Norton 360: even protects your computer whilst it's off

Dr Lobster* · Sat 19 Dec, 2009 20.26

mrs lobsters laptop sadly failed today so we thought for an easy christmas pressie we'd replace it.

given the unlikelyhood of an online order being with us before christmas i thought we should brave the usual chain stores and see what bargains they had.

soon after arriving in currys, a sales assistant came over to me and asked if i needed any help - i asked if a couple on display were in stock

the sales assistant then started to explain to me that it was imperative that i purchase the laptop with norton 360, he explained that it would not be safe online without this software. my bank account would be raided and my laptop would be filled with viruses. scary stuff.

then the sales assistant explained that the 'new version' of norton 360 (v3) ticked along in the background, optimising, making my laptop work smoothly. it's like having my own computer technician fixing and diagnosing problems before they even happened.

it was then i became suspicious.

you see, this new version was so advanced that it even protected the laptop when it was turned off.

does anybody know just how much commission those sales assistance make on a sale of norton internet security?

it must be worth their while to make stuff up to get the sale and try to scare you by saying that your laptop will get fooked if you don't buy it.

Pete · Sat 19 Dec, 2009 20.37

I got my NC10 for £199 so long as I bought Norton 360 for £25 at Staples. Taking into account that said model (which is not the most recent) is still £259 on Amazon the commission must be sizeable.

Suffice to say, it has not been installed. Might try and flog it on ebay.

Jake · Sat 19 Dec, 2009 20.45

I had a brief stint at Currys.digital last Christmas.
At the time, I think it was £3 for selling Norton with a laptop, and £10 if you flogged Word with it as well.
I was more of a warehouse person though so was glad not to be on the floor much (meant I had no ridiculous sales targets!)

They really do push you to sell these due to the huge margin on them. I think they cost something like 50p/£1 per unit. Think they also had incentives like if your store sells a certain number of copies you get extra entries into a draw to win something lavish like a car or a holiday.

cdd · Sat 19 Dec, 2009 21.04

Well there's definitely something funny going on as when I bought a laptop there I was (naturally) insistent against Norton crap etc.

What happens if you refuse it for any price is that they throw it in for free.

I often wonder if the sales assistants know how worthless Norton is. You see I had just assumed they had fallen prey to the same stupid idea that you can't live without anti-virus software and were well-intentionedly trying to pass on the advice.

It comes bundled with the OEM of all major manufacturers anyway though - I guess it's the subscriptions/scareware they make their money on.

Philip · Sat 19 Dec, 2009 21.20

I think what they mean is that it will protect it in sleep mode.

Pete · Sat 19 Dec, 2009 21.27

Philip wrote:I think what they mean is that it will protect it in sleep mode.

from what?

Luke-H · Sat 19 Dec, 2009 21.33

Jake wrote:I had a brief stint at Currys.digital last Christmas.
At the time, I think it was £3 for selling Norton with a laptop, and £10 if you flogged Word with it as well.
I was more of a warehouse person though so was glad not to be on the floor much (meant I had no ridiculous sales targets!)

They really do push you to sell these due to the huge margin on them. I think they cost something like 50p/£1 per unit. Think they also had incentives like if your store sells a certain number of copies you get extra entries into a draw to win something lavish like a car or a holiday.

I got dragged back into DSGi over Christmas this year, so am working there until January, and it's all changed since I left earlier in the year. Now the stores are given targets to hit, and bonus payments are awarded at the end of each month depending on how well the stores (and individual salesmen) do.

Basically, if you don't sell Norton with six out of every ten laptops you sell, your bonuses are slashed.

Ebeneezer Scrooge · Sat 19 Dec, 2009 21.33

Waking up?

Jovis · Sat 19 Dec, 2009 21.37

Yes thanks, around eight hours after I go to sleep.

Philip · Sat 19 Dec, 2009 21.41

Hymagumba wrote:
Philip wrote:I think what they mean is that it will protect it in sleep mode.
from what?

Sometimes viruses wait to start after being downloaded, sometimes only 5 minutes, in some cases up to 5 hours. Whilst in previous editions Norton would turn inactive during sleep mode to save energy, newer versions keep it running in sleep mode.

Sput · Sat 19 Dec, 2009 22.08

That's impressive considering the cpu has no power in S3 sleep mode (the one most computers go into). All norton could do is wake the computer up from sleep and do its checks before taking it back there.

edit: And anyway why wouldn't downloaded files be scanned straight away?