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More Marvel Digi-Code Annoyance

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Walt

annoyanceThe other week I posted about some frustration with finding some of my AvX comics’ digital codes had expired. Last Monday I followed up with even further frustration at discovering INSIDE my AvX Hardcover a notice that the code expired…3 weeks before!

But I’m following up NOW because…even though I emailed in prior to that blog post…I have yet to even RECEIVE A RESPONSE. (I heard back from Comixology‘s Support almost immediately–not even two hours after my email–letting me know that unfortunately, they don’t control this–I’d have to contact Marvel).

I ordered a $75 hardcover, marketed (and printed on the cover itself!) to be a print + digital pack, but having just recently read the entire AvX story itself (not the crossovers) and having to return my original copy of the book due to shipping damage, it was nearly December before I had my copy, and I didn’t open it right away. When I did get around to opening it, the code had already expired. (There was nothing anywhere on the outside of the book, on the wrap, on the stickers on the wrap mentioning anything about an expiration). One year may be acceptable for a single-issue/”floppy,” but not so much a book…especially considering I saw a copy of this same print+digital edition at full retail price, two weeks after it turned out the code apparently had “expired.”

I mean, ok, I email Sunday evening right after the Thanksgiving holiday…I’m going to cut ’em some slack. I didn’t expect a response Monday morning, would’ve been surprised at Tuesday, even. But as of Tuesday morning, 8 1/2 days (six of them Business Days) later? Still nothing.

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Expired Patience

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Walt

expired_thumbI’m out of patience as I type this. I am supremely annoyed at Marvel and their arbitrary barely-a-year-IF-that-long “expiration” of digital codes for redeeming a digital copy of $3.99+ issues they’ve published.

I touched on this the other day, but now it’s a focal thing for me. THEN, it was sort of “hey, whatever…annoying but live with it.” Now I’m just FRUSTRATED and totally put-off the whole thing.

The digital editions of the issues in question? They’re all still available on comiXology from Marvel. I believe I could still BUY the digital editions from Marvel itself. But because I read the issues when they came out and so didn’t get around to revisiting them until just over a year later…suddenly that so-called “added value” of the digital codes is null and void?!?

Sunday night (Dec 1st) I attempted to redeem some more codes…TWO codes that failed supposedly expired November 29th. Less than 48 hours and the things expired and there’s no apparent leeway in that.

But it’s not like the digital editions don’t exist out there, still for sale. Just that there’s an arbitrary “expiration” for whatever reason. I don’t much care what that reason is, or for the fact of any fault of my own (sure, I didn’t redeem the codes earlier, but a year is a rather short amount of time compared to say, movies with digital copies that at least get a 2-year window!).

WORST of all, I opened my AvX hardcover, and learned that APPARENTLY that code expired about 3 weeks ago. Nothing on the cover saying there was an extremely limited expiration date on the thing. (But on the cover there IS a blurb proclaiming it a Print AND Digital edition!). Yet, I saw a print edition of this book on a shelf at a Booksamillion barely 2 days ago. If half the product is the “digital copy,” and that’s no longer valid, shouldn’t the price of the entire thing be cut?

This whole experience totally sours me on the idea of the so-called “free digital copy” thing, sours me on Marvel in general, and unfortunately (if only in the moment) sours me on digital comics. At least the PRINT EDITIONS can be bought “whenever,” be it a year later or 10 or 20 or 30+ years down the road.

And if that “free digital copy” is supposed to be part of the “added value” of the issue and “justify” the cover price…SURELY an extended redemption-window can be afforded!

more_expired_marvel_codes

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