CCleaner Pro "Lifetime" Licence - why has it expired?

[mta]

sadly, it's very common for them with that behaviour.

actually, you could argue that you are lucky they chimed in at all - it is usually that rare.
 

[Kuktar]

On 11/26/2018 at 19:13, yourfutureex said:

I'm loving how they will give you a 50% discount on Pro for Cyber Monday but they marked it up so high that it's still $19.95.  I'm about to uninstall my free copy.  These people have no ethics. 

 

3 minutes ago, mta said:

sadly, it's very common for them with that behaviour.

actually, you could argue that you are lucky they chimed in at all - it is usually that rare.
 

 

11 hours ago, KAZiBA said:

Agreed. The least they can do is aknowledge the situation and compensate those affected.

I agree with all three. Its questionable tactics. I am glad the tech commented, I just wish it was something useful. Short of lying in the comment it's really not useful of they are forcing a new policy on old users. 

[Morisato]

The applicable solution to this miscommunication going forward would be:

1. 1-year subscription as compensation for not clarifying to consumers about yearly subscription since it was hidden within the fine print.*

2. 75% off one-time use 1-year subscription.*

3. An apology

*Needs to provide legit receipt to be marked off

Think that receipts going forward should state yearly subscription so there is no further miscommunication and excuse to say "it was in the fine print"

[TFL1]

Is it just me? Or...

Well, I was going to buy it, but now? I guess not. I don't see the point of "subscribing" to something that does not progress. This isn't a newspaper or a magazine.

Adobe was hard enough to swallow.

[hazelnut]

Re the above post.

See here for info regarding this offer from Codesdepot

https://forum.piriform.com/topic/51806-is-this-legitimate/

 

[Derek_S]

Well, having said I couldn't find a EULA on my installion disc, or in the installation folder on my PC, I realised this week that there is actually a copy in the options section of the user interface. I still cannot see anything in there that would suggest my copy is subject to an annual subscription though. As far as I was concerned when I bought it, it was advertised as a one off payment. I wouldn't be so sure the one advertised by Codes Depot isn't legitimate. They are certainly not the only retailer under the impression what they are selling is not a subscription product.

Interestingly, I received an email inviting me to upgrade to the latest version a couple of days ago. It was headed:

Introducing CCleaner v5.50, 

to boost your slowing PC

 

I know from previous experience that if I followed that link and downloaded it, I would be told my license has expired. On the other hand, in the past, if I ignored the email and used the program itself to check for updates it usually updates itself in a matter of seconds without a problem. Iwas a bit apprehensive considering the contents of this discussion but decided to go ahead as I do have a full system backup made each day to an external hard drive. I took the plunge, and it upgraded without a hitch as usual.

 

[Eagle Beak]

So the plot thickens. I believe that Avast has really screwed the pooch on this one. As I said, I searched through all the terms and conditions that I could find on the website and could not find any reference to a yearly subscription. I don't believe any court on earth would rule in their favour, no matter how much money they tipped into it. The negative publicity that they are bringing on themselves will not only trash the reputation of CCleaner but blowback on Avast and anything that they have their fingers in, after all, they are selling security products and behaving like malware. I for one will be spreading the word about their ethics.

[Andavari]

1 hour ago, Eagle Beak said:

I for one will be spreading the word about their ethics.

Even bad press would help them. Look at how many tech giants misbehave, and suits against them is mere pocket change.

[KAZiBA]

@Ben Piriform This new development calls for a proper response. 

[Sonartech]

"Proper response?"

Yeah, they'll promise not to give a crap even harder.  I'm pretty sure Avast! couldn't care less.  Their silence is deafening enough.

[JasonV]

damn, thought I was the only one.. I feel f*cking cheated. uninstalling this shxt

[JasonV]

On 5-12-2018 at 00:06, KAZiBA said:

@Ben Piriform This new development calls for a proper response. 

!!!!

[Sonartech]

SsssshHHH!!  You'll wake up the Piriform Crickets!

 

[Dennis Mulder]

+1 on this nonsense. I bought the product a bit over a year ago under the impression I bought a perpetual license. 

Really bad press.... I used to recommend this product a lot. 

[KAZiBA]

On 6.1.2019 at 02:34, Dennis Mulder said:

+1 on this nonsense. I bought the product a bit over a year ago under the impression I bought a perpetual license. 

Really bad press.... I used to recommend this product a lot. 

We all purchased the product under that impression. Even 'cleverbridge' who sold the product believed so. They've corrected the error now, of course. Now it says 1-year subscription unless you check the box for auto-renewal.

What baffles me though is they won't even utter as much as an apology to those who fell victim to their miscommunication before it was rectified!

