved product for you. Everyone is a winner.

 

3 weeks of zero response, and then having to chase various people to still get nowhere is not the way to do it.

 

The product didn't work as I wished and even if I didn't have the flash problem, the cart block would require more css hacking than I really wanted to do with something that I had already spent quite a bit of money on.

I decided not to use it and do something else with that section of site instead, which I am well within my rights to do.

[Lem]

Article 9: Cancellation

Physical or virtual Products, and/or Services may be offered in the framework of these TCUs to

consumers and the Customer is informed, where appropriate, and in accordance with the applicable

provisions of consumer protection law, that it has a right of cancellation which it can exercise within

seven (7) days of the acceptance of the Contract. In this case, the Customer does not need to justify

its reasons or pay any penalties, except for any cost of returning goods in the case of the sale of

physical Products

[Lem]

The latter part of Article 9 pertaining to the non-refundable nature of virtual products is only relevant where the claim is after 7 days. Within 7 days, the statement above which is compliant with EU legislation comes into effect.

[shacker]

For example shaker;

 

I actually purchased a module from your store that I had a little trouble with in my configuration. I sent you a mail to see if you any suggestions or a workaround.

You replied the same day, we had a short email discussion about the problem and two days later a fix was released which benefited both me and other users of the product.

One happy customer, and an improved product for you. Everyone is a winner.

 

3 weeks of zero response, and then having to chase various people to still get nowhere is not the way to do it.

 

The product didn't work as I wished and even if I didn't have the flash problem, the cart block would require more css hacking than I really wanted to do with something that I had already spent quite a bit of money on.

I decided not to use it and do something else with that section of site instead, which I am well within my rights to do.

in this case you are rioght. a repply to a problem not be delayed more that 2 /3 days. I Accept a refount if the module dont work or can solve the issue. But i dont refound if the client dont give me some reason or not contact to me.But in this case, refound in prestastore can take 30 days, maybe need to wait some days (and this weeks are crazy, christmas, new year, etc)

[Kamel Boukhateb]

I'm sorry but you're wrong on the following part :

 

However, the Customer will not benefit from this cancellation right if the fulfilment of the supply of products or services has started before the end of the seven (7) day cancellation period cited above. In particular, as purchases of virtual Products are by nature firm and definitive, they cannot result in an exchange, refund or exercising of a cancellation right. However, the Company undertakes to reimburse or exchange damaged virtual Products, including hidden defects or Products which do not correspond to the description given on the Website.

 

As you did download the product within the 7 days, the cancellation right is canceled.

However, i already contacted the developer with your message about flash on IOS devices and i'm still waiting for his answer. As expected at this period of the year, it takes much longer. The developer is quite known in our team and his work is great. We will let him a few days to answer.

 

Anyway Shacker is totally right in his first message of this post.

 

We will continue this by mail or via the Prestashop's Addons contact form.

[jhnstcks]

EU Distance selling regs goes on working days, of which there has only been 18 so far, so there is loads of time left to get a refund.

[Lem]

We wouldn't be trying to resolve this during the holiday period had I not needed to go to extraordinary lengths to get a response.

 

Your terms and conditions are clearly ambiguously worded and contradict themselves within the same article.

 

However, downloadable products form a service contract which still fall under the distance selling regulations and the consumer retains the right to cancel within 7 days on the commencement of the contract. Furthermore, it is not permissible to 'contract out' of these requirements.

 

I am sorry that I might seem a little unreasonable, but I am truly incensed by effort and time required to even commence dialogue on this issue.

[Lem]

EU Distance selling regs goes on working days, of which there has only been 18 so far, so there is loads of time left to get a refund.

'Working days' only pertains to the 7 day period at the commencement of contract. All other deliverables are strictly 30 days.

[Lem]

Suggestion:

 

If it is difficult to respond to requests in a timely manner, why not include the developer's contact details with the purchase?

 

The forum has a number of threads with users having difficulty contacting devs for advice.

I personally feel sorry for the developer in my case - The first they will be aware of a problem will be nearly a month into this episode. The customer is by now rather p***ed off, and just wants a refund having pursued an alternative in the meantime. The developer loses the opportunity to rescue the sale and obtain customer feedback to improve their product.

[Lem]

I guess this would be classed an 'update' if there was actually anything to report.

 

Sadly, I have heard nothing. The 'We need to pursue alterations to the module before a refund' argument is wearing a little thin given that it has now been 5 weeks since I flagged this up.

[Kamel Boukhateb]

Hello,

 

As I told you by mail, I sent a message to the developer and as i'm writing this, he's sending you the new module by mail on your gmail mailbox.

 

Don't hesitate to exchange messages with him if there's any issue.

 

Thanks.