Good program horrible support

[Jeadupree]

I used Scrivener for a long while. It helped to organize a complex project that i was working on at the time. Since then, my Windows os crumpled and i started using linux.

I finally return to Windows, and was very excited to jump back into using Scrivener. But when i searched, i could find no record of my serial number. Scrivener support says that they cannot find my email in their system. Adding to that, they have changed payment systems several times in the last two years, so they have no way of tracking my purchase. In the old days, one would have a physical package listing their serial number. These days we rely on email and customer service to keep track of such things. Both have failed me. I have proof of purchase, but that does not matter to their financial team. I refuse to buy this product a second time since the support is so horrible. My advice? Be very careful.

[lunk]

Why not use the new beta version, and buy version 3 when it arrives?

[Silverdragon]

When buying software online, I learned a long time ago to keep at least three copies of any activation key. This is essential, and I learned it the hard way by having to purchase a software package twice (that was much more expensive than Scrivener!). Such keys are often tied to email addresses (which change) or to the way I typed in my name when I purchased (Did I use a middle initial? Full middle name? Did I buy over the phone and the clerk got my name wrong?)

I'm sorry to hear that you, too, have had to learn this life lesson the hard way, and with Scrivener.

[AmberV]

We only last year switched to a new vendor after the old one (of over a decade) went out of business. We have not changed payment systems “several times in the last two years”.

In the old days, one would have a physical package listing their serial number. These days we rely on email and customer service to keep track of such things.

It would probably benefit you to print out important emails then. I would encourage, for the sake of environment, developing a digital solution to protect important information—but do what works for you.

Relying on the company you bought it from is a risky way of handling things, and will perhaps be more so as time goes on. For example, our old vendor took up the practice of purging older records completely, to better comply with privacy laws. Perhaps that is what happened in your case? This is a risk to consider.

That said, we’ll certainly do our best to help you keep this information available, but we cannot promise to—we do not store your purchase information ourselves, for those very same privacy law matters. Sorry that in this case it appears we could not.

I have proof of purchase, but that does not matter to their financial team.

The proof of purchase we send out is the very same document that contains your serial number—so something seems to be amiss here.

[The One True Nobody]

My personal method is to keep a special archive folder in my e-mail that contains all purchase confirmation and serial code e-mails and then to make sure to forward them all to my new address when I change addresses. But that's more because I'm horrible at not losing physical documents--I've had to scour my room for my birth certificate several times already and am already using a replacement as it is. If you do not have that problem, then always, by gum, keep physical copies of your serial codes SOMEWHERE.

Sorry you lost your code, but please be aware that if the records on support side no longer exist, even the best support department won't be able to help you. And Amber is quite correct; there has only been one change in vendors. It's one thing to voice a complaint, but please don't spread misinformation in the process.

[RHvdG]

I used Scrivener for a long while. It helped to organize a complex project that i was working on at the time. Since then, my Windows os crumpled and i started using linux.

I finally return to Windows, and was very excited to jump back into using Scrivener. But when i searched, i could find no record of my serial number. Scrivener support says that they cannot find my email in their system. Adding to that, they have changed payment systems several times in the last two years, so they have no way of tracking my purchase. In the old days, one would have a physical package listing their serial number. These days we rely on email and customer service to keep track of such things. Both have failed me. I have proof of purchase, but that does not matter to their financial team. I refuse to buy this product a second time since the support is so horrible. My advice? Be very careful.

Scrivener is very cheap. You've misplaced your proof of purchase. I'd buy a new license and not give it another thought.

[Kinsey]

I have had the opposite experience to the OP of Literature and Latte's support, both on the forum and through the dedicated support channels. I have found it consistently to be excellent.