Thinking of buying from eBay?

[BobLevine]

Edited October 23, 2008

The original article that this post referred to has expired but there's still quite a bit of good information in this thread.

The point is that eBay software is a risky purchase with much of it illegally pirated.

Bob

[_Jose_Delgado_]

The Link is not working for me.

It takes me to a 404 page on yahoo. :(

[BobLevine]

It's an old story that's expired. The general idea is that about 90% or
so of software sold on eBay is pirated and the software companies are
finally doing something about it.

Bob

[_milojones_]

Does it matter what country you buy it from? Is there any code in the software that would stop getting cs3 in the U.S and using it in the UK?

[Guest]

As far as I know you can't buy it in the USA without going there. :(

[John T Smith]

There is a long message thread over in the Premiere lounge about buying in the US, while visiting there, and taking it outside the US to then use the software in another country

I haven't paid much attention (other than knowing the discussion is there) but I don't remember anyone who has done that saying they had any problem installing and running the software

[_Angler_]

The link has expired, are there any other links to the article? Thanks.

[_Ben_J_Shaffer_]

I think that it is pretty clear that these are not legit copies. As my granny used to say, you don't get nought for nought...

[_Terry_Jett_]

Greetings,

I am a newbie here but my two cents is be real careful.

Been burned twice ordering "real" software from people on eBay. Once on Photoshop 7 and another on Win XP.

I have found it best to use local ads (in USA, craigslist) so I can actually visit the person selling. That is how I found "real" copies at a discount.

Hope this will help sone.

Terry

[_Toivo_Hautamaki_]

I've purchased Photoshop 6.0 via Ebay and have been pleased. Although like anything else, you need to use your own instincts and best judgement when buying anything there. Use the feature enabling you to contact the seller directly. Tell them you'd like their phone number so you can call them up and verbally ask them a few questions. If you do get a phone number, that's a good indication the seller is 99.9% legit. Look carefully through all details mentioned about the product that's for sale and compare it to existing items you see on the same list - do alot of cross-referencing and by all means at least email with a few questions.

[_Bebo_Skins_]

if a deal is togood to be true then most of the time it is, be carefull and think with your head.

[_pro-webdesign_]

I bought a copy of Photoshop 6.0 a long while back from EBay, when it go here it said on the box "For Bundles Only", I never registered it as I thought I had been ripped off and didnt want to get into trouble. Since then Ive been to my local retailer for the correct software.
Some software items may be legit, but I have never found such an item on Ebay.

Rob
ProWebDesign

[_John_Gotidoc_]

That would rather be a much better idea Terry, since you can not verify the authenticity of a software on e-Bay before you get the product so it would be better to actually visit the person selling before getting your money off your wallet.

[_Jayson_hahn_]

I was woundering the same thing.

[_Philip_Pierloz_]

Hello,

The Production Premium CS3 selling at $999, does this sounds like illegal or is it possible being a legal copy with valid serial?

Is there any way of being confirmed about the validity of a serial key? Can one call Adobe for a confirmation about this? And where should you call at?

Thank you

[_elavenil_]

i dont think they are legit copies.

[_ravi_9793_]

I am getting this message:
Yahoo - Document Has Expired

[_Phos_four_dots_]

What's that have to do with the warning about buying from ebay, Ravi?

[BobLevine]

The original post was a link to a Yahoo story. I didn't expect this
thread to take on a life of its own.

But there's some good info in the rest of the thread so I'll leave it be
for now.

Bob

[D__McCahill]

(Why not edit the link above to say "don't", Bob. Or grab another post that points to the perils of EBay buying. Seems someone else decided to make this post sticky.)

[BobLevine]

I've been meaning to do that, Don. Thanks for the reminder.

Bob

[_alclark7_]

I really think if it was possible for online retailers to get a hold of copies as cheap as that, then there would be more bricks and mortar stores selling it cheaper too.

Ebay is full of counterfeit clothes etc that are exact replicas of the real products. It would be even easier to make a great copy of software.

I'd avoid lining the crooks pockets!

[_Lynda_D_Stang_]

I wouldn't recommend you do it either. Seems really risky and that's a chunck of change. I would go for the real version and then you know what you are getting.

[_rjtaylor_]

It is really a bad idea to buy software from someone online unless it is in the box and sealed. You never know what you get. It could be pirated, the serial could already be used, etc.

[Guest]

> unless it is in the box and sealed

No! No! No! No No!

Didn't you read the thread?

Good fakes come shrink-wrapped and with a printed manual!

[John T Smith]

Not only shrink wrapped and with a manual, but the hologram labels on disc or box are reproduced

Some of these fakes are good enough to fool even the buyers for retail or online outlets... I can't remember the name of the program (simply too many messages and not enough memory space) but I know that I read a report sometime in the last year or so that fake software was being sold by a legitimate store because their wholesale buyer got "stung"

I still buy online, but I ONLY do so from a store that has a good return policy, to cover bad software