unable to download Avast 5.0, useless customer support, refund process convolute

At Cnet.com reviews Avast was rated best. Unfortunately they gave no warnings about the lack of customer support and the difficulties in getting the license to actually work to open the install. They also didn’t let me know how many 3rd party brokers were involved in this transaction…so trying to get a refund for a product which will not install and which I can’t reach support for is being very complicated.
I clicked on “download” at Cnet, but that sent me to Avast website, where I was to install apparently. The download/license emails, however came from “element 5” a service of “Digital River Gmbh”. When I couldn’t reach anyone by phone or email, I initiated a dispute with Paypal who handled the purchase for me. But Digital River never bothered to answer them. Paypal gave me their phone number and told me that Digital River was the only one who could do the refund and that it was very very simple for them and to not let them snow me. After much “conversation” Digital River finally agreed to initiate a refund, but haven’t received a confirmation.
Avast is apparently headquartered in Prague and the only phone number is international and says it isn’t in service anymore.
Element 5/Digital River is headquartered in Cologne Germany, but the customer service number Paypal gave me was in the midwest. I received the hardcopy of the program from Portland OR.
That is way too many fingers to be involved in any pie. I do not want a product in which the download is so complicated, doesn’t work, tech support non-existent (at least for me) and where theyre are so many brokers it’s hard to track down who to get a refund from much less speak to anyone. So I went back to AVG 9.0 which I can count on and get support for. I don’t recommend Avast at all no matter what Cnet says

Thanks for posting.
I hope the avast team get your comments seriously.
We also want a better email service and that the support by telephone gets better.
Seems that the parts involved in the process do not assume their own responsability: element5, paypal… whatever…

Care to elaborate the “it doesn’t work” part? I cannot comment the tech support part but i’m interested in this one.
What exactly went wrong there, any errors, etc?

+1.

This is unusual, Avast normally installs without difficulty on a computer that isn’t already infected (some infections will prevent an install) and that doesn’t have another AV installed.

Have just read your comments follow very similar problems follwing recent purchase of Avast Internet security from Element5. My laptop is brand new so no other installations on it. Like you I cannot open the licence agreement, the given phone number does not work, and the technical support merely gives me stock answers which do not relate directly to my problem. I am £29.99 lighter and no working Avast Internet security. I have sent them a further email stating my disatisfaction and asking them to direct me to the department to insygate a refund but have had nor response. Did you eventually get your refund?

Bribc

That assumption is manifestly false. Most vendors preinstall tons of crap on laptops, including time-limited OEM versions of antivirus or security suite. Heck, there are even dedicated utilites such as PC Decrapifier aimed exactly at wiping preinstalled junk. Sometimes it’s so bad I feel it easier to reinstall Windows from normal DVD.

Instead of necroposting, may I suggest that you use the Contact Form to get in touch with sales. Also see http://www.avast.com/contacts