Site with cheap OEM & Retail (full/legit) software

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Lots of good deals are to be found if you click the brand(s) that interest you on the left side of the main page...
 
I would be suspicious of any site that will simply sell someone an OEM edition of a software product.

OEM editions are intended to be shipped/sold with a system. Usually, the publisher requires that the OEM software ship with a hardware component or some other piece of hardware. It is typically a violation of the software publisher's license agreement to install an OEM edition of a product on a computer with which it was not originally purchased.

I would rather spend $69.99 at Staples, Best Buy, or Walmart and get the 3-user retail edition to install on my desktop, laptop, and another family member's computer. Then there is no question as to the legality of the software.
 
Originally Posted By: EricF
Newegg.com


Newegg is great, but from my experience their software prices can't touch buycheapsoftware.com
 
Originally Posted By: ryster
I would be suspicious of any site that will simply sell someone an OEM edition of a software product.

OEM editions are intended to be shipped/sold with a system. Usually, the publisher requires that the OEM software ship with a hardware component or some other piece of hardware. It is typically a violation of the software publisher's license agreement to install an OEM edition of a product on a computer with which it was not originally purchased.

I would rather spend $69.99 at Staples, Best Buy, or Walmart and get the 3-user retail edition to install on my desktop, laptop, and another family member's computer. Then there is no question as to the legality of the software.


I have purchased software from buycheapsoftware for many years and they clearly state that they only sell genuine, legally licensed versions of OEM software. Check out this link for additional information:

http://www.buycheapsoftware.com/anti_pirate.asp
 
I wonder if they front-end the license purchases for resale by purchasing huge quantities at discount prices from the software vendors directly.
 
Originally Posted By: Lyondellic
Still uncertain, have a look at their customer list:

http://www.buycheapsoftware.com/shortlist.asp


Really doesn't mean anything. A customer can buy one time, and be considered a satisfied customer.

As a long-time employee of one of the United States largest software and hardware corporate resellers, I can tell you that we battle companies like this constantly. It is only after lengthy discussions with our clients, and putting them in touch with actual representatives from the software publishers, that we are able to convince them that these types of companies are dubious at best.

I can also tell you that several of the customers on this list have exclusive, one-stop shop/single source, multi-year purchasing agreements with the company for whom I work.
 
Originally Posted By: ToyotaNSaturn
I wonder if they front-end the license purchases for resale by purchasing huge quantities at discount prices from the software vendors directly.


That is really not how this industry works. The resellers do not purchase inventory of licenses. They are procured through a distributor as purchased by the end user. This is because the publishers offer tiered licensing programs, and pricing will vary depending on the number of licenses purchased at any given time (e.g. 1-4, 5-24, 15-99 100-149, etc.)

For example, the end user contacts the reseller and places an order. The reseller sends a Purchase Order to the distributor, the distributor sends an order to the software publisher, and the software publisher delivers the license certificates to the end user.

The only product that are purchased and inventoried are the full-package products (the boxed version).
 
Interesting. I have had dealings with SoftChoice, Ingraham, & CDW. All of which have price floors where no matter how much the company purchases, and how well you treat the sales person,the price never gets any cheaper.

This is not the case with the company that the OP references. Gotta wonder how they get away with charging much less than the biggest players.
 
Originally Posted By: ryster
I would be suspicious of any site that will simply sell someone an OEM edition of a software product.

OEM editions are intended to be shipped/sold with a system. Usually, the publisher requires that the OEM software ship with a hardware component or some other piece of hardware. It is typically a violation of the software publisher's license agreement to install an OEM edition of a product on a computer with which it was not originally purchased.

I would rather spend $69.99 at Staples, Best Buy, or Walmart and get the 3-user retail edition to install on my desktop, laptop, and another family member's computer. Then there is no question as to the legality of the software.


TigerDirect sells OEM's by themselves is a huge company and has retail stores now. (In Canada Too) ???
54.gif


Don't know about you but I don't need a fancy plastic box and graphics to sell me a CD with software.
 
Originally Posted By: ToyotaNSaturn
Interesting. I have had dealings with SoftChoice, Ingraham, & CDW. All of which have price floors where no matter how much the company purchases, and how well you treat the sales person,the price never gets any cheaper.

