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BobLevine
Community Expert
BobLevineCommunity Expert
Community Expert
February 15, 2008
Question

Thinking of buying from eBay?

  • February 15, 2008
  • 221 replies
  • 323904 views
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
    This topic has been closed for replies.

    221 replies

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    _
    _Phos_four_dots_
    Known Participant
    February 20, 2008
    Hey Bob...could you please shorten Jeff's SuperLink? You could use this: http://xrl.us/bgge4 (Link to cgi.ebay.com.au) (as generated by http://metamark.net)

    For that matter, the link doesn't even need to be there at all. A description would suffice.
    C
    charles fry
    Participant
    February 19, 2008
    I bought CS3 from ebay and it seems to be ligitiment...loaded software and registered it...all seems ok....got it for $280.00...said made in usa on box.
    S
    SkipRunge
    Participant
    June 26, 2010

    Yes, I bought the same thing from ebay and everything was wonderful until the serial number mysteriously "expired" after about 90 days.  I couldn't even load the program without getting the annoying, "Please supply a valid serial number" message.  By that time, of course, the seller had totally vanished from the ebay landscape. 

    Hope you got a better deal.

    Doc81harley
    Doc81harley
    Participating Frequently
    July 12, 2010

    P.S., Do you see a "Deactivate..." entry in your Help menu?

    -Noel


    Yes...I see a Deactivate in my Help Menu.  Does that mean something?  I only

    show that is says something about using that if you want to put the program on

    another computer or something.

    Kevan

    _
    _Jeff_Brislane_
    Participant
    February 19, 2008
    Kees,

    The other consideration is not only whether or not it's a legit copy but also whether or not it's so cheap because it's a real copy but stolen and sold for cheap. I have no doubt that the occaisonal box of new software goes missing from time to time.

    There's a new guy selling CS3 on Ebay Australia starting from this week and in his ad he has a screenshot of the photoshop initialising screen on his own computer but if you look carefully you can see the words beta in the top right hand corner! The beta version is not the retail version is it? Here is a link to his ad:

    [expired link removed that was long enough to impact the forum layout]

    Regards Jeff.
    A
    Anonymous
    February 19, 2008
    >After they told me the serial number was valid and not yet registered I ordered the software

    that's wise. you got a good deal kees! no one's saying that EVERYTHING on ebay is pirated, but the legit ones seem to be in the minority. (at least as far as what's been discussed here.) a careful buyer can lessen his chances of getting burned by being as diligent as you were.
    K
    Kees de Bruin
    Participant
    February 19, 2008
    Bob Levine wrote:
    > http://biz.yahoo.com/bizj/080215/1592630.html?.v=1

    I bought my copy of CS2 through eBay but first asked for the serial number
    and checked this with Adobe. After they told me the serial number was valid
    and not yet registered I ordered the software.

    --
    Kees de Bruin

    "A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in"
    Phil J Rose
    Phil J Rose
    Participant
    April 29, 2010

    Hi Bob, long time since you posted about this but how do you go about checking a SN with Adobe? Be interesting to know!

    Thanks Phil

    A
    Anonymous
    February 18, 2008
    300 standard upgrade, 650 standard full vers

    350 extended ed. upgrade. 1000 bux ext ed full vers (holy carp!!! that's gone up!!!)

    how's that compare with the aussie dollar?
    _
    _Klaas_Visser_
    Participant
    February 19, 2008
    Prices in Australian dollars, from a reputable retailer:

    PS CS3 full version AU$899
    PS CS3 Extended full version AU$1489
    PS CS3 upgrade AU$275
    PS CS3 Extended education AU$399

    Current exchange rate US$0.92 equals AU$1.00

    so converting the above:

    PS CS3 full version US$827
    PS CS3 Extended full version US$1370
    PS CS3 upgrade US$253
    PS CS3 Extended education US$367

    Klaas
    _
    _Jeff_Brislane_
    Participant
    February 18, 2008
    What is the retail price for CS3 in the USA? Do Adobe sell bulk wholsale copies for as low as $200USD?
    A
    Anonymous
    February 18, 2008
    no. these "mid priced" copies are generally the result of a rash of high quality pirates. they copy discs manuals etc, shrink wrap and instead of charging 50 bux which is a major clue to a rip off, they charge 300 or 400 so the buyer thinks they're getting a "deal".

    don't do it.
    _
    _Jeff_Brislane_
    Participant
    February 18, 2008
    In Australia there are people selling CS3 on Ebay in un-opened shrink wrapped boxes for around $300 which is far less than the cheapest retail here of $860. I've contacted a few of them and all claim to have sources in the USA who ship them bulk genuine copys of CS3. One guy even phtoographed the inside of the cd case to show the discs but I can't verify if these are genuine as I haven't even seen genuine CS3 discs. I know about pirate downloads and CD copys but these look like the real deal in real boxes that might have been purchased cheap in bulk. Should I risk it?

    Regards Jeff.
    D
    Desert_Foxey
    Participant
    February 22, 2010

    Be very careful Jeff, I bought a sealed copy in box ,of CS4 standard upgrade

    and the disc label was correct, but when I installed it, it wasCS4  extended and of course it wouldn't work. It ran one time and after that I got error messages. It took me 2 months dealing with the seller and then I told ebay that I wanted a refund and promptly got it.  The seller only had one copy for sale and I think he was duped also.

    Nancy

    ,

    A
    Anonymous
    February 15, 2008
    Maybe with a note about the "CS2 made in Singapore" story.
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