For the licensing mechanism for our ClipMagic product (ClipMagic is an easy to use Windows Clipboard Extender if you didn’t already know) we adopted a server based activation system. I know that some people have a passionate dislike for software that needs to be activated, but you can’t please everyone. And until now we’ve had no complaints.

Then yesterday we get a ticket with no name and an invalid made-up email address saying simply:

“Unfortunately I purchased your product without realizing it required web authorization. I’ll just use a competing product”.

Now, before I’d seen the email address my immediate reaction was to reply and offer a refund. Perhaps I’m too nice but I don’t see the point in having customers that don’t want to be customers. But then I noticed that if I did reply the email would simply bounce. The “customer” has provided no identifying information at all!

I don’t get it. He says he purchased but doesn’t want it – and won’t activate it. Yet doesn’t want me to know who he/she is and isn’t asking for a refund. So why bother emailing me? Letting off steam perhaps. But it seems odd that there was no request for a refund.

I’ll file it away in our “Strange Emails” category.