Buying Software That Gets Dropped/Sold/Abandoned

11 replies
Does it bother anyone else when you buy software from a marketer with supposed lifetime access only to find that less than a year later the software is no longer supported?

I can't count how many plugins, software or themes I buy that marketers here, and jvzoo amongst others simply stop supporting or end up selling.

I still have Microsoft office 2003 on my 2007 computer. Both still work great I might add!! Why is it that internet marketers don't seem to be able to maintain that same level of service? Am I missing something??
#buying #software
  • Profile picture of the author ED1190
    Some are in it just for the money. Once they get that, they don't bother to support their own software product.

    It's why you have to buy software from reputable marketers.
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  • Profile picture of the author ChrisBa
    I don't think it's really fair to compare small time single person programs to a large corporation like Microsoft.

    It is sad, but I guess to me I kind of expect it (unfortunately)
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    Whenever I see "lifetime access" - I wonder what lifetime it refers to.

    Mine - the buyer?
    The seller?
    The software itself?

    Rapidly changing technology almost ensures software popular this year may not work well - if at all - a year or two down the road....unless the seller is willing and financially able to keep updating it on a regular basis.

    If I pay hundreds of dollars for a piece of software - I expect it to work and be updated for quite some time. If I pay less than $100 and use it for a year or two I feel I've gotten my money's worth.

    To me "lifetime access" means "until it doesn't work any more" - as that seems to be the definition.
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  • Profile picture of the author raymagnetic
    I guess my biggest concern is how do you know who's reputable and who isn't?

    The reason this came up is because one really big marketer just released a payment platform that looks really good. He also has a bunch of other products. Yet I bought a tracking software from this same marketer and the software is now offline.

    It is sad that we come to expect softwares to stop working shortly after they're released but it's totally unfair to consumers and it just makes our industry look bad in the long run.
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    • Profile picture of the author TrickyDick
      Originally Posted by raymagnetic View Post

      I guess my biggest concern is how do you know who's reputable and who isn't?

      The reason this came up is because one really big marketer just released a payment platform that looks really good. He also has a bunch of other products. Yet I bought a tracking software from this same marketer and the software is now offline.

      It is sad that we come to expect softwares to stop working shortly after they're released but it's totally unfair to consumers and it just makes our industry look bad in the long run.
      In general, I don't trust Marketers who sell software.... because they don't understand the software industry.

      Most Marketers are there to make a quick buck... and drop the software as soon as that "initial rush" of cash stops. I've seen this dozens of times.

      "Reputable" and selling "Lifetime Licenses" don't go together.... All "reputable" small to medium sized software companies realize the need to charge for ongoing updates, bug fixes and support.

      I trust those who require ongoing payments... They have to "earn" my business to continue to earn money. If they don't perform, they get fired.

      In the end, life isn't fair.... expecting it to be is "whistling in the wind" to quote the great Jim Rohn.
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  • Profile picture of the author natorob
    Actually, that drives me nuts as well; not getting support for a WP theme or plugin that you paid for and expect to have updated. In a perfect world, it would stay updated. Since our world is not perfect, I found a WP expert on CL in the Philippines that checks my themes/plugins every 3 months and updates them if necessary.
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  • Profile picture of the author talfighel
    That's why when you buy a software, you have to buy from someone who has been around for a few years. Plus, there is no guarantee in life with anything. Even when you trust someone with a software.
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  • Profile picture of the author TrickyDick
    Most of the people selling "lifetime licenses" are Marketers who've outsourced the software and don't grasp the software industry. They incorrectly believe that creating software is done or not done "activity" like creating an ebook.

    What they don't realize... There is a lot of ongoing work and expense to update and support software... especially with software that connects to third party web sites or APIs.

    They also don't realize... They need ongoing revenue to be able to support and update the product.

    The rare exception to needing ongoing revenue is software that continually sells thousands of new licenses month after month. These can get away with selling "lifetime licenses." But, these are very, very rare...

    Even the most popular software usually ends up with paid updates or support... because it costs money to support and update the software.

    The bottom line is....


    A "Lifetime License" is another way of saying "I'll give you updates and support as long as I feel like." Believing anything else is being naive.
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  • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
    Sad but true. It's more a function of the business model, though. There's no way to support software, especially something like a WordPress plugin, for a long period of time for a one off $27 payment. Just ain't going to happen. The only solution is to quit buying cheap software.
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    • Profile picture of the author TrickyDick
      Originally Posted by absolutelee View Post

      Sad but true. It's more a function of the business model, though. There's no way to support software, especially something like a WordPress plugin, for a long period of time for a one off $27 payment. Just ain't going to happen. The only solution is to quit buying cheap software.
      I wouldn't call it a "business model." Most Marketers selling "Lifetime Licenses" for their software is simply fraud. There is no other way to put it.

      They have no intention of paying a programmer for thousands of hours of work over the next 10 or 20 years for updates, bug fixes and support. Ponder it... How much would that cost them? $225,000? $350,000? $425,000?

      In the end, I agree wholeheartedly with you.... The solution is... quit buying cheap software with "Lifetime Licenses."
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  • Profile picture of the author TrickyDick
    Originally Posted by raymagnetic View Post

    Does it bother anyone else when you buy software from a marketer with supposed lifetime access only to find that less than a year later the software is no longer supported?

    I can't count how many plugins, software or themes I buy that marketers here, and jvzoo amongst others simply stop supporting or end up selling.

    I still have Microsoft office 2003 on my 2007 computer. Both still work great I might add!! Why is it that internet marketers don't seem to be able to maintain that same level of service? Am I missing something??
    No...

    Yes, you are missing something.

    Let's step back and look at the comparison....

    Microsoft is a software company with billions of dollars in revenue....

    They have competent programmers....

    They have a budget for updating software for a decade...

    You probably paid a couple hundred dollars for a "retail" Office 2003 license.

    Marketers..... don't understand the software industry.... They make thousands of dollars...

    They outsource to the cheapest "programmers" with minimal skills...

    They don't "set aside" any money to pay their "programmer" to fix bugs, update or support the software.

    They sell you a "Lifetime License" for $17.

    Given these circumstances, comparing a Marketer to Microsoft is like comparing a chicken to a Ferrari. You can decide yourself which is the chicken and which is the Ferrari. :-)
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