Return/refund for obsolete item?

[amishboy51]

I recently purchased a "new, unopened" Adobe Photoshop Elements 11 for Mac.

However, when I tried to download and install it, l was unable to, because the necessary operating system was no longer available (Mac has updated its OS probably 10 times, and now uses Monterey).  I reached out to Adobe but was advised that they don't provide support for PSE 11, and it hasn't been sold in 7 years. The seller doesn't accept returns.

Is there another option (partial refund?), or am I stuck with this obsolete, unusable item?

[lady_madonna]

@amishboy51 

Did you do any research before you made your purchase regarding the compatibility of the software with your operating system?

Unless the item was not as described, you will not be eligible for a return request. What was the seller's return policy as stated on the listing page?

[amishboy51]

"research"?

Not exactly; I knew only that I needed Photoshop for Mac, and didn't think that my level of interest warranted the latest version. I saw that Photoshop Elements 11 had certain minimum "system" requirements, e.g., RAM and space, which my MacBook Air satisfied.

Unfortunately, I wasn't savvy enough to be aware that newer operating systems render older products obsolete.

The seller's listing indicated no returns; when I contacted them, they suggested I address it to eBay. My gripe is that, in effect, they're selling an item that simply can't be used, period.

[lady_madonna · Accepted solution]

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@amishboy51 wrote:

"research"?

Not exactly; I knew only that I needed Photoshop for Mac, and didn't think that my level of interest warranted the latest version. I saw that Photoshop Elements 11 had certain minimum "system" requirements, e.g., RAM and space, which my MacBook Air satisfied.

Unfortunately, I wasn't savvy enough to be aware that newer operating systems render older products obsolete.

The seller's listing indicated no returns; when I contacted them, they suggested I address it to eBay. My gripe is that, in effect, they're selling an item that simply can't be used, period.

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It probably could possibly be used if someone is using a Mac with an older operating system. At my job, we have not updated the OS on our Mac in several years in order to be able to use an older software bookkeeping program.

Perhaps you could resell it.

[amishboy51]

Yes, I suppose I could resell it. However, I might add a caveat about its incompatibility with more recent operating systems, to help uninformed bargain-seekers like me. 😀

[gosimus]

@amishboy51 

< unable to, because the necessary operating system was no longer available >    

This thread was an eye-opener for me.  I always thought that Apple made their software backward compatible.  This thread prompted me to check out that belief.  It didn't take long to discover that I had been wrong.  And, subsequently, I found that probably I had been confusing Apple with Microsoft, which no doubt would dismay both companies. 

[amishboy51]

I never heard the term “backward compatible” before, but, yes, that describes my belief perfectly!

I have never been what you’d call “computer-savvy,” but figured a newer device, with greater storage, capacity, processing speed, etc., would have no difficulty running an older program, and any limitations would be the result of only the older program. Well, guess I learned otherwise.

[and while I’m now able to distinguish between Apple and Microsoft, several years ago I purchased a “current” version of Photoshop, but never installed it. A few years later, after replacing my computer, I discovered that the unused program couldn’t be installed in my new computer, because the program I’d purchased was for Windows (Microsoft), and my new computer was a Mac (Apple)! Slow learner, I guess? 🙄]