Complaint about Zero Down Time for iLok

[garylreed]

Excuse me, a first time poster, for venting but I've just had an experience with iLok that I find unbelievable. I purchased and installed an Eleven Rack almost two months ago. Great product and I love Pro Tools, particularly compared to my previous DAW software. So, a couple of weeks ago, my iLok starts to malfunction, intermittently at first and now it's not working at all. So, as ridiculous and distasteful as I found it, I purchased a new iLok with a ZDT plan along with overnight shipping for the iLok. I received the new iLok today, and began the process of creating an RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) on iLok.com. When I submitted the form, I was told that I would have to pay $100 to immediately get a temporary license for Pro Tools or wait another five days for the ZDT cooling off period to expire. I was incredulous and sent the following email to iLok support.

I feel it's my obligation to share my experience with others to maybe help someone else make a more informed decision about buying a product that uses iLok.

--------
Dear iLok,

You've got to be kidding me. I purchase a new iLok and ZDT plan, pay for overnight shipping for the iLok, and now you tell me I have to pay you another $100 to use what I JUST purchased from you. I now realize there's a 7 day cooling off period in the "small print" of the agreement. This is an absurd way to treat a new customer who is dealing with YOUR defective product. Now I have to wait another FIVE days to use my recording studio. The state of Oregon has consumer advocacy groups which I will be reporting you too. I used them on another occasion and they were remarkably effective. You have a VERY poor reputation for customer service and product quality in the marketplace and now I know why. I'm also going to report this to Avid and let them know I've got two friends who are considering purchasing their Eleven Rack product but I'm going to do my best to dissuade them because of the nightmare of dealing with iLok.

[garylreed]

In regards to me telling iLok that my iLok is defective, I forget to mention that I spent a few hours in total trying to diagnose this problem before concluding that the iLok is broken. For example, I uninstalled then reinstalled the iLok driver and driver helper software. I tried the iLok on three other computers. I went as far as to purchase and install a new PCI USB 2.0 four port bus which works great with all of my other USB devices.

[Emcha_audio]

I know you feel anger at the moment because of the hassle. Unfortunately getting products that are defective happens to every one, and I know that telling you that one of the ilok I still have, I have since 2002 wont change a thing for you, but unfortunately it's true. Like you might buy a product over the net that worked fine, if you bought an other one you might end up with a doa or one that fails right afterwards while the first one you bought works fine, it happens with probably all products. I think the 100$ fee you are getting is because you didn't have the plan prior to purchasing the second Ilok, if you had bought the plan before your ilok failed, you wouldn't have had a fee beside the transfer fee I think. Can't tell since my iloks never failed on me yet.

I know it's a pain, but 5 days is not that long.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by garylreed

Excuse me, a first time poster, for venting but I've just had an experience with iLok that I find unbelievable. I purchased and installed an Eleven Rack almost two months ago. Great product and I love Pro Tools, particularly compared to my previous DAW software. So, a couple of weeks ago, my iLok starts to malfunction, intermittently at first and now it's not working at all. So, as ridiculous and distasteful as I found it, I purchased a new iLok with a ZDT plan along with overnight shipping for the iLok. I received the new iLok today, and began the process of creating an RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) on iLok.com. When I submitted the form, I was told that I would have to pay $100 to immediately get a temporary license for Pro Tools or wait another five days for the ZDT cooling off period to expire. I was incredulous and sent the following email to iLok support.

I feel it's my obligation to share my experience with others to maybe help someone else make a more informed decision about buying a product that uses iLok.

--------
Dear iLok,

You've got to be kidding me. I purchase a new iLok and ZDT plan, pay for overnight shipping for the iLok, and now you tell me I have to pay you another $100 to use what I JUST purchased from you. I now realize there's a 7 day cooling off period in the "small print" of the agreement. This is an absurd way to treat a new customer who is dealing with YOUR defective product. Now I have to wait another FIVE days to use my recording studio. The state of Oregon has consumer advocacy groups which I will be reporting you too. I used them on another occasion and they were remarkably effective. You have a VERY poor reputation for customer service and product quality in the marketplace and now I know why. I'm also going to report this to Avid and let them know I've got two friends who are considering purchasing their Eleven Rack product but I'm going to do my best to dissuade them because of the nightmare of dealing with iLok.

