If a guy buys a wrench from me and cannot figure out how to use it because he does not follow instructions or is simply too lazy or stupid to properly use the aforementioned wrench, am I obligated to refund?
Hell, no I'm not!
This is apples and tires here. You are speaking of buying an average, everyday, non-revolutionary object versus something that has been created on the whim of a programmer. Just as people are creating softwares and programs to help us make things run smoother, faster, or make money, these programs did not exist before and do require help getting them to function. You cannot create something new, expect it to work for everyone, and not offer customer support on that product just because you know how it works [imagine that..you created it], and say it should work. Additionally, mates asking for refunds are doing so on the basis that the product does not operate as it says it should NOT on the fact that THEY can't work it. And if it is based on if they can't work it, you still need to offer the support to help them getting it to work. Obviously if they say they can't get it to work, they are actually TRYING to get it to work so they are not lazy, and just because they cannot operate something they never knew existed until you created it does not make them stupid. So no, your analogy does not work here.
People want to push buttons and have fookin' magic happen!
It don't work that way!
You have to pick up the wrench, put it on the nut or bolt in the RIGHT way and then you turn the wrench to tighten or loosen the aforementioned nut or bolt.
Didn't put the wrench on the nut or bolt properly and it slipped off and knocked out two front teeth?
Not MY problem!
That's YOUR baby!
Not strong enough to turn that rusty bolt or nut?
Ain't my deal!
I only sold you the TOOL!
No. People want the product to operate as it SAYS it should. That wrench says it will help you unscrew a nut or bolt, and if it does not, it is not doing as it says it will. Of course the operator must use it properly, but without given instructions, HOW????? Of course you don't need instructions on a wrench. It's been around and people have been shown and know how to use them. But a product that you just created? How am I supposed to know how it works if not for you telling me?
Additionally, the wrench will work in most instances; this is not what people are talking about here in regards to refunds. They are saying that the products DO NOT WORK PERIOD. This is when a refund should be offered. When people even try to help [as they should--customer service] and cannot get it to work for their client, they should offer a refund. The OP says that refunds should not be needed and that the clients should take another product and that is NOT what should happen. If you go and buy a wrench that doesn't work, you do not want to get offered a hammer. Your wrench analogy still does not uphold because wrenches will actually work out of the box---may not be on all nuts and bolts, but they will work. These people are referring to products that do not work out of the box.
I remember early in my eBay experience, I listed a '42 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special divider window car...so rare you can't believe it; car needed complete restoration and I advertised it as such and had over 50 pics of the car, hosted off eBay so that there was NO doubt what was listed. A guy buys this car for like $6K(A MORE than fair price!), spends about $900 to get it shipped and then three weeks later it starts.
Buyer: "This car doesn't run!"
Me: "Yes, that is what I wrote in the listing."
Buyer: "This car needs to be completely restored!"
Me: "Yes, that is what I wrote in the listing."
Buyer:"I can't afford to restore this car, can I have a refund and will you also refund my shipping costs plus pay for the return shipping to you?"
Me: "No."
Buyer: "Bitch, piss, moan and groan!"
See what I mean?
I sold what was described and I described what I sold.
I cannot be responsible for buyer remorse, nor is buyer remorse a reason to refund.
Of course--you sold something and the buyer got what was offered. But these buyers are trying to say that they are NOT GETTING WHAT WAS OFFERED. The program calls for a working bot that does xyz and all it does is give error error error. This is not the same scenario. You are again comparing apples and tires. Both may be round, but they can hardly serve similar purposes.
Bottom line, if it does not work, it should be refunded. If you as the programmer cannot help the mates get it working, the mates should not have to eat the costs just because they TRUSTED you to deliver what your product stated it would deliver.
eta: @evil: sure for products that actually work, people shouldn't be expecting refunds left and right just because they can't use it or realize that it's not what they really wanted. But in instances where a product does not work, is faulty, and cannot be helped by support, a refund should be in order.
)) People are getting like dp users here.
