Upgrade Issue. Very boring. Do not read.

I have just had a somewhat startling conversation with Apple.

A couple of weeks ago I called Apple and asked which upgrade path I needed and described my setup and referred them to my purchase history with FCP etc.

I was told to order the $499 upgrade.

Upgrade arrived. Then I had difficulty installing my FCS2 upgrade (the $499 version) and called the great Apple.

The fellow in tech support told me that I'd purchased the wrong one, and that I should have purchased the $699 version because I had merely upgraded to Final Cut Studio and not purchased a brand new Final Cut Studio whenever it was that I last upgraded or crossgraded or whatever the hell.

I said - oh well - too bad. I'll just send it back and you'll send me the correct one and I'll pay the difference. Logical, no?

Nononononono.

The chappie said: "You now have to buy the $699 version and we will not accept the return of the $499 version because it has been opened. He then suggested that I sell it on Ebay.

Since I bought this on a credit card I will, I trust, be protected from this kind of meat-headed fraud, but I wonder if anyone else has had this experience.

Best

Harry

Apple staff are mentally challenged.
Do not deal with them. Ever.

Johan Polhem
Motion Graphics
www.johanpolhem.com

wow

i'm not the only one who paid $1,600 for FCP 5

is this true? I too upgraded to Final Cut Studio (FCP 5.1) and was looking forward to FCS2 for 500.00, as indicated.

Ah, I found it.

Here's what it says on the Apple FCP2 sell page regarding the 499.00 upgrade:

"* The upgrade version requires a valid serial number from a commercial version of Final Cut Studio, Production Suite, or Final Cut Pro 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. Academic and not-for-resale versions are not eligible for this upgrade."

There's absolutely no disqualification of "upgrades to upgrades." As far as I'm concerned, I acquired a commercial version of Studio during an aggressive promotion last year, and I fully expect my upgrade to FCS2 to be honored.

- Loren
Today's FCP 4 / 5 keytip:
Fast scan your clips or timeline with Control-F12 !
Go slower with lower F keys.
Go reverse with F6 down to F2

The FCP KeyGuide?: your power placemat.
Now available at KeyGuide Central.
www.neotrondesign.com

Loren,

The Apple rep I spoke with was definitive. He told me that I had no recourse but to sell my $499 version on Ebay (yes really) and to now order the $699 version.

I am going to pursue this through my credit card company. It's absurd that they should not accept returned software under these circumstances. It's borderline fraud.

If you haven't read the posts below this one under the title: "Serial Numbers for installing FCS2", you might wish to do so.

I, like many others, had no wish to defraud Apple by purchasing a cheaper version. We were clearly mislead by confusing advertising, as pointed out by Graeme Nattress in his post.

But Apple has always been an arrogant outfit. It's just such a drag that they make such great software that we are compelled to buy it.

Best

Harry

That sucks. That REALLY sucks.

So I bought FCP 3, then the upgrade to 4.5, then the upgrade to Studio 1 for $699. So are you saying that I need to buy the $699 upgrade and not the $499 upgrade?

Gah.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

Well, I bought the $499 thinking that I was buying the correct upgrade from the 5.1 (or whatever) recent "crossgrade".

I opened it, called Apple because of the usual serial number problems, and they told me that I had to buy the $699 version and that they would not accept the return of the $499 version. I was advised to sell the $499 version in my possession on Ebay. Really. Truly. I'm not making this up.

So, don't open your software package if you bought the $499 version. Just mail it back to Apple (at your own expense).

Best

Harry

I haven't received mine yet, so I just rang Apple Australia and asked them to confirm if I was buying the correct upgrade for my situation (bought outright original, then upgraded all the way to 5.1 and suite) and he read the website info to me and assured me that I was doing the right thing ordering the cheaper upgrade. His name was Miles at Apple head office Australia.

Was there some kind of academic or NFS version in there for you Harry?

I have followed the same upgrade path as you, Jude. And- no - my version is not academic or anything weird.

I have purchased every upgrade/crossgrade since my original purchase of version 1.25. My most recent upgrade was the "Crossgrade". I imagine that this was the case with you, no? It cost about $50.US.

However, as I stated, I am being told that I have bought the wrong version ($499) and must buy the $699 version and that my $499 version will not be accepted in return as part exchange.

So that's my situation.

Please let me know if you - and apparently there are others out there - have success in installing the $499 version as an upgrade to the recently released $50 "Crossgrade".

