When do Quicken activation codes expire? - was NOT 2yrs - 5/15/20 --> 1/1/22

ChuckM79

When do Quicken activation codes expire?
On 9/19/2020 I purchased a 1yr code to Quicken Deluxe. I read that it would expire in 2 years. I tried to use the code today 3/14/2022 under "activate quicken" in Windows and it says "This code has expired". I believe it hasn't been 2 years yet since I purchased it.

How long after purchasing the codes do they expire?

Greg_the_Geek

Is there an expiration date on the box? Codes should be good for 24 months. Where did you purchase it?

Jon

It's my understanding that the clock starts when the code is generated, not when it's purchased. If you bought the code from someone other than Quicken they would have no idea when you purchased it & couldn't use that as a basis for expiration.

Edit: I was right. In the FAQ, under "Activating a retail purchase", it says

Note: Activation codes expire 24 months after being generated.

splasher

The codes are generated in the Fall of the year before the year on the box.

ChuckM79

I purchased from NewEgg.com. I just contacted Quicken support and they said "it expired this year
Valid Window Start Date: 5/15/2020 3:52 pm
Valid Window End Date: 1/1/2022 1:59 am"
So this is NOT 2 years! Quicken tells me to talk to NewEgg and NewEgg says to talk to Quicken.

retird

Shelf time at the store counts against the 2 years....was told this by Quiken tech support a long time ago.  My question to Quicken was "Why is there a 2 year expiration for a purchased Quicken software when it is not even installed?"  Answer... that's the way it is and the activation codes are removed by Quicken after 2 years.

Quicken Anja

Hello @ChuckM79,

I have sent you a direct message, please navigate to the inbox in the top right-hand corner of the Community page and check your inbox.

Thank you!

the3roots

Is there a way to tell when the Activation Code will expire or what date is has to be activated by?

I saw that Best Buy had Quicken Premier on sale, so I purchased it thinking I could just activate it within 6 months of my current subscriptions expiration date. My Quicken Premier subscription doesn't run out until November 13, 2022. So, according to the Quicken policy I could activate a new subscription as early as May 13, 2022.

However, when I got home I noticed that the receipt from Best Buy says it is Quicken 2020 and I noticed that the copyright date on the box says 2020. No where else on the package does it actually say that the product is Quicken Premier 2020 or even what the expiration date of the enclosed activation code will be.

Why does Best Buy only have 2020 software for sale? I went back to Best Buy and to Sam's Club and all of the Quicken Premier boxes sold at both stores had a copyright date of 2020.

More importantly, why doesn't the Quicken box not say what date the software must be activated by? It seems like this would cause some issues with buyers and unhappy customers.

Is there anyway Quicken Support can tell me if the enclosed Activation Code will expire before I will be able to activate it? If I open it and give them the Activation Code, I won't be able to return it to Best Buy. Also, their return policy is 15 days, so I won't be able to return it if I wait until May to try and activate it.

@Quicken Anja or @Quicken Kathryn,do you know the answer to this?
Also, if you have any pull with the Product Managers, could you suggest that they add the expiration date of the activation code to the outside of box? I think it would help all of your customers.

Sherlock

the3roots said:

Is there a way to tell when the Activation Code will expire or what date is has to be activated by?

I saw that Best Buy had Quicken Premier on sale, so I purchased it thinking I could just activate it within 6 months of my current subscriptions expiration date. My Quicken Premier subscription doesn't run out until November 13, 2022. So, according to the Quicken policy I could activate a new subscription as early as May 13, 2022.

However, when I got home I noticed that the receipt from Best Buy says it is Quicken 2020 and I noticed that the copyright date on the box says 2020. No where else on the package does it actually say that the product is Quicken Premier 2020 or even what the expiration date of the enclosed activation code will be.

Why does Best Buy only have 2020 software for sale? I went back to Best Buy and to Sam's Club and all of the Quicken Premier boxes sold at both stores had a copyright date of 2020.

More importantly, why doesn't the Quicken box not say what date the software must be activated by? It seems like this would cause some issues with buyers and unhappy customers.

Is there anyway Quicken Support can tell me if the enclosed Activation Code will expire before I will be able to activate it? If I open it and give them the Activation Code, I won't be able to return it to Best Buy. Also, their return policy is 15 days, so I won't be able to return it if I wait until May to try and activate it.

Quicken provides a full refund up to 30-days from date of purchase:  https://www.quicken.com/support/Terms-and-Conditions-For-Exchanging-Canceling-or-Refunding-Quicken-Products

splasher

I've been trying to get a definitive answer from @Quicken Kathryn for some time.
I have asked what the current subscription activation code expiration code policy is now that the boxes no longer have a year in bold lettering.
It used to be that the codes were generated in the Fall of the year prior to the year on the box which was when they introduced the new version every year, but now that subscription is a year round improvement process, not one of us users knows the official answer.
You might try asking Quicken Support.

retird

A big box store near me has a good deal price on Quicken Premier 2021.  It is now 2022 so when does the 2021 expire?  

