OK. So now I feel cheated by Stardock

We want to thank you for being a customer and want to find out how we can better serve you. To this end, we've created a short survey with a few questions to get an idea of how we're doing and what we can do to make cool stuff for you!

When you take this brief survey, letting us know your opinion, we'll give you a coupon for $5 off any purchase of $8 or more on any of our products!


I got this e-mail today from Stardock.
So, I took their survey.
At the end was this:


Thank you for taking the time to help us make a better product for you!

Just for helping take $5 off any products from Stardock.com.

Coupon Code: SURVEY-****

Offer applies to purchases over $8.00.
Expires July 31st 2007




The coupon is only valid for 2 WEEKS???

I am not buying anything in the next 2 weeks.



The e-mail said nothing of an expiration date on the coupon, much less a coupon that was only valid for a measly 2 weeks.


I feel cheated, and I doubt I will take the time to fill out any more of Stardock's surveys.
31,564 views 49 replies
Reply #1 Top
Stardock! how could you?...  
Reply #2 Top
Any game recommendations for those of us who will be using the coupon? I don't know much about any of the others on Stardock's list...
Reply #3 Top
OK. So now I feel cheated by Stardock


Don't we all?   
Reply #4 Top
That's very lame if it's as you describe. I got the survey email but didn't open it, so I don't know personally. And now I just opened it. It's just as misleading as you say.

I'd bet it's an oversight. It could be that a couple of people were involved with the promotion/survey and didn't communicate properly. Yes, a coupon that's only good for 2 weeks, after you've filled out a survey, is very cheap. Not that we should expect anything for free, but if we're doing a service for Stardock, I'd expect that we wouldn't be pushed to have to buy in only 2 weeks. After all, the people they're emailing are the people who are the most dedicated to the company.

On the other hand, there are companies who ask you to fill out surveys without giving any compensation at all.

So, I'd say that they should have just asked us to fill out a survey with no promises of compensation, or they should have made their compensation last more than a measly 2 weeks.


Reply #5 Top
Any game recommendations for those of us who will be using the coupon? I don't know much about any of the others on Stardock's list...


I enjoyed Space Rangers 2 for at least a month!!! It's a very unique game.


Reply #6 Top
I enjoyed Space Rangers 2 for at least a month!!! It's a very unique game.


Yes, SR2 is a great game that is quite different than most games.
Reply #7 Top
*wishes he'd gotten the email* but hey..they didn't have to give you anything. A number of sites offer surveys and just expect them to be done out of the goodness of your hearts.
Reply #8 Top
The goodness in my heart slowly grinds to nothing as I get more cheap deals and lies fed to me every day... not just by stardock...
Reply #9 Top
I'll third the Space Rangers 2 recommendation, it's what I used my coupon for. Fantastic game so far, reminds me of great games of a bygone era like Starflight and Star Control 2.
Reply #10 Top
Well, I have not worked for over 2 years, just got the operation I needed to allow me to get back to work, and I can not afford any new games right now.

But I thought, cool, I'll use the coupon as soon as I am able.

Now it turns out that I won't be able to after all.

Talk about dangling a carrot...

I probably would have responded to the survey anyway, since I like Stardock.
But to offer something and then to put such a short term restriction on it, well, just seems a bit underhanded.
Reply #11 Top
I didn't get the email. Must be something I checked or something when I registered to not recieve emails, but like you I doubt I would of been able to use it in time either.   
Reply #12 Top
Star Rangers 2 it is, then! Thanks, everyone.
Reply #13 Top
Just buy tokens using the coupon and use them to buy a game whenever you feel like it.
Reply #15 Top
note the absence of stardock dev comments on this thread
Reply #16 Top
Note also that it was posted on a Saturday, and they don't normally work weekends.
Reply #17 Top
I enjoyed Space Rangers 2 for at least a month!!! It's a very unique game.


I'm probably off topic but I like hearing game reviews. What is the game like?

The very instant you show your weakness, your downfall will begin!




Reply #18 Top
There is a demo you can download and try, which I just did. Unfortunately, when I went to buy the game, it turned out that the coupon does not apply for purchases made via PayPal. Nice. No new game for ghostwes, it seems.
Reply #19 Top
The coupon is not valid if the game is purchased via Paypal?!
Too many 'gotcha's' where these coupons are concerned, it seems.

It's like Stardock is saying - We will reward you (our very own beloved current customers) for your support and help, but only under these very strict conditions and in these very strict timeframes.



C'MON, Stardock!!!
What's the deal here?



And, I do actually want to hear from a Stardock employee that has something to do with this bogus (except under very particular and certain circumstances - which were not laid out until after the fact) promo!

Reply #20 Top

Hey guys,

Unfortunatly, the devs would know absolutly nothing about this promotion, other than the fact that we got the survey emailed to us as well. I do know that the web team has been workign to update the web store, and perhaps this promotion was simply a way to test a new feature.

In the end, a simple disclaimer noting the cupons experation would have worked...I'll certainly inform our marketing side, but I assure you the exclusion wasn't in malace 

Or, perhaps you just retake the survey and give us all 0's...that's what I'd do if I was feeling grumpy   Er...perhaps I shouldn't suggest that

I'm going to shut up now

Reply #21 Top
To clarify: I am not angry, nor do I feel cheated; I just feel a bit disappointed that I couldn't use the coupon after trying out the game (which does look like fun).

I would have done the survey without the extra incentive, so no worries.
Reply #22 Top

Wait, couldn't you jsut spend the cuopon on TotalGaming.Net tolkens?

http://totalgaming.stardock.com/store/index.aspx?page=purchasetokens

Which I guess is a bit much if you aren't sure of something you'll want to eventually buy, but I know of at least new 2 games (of ours) that we'll be putting up for sale (or pre-order) by the end of next year. Plus, and don't hold me to this, there MAY be another GC2 expansion pack that you could spend those tolkens on.

So there, since I don't want to viciously attacked by the marketing team on Monday, please don't give us 0's and consider buying tolkens instead with your short lived coupon. 

Reply #23 Top
So tell me how to obtain $5 worth of tolkens without spending ~$70.00 ($65.00 with coupon).

I DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nor will I within the next 2 weeks!



I was offered $5 off any product if I participated in a survey.

What I expected was, that the next time I purchased a Stardock product I would receive a $5 discount via the coupon. I was e-mailed the offer, and the discount should be attached to my e-mail account - NOT to a time limit or method of purchase!!!
Reply #24 Top

There is a 35$ option for 5 tolkens, which was really the option I was suggesting. Again, I will bring this up to marketing and the web team, but I don't know what can be done at this point (again, the devs weren't part of this promotion).

Also, there are products on the Object Desktop side that are a meager 10$...perhaps you should look there for something that suits your fancy.

Reply #25 Top
If you are really smart (and have access to a credit card) you can use the coupon to get Sins of a Solar Empire for $30 instead of the normal $44.95!

Go to Stardock and purchase 5 TGN tokens for $34.95. Add in your coupon code at checkout to receive the tokens for $29.95. This then gives you 5 TGN tokens. You can use those 5 tokens to pre-order SOSE saving yourself $15 in total!

Thanks Stardock for saving me even more money


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