Symantec Shopping A Snap
Symantec
The need for dynamic Internet security increases each day. The makers and distributors of viruses, spyware and other malicious code engaged in a predator/prey competition with Symantec and other software producers. Unfortunately, the proliferation of computers connected to the Internet has far outpaced sales of software designed to protect your computer. Symantec and its digital brethren have naturally extended their reach beyond the traditional retail channels and now sell directly to consumers via the web. That is great for consumers because Symantec's site offers top-notch research and a fine e-commerce solution.
Shoppping There
Shoppers can purchase product for immediate download or order a full retail box to be shipped via UPS. The download feature is an outstanding one that more software publishers are using. What makes it special for Symantec is that users may sometimes have an immediate need for the company's utilities and tools. Being able to download a copy over a high speed connection rather than waiting for even overnight delivery is a real plus.
There are also various stores for several dozen countries. This would not only appear to help the company's corporate structure, but assist in complying with strict export regulations.
Buying There
My virus software subscription expired on a Sunday morning. A nifty upgrade feature offered the opportunity to upgrade to an entire suite including firewall and parental controls for not much more than the virus software renewal. I ordered the full product that morning and received an immediate email confirmation.
A shipping confirmation was sent Monday evening, complete with UPS tracking number and all the appropriate details. Several user-unfriendly sites have trained me to retain the order number, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I could even search for my order status by email address.
The best part? Buying directly from Symantec was $12 cheaper than the Staples located a block away.
The only minor quibble I have about the site is in the way it helps users pick specific software. Tech savvy folks and IT employees are certainly able to zoom directly to the appropriate product, but the "solutions finder" Symantec uses doesn't do a very good job explaining what each product does. That is a problem because many of them are slightly different bundles of the same software. For such a positive user experience, this was the only real drawback. Luckily, I knew what I wanted and zoomed right there.
The Bottom Line, Clicks and All
Fast fulfillment and informative emails make shopping at Symantec a pleasant experience. Beating the prices at big box retailers makes it even sweeter.
Five Things To Remember From This Review
1. You may get an upgrade offer if you already have a Symantec product installed.
2. For people in a hurry, you can choose to download software.
3. Shipping is reasonably priced and fulfillment is fast.
4. The user friendly experience includes the ability to search for orders by email address.
5. Make sure you already know which product you want to buy because the site does not do a very good job explaining the differences.
