I've just ordered my first technet subscription from MS.
Towards the end of the order process, I'm told that credit card payment is not available and that I will have to send a cheque...

I should have spat the dummy right then and there, but I begrudgingly persisted. Then, after the order is complete, I'm informed that the cheque has to be sent to Australia!

This is really pathetic. This is a subscription for a digital service (I don't need media sent to me).
I'm not so young that I don't own a cheque book, but writing out a cheque is practically a foreign concept to me in this day and age. Especially when its for a product/service that has no physical properties.

I have to now wait till Monday and ask my bank to give me an international cheque, pay their fee, pay for postage to australia and then sit back and hope like hell that the envelope doesn't float its way back to NZ once it arrives in a flood-ridden country. I can also kiss goodbye to being able to download anything this side of February.

MS, pull your finger out you backward lumbering dinosaur.

/rant

Now to ensure this thread isn't purely a rant, can anyone tell me if there are any retail partners that can sell me the sub (TechNet Standard) and are in Auckland (preferably). I'd much rather that than playing it MS' way.

Help/advice/..abuse all appreciated.