If you’re buying new equipment or software for your business, you may have considered pre-owned software as an alternative to buying a brand new software at the full price. After all, that reduction in cost can make expensive Microsoft software more affordable to any business that wants to stretch its IT budget. But when you choose to buy pre-owned software, will your business be limited to what it can do in comparison to buying new? Read on to find out more…
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Why Choose Pre-owned Software?
There are many reasons why you may opt for pre-owned software. This could be down to budget constraints, or it could even be that you need access to older software that’s no longer sold as new. Unlike a car, software doesn’t degrade over time and so there’s no reason why a used/pre-owned software version shouldn’t be a more viable option compared to new.
Will Pre-owned Software Limit My Functionality?
Short answer: no. Software doesn’t lose its functionality depending on how many people have used it or who’s previously owned it. Pre-owned software is now practically identical to buying new, especially if you buy from a reputable source. Your business is provided with a unique set of licence agreement numbers (originally created by Microsoft), media and supporting documentation via Discount-Licensing’s client portal: Secondary Software Licence Centre (SSLC). The only limitation is the number of installations that your company can make, which is also true of new software licence purchases.
Be aware of rouge reseller sites may illegally selling trial installation keys or software that is not for purpose because the software was originally put into use outside Europe – such software may not pass an audit and what originally appeared to be amazing short term savings can turn out to be very costly at time of audit). So, it’s important to be vigilant about what you’re purchasing in order to ensure you’re getting the right pre-owned software product with all the functionality that your company needs.
Does Pre-owned Software Appear ‘Used’?
Short answer: no. In terms of installation and usage of Microsoft software licence, there’s no difference between the pre-owned and new software options. Previously, people thought of pre-owned software as a battered box or used CD-ROM but in a digital era, Discount-Licensing has built a web portal so that the pre-owned software licences, media and supporting documentation is delivered to its customers in the same way that the vendor supplies new software through its new licence portal.
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