Norton 360 Renewal

I've just had my first annual renewal notice, and am shocked that it's more than I originally paid for the software itself. I believe I only paid about £30, at the time. The renewal is £54.99, and that's supposedly discounted from a usual £59.99!

Even Norton's own site are selling the software brand new for £35.99. Is there anything to stop me just buying it new and reinstalling, rather than paying the extortionate "renewal"? Do they have some devious mechanism to prevent this (i.e. it will detect there's been a previous installation)?

I suppose it's slightly more hassle to install it again, rather than maintain seamless protection, but it's a big saving.

Other than that, I'm thinking of ditching it altogether, and going back to free stuff, like Avast and Zone Alarm. Or I think my bank might offer Kaspersky for free - but no idea if it's the full version, or just some subset geared to online banking.

T.

Quite these products are tied to email address used to order so if you use a different email address you are usually ok.

If the web site is sellng a new version rather than just extending updates of virus definitions then you "should" be able to install it over the vesion you have.

Banks normally offer the full version of AV packages. Barclays offer Kapersky free for a year. HSBC, SKY etc offer McAfee for a year. With HSBC if you use a diferent email address you can get a new version every year - that is what I did for multiple PCs for many years.

I currently use the version of McAfee from BT broadband - their offer is free for a number of PCs for the duration of the BB contract.

I can't remember the last time I paid for AV as Barclays give me a 3 PC license every year for Kaspersky.

The only condition is that you have to bank online with them so open an e-saver with £1 and then apply online. It is what my mum and dad do.

Typical renewal ripoff as practised by many companies and perfected by the insurance 'industry'. They hope you won't notice and pay up like thousands of others.

Save yourself money, question EVERY renewal of EVERYTHING. Shop around and get a few quotes, if your provider won't match them then take your business elsewhere.

In this case I wouldn't even consider Norton. I've found Kaspersky the best in recent years and if you can get it as part of a package, great. Otherwise go online and you'll find KIS for a few pounds, don't bother with the CD therein but download the latest version from the Kaspersky website and enter the activation code from your purchase.

I'm not unhappy with Norton, and certainly much happier than I was with McAfee - which admittedly was the "enterprise" version, at the time, as it was supplied by work - so no idea how it compares with a single license for home use.

I'm not one of the dummies who automatically renews everything without question (although I do find it frustrating that I have to move my insurance every year without fail). But it's annoying if you did quite like the product, but are still having to go elsewhere.

I'm with Barclays anyway, just never really looked into it. I had a nagging suspicion anything you got for free would be worth exactly what you paid for it.

I'm guessing it's just basic antivirus - no firewall or any extras?

T.

It's the full blown Kaspersky Internet Security which includes an ad blocker.

Never pay for AV. If you must use it, have a look at Security Essentials and Avast.

I got fed up with paying for the likes of KIS, AVIRA,McAfee etc etc slowing processes down on XP and getting more bloated year on end so I now use the free version of this Internet Security Suite and all I can say is so far so good

Yup Barclays use the full blown KIS on their PC's so buying a few million extra liscenses for the customers costs them very little.

At the volume they buy them in it may only cost them a couple of quid per customer which is a lot better than retail offerings.

I know the local PC repair man who has gone into Laptop oem and he says for AV/Windows etc volume pricing is crazy.

MS only charge £6 per copy of win 7/8 if you purchase in the volumes that Dell. HP etc can yet he will be charged £40 and he cannot get anywhere near the next price break as he is just inside that one.