Surely Quicken will answer OUR question now....  ..... 

the3roots

> @retird said:
> A big box store near me has a good deal price on Quicken Premier 2021.  It is now 2022 so when does the 2021 expire?  
>
> Surely Quicken will answer OUR question now....  ..... 

@retird , what big box store near you has Quicken Premier 2021 and what city are you in?
From the FAQs a version is good for 2 years, so I would think 2021 would still work.

splasher

@the3roots
I got the following from Quicken Anja in another thread about this topic:

However, in the event that a customer does purchase an activation code that is expired, per our policy, they can contact support and we will provide them with a replacement as soon we are able to collect proof of purchase from them. 

@retird
The activation code for a 2021 package would have been generated in the Fall of 2020 and be good for 24 months after that date.  But based on Quicken Anja's response above, support should make it good, but I wouldn't test it too far, buying more than one of them may get you burned since you have to show proof of purchase and I'm willing to bet that a year old receipt isn't going to be accepted.
I guess I may need to go for a clarification on how old a receipt can be.

the3roots

> @splasher said:
> @the3roots
> I got the following from Quicken Anja in another thread about this topic:

Thanks @splasher ,
Can you provide a link to the other thread where you got the response from Anja? Based on that, I'm going to hold onto the copy that I have and assume they will honor it when I go to activate the new subscription.

splasher

the3roots said:

> @splasher said:
> @the3roots
> I got the following from Quicken Anja in another thread about this topic:

Thanks @splasher ,
Can you provide a link to the other thread where you got the response from Anja? Based on that, I'm going to hold onto the copy that I have and assume they will honor it when I go to activate the new subscription.

Link not possible since it is in a private thread, but the above quote is copied directly from it.

retird

THX @splasher.... would be nice to have a verified and true answer, including how old a receipt can be, to our questions answered by a quicken employee... Costco has a great price on Q-Premier 2021 now... 

thecreator

Hi @retird ,

Two years from Date Generated. Also, the code might be for New Users, only and not for Current Users. Take a good look at the retail box. Does it reference, New Users Only? Many times, a previous purchaser, might have used the Product Code, then returned the product to The Store. The store then could have shrunk wrapped the product and resold it.

Hence, the Product Key was already used.

I used to have worked for a Distributor, a long time ago, and they did that with LP Records and 8 Track Tapes.

splasher

If you want a "verified and true answer" from a Quicken employee, call Quicken Support and get them to put it in writing, I can only pass on what a Quicken employee responded to my question.  Write corporate Quicken at their USPS mailing address and request an official response from someone with the authority to back up that official response.
I can't do any better than what I have provided above.

retird

@thecreator, The add doesn't specify if it is a new-user version... hesitate to purchase without verifiable answers from Quicken... 

ChuckM79

Hi @retird, there is no such thing as a new user version. You are paying for a 1yr subscription key. Costco or NewEgg will sell you a box with a key in it. It will also come with a disc to install the software if you don't have it (unless it says digital only).

Source: I have purchased many new boxed copies, just to use the code to extend my existing membership (as long as it's within 6 month of expiring or less)

splasher

ChuckM79 said:

Hi @retird, there is no such thing as a new user version. You are paying for a 1yr subscription key. Costco or NewEgg will sell you a box with a key in it. It will also come with a disc to install the software if you don't have it (unless it says digital only).

Source: I have purchased many new boxed copies, just to use the code to extend my existing membership (as long as it's within 6 month of expiring or less)

@ChuckM79
You are wrong about the "new user packages", they exist and they can not be used with a Quicken Id that has had a subscription associated with it.

Here is an image from a Staple's listing:

retird

I just got off the phone with Quicken Support. They could not answer the question posed here except that one can call them with the activation code (after you purchase and open the box) and they MAY be able to find out an expiration date. Open box items must be returned to the store.  I also asked them if Q-Premier has a first time puchaser version and they said yes but may not be stated on the front of the box.

retird

I see this.... different picture than Costco shows... so Costco must have existing user version... hum...

Jon

The last time I bought a subscription code it was from from Newegg; they had both new user & existing user purchases available for Deluxe so you had to make sure you got the right one. I checked again just now and they still have both. They're also available in both boxed form and as digital downloads. I bought the boxed version because it was on sale (it worked fine) but if the prices had been the same I would have gone with the download based on the assumption that the boxed version had a higher chance of being expired.

Given the way things seem to work, I would not purchase any subscription code until I was within the 6 month window and could use it immediately.

the3roots

I just chatted with Anna at Quicken Support and she said Quicken would NOT honor my purchase from Best Buy if the subscription code is expired when I try to activate it. I mentioned the quote above from @Quicken Anja that Quicken "will provide them with a replacement as soon we are able to collect proof of purchase from them." But, Anna replied "Don't know who that is, that's the way we work." (I personally find this response a little terse to a Quicken customer.)