Best wishes.

Harry.

Whoops - strike that - I just got a call back from my local store telling me they contacted Apple themselves cause it freaked them out and got told that if you used the crossgrade you have to pay the higher amount for upgrade. They are currently trying to confim this, and agree that it sounds ridicuolus to charge older customers more!

I'll bet Apple is going to get some irate calls soon.

See above.

Well, at least you are confirming the official Apple line as of today.

I have now ordered the $699 version and will dispute the $499 purchase through my credit card company. I think I (and many others) have a good case because, despite the Apple telephone oral statements being kind of "inadmissible", sinc ethey will doubtless deny advising me to buy the $499 version, their advertising has caused confusion to many customers and is currently visible and quotable.

In fact, I'd better take a screen shot before they change the ad copy.

Best

Harry

Wait a minute: Why not enter the ORIGINAL FCP serial number that you had BEFORE your FCS 1 upgrade?

For example: I had FCP 2 (complete stand alone app, not an upgrade), and then I bought the FCS 1 as an upgrade from FCP 2 last year. In fact, I had to enter my FCP 2 serial number into the new upgrade to get FCP 5 and FCS 1 to install last year.

So wouldn't that same FCP 2 serial number work this time for the $499 version? It should. And you guys should have a number like that as well, or you wouldnt have been able to install the FCS 1 upgrade last year.

Is this not following a logical thought-path?

- Christopher

I tried that. It didn't work. And furthermore the Apple guy said that my original FCP version 1.25/2 and 3 etc were hopelessly out of date and redundant.

Harry

Harry

Its late and my eyes are blurry but me thinks you are getting bad information. Let me look again in morning.

Michael Horton
-------------------

You would think that that should work, Chris, but when the Apple shop called me back they specifically said 'Did you take advantage of the crossover upgrade?" which of course I did. Then they started making noises about needing the more expensive upgrade.

None of this is confirmed for me yet, but there is definitely confusion.

Honestly - this verbage is about useless in light of what we have apparently discovered.

""* The upgrade version requires a valid serial number from a commercial version of Final Cut Studio, Production Suite, or Final Cut Pro 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.""

Does this not read ""a VALID serial number from a commercial version of Final Cut Studio or Production Suite or Final Cut Pro 1,2,3,4 or 5?
It sort of implies if you have Final Cut Studio then a serial number for it will work, or if you have Production Suite, a serial number for it or any past version of Final Cut Pro.

Well, as far as I know , you can't have a version of Final Cut Pro 5 if it was not part of Final Cut Studio. Final Cut Pro 4 was part of Production Suite and was also available seperately.

So. just which upgrade versions qualify for $499 and which qualify for $699?

Just posted that on the other thread:

I ordered the FCS1 to FCS2 499(Euro) upgrade as well, took the disks out of the box, run the installer, wask asked for a serial number, entered that one which came with the upgrade's "Installing Your Software" booklet and changed disks until the installation was done (FCP, DVDSP,Motion).
No other request for a serial number at any time.

At what state of the process you're asked to enter the old serial number.
Maybe it worked for me because FCP was already installed.

Andreas

P.S. Though the guy from the Apple Store tried to convince me that I had to send in all installation disks from FCS1, but after he had to aggree that both of us had no idea where to send it he gave up ;-)

I upgraded from a crossgrade version for £329 ($499) with no problems.
I was not asked for any serial no other than the one on the new FCS upgrade box.
Does this mean first time buyers can just buy the upgraded version and get the whole programme or are the disks different?

Maybe it's because the EURO customers have to pay 30% more than the USD customers - so you get a little bit more of convenience.
Seems it's like with air lines - the EURO guys fly business class here ;-)

Andreas

Yes, Michael, perhaps you have the contacts at Apple to get this nonsense fixed once and for all.

harry

Jude Cotter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Whoops - strike that - I just got a call back from
> my local store and got told
> that if you used the crossgrade you have to pay
> the higher amount for upgrade. They are currently
> trying to confim this, and agree that it sounds
> ridicuolus to charge older customers more!

This may possibly sound more plausable since the deal to upgrade to the crossgrade was astounding. I know it just ended but wasn't it something like any version of FCP to 5.1 for $499 and all other combinations cheaper. I paid the obligatory $49.00 to upgrade FCP 5.0 to 5.1 but I believe there were some really good deals to jump up to 5.1 from older version of FCP.

