I recently purchased Mask AI only because Topaz is no longer updating Remask 5. That is the only reason I purchased it as I do not like the new interface nor do I think Mask AI does as good a job as the older program I have been using since it was Remask 3. Now I find that after a year upgrades will no longer be free…which has been promised since I purchased my first Topaz product years ago. Also I never received an email from Topaz concerning this change of policy either before or after my recent purchase.
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Considering how well the rollout of Topaz2 went (not) and the fact I had purchased lifetime upgrades that are now being reneged on, my good news is that I’m going to save my fixed income self some money and move on.
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Ive been looking around too. There are some really good competitive products out there.
Stay here for $100 a year for what I already bought… Enjoy the photoshop way. Not for me.
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I tend to agree with aienhancer that other companies usually charge for upgrades. I already get paid upgrades (when they release something useful in a new version) with other software. However I think the thing the ‘grandfathers’ among us have a problem with is that this was never the original deal as it is with those other companies.
If Topaz had changed their policy for newcomers, and truly new programs, we wouldn’t have had a problem.
I think Eric, in replies above, denies there was a ‘contract’ and says it was just a ‘promise’. I respect a ‘promise’ by a business as something more concrete and so do others. At the very least it suggests ‘false and misleading advertising’, which in my country is against the law.
If they were offering something ‘in goodwill’ and now are short of cash, perhaps they have learned that presenting lifetime upgrades isn’t a marketing edge that is sustainable. However to go back on existing agreements is something different.
I have opened a ticket for a refund of my AIs as Eric offered.
He has laid out where he is going, and seeking a refund is my personal decision in response as this doesn’t work for me.
I am sad as I gave Topaz a level of trust, respect and loyalty that is now in question. I also prefer the old products, which have all been pronounced ‘legacy’ with no support. ReStyle, which I use a lot, doesn’t even have a new version. I will just have to wait till tech moves along and they no longer work. By that time I am likely to have found alternatives out there with other companies.
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He has asked us to trust Topaz going forward… after admitting the company makes poor business decisions, can reverse decisions at any point, and isn’t as respectful to customers as the claimed. Despite all the spin this is what it strips down to.
Topaz isn’t a charity we support by donation, nor is it a football club with us as supporters. So we don’t have a reason to dig deep and get behind them in this. I also don’t have a reason to keep abreast of new Topaz products as I now carry experience of shoddy buggy releases and a company who penalises customers for their unwise, out of touch business decisions.
Exactly. Well said
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I agree with you on this. This is normal industry practice and is a better model.
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I am one of those who are disappointed. I had purchased both Topaz Sharper and DeNoise as I liked the policy and the product the way it was offered. I haven’t read all the messages, but I would like to know if those who are already owners of your products can keep on using them even when you are gonna change your policy.
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Yes, you will still own and be able to use the software as long as your operating system supports it. However with the new policy, any upgrade revisions or additions would entail a charge.
Except that many who do this release major upgrades annually… Which, when you think about it, is a worse model…
Andy, I think the companies who have an annual major update usually put a lot of development into it. The user can decide if it is worth the upgrade cost. I do like the fact they offer a lot of new functions but I don’t know if Topaz can do this. The only other way is to have a subscription model where smaller upgrades come every couple of months such as Adobe.
I think you’re missing the point. We all understand that you don’t need to purchase upgrades if you don’t want to. The point is TL have gone back on their word of advertising lifetime upgrades! I’ve purchased almost all of the products based on that promise and I feel quite angry about it!
Yes we all know that to improve software there has to be an income stream to fund it but the fatal mistake was applying the changes to everyone. Existing customers should have remained on the promise of lifetime upgrades whith the changes only applying to new purchases.
I’m checking how this fits in to Australian Consumer Law as I’m pretty pissed off having spent a lot of money on a promise that’s now broken!
