Comments on: Getting a Windows refund from Acer in the Netherlands

By: Information Overload · The Dell XPS 13 is now available with Ubuntu

Information Overload · The Dell XPS 13 is now available with Ubuntu — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:36:59 +0000

[...] In the end of 2009 I paid € 532 for the Acer, minus € 70 for the Windows Vista Business license refund and plus the € 187 for the Intel X25-M 80 GB SSD it set me back € 649 total. Obviously there is [...]

By: Alexander van Loon

Alexander van Loon — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:27:15 +0000

Thanks for clarifying. It’s indeed surprising, I thought that all EU member states had adapted their consumer rights legislation to some kind of EU-wide agreement. I guess the EU doesn’t control as much as I think when it comes to legislation.

By: Robert

Robert — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 04:22:39 +0000

Well the country that I know about is the country that I live in, Romania. And it’s a bit hard to me to think that Romania, a not so long a go a communist country, has better consumer laws than other well established democracies like Netherlands.

ps: for reference the law I’m referring to is: “OG nr. 99/2000 Art. 58.” – http://infosrl.avocatnet.ro/societate-comerciala/articol/id_387/all_1/Vezi_articol_pe_o_singura_pagina.html
It’s a bit long, search for “Art. 58″

Article 58. – It is forbidden tying the consumer to purchase a quantity of product required or the simultaneous purchase of another product or service. It is also forbidden to provide a service to consumers, conditioned by the provision of another service or buying a product.

By: Alexander van Loon

Alexander van Loon — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:47:20 +0000

Thank you both for your comments. That’s an interesting question Robert, but in the Netherlands it’s unfortunately a normal practice to buy a computer bundled with Windows, Acer is not alone in this. You mention that certain EU member states prohibit this practice, I’m interested in knowing which ones do so. I’m no legal expert, but I wonder if the term in the Windows EULA – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_refund#License_refund_policy – which mentions that it’s possible to get a refund were absent, if it would be possible to get a refund in the Netherlands at all.

By: chessboxing

chessboxing — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:49:11 +0000

Nice done! You got my respect.
Groeten uit België!!

By: Robert

Robert — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:25:07 +0000

Well I’m glad you managed to finally get back the Microsoft Tax.
But what I don’t understand is how come there was no option to buy from start the product, Acer TravelMate Timeline 8371, w/o the Software (MS Windows Vista).
In some EU countries there are laws that prevent vendors to “bundle” by force two products unless those two products are also available to be bought separately. I thought that those laws are EU wide. It seems not.