dodgy actinic copies being sold

[Mike Hughes]

If you were going to do this you'd probably be better off buying a Business to Developer upgrade.

Of course, in this case yopu definitely wouldn't be able to sell your copy of business but the cost saving probably outweighs what you'd get for business.

Mike

[jont]

If you have only just recently purchased Business it may be worth talking to Actinic sales and see if they can offer you a competitve upgrade to multi-user or developer.

If you did buy the multi-user for the other site there is nothing to stop you using Business to create another website yourself so long as you are using just the one license key

[elsieraven]

ebay & actinic

Hi, I'm new to this community and have read this thread with great interest. I have set up an online secondhand book store, I have been using Actinic Catalogue 25, the limited version which I have out grown very quickly, not that I have had any sales from it yet, but I do have a lot more books to go on. I was hoping to extend my list of books before the search engines registered my site.

I was looking to purchase a second hand copy and did infact bid on two recently on Ebay, which I did not win. From the previous posts on this thread am I right in thinking that if I purchase a secondhand copy (with full packaging etc.) I will have to/be able to relicense it if the webstores built with it have closed. Can anyone tell me how much it cost to relicense, if indeed this is possible. Unfortunately the cost of purchasing a new copy is beyond my means at the moment.

Many thanks for any help any of you can offer.

[Mike Hughes]

Hi Lyn,

I'm sorry to say that once Actinic has been used to build a store the license is not transferable.

To quote Chris Dicken from an earlier post in this thread:

I'm afraid that licenses of Actinic are non-transferable once the software has been used to build a site.

Mike

[elsieraven]

Thanks Mike, I did read that but then read the post from the user who had built, then closed a site and was asking if they could use it to build another site, I realise after re-reading the post that of course they already owned the license. This did muddy the water a little for me.

Its a shame that the software can't be re-licensed as this would have given me and others a step on the ladder so to speak. I think it would have little effect on Actinics sales as people like me can't buy the software at full price, in fact being able to resell the license may even increase sales, with people upgrading to the more advanced copies when their businesses get off the ground. There is also the fact that people are less likely to part with the money on a trial venture knowing that if the venture fails that they can't resell and recoup some of their costs. Its excellent software and I'm sure its worth every penny, but for some one trying to turn a hobby in to a business, with no backing its just to expensive for me. The 25 product version is ok for people selling lots of the same item, but I have single copies of each item with most new stock items being one offs.

Never mind thanks for listening to my moaning and thanks for the information.

[jont]

being able to resell the license may even increase sales, with people upgrading to the more advanced copies when their businesses get off the ground.

Upgrading is cheaper than buying new with any software as the developers recognise the fact you have paid monies already and are keen to develop customer loyalty. Re-licensing digital medium is a nightmare to control and would inevitably lead to software theft and piracy - forcing up the prices even further.

As with any business venture you need investment to start or progress the company - whether it is from the bedroom to the high street or the high street to a national stage - either way investment of some sort is necessary. The initial outlay for Actinic may be quite high for you at this moment but this is a one off purchase - other than hosting fees you will have no other outlay as such over and above you usual trading costs.

Have you approach the local Chamber of Trade or Chamber of Commerce etc? They often have funding available for start up businesses (especially true if you are in a recognised deprived area).

[elsieraven]

I appreciate the problem with software piracey and was concerned that I may end up with a dodgie copy. As I said in my first post I had bid on a couple of copies which appeared on ebay, but a question was asked to one seller if he had used the package and had he got Actinics permission to sell the license, in fact thats how I found this site.

As to funding, no I haven't aproached any one as its never going to be a big business, a couple of hundred items at most. I collect old books, when I come across a better copy I sell on the lesser copy, the problem arose that I kept coming across good copies of books at prices you just can't turn down, books that I personally would not read or want in my collection so I have been selling them on ebay. I've done quite well on ebay and that prompted me to set up an online store.

Well, I'm going to squirrel away my profits and resist buying too many books til I can fund the software. Failing that maybe santa will be kind at the end of the year.

Happy trading and good profits to you all, Lyn

[pinbrook]

Jont is correct, on the whole businesses with a business plan and budget to produce a nice looking site tend to do better than a site set up on a shoestring. The trouble with the shoestring to test the water is that often the site doesn't come up to scratch and gain customer confidence which results in limited sales. A budget is this case can creep up to £1000 for one year of trading. £450 for catalog, £200-400 for credit card processing, £100 for hosting. Will your profits be able to sustain the investment.

If I were you I would try to make a sucess of the 25 product version first, you could always say to people that you have other titles they could contact you about. Once you can see the 25 product version being a sucess you may feel more inclined to invest in an upgrade, as you will know how long it will take to get the site back into profit.

[elsieraven]

Hi Jo, actually that is what I have done, I have also used fragments to list other books with an image, and added an "ORDER THIS BOOK" link which takes the buyer to the contact page, prompting them to enter details. I'm going to see if I can auto add the details as the subject on the contact page.

I guess you all are using the software for full time business ventures, so I bug you anymore, until that is I get a full copy.

many thanks Lyn

[Buzby]

I do have an unused version of Catalog 7 which I used to build my site.

I then purchased Developer, a full version, not an upgrade. Now my Catalog is sitting on a shelf gathering dust and is not in use on any site.

Will Actinic allow me to sell it, NO.

I myself started on an unlicensed copy of Catalog 6 which was given to me, although I was not aware about the licensing issue at the time.

I then purchased V7 Catalog September 2004 and then V7 Developer , March 2005

Had I known prior to purchasing Developer that my Catalog had no resell value then I doubt that I would have purchased it and Actinic's sales would have been 1 copy of Developer less.

Without the free copy of V6 I would never have spent the money for the software in the first place, and as such Actinic would not have had the £1600 they have had from me since September.

Allowing the sale of second hand copies would in my opinion encourage sellers to buy the next level software and allow the buyers on to the Actinic software ladder, who would probably purchase more products over time.

I can see what Actinic are trying to achieve with the licensing issue but I do also feel that it must also be affecting sales.

[magicalwonders]

I'm afraid that licenses of Actinic are non-transferable once the software has been used to build a site.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...sPageName=WDVW

Q: Hi Which version of developer? Do you have confirmation from Actinic that you can transfer the licence?? This is a condition applied by Actinic on...more
29-Jun-05
A: Hi, Version 6. And yes, I can transfer the licence.

Mmmm, looks like some poor soul is going to have a problem when they buy this.

Myles

[elsieraven]

Now I'm real confused. Are licenses transferable or not. I've seen listings which claim the seller has actinics agreement to sell.Is the ebay listing

[Mike Hughes]

It's not too difficult to understand.

If a license has not been used to build a live site then it is transferrable.

If a license has been used to build a site then it is not transferable.

Mike

[magicalwonders]

The software is described as "used" on the ebay listing. But I suppose that could mean they've just played around with it and not uploaded a store.

However, "used" in terms of Actinic software tends to suggest that it has been uploaded at some point. Otherwise any normal person would describe it as brand new unregistered.

Myles

[elsieraven]

Yes it is easy to undertand. So why is it that some users who have built a site with the software are given the approval to resell and others are not. This is the point that confuses me. It seems inconsistent.