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I haven’t missed the point. Owning all of the Topaz products, including a duplicate bundle purchased for a friend,. I’d like to have them grandfathered in as all of the people in this thread do. My comment was to clarify that unlike a subscription policy, usage of the product isn’t lost if the owner doesn’t care to pay the upgrade fee.
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I think that there is no hope of TL honoring their promise. They will ride out the ill will and hope it blows over. I talked to a lawyer friend of mine last week. He told me that TL is over a barrel now. They can honor their promise to all who purchased or they can offer a 100% refund BUT it is the choice of the buyer, not Topaz. Of course they could grandfather us in but that doesn’t seem likely now. I’m going the refund route as I don’t think TL will be in business by the end of the year.
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This issue is not about the cost of development nor whether users should be expecting free anything. It’s about a business’ integrity and their lack of a moral compass. It’s evidenced by the way they threw out a carrot offering a present and future value in order to build a customer base and then dissolved that future value in the name of increased revenue . This issue is about dishonesty and greed- no more, no less. And, in my opinion, it’s not the first moral shenanigan from Topaz.
You don’t crap on the customer base that grew on your promises, no matter how distasteful it may be now. If you want to change your business model that’s your prerogative. But you don’t dump on the people you’ve already made contracts with. You grandfather them, rewrite your contract, and move forward.
What is most curious to me, however, is what would really drive a stunt like this. In thinking about it for a while, interesting theories bubble up.
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BROKEN PROMISES!!!
UNBELIEVABLE that a company would completely reverse its #1 Selling Feature. EXTREMELY Disappointed in this decision!!!
I do understand the business perspective for future sales. I literally own every product you have created and have sung your praises for years. Seems like you would honor your COMMITMENT to those who purchased your products in good faith. The thing to do is “Grandfather” in your existing customer base and new purchases would need to accept the new policy.
I’ve been LIED To and BETRAYED!!!
Bobby C.
Former TOPAZ Enthusiast and client
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Love your products, love your support people. I understand your dilemma but you will need to re-think this proposal it if you want to move ahead.
This is a magnet for a class action lawsuit and I don’t think you will survive that. I’ll be sad to see you go.
I won’t join any lawsuit but I figure lots will. On my pension I can’t afford to buy yearly upgrades so I will not be buying any more products.
Best wishes.
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I’m rather disappointed by this.
I bought Sharpen AI with a clear expectation of ongoing, non-charged updates - if fact, that was one of your main marketing messages for what was, then, an entirely untested, unproven piece of code.
Your early adopters of your new stuff are now being penalised, not just financially, but morally.
You are going back on a clear promise. That’s neither “legal, decent and honest”, nor good business practice.
Your Sharpen AI is good. But it’s far from unique. What you are doing is giving 100% of your customer base a reason to evaluate the competition, alternative solutions and other software, the majority of which is available for less than your proposed yearly upgrade fee. Most business do their utmost to avoid such a re-evaluation flex point.
Ah, well, I expect this will be the turning point for Topaz. The turning point that leads to a customer exodus.
And, btw, on your product page you say
" Constantly improving…Through continuous AI training, Sharpen AI’s enhancement model becomes both faster and higher-quality with time. You’ll get the latest and greatest when the model improves."
…well that’s clearly utter bollocks and, now, entirely misleading.
I expect there will be many unhappy (ex-)customers here.
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How is it a good value to pay about the same amount as I pay for Lightroom and Photoshop for a product that has no print function and no catalog function? Or maybe I’m missing something.
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Tough topic. Nice that they own it.
I also think that the $49/$99 annual thing is a decent balance. Considering the initial cost of the products and that they could simply make it $49 per product and move on. So groovy. Upgrading is optional. I can use it until I choose to update or it’s no longer compatible with my OS.
I do hope that this change will allow them to improve product stability and quality too. Features are nice, but… The fact that I can’t update Studio 2 today because of an installer defect is disappointing. Is it the end of the world. No. But it’s still disappointing.
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