This is not the case with the company that the OP references. Gotta wonder how they get away with charging much less than the biggest players.


It all depends on the licensing program you are working with. In the case of Symantec, they have an Express program and a Rewards program. The Express program has different pricing levels depending on how many licenses you purchase during any given transaction. The Express program has a top tier (say 2000+ licenses) where the pricing will not get any cheaper once you purchase that quantity in a given transaction. The Rewards program requires a company to forecast how many licenses they will purchase, and they then get to buy at that level as long as they meet their forecasts. The Rewards program is geared toward very large install bases.

Legit OEM editons will be cheaper than the boxed product, but again it is supposed to be sold and installed on a new system. The company I work for (a Platinum Symantec Partner) sells OEM editons, but only under specific circumstances and only as part of a qualifying purchase (custom configured system, etc.) If someone called in and asked to buy only the OEM edition software, we would politely explain to them why we cannot do that and quote them the corresponding edition they would qualify to purchase.

Unfortunately many companies sell pirated software as "OEM" in attempt to legitimize the product. The unsuspecting consumer buys it, installs it, and seemingly never has an issue until they call Symantec for support and get denied because the license key is invalid.

As always, buyer beware!
 
Originally Posted By: ryster
Originally Posted By: ToyotaNSaturn
Interesting. I have had dealings with SoftChoice, Ingraham, & CDW. All of which have price floors where no matter how much the company purchases, and how well you treat the sales person,the price never gets any cheaper.

This is not the case with the company that the OP references. Gotta wonder how they get away with charging much less than the biggest players.


It all depends on the licensing program you are working with. In the case of Symantec, they have an Express program and a Rewards program. The Express program has different pricing levels depending on how many licenses you purchase during any given transaction. The Express program has a top tier (say 2000+ licenses) where the pricing will not get any cheaper once you purchase that quantity in a given transaction. The Rewards program requires a company to forecast how many licenses they will purchase, and they then get to buy at that level as long as they meet their forecasts. The Rewards program is geared toward very large install bases.

Legit OEM editons will be cheaper than the boxed product, but again it is supposed to be sold and installed on a new system. The company I work for (a Platinum Symantec Partner) sells OEM editons, but only under specific circumstances and only as part of a qualifying purchase (custom configured system, etc.) If someone called in and asked to buy only the OEM edition software, we would politely explain to them why we cannot do that and quote them the corresponding edition they would qualify to purchase.

Unfortunately many companies sell pirated software as "OEM" in attempt to legitimize the product. The unsuspecting consumer buys it, installs it, and seemingly never has an issue until they call Symantec for support and get denied because the license key is invalid.

As always, buyer beware!


No disrespect intended, but I suppose you don't trust Newegg either. Newegg sells OEM versions of Microsoft operating systems and even gives each customer that buys an OEM copy of Vista a free Windows 7 upgrade coupon!

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=368&name=Operating-Systems

Seriously though, call buycheapsoftware's toll free number (888-999-2611) if you wish to ask them about the legality of what they are doing. Better yet, use Symantec's 24/7 chat application to ask them if they know that buycheapsoftware sells the OEM version of their software.

http://www.symantec.com/norton/support/contact/contact.jsp?selected_nav=1&pvid=cs&cspvid=cs
 
Straight from Microsoft:

"The current OEM System Builder License allows system builders to distribute Windows desktop operating system licenses in the following ways:

1) Preinstalled on a new PC.
2) Unopened OEM System Builder packs (1-, 3-, or 30-packs) can be distributed to other system builders by themselves. Note that they must remain unopened so the receiving system builder can accept and be bound by the break-the-seal license agreement that is affixed to the pack."

http://oem.microsoft.com/script/contentPage.aspx?pageid=552846#faq1
 
Originally Posted By: Lyondellic
Straight from Microsoft:

"The current OEM System Builder License allows system builders to distribute Windows desktop operating system licenses in the following ways:

1) Preinstalled on a new PC.
2) Unopened OEM System Builder packs (1-, 3-, or 30-packs) can be distributed to other system builders by themselves. Note that they must remain unopened so the receiving system builder can accept and be bound by the break-the-seal license agreement that is affixed to the pack."

http://oem.microsoft.com/script/contentPage.aspx?pageid=552846#faq1


I am not arguing about what an OEM pack is, I believe I previously posted there were requirements to purchase OEM packs. If you are a "system builder" than you are all set.