----

None of this should have been a surprise. ZDT is "insurance" you can't buy it after you have a failure or loss.

But I'm not sure why you are doing what what you are doing: Yes its likely very inconvenient it failed but it is covered by warranty and instructions on how to do a warranty return is on iLok's web site. Its not hard to read/follow that.... you create an RMA and just send the faulty iLok to them. They mail you back another one (or drop a license key in you account if you prefer that so you can download it to a spare iLok you have). They take a credit card number but if the iLok is not physically damaged/abused they'll send you one back under warranty. Yes you are usually out shipping costs.

You don't need ZDT for any of the above to happen, ZDT just gives you a temporary (time expiring) license to download, by not having ZDT you lose a few days of downtime without a license (and may be more inclined to have to send the iLok express shipping).

Avid and iLok are unlikely to care about your complaint. Ah reporting them to the State of Oregon? For what? For you purchasing ZDT when you didn't need to? (remember when they come by to interview you about this urgent crisis you want them to raid the Avid headquarters in Massachusetts and cart away Gary Greenfield, make sure they take two pair of 'cuffs because Greenfield looks a big guy. Ask them if you can go along and take photos of the arrest. Sigh.).

Avid have been using iLoks for years and have increased the use starting with Pro Tools 9. A move most users likely celebrated as a part of moving away from locking licensing to Digidesign interfaces. And many audio plugin vendors use them. Many of us actually like the portability/cross platform support of an iLok.

You need to understand your options, pre-purchase ZDT if you want that, have a spare iLok on hand and make sure your property/contents/loss insurance covers them as well (iLok will not replace a lost dongle, Avid is unlikely to unless there is a special case like a police documented burglary, but ZDT will only give you a temporary replacement).

Darryl

[garylreed]

Thanks to the previous two posters for giving me some perspective. I guess I'm still in the cooling off period. Sorry, bad pun... I can see your points. I still find it remarkable that a $30 a year service requires a seven day cooling off period. It's not like I just signed a mortgage or something.

However, I admit, the "I'm reporting this to an Oregon consumer advocacy department" is over the top. I won't be doing that.

Also, they're selling what should be an automated software process - generate and download temporary licenses. I can't see where there would need to be any human intervention involved. They still have to replace the physical device either way. The "purchase the insurance policy after the fact" case has limited merit to me.

At any rate, I still think this is a poor way for iLok to treat their customers.

Thanks again for you input.

[bacchus40]

seriously!?? like o.m.g.

saw this happen to another member a while back...

amazing its so hard to understand how ZDT works... ahh well.. no biggie..

send it back.. get new one.. wait 5 days, n' get your licence back... where's the issue!?? unless you're working on your next Gold album, it should be alright i think, noh!?

[phatbeatstudio]

Why do they offer overnight shipping if he cant use it when it gets there



Cant you remove the ilok off the account and just load the new one

[phatbeatstudio]

Use the free 30 day PT

[bacchus40]

kinda chicken before the egg scenario.. but had he ZDT prior to purchasing it...
yes, he could have made use of said brand new ilok as soon as it arrived...

it seems noh, the account asset is locked within the ilok it was downloaded to...
so you cant just dump yer license on another and sell it.! savvy?

[Southsidemusic]

[QUOTE=Darryl Ramm;1973053]----

None of this should have been a surprise. ZDT is "insurance" you can't buy it after you have a failure or loss.
Avid and iLok are unlikely to care about your complaint. Ah reporting them to the State of Oregon? For what? For you purchasing ZDT when you didn't need to? (remember when they come by to interview you about this urgent crisis you want them to raid the Avid headquarters in Massachusetts and cart away Gary Greenfield, make sure they take two pair of 'cuffs because Greenfield looks a big guy. Ask them if you can go along and take photos of the arrest. Sigh.).


Haha.. Love it!