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Troubleshooting .Mac: Renewing "promotional" subscriptions; Problems with free "bonus gift" fulfillment

Troubleshooting .Mac: Renewing "promotional" subscriptions; Problems with free "bonus gift" fulfillment

CNET staff
3 min read

Renewing "promotional" subscriptions Scott Rose describes a problem renewing his "promotional" .Mac membership, a phenomenon corroborated by other users in the same situation:

"I've been trying to renew my .Mac membership, but it doesn't work. I originally got a free 1-year membership to .Mac through the Learn and Earn program, but now the web site won't let me renew. [...]

"Every time I click on the 'renew' button (using Safari 1.0 or Internet Explorer 5.2.3), I get a page which says 'The feature that you are trying to access is available for .Mac paid members only. Join .Mac and receive the complete suite of Internet essentials you need for your Mac.' Then there's a button that says 'Join Now.'

"Then, to make matters worse, when I go to the 'Billing Support Form' page to contact Apple billing about the problem, when I submit the form, I get another error message stating 'We're having trouble fulfilling your last request. Please return to the .Mac home page.'"

UPDATE: One reader who wishes to remain anonymous writes "It is my understanding that the free, promotional accounts setup with the Apple Learn and Earn program, can only be renewed, with a new activation code. The new code is also from Apple's Learn and Earn program."

Meanwhile, the Apple Sales Training Web site provides instructions for Learn and Earn members:

"Requirements for Renewing an Existing Free .Mac Account: To qualify for the renewal of an existing free .Mac account , obtained by taking the Learn and Earn or Apple Sales Training Online (ASTO) '.Mac Overview' course, all you need to do is take the new '.Mac Overview' course, now posted on ASTO, and achieve 80% or higher to obtain your free activation key.

"Accounts must be renewed in the manner they were obtained. You can renew your existing .Mac account using the free activation key only if you originally obtained the account by taking the Learn and Earn/ASTO '.Mac Overview' course. According to the .Mac group, accounts that had originally been paid for, or earned in another manner, will not be eligible for renewal using the activation key received by taking the new ASTO course. (Accounts obtained by taking the Learn and Earn '.Mac Overview" course in 2002 will begin expiring in August 2003. Accounts obtained by taking the ASTO '.Mac Overview' course will not begin expiring until January 2003.)

"You will be able to renew your existing free account within 60 days of the expiration date. The free activation key will be emailed to you at your .mac email address."

Problems with free "bonus gift" fulfillment Several readers are reporting problems with the "free gift" offers being made to renewing subscribers. MacFixIt reader Clay writes "I wanted to update to receive the free 'benefits' they were offering last month, and when I clicked the link, is brought me to the front page. No matter what I did, it took me to the home page of .Mac."

If you are having a similar issue, please drop us a line at late-breakers@macfixit.com.

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