[Sonartech]

Yeah, SIX YEARS' worth of miscommunication!  All they've done was effectively ensured that none of the people who actually paid for the software will ever give them any more money.  I know I won't.  Companies like Avast bïtch and moan and software piracy, then treat their paying customers like cräp - and then have the audacity to wonder why people pirate their software.  They're just proving once again that common sense ain't so common anymore.

 

 

[AngelusBlaze]

I have to concur with most of the people here, when I purchased the Piriform Suite, even the website specifically said that I was purchasing the professional software, not a subscription. The website does in fact now specifically say they are selling subscriptions, but in the past it did not. The original sale of this product was for the product itself with automatic updates and tech support, lifetime. 

It's extremely scummy when companies do this to their customers and it happens way too often in this industry. Your software is going the way of StarWars The Old Republic, into the trash can. 

PS: The [censored] popup ad for the Pro Plus package (Which is what a lot of us bought) still does not say anything about a subscription. It's not until the next page that there's a mention of it, and it's not particularly noticeable 

Edited February 2, 2019 by Nergal

[Nergal]

While I understand that this creates a frustrating situation for many of you, but please keep the discussion free of swear words, I have edited the above post accordingly. This is this thread's one warning.  Inappropriate language is not allowed on this site.

[Kuktar]

1 minute ago, Nergal said:

While I understand that this creates a frustrating situation for many of you, but please keep the discussion free of swear words, I have edited the above post accordingly. This is this thread's one warning.  Inappropriate language is not allowed on this site.

Wow mods and devs so quick to enforce rules but any kind if response regarding the theft of our money goes silent. Lol it would have been better to ignore the above post for nergal.

[mta]

@kuktar,

it may surprise you that Devs have never posted on this forum to my knowledge and Mods are simply forum housekeepers and in no way are Piriform lackies, in fact, you'll find we are their biggest critics.  So yes, you'll find us jumping right onto any rule breaches - that's our job!

and Yes, the Admin staff very often remain silent when a quick response would help smooth troubled waters, but for reasons that defy my logic, they do not use this forum as the user interaction medium it could be.

 

[Kuktar]

10 hours ago, mta said:

@kuktar,

it may surprise you that Devs have never posted on this forum to my knowledge and Mods are simply forum housekeepers and in no way are Piriform lackies, in fact, you'll find we are their biggest critics.  So yes, you'll find us jumping right onto any rule breaches - that's our job!

and Yes, the Admin staff very often remain silent when a quick response would help smooth troubled waters, but for reasons that defy my logic, they do not use this forum as the user interaction medium it could be.

 

Well said. I wish they would use this just to help us understand. It could go a long way. They are not the first company to be bought by a bigger company and then change the business model to make more money. It's not even the price that upsets me. It's the transparency and lack of engagement with some loyal users.

[mecheng03]

I've had a two copies of PC CCleaner Professional since 2013 on computers that I still use.  I can guarantee you it was sold as lifetime purchase.  I know its "pics or it didn't happen"...  My receipt at the time shows just "Professional" which makes me think they've been planning this for a while.  Maybe build up their infrastructure with honest clients and then flip it on its head after 5 years. 

Not a lawyer but here's gobbledygook from my purchase at the time which is non-specific all get out.

I look forward to my pittance in the class action lawsuit in 5-10 years...

Information on Payment, Delivery and Performance.pdf

[mecheng03]

On 11/9/2018 at 04:17, Ben Piriform said:

I think I need to clarify a couple more things. As previously mentioned we currently and always have offered CCleaner under one license term (which is 1 year in length), we do however offer two options for renewal. These are Manual renewal whereby a customer can choose to pay and extend their license at their discresion. The second being the subscription renewal (we started selling these in Feb-18) whereby the customer is billed automatically and the license term extended automatically every year. They are reminded via email of this seven days prior to taking payment and given the option to cancel it.

Finally we are not pushing our exisitng customers onto subscription renewals, this is a decision they have to make themselves if they renew.

@Ben Piriform 

Never sold as "term"

[Derek_S]

Yes. There's clearly not any hint of any further payment required, just as my box purchase didn't mention that either.

I'm still able to update mine free of charge though and haven't received any nag screen. I just can't do a clean install on my wife's tablet anymore, which I should be able to:

 

 

[sheitmar]

I've been using the free version of CCleaner for many years and have enjoyed it. I finally decided I wanted to support Piriform and purchase the Professional version, but then when I saw the cost and that it was only a yearly subscription I decided against it. I don't ever recall seeing anything related to subscriptions in the past so I decided to do some digging. Now that I've seen his thread though, I'm glad I took a pass. I went all the way to the actual billing page before I even noticed that it was only a subscription.