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

[_kimathomas_]

My husband just bid on ebay and I had to cancel it.. I don't trust ebay for software as far as I can throw them.. better off to buy from the store..

Kim

http://www.airtraveldestinations.com

[_jane_westley_]

So to the core, it's hard to know whether software you bought is legitimate, unless it was from a publisher/credible store?

I've been interested in the idea that Adobe sent a confirm email like 1 month later. does it means the registered item appears in the account after 1 month. why they don't do that right away so we can walk at ease?

is the activation the same process as typing in the serial? since as i know, activation is totally different than registration.

is this sound like bootleg for you guys: the key is green check marked when typed in but is confirmed as invalid with an Adobe agent!!

thank you for all the suggestions from you guys

[_Dominic_Devlin_]

Definitely never buy on ebay.
My brother got a copy last year,what a disaster.
It is deinitely worth paying fullprice
Dominic

[_steven_h_james_]

The old adage "if it seems to good to be true something ain't right" is always true. Don't try and kid yourself into believing something that in your heart of hearts you know not to be.

[_Mary_Riley_]

Yeah, even those some people don't have a problem with pirated software, it's really hard to find working patches and serials sometimes.

[_Dodong_]

I agree. Buying Adobe Photoshop from eBay may create headache. Why not buy it from authorized distributors and resellers? Amazon is a good place to buy from.

[Guest]

But not from an Amazon reseller!

[Guest]

I bought from an Amazon reseller and have had the same problem that the original writer mentioned. I contacted the seller and told him I had a problem and he said I could send it back. I won't be able to do this for another 10 days but wonder if I should contact Amazon and my credit card company sooner. I received my software about 2 weeks ago so it's probably already too late.

[John T Smith]

You always contact your CC company immediately!

[Guest]

what john says. call asap!

[_Phil_Stephano_]

what about CS4 through ebay? Does it seem odd that it's available since the release wasn't that long ago?
Phil
Computer Based Training ... cbt

[Guest]

Spam is not allowed.

[BobLevine]

I guess I deleted it while you were posting.

Bob

[_vid83_]

I purchased Premiere Pro 1.5 on eBay a few years ago. I never registered it. I have been using it for a few years.
My computer recently crashed and I have the option of downgrading Vista to XP or upgrading Premiere Pro 1.5 to Premiere Pro CS4.

Recently I used Adobe customer service chat and asked whether it is registered. Adobe customer service told me that it was not registered. I asked if it was licensed to anyone. Adobe told me that it was not licensed to anyone. I asked whether this is a legit and legal copy. Adobe told me that it was a legit and legal copy. I then asked what version it was (academic, etc.). Adobe told me that it was an OEM version. I asked whether I can use an OEM to upgrade to CS4. They told me yes.

Am I ok? Do you think I'll have any problems?

[John T Smith]

>Am I ok? Do you think I'll have any problems?

You said you asked Adobe... so what do you think someone in a USER TO USER forum is going to do?

[Guest]

I don't know about premire pro, but photoshop hasn't been released as an OEM since about version 5, like 10 years ago or more. now premire pro is no more than a couple years old (it used to be just premire, then they split it into pro and elements versions), and if i recall it's a pretty expensive program vs premire elements. my GUESS is it's fake. but you gotta go by adobe, i guess.

[goodvybe]

The whole disparity on price from so many different selling outlets for the Photoshop software is really tragic . I agree if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it probably is a duck. But still if it is a duck, meaning likely a fake, then why is it that these ebay sales persist in getting clearance, when adobe are quite within their rights to shut them down and request ebay have them cease selling ?? It makes me wonder just a little that perhaps there are a lot of cheaper back room sales of the legitimate software going on that make this a retailers debacle trying to compete on prices. Another point of confusion is the fact that although a lot of debate on wether there were or are any OEM versions of Photoshop past version 5.5. Well in fact I possess a copy of version 6.0 Photoshop, and also there happens to be a web site solely committed  to  selling OEM software  This web site pride themselves in having agreements with major software companies to legitimately sell the software OEM versions for immediate download of most well known software apps, and they actually have the Photoshop Extended supposed OEM version of CS4 for sale at just $99.90 USD. So go figure, I would expect if adobe are on the ball there would not be this blatant abuse of illegitimate software sales running rife. I think I may end up going out and purchasing a Photoshop Elements copy since it is really all that fits well within my budget. However I do see a lot of older versions on Ebay USA advertised as unopened retail boxed  legitimate software, and because older versions like version 7.0 and CS2 they are much more reasonably and affordably priced than what the latest retail CS4 prices are within Australia. But another concern there is that I have a feeling that if I import an Adobe Photoshop boxed package out of the USA, then I void any rights to a legitimate licensing usage agreement of the software, as I believe that it says on a lot of software packaging and quite likely the Adobe Photo shop, that the software is not for sale or usage outside of the USA or Canada, would this be correct, any one know ?? Still the quest goes on. Cheers Trev

[Guest]

I would expect if adobe are on the ball there would not be this blatant abuse of illegitimate software sales running rife.

You would be justified in expecting that, but it is obvious they are not on the ball.

Their anti-piracy energies seem to be devoted to making it harder and harder for legitimate purchasers to deal with the activation system.

[goodvybe]

Yes I get thefeeling a lot of software companies make their pricing

structures so hard for the average joe and their licensing structures so

hard to conform to that in the end they seem to become their own worse

enemies, who actually inspire the piracy market, because a lot of folk just

aren't interested in parting with large money for software,. so naturally

the pirates have an immediate market place. and when they take away a lot of

the legitimate second hand market due to licensing infringements and so

forth that further encourages the pirates to do even more business. Still

will keep searching for a cheaper unopened earlier version that complies

with the Adobe licensing structure. Best to keep on the right side of

things.

Cheers

Trev

[_stevefoobar_]

I guess I have a similar question but not about eBay particularly. I have seen supposedly "legitimate" copies of CS3 on PriceGrabber storefront (didn't even know they had one) from a "company" called "[deleted by forum host]" (as if that meant anything) for $164.25.

Why I thought this might be legite is I was just assuming that companies would be willing to sell the older versions of Photoshop for less to clear their inventories for the new version.

At least that's how it works with other retail merchandise, but I'm not sure it works that same way with software.

Does anyone have any experience with a reduced-priced version from a non-eBay source for CS3?

I'm going to follow the advice and see if they "company" responds to my email asking for the serial number to verify with Adobe. My guess is that I'll never hear back from them.

[Guest]

how would they get the serial number without opening the package?

[_stevefoobar_]

I believe that since they are claiming these are OEM copies, that means the don't come in a package or with any printed material or eve a box. They provide just the media, which presumably has the serial number printed right on the paper sleeve or the media itself. They should be able to just read it and email me the serial number, but I'm certainly not holding my breath while waiting for their reply.

Most of these "no name" businesses that have these store fronts on eBay, Amazon.com, Price Grabber, etc. could be one person working from their kitchen table for all you know. Amazon may have more stringent requirements on who they will let sell on their site but I doubt eBay and Price Grabber do. :-)

[Guest]

there are no OEM copies of cs3. see? that was easy! :)

[BobLevine]

Over a hundred messages here and there's always someone who thinks they've found the only legit dealer selling Adobe software at 75% off.

Bob

[Guest]

I love it when people don't understand why adobe doesn't give away it's 700 dollar software with a scanner that goes for 29.99. but the "oem resellers" don't even give you the scanner!!!

here's a tip for people who buy software that IS oem... one of the terms of the oem software is generally you need to sell it WITH the equiptment. so an "OEM version" of windows for example is generally only legal when sold WITH A COMPUTER.