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VMbox: We don't honor our TOS
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VMbox: We don't honor our TOS

cygnicygni Member
edited October 2014 in Providers

A little background; VMbox has promoted here on LET its wildcard SSL addition to any VPS purchased. They have stated that you can cancel anytime, but of course expect you to keep the service for a month which is reasonable. If you search the forum you'll see topics as these, looking for cheap wildcard ssl, cheap cheap wildcard ssl, wildcard alphassl, etc.

I created an account with 2 VPSes with intent to keep for a month and obtain 2 wildcard SSLs. The VPSes were provisioned immediately after payment confirmation. Two certificate signing request tickets were put in and about 7 hours later, a response came stating there was maintenance issue and that the requests should be resubmitted in a week. At that point, I responded with a cancellation request, and also officially through WHMCS.

A little over 24 hours later I received the following VMbox response:

As all refund requests are at our discretion and the SSLs are a freebie with the VPS's we are denying this request.

I asked for clarification as to what was being denied, and the response was in a single word, "Refund."
I responded that the cancellation request was within VMbox's TOS 3 day grace period which states:

VMBox offers a three day refund period for your first payment on your first VPS with us.

The next response from VMbox was:

SSLs are included as a freebie, I can't see any issue with your VPS therefore I'm not willing to grant a refund.
We're looking at Monday evening before we can process your SSLs so that's a whole 2 more days for you to wait for your Free SSLs.
I have removed the Cancellation requests and I'll speak to you on Monday regarding processing.
Please make sure you include the FQDN and create admin@ for the requested domain not including the FQDN could mean you don't get a wildcard as we'll only process the domain that we can pull from the CSR.

This reminds me of the Seinfeld episode "The Strongbox" where George Costanza's girlfriend refused to let him breakup with her. :)

Comments

  • DalekOfSkaroDalekOfSkaro Member
    edited October 2014

    So you basically signed up for 2 VPS's to keep for one month in order to obtain the 2 WildCard SSL Certificates and then leave?

    Furthermore, did VMBox state that the SSL Certificates are only available when you have VM's with them? In other words, is obtaining the SSL Certificates depending solely on the fact that you have active services with them?

  • @cygni , if you could provide a proof with invoices paid and for which plan , Ill provide you 2 VMs with same configuration ( ssd from my side so storage will lower ) for free

    Thanked by 2cygni Droid
  • I find op being a cheap person trying to waste hosts time. I agree vmbox should not refund you and maybe you will learn a lesson.

  • GreenHostBoxGreenHostBox Member
    edited October 2014

    @DalekOfSkaro said:
    So you basically signed up for 2 VPS's to keep for one month in order to obtain the 2 WildCard SSL Certificates and then leave?

    Furthermore, did VMBox state that the SSL Certificates are only available when you have VM's with them? In other words, is obtaining the SSL Certificates depending solely on the fact that you have active services with them?

    That's not the issue here. Even if OP signed up for 2 VPS just to obtain 2 WildCard SSL Certificates, it's free money for VMBox because they get unlimited free SSL from their provider, SingleHop.

    The issue is that in VMBox's ToS it states, "VMBox offers a three day refund period for your first payment on your first VPS with us" and VMBox is denying refunds.

  • cygnicygni Member
    edited October 2014

    @DalekOfSkaro said:
    So you basically signed up for 2 VPS's to keep for one month in order to obtain the 2 WildCard SSL Certificates and then leave?

    Furthermore, did VMBox state that the SSL Certificates are only available when you have VM's with them? In other words, is obtaining the SSL Certificates depending solely on the fact that you have active services with them?

    Yes, my intent was to not renew the service after a month. If you follow the links I provided in the OP, you'll see VMbox's responses to your question. They have clearly stated they do not care if you cancel after a month and that people use the certificates elsewhere and none has ever been revoked.

    As I was typing this response, I received a message that I have gotten a refund. :)

  • cygnicygni Member
    edited October 2014

    @doughnet said:
    I find op being a cheap person trying to waste hosts time. I agree vmbox should not refund you and maybe you will learn a lesson.

    You are right that I was being cheap. But that is besides the point. VMbox has advertised here they don't care if you buy the service just to obtain the SSLs, and cancel after a month. I clearly did not want to wait a week before it was issued so I decided to cancel the service without using and within the TOS.

  • Seriously: Why would you trust VMBox? It's clear by their history that this is a provider you wouldn't want to make business with.

  • @gsrdgrdghd said:
    Seriously: Why would you trust VMBox? It's clear by their history that this is a provider you wouldn't want to make business with.

    they also used to be hackforums host

  • StevenNStevenN Member, Host Rep

    My staff have been handling the majority of tickets while I'm abroad. Mods can verify my ip to see I'm not in the same country as usual. I informed the customer we couldn't process his SSL request for around a week due to SingleHop upgrades. I didn't see the refund request and staff have wrongly denied the request as I usually answer all billing tickets and they aren't aware of how I handle them. I never refuse refunds if requested within 3 days of ordering.

