Microsoft Office Online

You would think the richest company in the world could afford to provide products such as MS Office for free with Windows (considering the cost it adds to buying a computer).

I can't throw the full blame on MS because the $#*!ed monopoly lawsuits essentially made it illegal for MS to offer common sense products with its operating system (such as free spyware protection, virus protection and MS Officer)

I do blame MS for installing a trail version of Norton on every system. Norton is so hard to remove, I classify it as spyware.

Where do I begin? Back in February I went to the MS office online store to simply purchase a download for the Windows 10 Operating System (OS). At the threshold the buyer must provide all the information to pay and process the download. I expected an easy procedure to accomplish the purchase, As I began, I discovered I needed the assistance of a
"chat" representative. The response was prompt but largely unhelpful. After some time had passed the rep decided I needed to delete data to provide space for the download on my HP Athlon silver laptop,

After, sometime I was able to delete enough data to accommodate Windows 10. When that was unsuccessful a new rep suggested I dispatch a screen shot of the page causing the chokehold. Now I was told that because of my security system and incompatibility I would need to acquire another computer, a flash drive and delete significant data from the subject HP Athlon. I was preparing to travel for a month and explained that process was not available to me and I requested a simple refund of the $32,00 they charged.

MS declined the refund, offered a credit in the online store (for which I had no use) and discontinued any efforts to provide a solution. I filed a complaint with PayPal and the Better Business Bureau. During the PayPal attempted resolution MS accused me of fraud (a defamatory assertion) and claimed they could not re-use their product therefore I was further denied a refund. I explained their loss was illusory, since I too couldn't use the OS and I had actually suffered a monetary loss by paying for something I did not receive. Ultimately the PayPal resolution process, which was unhelpful and only consisted of pointless cross arguments in email exchanges closed the complaint and false claims that I didn't respond. MS relied on its own adhesion policy to deny a refund and by extension provided a service that was unmerchantable and outside what is commonplace in the industry. I encourage to buyers to beware of contacts with the MS store.

Date of experience: March 09,2024