What a nightmare dealing with arogant arturia

[johnallan]

I own three arturia products. Two of which were physically shipped to me and one a 'buy one get one free' download.

Recently I had to reinstall my arturia products due to system issues. I have the dongle, but the two shipped products don't use it and require the serial numbers from the two plastic credit cards they shipped with the products (well I can't find the silly things). The USA distributor contacted Arturia and they provided the serial number for my downloaded product. However they are telling me I don't deserve to have the other two products. Outrageous!!!
They physically shipped these two products to me last year so they have a record they can verify me using. They are just arrogant and refusing to help at all.

Here is their final letter to me (telling me I don't deserve to use the products I paid for) that they sent 10 minutes before shutting their doors and leaving for two weeks until Jan 4th 2010:

Hello John,

Unfortunately, for MiniMg V and ARP2600V, the CD and plastic card (with the serial number) is what you paid for.
(the USB dongle was only included with Prophet V)
That fact that we shipped it to you does not give us the serial numbers.

Since you have lost the plastic cards, you have lost your software licenses.
If you had registered your instruments, we could have retrieved them for you, but we can't do it without.

Sorry,
Sean
Arturia  US

[Dooley]

How does one go about losing something as important as the card with the license on it? How about putting a copy of the license with the software CD?

Why does one not register their licenses for such an eventuality (not to mention to be able to get the free updates)?

I suppose Arturia could have handled it better (as you say, they could search their orders/shipping records), but why someone wouldn't register their products boggles the mind.

[Sweep]

I can see why you're annoyed about this. If I understand this correctly, Arturia should have a record of having shipped the other two items to you. Also you presumably have the CDs, so you can prove your ownership of the software?

I can't understand why you didn't register the software originally, though.

I'd be inclined to use the installation CDs as your proof of ownership, plus any other documentation you may have - for example credit card records of your having made payment to Arturia, or anything like that. It should be possible to provide Arturia with adequate proof.

[akiz]

First of all Merry Xmas to the community!
IMHO to charge Arturia for arrogance is not fair. You are responsible to protect your purchase
and not the seller. You should register your instruments for two very serious reasons: 1: Enter to the company's database as a user/customer and secure your serials that way 2: To get technical support, if need it, since the customer support works that way too. If you've done this step Arturia should solve your loss issue just by searching their database and provide you with the licenses.
Sorry my friend but that's the way it works for the majority of the companies.

Cheers!

[johnallan]

Well thank you to the two individuals who thought it a necessary use of their time on this site to say "you're an idiot and you deserve it". Very helpful.

Yes, I have the original CDs and hard manuals (I just in the last few months threw away the glossy boxes as they were taking up too much room). I had already provided Arturia with all kinds of details surrounding my purchases.

My suspicions are that I did in fact register the products, as I've downloaded and applied updates since the original purchase. However, I can't prove that as my account on Arturia is completely missing. But I shouldn't have been able to get updates unless it existed at some point, correct? However, I don't know of any other software company who would behave in this manner in spite of registration, or would have a system where silly plastic cards and registration are the only method to recover serial numbers. And I have been involved in the software industry at a professional level (non-music related) for a very very long time. This is very definitely NOT the norm for SW vedors.

[akiz]

Neither of us used the term "idiot" or "you deserve it", that was your inference. Probably you wanted us to support this rant but we didn't. You made a mistake, deal with it and don't blame the developer. I spend my time, tried to explain how important is the registration with the software developers these days. If you don't find this helpful enough, then that's why you're in trouble dear friend. I understand your frustration but you have no option at the moment. Why don't you ask (after holidays) from Arturia  to help recover your account, if you had one there will be somewhere in their system. I own licenses from almost all major music software developers and everyone has a registration system, just to name a few : Ableton, Steinberg, Spectrasonics, Native Instruments, EastWest, Waves etc. In general this is absolutely normal way for them to manage the user database.
Good luck!

Cheers!

[Sweep]

Yes, it sounds to me like you must have registered initially, as you've managed to access downloads. As I recall, you have to be registered for that - and it would be a bit strange if that wasn't the case.