That doesn't relieve Apple from dealng with those of us who have played their game their way.

For those of us who purchased FCP for $999 originally before the fancy stuff and then paid for each upgrade, I would suspect that $499 price is for us.

Never the less! Apple's stated upgrade policy is too vague for normal folks to figure out. In that light, I think it is unfair that Harry has done what Apple suggested and now he has to sell his "mistake" on EBay. That is criminal!!!

Hi all,

I can only confirm what others are saying - I bought the 'cheap' upgrade in the UK and upgraded from FCS 1 which itself was upgraded from FCP v3 (!).

Had to put in new FCS2 serial and previous FCS1 serial and that was it.

No panic here.

Dave

For Mike Horton:

I wasn't worried about this upgrade until reading this thread. I planned on purchasing my upgrade from the link supplied in the sidebar for $474.02 (LAFCPUG price). I have FCStudio and did the sidegrade / disk exchange. Is everyone saying that those of us who sidegraded have to pay $200 more than the others? Maybe when someone gets correct information an official announcement thread may be in order for those of us about to make that step.

Just a thought

- Joey

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Jude reports-

[when the Apple shop called me back they specifically said 'Did you take advantage of the crossover upgrade?" which of course I did. Then they started making noises about needing the more expensive upgrade. ]

Bait and switch is completely unacceptable. Apple's upgrade language is clear and unambiguous-- there's no reference to HOW you achieved a retail version of FCStudio-- only that a valid serial number from a commercial version is required. I own a commercial version of Final Cut Studio 1 with a valid serial number. Period. I expect to upgrade for 499.00.

I've also taken a screen snap of the Apple FCS2 Buy page for reference. Apple must inform its retailers of its stated policy, or risk another class action.

- Loren
Today's FCP 4 / 5 keytip:
Fast scan your clips or timeline with Control-F12 !
Go slower with lower F keys.
Go reverse with F6 down to F2

The FCP KeyGuide?: your power placemat.
Now available at KeyGuide Central.
www.neotrondesign.com

I just updated another machine from FCS1 to FCS2 with the cheep 499 version.
On this machine it asked indeed for the serial number of my old FCS (the old FCS was a sidegrade from FCP 4.5)

Andreas

I've got my screencap. This could suck for Apple. The Better Business Bureau loves to go after large companies Companies have called me personally to apologize so I would pull my complaint. A BBB black mark is bad for a company. Just in case anyone feels slighted, have at it:

[odr.bbb.org]

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Obviously, there must be some sort of mistake here, which will be straightened out soon.

The "Buy" page on the Apple website states that upgrades to Final Cut Studio are $499.00, the only exclusions being "Academic and not-for-resale" versions. The argument could be made that the "crossgrade" version might be considered "not for resale", however, it's pretty clear that phrase refers to "free, promotional copies".

If the courts were to determine that this practice of misleading purchasers was intentional, (especially situations like those reported by Harry) the implications would go far beyond "class action" and criminal charges would end up being filed. This situation will be resolved soon, otherwise people would end up going to jail.

Travis
VoiceOver Guy and Entertainment Technology Enthusiast
[www.VOTalent.com]

Thank goodness for this forum. Now that I know I am not alone and many others are angered and confused by this issue I feel a lot better protected.

Also, I believe that I am protected by my credit card company because I made a purchase at Apple's behest which was in fact the wrong product - and which they are refusing to take back for credit.

I do hope that Michael and/or any of you who have inside contacts with Apple will be able to speak with someone at Apple today.

Surely they have to listen to this level of outcry both here and on the Cow?

Nobody is trying to defraud Apple by buying the cheaper option. I - or we - have, however, been misled by incompetent advertising copy or convoluted policy.

Michael! - and other higher-ups like Graeme! Please use your weight to make a few phone calls.

Best

Harry.

Well there is nothing I can do. I just run a lowly User Group.

The Apple Store says it costs $699 if upgrading from a commercial version of FCP or Production Suite. $499 if upgrading form Final Cut Studio. That means, to me anyway,.... that since your upgrade looks for an ORIGINAL serial number and you've upgraded since FCP 1, 2, 3, 4 or production Suite, it's going to cost you $699. If you bought a full retail version of FCS1 and are now upgrading, it will cost you $499. So the $499 price looks like it applies only to those upgrading from a full retail version of FCS1.

The question now becomes, what was the deal with the crossgrade?

Michael Horton
-------------------