Softwaremedia.com -- They Had the Recently Obsolete Software I Needed
Written: Mar 19 '08
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Our company needed Microsoft Office 2003 … not easy to find when the newer Microsoft Office 2007 is being sold. My usual online buying sources had depressing messages such as “Out of Stock” or “No Longer in Inventory”. That is when I decided to order from Softwaremedia.com.
Navigating the Site
URL: softwaremedia.com … The website’s tagline is: Your one stop software shop.
At the Top
The typical links are found along the top of the webpage: View Cart, My Account, Order Tracking, Contact, About, Resellers, Policies, FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). There is also a Search Box.
To the Left
The left side of the page is a confusing vertical list of interactive buttons that say such things as: Free Shipping, SoftwareMedia Tribune (subscribe), Reviews & Credentials, Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, ac Department, Customer Advantage Program, Hacker Safe, etc. This list is meant to impress the visitor.
In the Middle
The center of the Home Page is filled with graphics depicting various software packages. At the moment Microsoft products are dominating the page along with Adobe CS3, and Corel Draw Graphics Suite X3. When one clicks on a product, the center of the page changes to show the product with a description and pricing.
To the Right
The right side of the page is more useful. It contains three sections: Categories, Downloads and Manufacturers. For instance, the Categories list includes: Business & Productivity – Photos, Design & Publishing – Operating Systems – Programming & Development – Reference & Education – Security & Utilities – Clearance Software – Video & Audio Multimedia – Macintosh Software – Software Licensing.
The Downloads section includes: Acronis, CA, Nuance, Roxio, Symatec … all downloadable software. Or you can explore the site by manufacturer name. Some examples include: ACT, Adobe, Apple, Borland, FileMaker, H&R Block, Intuit, Macromedia, McAfee, Nero, Norton, Quark, Sage Software, Sony Creative Software, Veritas, VMware.
Along the Bottom
More interactive buttons run along the bottom of the page. They are pretty much the same as the buttons along the left of the page, though they sport a different look. Many of the buttons feature sits that somehow endorse or mention Softwaremedia.com.
Let’s Go Shopping
I knew the software I wanted to purchase. So I typed “Office 2003” into the search box at the top of the page. Microsoft Office Suite 2003 immediately popped up on the page. The site offers six editions of this product (Ex: Office 2003 Professional, Office 2003 Basic, Office 2003 Small Business). They also had the version we needed: Office 2003 Standard. I clicked on the link for the version I wanted. A new page appeared that listed the full version of the product or an upgrade version. The pricing ($375.00) was the same for both versions. I thought this a good price considering that Staples.com was asking $399.99 for the software and did not have it in stock.
The website included a brief one-paragraph overview of the product. Beside a small image of each product, it listed the package type (in my case: Retail), and that it was in stock and could ship free. If I wanted, I could also email the product page to a friend or colleague.
Clicking on the link for the Office 2003 Standard full version software, opened a page with a more detailed description with product features and specifications. I was disappointed that the information was sketchy. A link at the bottom of the page stated: “Read Product Reviews”. I clicked on it, hoping to garner more information. There were two short reviews of the product from people who had visited the website to post their experiences using the software. If I was not as familiar with the product as I was, I would have wanted to do more research before buying it from Softwaremedia.com.
A nice feature of the website, is that on the product page, you can type in your zip code to view Shipping Options and Pricing. Doing this told me that Ground Shipping (5-7 days) was free, Expedited Shipping (2-3 days) cost $10.00, Overnight Afternoon Shipping cost $30.00, and Overnight Morning Shipping cost $40.00. Our company needed the software faster than ground shipping, so we opted to pay the $10.00 for Expedited shipping. To add a product to the shopping cart, click the orange button that says “Add to Cart”.
Now I admit that I was cautious about purchasing from an online store I had not purchased from before. I checked them at the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website. The BBB website listed them as a “BBB Accredited Business” since May 2003 (the company was incorporated in 2001). The website said the BBB had processed 14 complaints within the last 3 years, and that 8 of those complaints had been closed within the last year. The BBB website provided brief details regarding the complaints. I was still a bit hesitant, so I took one more step.
During the online ordering process is an area for comments. I typed the following: “We must receive the Office 2003 Standard Edition (full version) in retail packaging. This is the only software version we can use. If this is not available, please let us know. No substitutions. Thank you.”
Checking Out & Payment
Before checking out, there is the option of changing the product quantity and shipping option. If you have a coupon or promotional code, you can type it into the appropriate box. The page clearly states the price of the product, tax (zero in our case), shipping fees, and lists the order total. If you are happy with the selections, click the “Check Out” button.
I opted to proceed through the checkout without creating an account. Returning customers can sign in with their email address and password. The rest of the screens are typical of the online shopping experience. I provided the shipping address, contact information, and had to create a password for my transaction.
In our instance, we used a credit card that had a different address than the shipping address. I had no problem doing this, and was pleased that the website asked for the code on the back of the credit card. Softwaremedia.com accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, and SoftwareMedia.com gift certificates. They also offer the option of printing their order form, filling it out and sending it with a check or money order (the mailing address is in Utah).
I already mentioned the shipping fees. If you are interested, the website says shipping to Canada and Puerto Rico typically takes 2-3 business days and prices vary. Saturday delivery is available, but you must phone Softwaremedia.com for availability and details.
After placing the order, I received a confirmation email that detailed the purchase. It also included an order number and contact information (including a toll-free phone number) should I need to contact them. I didn’t. Later the same day, I received a second email stating the order had been shipped and that I could log into Softwaremedia.com to track the progress of the shipment.
Return Policy
Softwaremedia.com is big on advertising their “No Hassle Returns”. Once the software is received, the clock starts ticking. You have 10 days to decide whether to keep it. If unsatisfied, fill out the product return form. Within three business days, they will send a pre-paid FedEx air bill for return of the merchandise. Of course there are a few caveats. The software cannot have been activated, registered, damaged or “otherwise unsaleable”.
Receiving the Package
The package arrived one day ahead of their estimated schedule! It came in two business days via FedEx Express Saver. The software was in retail packaging and plastic shrink-wrapped. The software also had the Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity on the box. The software box was placed loose inside the FedEx shipping box. There was no packaging material, and I could hear the software box shifting inside the packaging as I opened the FedEx box. The software is fine, though. The retail box is undamaged.
Included with the shipment was a one-sheet Order Summary. The summary included the product and pricing as well as the note I had typed in on the website. It was reassuring to see that someone had highlighted in yellow my note so that it was highly visible to whoever packaged my order.
Summary
I’m pleased with our purchase from Softwaremedia.com. They shipped the product we asked for, the pricing was good, shipping costs were reasonable, and the shipment arrived in a timely fashion. Our company is happy.
I hope you found this review useful.
Enjoy the day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com
Please read my other reviews:
BestBuy Online Store
Buy.com Online Store
Circuit City Online Store
NewEgg.com Online Store
Staples.com Online Store
StaplesLink.com Online Store (for business purchases)
W.B. Mason Online Store
BJs Warehouse Club
Pogo.com Online Games
Copyright 2008 Dawn L. Stewart
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Microsoft Office software
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