    This is a simple confusion and should never have happened in which I apologise profusely to the customer.

  • StevenNStevenN Member, Host Rep

    @VPSRAIDSolutions said:
    cygni , if you could provide a proof with invoices paid and for which plan , Ill provide you 2 VMs with same configuration ( ssd from my side so storage will lower ) for free

    Don't forget to give him 2 free wildcard SSL's with that.

    You are such a nice person.

  • @DalekOfSkaro said:
    So you basically signed up for 2 VPS's to keep for one month in order to obtain the 2 WildCard SSL Certificates and then leave?

    Furthermore, did VMBox state that the SSL Certificates are only available when you have VM's with them? In other words, is obtaining the SSL Certificates depending solely on the fact that you have active services with them?

    If you actually read the whole thing, he wanted a refund before he even received the SSL, they said it'll take 2 more business days, thus if he received the refund as he requested ASAP he wouldn't be entitled to the SSL making your argument and questioning invalid.

    On the other hand, he may have wanted the SSL in a timely fashion and waiting 1-2 days wasn't timely at all, thus he wanted a refund.

    Thanked by 1cygni
  • StevenNStevenN Member, Host Rep

    @gsrdgrdghd said:
    Seriously: Why would you trust VMBox? It's clear by their history that this is a provider you wouldn't want to make business with.

    Check the reviews and feedback posted on my offers here and you'll see why many do.

  • @VMbox said:

    Well "Mentioned I would substitute him a vps , not SSL"

  • @VPSRAIDSolutions said:
    Well "Mentioned I would substitute him a vps , not SSL"

    The OP is apparently after SSL certificates and not a server instance.

    Thanked by 1Mark_R
  • I should have read the whole thing, sorry guys.

  • VMbox said: This is a simple confusion and should never have happened in which I apologise profusely to the customer.

    Fair enough I'd say.

  • Well, that was resolved quickly.

  • @VMbox said:

    I'm proud of you for handling that so well, might have to try you guys out.

    Thanked by 1StevenN
  • @VMbox said:
    My staff have been handling the majority of tickets while I'm abroad. Mods can verify my ip to see I'm not in the same country as usual. I informed the customer we couldn't process his SSL request for around a week due to SingleHop upgrades. I didn't see the refund request and staff have wrongly denied the request as I usually answer all billing tickets and they aren't aware of how I handle them. I never refuse refunds if requested within 3 days of ordering.

    This is a simple confusion and should never have happened in which I apologise profusely to the customer.

    I have no opinion on your hosting but this situation was handled properly and maturely. You don't have the opinion that your staff are infallible or gods, and admit they can make mistakes. Good job, other "hosts" need to take note. It's a shame that common behaviour like this has to be commended.

    Thanked by 2Shoaib_A Droid
  • @VMbox said:
    My staff have been handling the majority of tickets while I'm abroad. Mods can verify my ip to see I'm not in the same country as usual. I informed the customer we couldn't process his SSL request for around a week due to SingleHop upgrades. I didn't see the refund request and staff have wrongly denied the request as I usually answer all billing tickets and they aren't aware of how I handle them. I never refuse refunds if requested within 3 days of ordering.

    This is a simple confusion and should never have happened in which I apologise profusely to the customer.

    It was with great hesitation that this thread was started, and after giving it thought, it needed to be made known if there's a provider refusing to adhere to its own terms of service agreement. The tone from the staff's response seemed rather dismissively to reality which gave me pause, and I thought, if we can't even agree on something written in black and white, this is probably not the best environment. I decided it would be wiser to spend more elsewhere than deal with what appeared to be exploitative characters, and I did - paid 7 times the amount the cost of the VPS. It is business and misunderstandings happen; I have no hard feelings toward you or your company.

    Have a nice day!

  • FrankZFrankZ Veteran
    edited October 2014

  • StevenNStevenN Member, Host Rep

    @cygni said:

    It's completely understandable, TOS says 3 day refund which we adhere to without question in normal circumstances.

    Because I'm on holiday/vacation, staff are taking over duties I usually deal with myself and they aren't used to enforcing billing policies etc. It's unfortunate this has happened and frankly I'm upset things haven't gone completely to plan.

    I'm sorry for any inconvenience and time wasted and hope you may choose our services in future for SSL or VPS services. Your refund should be processed as soon as possible by 2CO, if you have any issues don't hesitate to contact us.

  • @coolnow said:
    I have no opinion on your hosting but this situation was handled properly and maturely. You don't have the opinion that your staff are infallible or gods, and admit they can make mistakes. Good job, other "hosts" need to take note. It's a shame that common behaviour like this has to be commended.

    Seconded.

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