s2Member Pro purchase, refund request

Hello,

Can you help me with an s2Member Pro purchase, refund question?

I purchased s2Member less than 30 days ago.

I’ve read the policy and I would like to know if I qualify for a refund.

I can install the product but I realize now that I need to pay a PHP/MySQL programmer to understand how to use s2Member.

I’m a WordPress user not a WordPress, PHP, MySQL programmer. I purchase plugins to accomplish tasks, not to find more work to do to use the plugin. s2Member, as a product, requires much more knowledge than the everyday WordPress site owner has.

This is one of the few plugins I’ve used in WordPress where I need to live in the customer support forum to find answers to understand how to use the plugin.

I’ve invested many hours in the video series and many hours in the forums and on Google.

I’m tired.

s2member has exhausted me and using it consumes too much of my time every day.

Can you please contact me regarding refunding this purchase.

Thank you for your consideration.

Chris

http://www.s2member.com/terms/#s2-terms-refund-policy

Customer Service / Refund Policy

REFUND POLICY / DIGITAL GOODS

Since s2Member® is offering non-tangible, irrevocable, digital goods; we generally do NOT issue refunds. During checkout, upon clicking the “Submit” button, your purchase is charged to the credit/debit card that you supplied. All sales are final. You cannot cancel a purchase or receive a refund for a purchase. Please test the free version of our products before purchasing.

However, we will consider a refund within the first 30 days of your purchase, if you are unable to install a Product. Or, if the Product fails to perform basic functions, as designed. And, you HAVE already worked with, and followed all advice presented by our support team, in an effort to resolve these issues. Any refunds that are processed, will be granted at the sole discretion of s2Member®. No refunds will be given after 30 days from the initial purchase whatsoever. By purchasing a Product at s2Member.com, you agree to the terms of our Refund Policy. You cannot cancel a purchase or receive a refund for a purchase.

Thanks for your inquiry.

As stated, we do NOT offer refunds for digital goods. If you are having difficulty, we will certainly be happy to assist in any way that we can. You might take a look at the video tutorials on this page:
s2Member® » Video Tutorials

Is there something in particular that you’re trying to accomplish? What is causing a problem for you? If you can show us that s2Member has failed to perform as advertised, we will be happy to review this refund request again.

I for one think the refund policy is BS. S2Member is not easy to use. It’s hard to know in advance where the stumbling blocks are going to be, even if you spend a lot of time investigating upfront (I know I did). Being stingy about refunds creates unhappy customers. Especially toward customers who have poured hours upon hours in trying to figure out the product.

I’m using s2member because I purchased it, but if I had known the pain and limitations involved in getting things to work, I would have not purchased. I’m stuck using s2member now (sunk cost), I think the code is solid, the flexibility excellent and the documentation extensive, but I wouldn’t recommend the plugin for 2 reasons: the refund policy is customer-unfriendly and disrespectful and just the sheer amount of information and work that goes into getting things setup, it’s a big hidden cost.

I find it really hard to justify the refund policy as it stands. At the very least have a 30 day trial for the pro version if you don’t want to deal with administrative hassle of refunding people.

It’s crazy with all the membership solutions out there for WordPress, all of them seem to be stuck in mediocrity on some level or another. For S2Member it’s the refund policy and the fact that setting it all up is time intensive, labour intensive and not fun to do. I hope someone creates something better to be honest. There’s so much room for improvement in this space.

Jason,

s2Member is a program made for programmers. Yes, there are videos–I’ve spent HOURS inside of them after I get frustrated searching Google and the massive s2Member forums, trying to find where and how to do everything s2Member advertises it does–and more importantly everything s2Member SHOULD do from a USER perspective.

I echo (not a PHP “echo”–just a repeat) Peter R above.

Almost every tool on the internet has a 30 day period after purchase where a new user can REALLY get their feet wet. Even with that (unfortunately) s2Member is so vast and comprehensive it takes a few months to learn that s2Member is not really owner friendly.

And I also echo the tragic truth that most membership systems embrace mediocrity while s2Member ebraces PHP/MySQL programmers.

And lastly it is bald arrogance not refunding a purchase within the 30 day period and pointing to a purchase policy.

Your $ 116.00 non-refund energizes me to let anyone and everyone know two things.

1. S2Member is a superlative website membership choice IF you have deep PHP/MySQL abilities or staff. Otherwise it’s an owner’s nightmare were just using it requires a weekly adventure into the s2Member forums and deep Google searching.

2. I will do my best to promote the knowledge that s2Member has no competitor. And competition is the best thing for making a product better. So while you enjoy the $ 116.00 I paid for the s2Member Pro version, please remember the classic idea that nature abhors a vacuum. And there is a gaping vaccuum in the WordPress, membership management application world. I hope somebody with the right capital will come along and grab this absolutely huge market.

Lastly, for anyone reading this thread, yes–s2Member is the defacto standard for WordPress member management systems. And it is a sad defacto. It works 100% “as advertised.” But it is an arrogantly managed application geared towards programmers and not users. The purpose of WordPress is lost in the minds of s2Member. WordPress was designed (AND SUCCEEDS because of this) for NON-PROGRAMMERS who want to USE the internet, and USE websites–not manage them and live behind the code curtain trying to get things done.

If anyone wants to know the closest competitor it is this http://member.wishlistproducts.com/.

No, it cannot do everything that s2Member does. Nothing can–today.

But if you’re looking for a user friendly membership management application then the Wishlist Products membership platform is the only choice for you.

If you love programming, and tinkering and using Hooks, and custom APIs, then by all means live inside s2Member–it’s designed for you.

However if you want a membership manager system for your WordPress website because you use your website and prefer not to manage your website–run, don’t walk–run to wishlist.

Christopher
Former s2Member Advocate and Frequent Forum Searcher