The FAQs don't reference software that is purchased from legitimate retail stores and what Quicken's policy is regarding the time frame of when it has to be installed/activated. My feeling is if they are selling software that has a mandatory expiration/activation date, they should identify that on the box. This sounds like it should be a concern for the State Consumer Protection Agency or FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection. Quicken is inconsistent in their messaging and they are selling software with a expiration date or time frame, but they don't identify that date to the consumer.

I would appreciate it if @Quicken Anja or @Quicken Kathryn or a @Quicken Support Manager would respond.

Quicken Anja

Hello @the3roots,

Thank you for detailing your interaction with the support agent you spoke with.

Unfortunately, they provided you with inaccurate information. I will follow up with our support management team and see to it that the interaction is pulled for further review and forwarded to the agent's direct supervisor so they can provide the agent with an appropriate coaching opportunity.

Per our policy, we will provide a replacement when necessary once we are able to collect proof of purchase from the customer.

Apologies for the confusion this interaction caused you! Thank you.

the3roots

> @Quicken Anja said:
> Hello @the3roots,
>
> Thank you for detailing your interaction with the support agents you spoke with.
>
> Unfortunately, they provided you with inaccurate information. I will follow up with our support management team and see to it that the interaction is pulled for further review and forwarded to the agent's direct supervisor so they can provide the agent with an appropriate coaching opportunity.
>
> Per our policy, we will provide a replacement when necessary once we are able to collect proof of purchase from the customer.
>
> Apologies for the confusion this interaction caused you! Thank you.

@Quicken Anja , thank you for responding. Did you see my earlier post on March 22nd?

What I'd like to know is, with my proof of purchase (Sales Receipt) from Best Buy dated March 21st, will Quicken issue a replacement subscription code if I try to activate this copy of Quicken and it says it is expired? I wasn't planning to activate this new subscription in May 2022, because my current subscription doesn't expire until November 13, 2022. So, will they still honor my purchase on Sunday, March 21st?

Also, I'd like to mention, it wasn't until after I got home that I noticed that the receipt from Best Buy says it is Quicken 2020 and that the copyright date on the box says 2020. No where else on the package does it actually say that the product is Quicken Premier 2020 or what the expiration date of the activation code is. As mentioned previously in this thread and others, subscription codes expire 2-years from the date they are created. So, if the 2020 copy I purchased on Sunday was created in the Fall of 2019, then this is probably expired.

It seems like Quicken could avoid these problems/confusion by just putting an activate-by-date on the box. Or even put some type of serial number/lot number on the box that I could look up online or contact Quicken Customer Support to see if and when it needs to be activated by. Just a suggestion from a long-time Quicken customer.

Thank you!

retird

@Quicken Anja, I also just got off the phone with Quicken Support again.  I explained that Costco has a good price on Q-Premier 2021 but I wanted to know when the activation code would expire?  Quicken Support said that Costco could tell me when the activation code expires (not true).  I then ask if I purchased Quicken Premier today from Quicken would the activation code be good for 2 full years and would Quicken price match Costco. Didn't get an answer other that you must be within 6 months of your current subscription to Purchase directly from Quicken.  No answer at all about matching price. Costco states that the $20.00 discount is a manufacturer's savings.

Quicken Anja

@the3roots Thank you for your response and feedback.

While it took some time and digging, I was able to confirm the following; If an activation code is expired at the time of purchase or fails to be accepted when entered into the program prior to the expected expiration date, our customers can contact Quicken Support and we will provide a replacement after proper proof of purchase has been collected. 

This policy does not apply to expired/invalid codes that were purchased over 24 months ago.

@retird in regard to price matching; unfortunately, no we do not price match 3rd-party prices. These prices are negotiated separately between both companies' marketing departments and are set specifically for the retailer promoting the price.

Thank you!

While you will not have access to viewing the following link as it is an internal-only article (accessible only to Quicken Staff), I am linking it here as a reference for other Quicken Staff members who may wish to review this thread and verify this policy: https://www.quicken.com/support/internal-expired-subscription-activation-codes

thecreator

retird said:

@thecreator, The add doesn't specify if it is a new-user version... hesitate to purchase without verifiable answers from Quicken... 

Hi @retird ,

Since the add does not specify New User only, then buy the product at the price shown. If there is a problem with Activation, which is only done on one computer.Then Contact Quicken Support and complain.

If no problem, then Sign in, into your account online at Quicken.com/My Account, to make sure the Activation was successful. Now, on any other installations of Quicken, simply open Quicken. Under Help, click on Check Membership status. That's it.

mrzookie

@Quicken Anja

Thanks for all your help with defining this policy. Just to make sure I get it, can you confirm my understanding?

So long as a subscription renewal is attempted within 24 months of the PURCHASE DATE (as shown on the proof of purchase), Quicken will replace an expired activation code with a new one. So, as a real world example, if I buy a renewal tomorrow, don't use it until 18 months from now, and at that time it fails due to expiration, Quicken will, at no charge, provide a replacement activation code. Do I have it right?

Thanks.