Since we are heavily involved in the area of online liquidation sales at the moment we feel that there should be explanations about how these items come to be resold and the possible problems, resolutions and also the long term implications for the software vendors and the general public.

We are sellers on eBay, Amazon, Atomic Mall, and our own site CCGShop up to this point. We specialize in the resale of liquidation computer hardware and software. We purchase larger lots of liquidated items online and at auctions and sell them individually online. These items are mostly returned merchandise from Best Buy, Amazon and other "big box" stores.   For the most part we are talking about decent profit margins despite the huge bites the host sites and the payment processors take.  Actually we do not buy it unless it fits a profile that allows us to profit after everyone else has and still be the lowest price that we can find on the internet!

The biggest problem with the software liquidation side of this business are the dishonest previous owners that return installed and  activated software to the retailers.  The big box retailers liquidate the returns because it is easier and more price effective than returning the items to the individual vendors.  The vendors are also happy that they do not have to deal with the returns.  We are glad when we can buy them for 10-25% of retail and sell for 50-75% off retail.  The customers are happy when they can purchase the software fro us at this greatly reduced rate... right?   About 90% of the time this is the case and everybody is happy, but the other (actually less than) 10% of the time the customer gets his software only to find that it will not activate because the previous owner is using it!  Luckily, most software vendors will provide a new key if you can provide proof that you are in possession of the original retail package and media.  Microsoft only requires that you possess the "COA" or Certificate of Authenticity.  Unfortunately some vendors will still refuse to activate and we hope to compile a list to post on our site and possibly here.

The bottom line here is to remember that if you are buying "used", liquidated, or returned software to remember that the money you are saving somes with the risk of some inconvenience.  We have been doing this for almost 10 years now and decided some time ago that the benefits far outweigh the problems.  We as an eBay Powerseller and with any of the transactions we do will refund the item if it will not activate.  That for us falls under our "DOA" or "Dead On Arrival" Policy.