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Long Time Apple Fan SHAKING with anger
To All –
I’m sure someone will tell me that I’m posting in the wrong area, so forgive me if that is true.
Last month, I finally got around to sending in my FCP discs for the Cross-Grade program, as I’ve recently purchased a new Intel-chip machine for my 2 man shop. While I wasn’t a fan of the Cross-Grade approach – it seemed wrong to me to be asked to live without the discs for such a long amount of time, we finally bit the bullet and did this.
We sent this out on March 16th, but since they don’t accept a Fed Ex shipment at the processing center, we sent it regular mail, and as such have no physical way to prove anything.
Today we received a package from Apple, flimsily packaged I might add, containing my original Final Cut Pro discs with a computer generated letter saying that the cross-grade program is no long in effect.
Wow, really? I didn’t know that it was ending, and still don’t understand that decision AT ALL. So I called the Number. An outgoing message says that the cross-grade program expired as of March 30th. Ok, that’s cool, cause we sent it earlier than that. What’s more, the letter they sent me is dated March 29th. So, I figure I’m holding in my hand a piece of paper that confirms they have made a clerical error.
Being a life long Apple fanboy, and having invested tremendous amounts of time/ money/ dedication to the platform, I don’t know what I expected to hear on the other line, as I’ve never had a previous reason to call Apple.
I spoke with Marcie, who quickly explained that while it ENDED on March 30th, you actually have to have postmarked your package by March 19th. Ok, I say, but we did send it before March 19th.
Marcie – No, you didn’t.
Byrd – Yes, I did.
Marcie -= (giggle) – no, you didn’t.
Byrd – So, what do I do? How do I upgrade to universal version so that I can migrate my edit system to my new $4000 box I just bought from you guys.
Marcie – You can’t.Marcie is not to blame. But, she didn’t seem to have any empathy for the situation, or anything in the way of “sorry.”
Can I go back to the ENDING OF THE CROSS GRADE PROGRAM….how can you do that? How can that be good business.
Marcie is looking into my case, but without legally proof of when I sent this package, it’s my word against Marcie’s.
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I’m no Ralph Nader, but I felt sooo angry about this that I wanted to reach out to my editing community at the Cow and see what you guys think of this? Am I just stupid for waiting too long to get the cross grade? I know that we are anxiously awaiting the possibility of version 6 next week. While I even be able to upgrade to Version 6 with these older version 5 discs?
What do I do?
Thanks for input. Please, someone tell me where Apple is coming from and what they are thinking. I feel totally disrecpted.
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19 Replies
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In hindsight, if you had sent it registered mail you would have had the proof you needed. Thats what I did when I fould out they couldnt accept Fedex.
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I guess waiting until the very last moment to get a deal is not a good idea. Originally, the Xgrade program was supposed to end last year but Apple extended it until March 30. I really believe they wanted anyone with a version of FCP to get this deal. Sorry about that. I hope you can prove some way that you really did send them out earlier!
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Did you send your discs out via the postal service without insurance? If you had gotten insurance, and kept your receipt, I believe you would have the proof you need.
What if your original discs had gotten lost in the mail? What would you do when you need to reinstall?
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Sorry… that kinda sucks. I just upgraded our After Effects for $200 – and noticed they’d still give you that price if you were running 4.x and higher. That’s a great deal.
It seems like Apple was kinda putting the smackdown on pirate copies of FCP, more than anything else.
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[lasvideo] “In hindsight, if you had sent it registered mail you would have had the proof you needed. Thats what I did when I fould out they couldnt accept Fedex.”
Absolutely, this is exactly what we did here. We shipped them registered overnight and insured for $1,500 through the Post Office. With the tracking number I was able to see that they were received at the processing center the next day.
Honestly not Apple’s fault you waited until the last second to try the crossgrade, it was offered for a full year before it was canceled, if not longer.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”Read my blog! https://blogs.creativecow.net/WalterBiscardi
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Thanks for the messages guys. Yep, hindsight is 20/20, and there a bunch of differenet ways I could have handled it. I blew it. I know that.
But, what I’m really interested in is the general consensus about how it’s ok for Apple to stop offering the cross-grade at all. How is that fair, whether someone migrated within the first 6 months of the Intel releases, or if they waited? And, if you are an active post house, on a full time job where you can’t afford to be without those discs, how can you send them in?
We only sent the discs in March because were have been posting a feature film with a tight deadline. What happens if something goes down and you can’t re-install?? For this reason, we sent the discs when we COULD, in my mind, and when we BOUGHT a new computer. It wasn’t the right time before, it is the right time now, and it’s unavailable. And I can’t grasp how this is anything more than Apple wanting me to buy twice for an application.
I need perspective, anybody got any.
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[Byrd Mcdonald] “But, what I’m really interested in is the general consensus about how it’s ok for Apple to stop offering the cross-grade at all. How is that fair, whether someone migrated within the first 6 months of the Intel releases, or if they waited? And, if you are an active post house, on a full time job where you can’t afford to be without those discs, how can you send them in?”
Because Apple is most likely about to announce a new version of FCP on Sunday, so there will be a new upgrade pricing structure set for that version. The crossgrade promotion is over, now a new upgrade promotion will most likely be announced in a few days.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.com
HD Editorial & Animation for Food Network’s “Good Eats”
HD Editorial for “Assignment Earth”Read my blog! https://blogs.creativecow.net/WalterBiscardi
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If they kept the crossgrade going up until the day that FCP 6 was announced, then there would be quite a few people stuck with their discs in the mail who end up not wanting the crossgrade any more. They really just needed to clear everything out even if it means people can’t get 5.1 any more.
I you would have sent it in today and had no idea that an upgrade was coming, you’ve probably be pretty mad as well. It’s really a no win situation for Apple.
-Russ
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Am I missing something, or did you not see that Apple still does the upgrade, just for $699:
https://store.apple.com/AppleStore/WebObjects/BizCustom?qprm=78313&productLearnMore=MA285Z/A -
[Byrd Mcdonald] “But, what I’m really interested in is the general consensus about how it’s ok for Apple to stop offering the cross-grade at all. How is that fair, whether someone migrated within the first 6 months of the Intel releases, or if they waited?”
I sent in my disks last summer, so I think it’s perfectly fair of them to eventually end a promotion that was never intended to be permanent. BTW, I copied my disks 1st, & sent in the originals, so if there was a problem in the meantime, I could still have re-installed everything.
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