What worries me now is, what happens if my house burns down or something like that? I've always assumed Arturia would acknowledge that not only have the computer and the disks gone, but so have the registration cards, and they'd check their records of my registration. But that sounds less likely now, from what's happened to you.

I have printouts of the registration details, and I'll now be moving those to a different building in case the worst ever does happen. But I wonder.

Maybe you were unlucky to get someone unable or unwilling to spend any time checking before the company closed down for the holidays, and they'll be more forthcoming when they re-open. That's to be hoped, anyway. It might have been nice if they'd had someone with access to company records over the holidays for straightforward issues like this one, though.

[Antoine]

Just a quick note to inform we are processing the 'johnallan' problem.

Please have no doubt we never let our users in the mud, even if they post rather aggressive messages. I can understand how frustrating it is to lose usage of legitimately purchased synths, even if we are strictly not responsible of what the user does with his boxes/numbers, as other folks here fairly pointed it.

So John, please check your mailbox. 

[kmarie]

I have a question here, to the supporter staff of Arturia.. How is one to contact you, when the license of a newly bought product is considered INVALID! I cant register my product,  therefore I cant get any help. I have mailed the Arturia webmaster too. dont leave me in the mud.. Help!

 and I dont know how to start a new thread..

[Phil999]

in the 'Technical Issues' sub-forum there is a thread on top dealing with old registrations:

http://www.arturia.com/evolution/smf/index.php?topic=3240.0

Send a personal message to Antoine, he will find a solution.

[guyri]

I think this thread reveals an interesting and uncomfortable subject which sometimes worries me - without the syncrosoft license our various software instruments are worthless. I currently have all my licenses on a single usb key. That key is worth more than my computer.

[johnallan]

Update: 02/28/2010

Antoine says in his post above "Please have no doubt we never let our users in the mud..."
But in direct contrast to what Antoine would like his public personna to be, this is exactly what Antoine and Arturia is doing.

After nearly three months of Arturia ignoring my requests for my serial number for my legitimately owned arturia licenses, interspersed with periodic "tough luck buddy - you bought the plastic card, not rights to use the software" unconscienable responses.

Then Antoine magically found my miniMg license. But, just retreated to their existing position that I shouldn't have my ARP license. And just went back to ignoring my communication. They refuse to look at my proof of ownership (original manuals and CDs for both instruments). Surely finding my MiniMg license that it took me 3 months of insisting before they'd bother to find it, must give my insistence that I have an ARP 2600 license,some credibility.

There stance is just: We gave you one of your licenses, now shut up and go away - you already got more than you deserve.

So, this is the status of today. They are ignoring my requests for my legitimately purchased ARP 2600 license.

Thank god, there is another company that produces an ARP 2600 emulation. And since the other emulation is the one that the original ARP designer (Alan Pearlman) chose to endorse, it's undoubtedly the better emulation.

I had intended to buy Arturia's Mg modular, but how foolish would it be to give this dishonest company any more of my money?

I would rather spend the time I would be battling Arturia, to post hundreds of posts throughout audio forums around the world letting customers and potential customers know what to expect from this company if they are foolish enough to do business with them.

[johnallan]

On March 1st Antoine sent me the serial number for my ARP 2600 software.
Due to being away from home and my email I didn't see it until this weekend (three weeks later).
I downloaded the ARP 2600 V2 update and combined with my original ARP2600 CD and the serial number Antoine provided I was able to successfully install the ARP 2600 V2 software.
As I told Antoine, this has been a very emotional experience for me, as the real ARP 2600 was the 2nd synthesizer I owned (traded in a Mg sonic six for it back in about 1975), I kept it for about 12 years.
It is wonderful to have my 2600 back. (although if I bump the software the spring reverb doesn't explode like the real thing)

Anyway, that's the status. Arturia needs a team with more Antoines.
It shouldn't have taken Arturia 6 months to care enough to retrieve my license, but without Antoine I never would have seen it again.

Thank you Antoine!
John

[Phil999]

glad it all went fine. Thanks for telling us the 'happy end'.

I never owned a 2600, but I can understand what such a synthesizer can mean if one owns it for a long time.