Changing details AFTER purchase

[Mel in Hawaii]

With at least one of you being a lawyer (I am not btw, and he might not have moved over to this board), I find it wierd that no one has pointed out the problem with changing the rules AFTER someone buys the product. You talk about being locked in, beyond the refund period, but if a car dealer sells me a car that has a stereo and then after I pay my money, he goes out and removes the stereo from the car, isn't there something wrong with that? Personally I would have the guy arrested for theft and then sue them for my money back on the car.

I see the same issue if you are sold a program with 'No Hidden Fees' that doesn't list a $10 charge for bank products... Can't you go back and get those charges nullified? Someone must have the advertisement that lists the 'No Hidden Fees' somewhere. If they won't, wouldn't it be time to start talking about a class action lawsuit? Granted, maybe somewhere it was mentioned, but let them show you where and then go show the judge what ATX presented you and what you were ultimately given, I bet he will side with you.

Another person mentions that ZillionForms won't efile... I don't remember it ever being efile capable for free, you had to pay back then. Am I to understand that you can't efile at all with Zillionforms? I don't know, but if that's correct, wouldn't that be the same issue? (I haven't worked at ATX in 8 years, so don't know the true capabilities.)

Not to stir up trouble, but I keep seeing all the complaints, there has to be someone with the guts to stand up to them and get good answers for everyone. Just because a company buys out another doesn't mean they can change the rules. They bought all the assets and liabilities from the existing company, and if it says no hidden fees, then that's a liability that they bought. The company I am working at now bought a company that had an unknown liability for a chemical spill, that doesn't mean that they aren't required to clean it up (which they are doing btw), and I bet they would have been hit hard if they had tried to walk away from it.

Granted, customers who purchased after the change wouldn't have a leg to stand on, but the others would. Right? Or am I wrong?

This is only my oppinion, I am not a lawyer and am not attempting to give legal advice.

[RJM]

Mel, I agree 100% with you. There is probably little power in individual complaints, but "class action suit" would certainly carry enough weight to get CCH to reasonably address a settlement. The loss of various features in the accounting products is costing me a lot of time and grief for my year-end processing. However, I must say, at this early stage the tax programs seem to be better than last year IMO. Hoping I don't change my mind about this as the season progresses !

[lbbwest]

"Mel, I agree 100% with you. There is probably little power in individual complaints, but "class action suit" would certainly carry enough weight to get CCH to reasonably address a settlement."

Benjamin Franklin said in the 1800s "Common sense is very uncommon." It hasn't gotten any more common. Where is the logic??? When is the insanity going to subside?

Gee, wasn't it this week that we read about the number of ridiculous lawsuits that were proliferating? Perhaps half of my professional life wouldn't be spent requiring clients to sign CMA documents if there weren't so many lawsuits. If you don't like the product don't buy it again. If the coffee burns you, perhaps you should wait until it cools before you drink it. I don't remember when in our society my life became so burdened because of "safety measures" that everyone from my banks to my investment brokers to my doctors choke me with because of litigation, but it not only exhausts and irritates me, but I'm tired of paying for it.

By the way I'm tired of paying for government rebates when we are running a deficit; where the heck do these people think the money for the rebates come from? In my never humble opinion this whole bipartisan effort is a very expensive ad campaign that I'm paying for.

Well after that diatribe I feel better, I don't know about the rest of you. lbb

[Janitor Bob]

"Mel, I agree 100% with you. There is probably little power in individual complaints, but "class action suit" would certainly carry enough weight to get CCH to reasonably address a settlement."

Benjamin Franklin said in the 1800s "Common sense is very uncommon." It hasn't gotten any more common. Where is the logic??? When is the insanity going to subside?

Gee, wasn't it this week that we read about the number of ridiculous lawsuits that were proliferating? Perhaps half of my professional life wouldn't be spent requiring clients to sign CMA documents if there weren't so many lawsuits. If you don't like the product don't buy it again. If the coffee burns you, perhaps you should wait until it cools before you drink it. I don't remember when in our society my life became so burdened because of "safety measures" that everyone from my banks to my investment brokers to my doctors choke me with because of litigation, but it not only exhausts and irritates me, but I'm tired of paying for it.

By the way I'm tired of paying for government rebates when we are running a deficit; where the heck do these people think the money for the rebates come from? In my never humble opinion this whole bipartisan effort is a very expensive ad campaign that I'm paying for.

Well after that diatribe I feel better, I don't know about the rest of you. lbb

Man...I could really use a cheeseburger righ now!

[Jim K]

The website shows the users guide as being included for no extra charge with the MAX program. When I asked when I would receive it, I was told it would cost $40. I saved the guide from 2006 and charging $40 for that little booklet is price gouging. Just another item for the list of deceptions.

[GeneInAlabama]

I don't agree with frivolous lawsuits either, but I also don't believe in false advertising either. When a company advertises something and then doesn't provide it, I think something needs to be done IF it is intentional and it certainly looks like CCH is doing what they are doing intentionally. I despise deception.

Gene

[BulldogTom]

Mel,

I have felt the same way about a class action lawsuit. But it ain't gonna happen, and I would probably not join.

You see, the people on this board are basically decent folks. We want to be heard, and we want ATX to respect us. So we are shouting right now. But in the long run, every one of us knows that we have only been damaged a small degree, and that amount of damage would not pay the lawyer. We could all get together, and the amount we are damaged will probably pay the lawyer. But we know that we aren't going to get anything but revenge on ATX 5 years from now (if not longer), and that won't do any of us any good right now in our current tax year. And like I said, these are decent folks, and when we cool down, very few of us really want revenge. We want to be respected by our vendor.

This is something that you can benefit from. We will stick by you if you will just be straight with us. We want you to succeed in the software so we can succeed in our businesses. Respect us, and we will give you what every company wants, customer loyalty.

ATX has dis-respected us. We are shouting. I assume many who are shouting right now are going to re-evaluate the software next year based on what it does for their business, the availabilty of alternatives, cost comparisons, transition costs, and finally, how they feel. Some will walk, some will stay. If the software still works for someone, and they can live with the disrespect, then they should stay.

I am leaving. But that is my choice. I hope to be with a company that respects me as a customer (right now, I am leaning to Drake, but that is not for sure). If you have a product, I am very willing to go with you. I think you will respect me as a customer, and I think you can put out a product that will satisfy my company needs. If you don't do that, I can't be your customer either.

It is how you handle the complaints when things don't go well that shows your customers how much you respect them. I make mistakes on tax returns (yes - hard as it may be to believe), but I take care of those mistakes and do everything to make my client whole. That is all I can do. ATX is not doing everything it can do right now.

(stepping off my soapbox now)

Tom

Lodi, CA

[jasdlm]

I just renewed my ATX software yesterday; I have been dragging my feet and playing with other software for months, but the calendar kept moving and forced my hand.

I did not find any other software that had a comparable price that I was comfortable with. I did quite a bit with the Drake 2006 software thinking I would use it, but I never did get comfortable with it. I don't think I can, during the busiest time, handle a software that doesn't allow me to prepare a return directly from the form. I didn't mind the Dos look/feel, but the inability to 'bunny hop' and start with the form ultimately made my decision.

Of course, it took all day yesterday to get my transaction completed with ATX, and they still haven't been able to manage to send me my installation code. So much for the disk they sent out early which was suppose to allow us to make a last minute decision.

***Sigh*** No point to my rant; but I feel better.