Seems to me it's a "just in time support" tax. If a business doesn't need support for 2 years but then decides to get support and use the TAC service, then they're paying for what they're using. To charge customers a tax because they didn't require the service or support for 2 years is just large Multinationals pork barrelling and over-inflating their annuity numbers.
I've spoken to the Office of Fair trade on this matter and they seem to share my view (that's its unreasonable, however fair trade is really a mediation service it appears) Hoping to have a conversation later in the week with the ACCC. I do seriously question the legality of the charge under Australian consumer law. I suspect this is a North American policy. Regards, Peter Tiggerdine GPG Fingerprint: 2A3F EA19 F6C2 93C1 411D 5AB2 D5A8 E8A8 0E74 6127 On Tue, Apr 24, 2018 at 6:47 PM, Robert Hudson <hud...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Peter, > > This is relatively common in the IT Industry in a number of hardware types > (servers, storage, network gear) as well as for software. > > I'm sure there are arguments for and against it - I personally dislike the > practice, and I'd really be looking at what the options are - can the > customer buy new for something close to the back-charging and end up with a > better product with longer support? I suspect driving a sale is one reason > this gets done, as well as funding the risk the vendor takes on when > bringing an old item with an unknown history back onto full support. > > Regards, > > Robert > > On 24 April 2018 at 14:33, Peter Tiggerdine <ptiggerd...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Hi All >> >> Apologies for the noise. >> >> I've just observed an interesting situation where a vendor is charging >> upto 18months "fee" to bring a device back into active maintenance and >> support. The customer purchase the kit secondhand. Naturally the customer >> is pushing back (don't blame them). >> >> Is this common in our industry? It's the first time I've heard of it. >> Given some of the information coming out from the royal commission is this >> not the same as AMP or CBA charge customers for a service they didn't get >> or want? >> >> Happy to take feedback either on list or off list. >> >> Regards, >> >> Peter Tiggerdine >> >> GPG Fingerprint: 2A3F EA19 F6C2 93C1 411D 5AB2 D5A8 E8A8 0E74 6127 >> >> _______________________________________________ >> AusNOG mailing list >> AusNOG@lists.ausnog.net >> http://lists.ausnog.net/mailman/listinfo/ausnog >> >> >
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