If I recall you purchased NIS 2010, a Symantec product. Per Symantec:

"What is OEM software?
Symantec original equipment manufacturer (OEM) software is a version of software intended only for distribution by certain Symantec partners and only in conjunction with certain computer hardware. Distribution of OEM software as standalone (without the requisite computer hardware) is a violation of the license agreement."

http://www.symantec.com/about/profile/antipiracy/faq.jsp#oem

Buycheapsoftware.com, by selling you the NIS 2010 OEM pack as a standalone product, is violating the license agreement.

As I stated previously, the company I work for will happily sell an OEM pack to a client as long as they meet the eligibility requirements. Ultimately it is a business decision these companies make to push the limits of their partner agreements. My company plays it by the book. We value the relationship we have with Symantec, and our status as a Symantec Platinum Partner, too much to risk it on a $20 OEM pack.
 
Originally Posted By: Lyondellic
Originally Posted By: ryster
Originally Posted By: ToyotaNSaturn
Interesting. I have had dealings with SoftChoice, Ingraham, & CDW. All of which have price floors where no matter how much the company purchases, and how well you treat the sales person,the price never gets any cheaper.

This is not the case with the company that the OP references. Gotta wonder how they get away with charging much less than the biggest players.


It all depends on the licensing program you are working with. In the case of Symantec, they have an Express program and a Rewards program. The Express program has different pricing levels depending on how many licenses you purchase during any given transaction. The Express program has a top tier (say 2000+ licenses) where the pricing will not get any cheaper once you purchase that quantity in a given transaction. The Rewards program requires a company to forecast how many licenses they will purchase, and they then get to buy at that level as long as they meet their forecasts. The Rewards program is geared toward very large install bases.

Legit OEM editons will be cheaper than the boxed product, but again it is supposed to be sold and installed on a new system. The company I work for (a Platinum Symantec Partner) sells OEM editons, but only under specific circumstances and only as part of a qualifying purchase (custom configured system, etc.) If someone called in and asked to buy only the OEM edition software, we would politely explain to them why we cannot do that and quote them the corresponding edition they would qualify to purchase.

Unfortunately many companies sell pirated software as "OEM" in attempt to legitimize the product. The unsuspecting consumer buys it, installs it, and seemingly never has an issue until they call Symantec for support and get denied because the license key is invalid.

As always, buyer beware!


No disrespect intended, but I suppose you don't trust Newegg either. Newegg sells OEM versions of Microsoft operating systems and even gives each customer that buys an OEM copy of Vista a free Windows 7 upgrade coupon!

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=368&name=Operating-Systems

Seriously though, call buycheapsoftware's toll free number (888-999-2611) if you wish to ask them about the legality of what they are doing. Better yet, use Symantec's 24/7 chat application to ask them if they know that buycheapsoftware sells the OEM version of their software.

http://www.symantec.com/norton/support/contact/contact.jsp?selected_nav=1&pvid=cs&cspvid=cs


I have no issue with Newegg and have purchased hardware from them in the past. They are a well known vendor and a competitor of my company on the small business side of the sales organization.

Again, it is up to the reseller to make a business decision on how they resell OEM packs. They shouldn't sell OEM to anyone that doesn't meet the requirements. However, some places want the sale and will ship the product and look the other way.

If it works for you, and buycheapsoftware.com services you well, then you have found a source for cheap software. I prefer to just go to the store and buy what I need and then renew direct with the publisher when my renewals are due.
 
Originally Posted By: Lyondellic
Straight from Microsoft:

"The current OEM System Builder License allows system builders to distribute Windows desktop operating system licenses in the following ways:

1) Preinstalled on a new PC.
2) Unopened OEM System Builder packs (1-, 3-, or 30-packs) can be distributed to other system builders by themselves. Note that they must remain unopened so the receiving system builder can accept and be bound by the break-the-seal license agreement that is affixed to the pack."

http://oem.microsoft.com/script/contentPage.aspx?pageid=552846#faq1


I guess TigerDirect can stand to get in a lot of $#!@ then if someone at Microslop finds out.
wink.gif
 
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