Discount Software

If you're like me, the thought of "discount software" sends shudders through every fibre of your being. You worry about pirated software, "great" prices for outdated versions, generic CDs with photocopied manuals (or worse, no manuals), astronomical "shipping & handling" charges, etc... and you wonder if you're handing over your credit card number to some pimply-faced 14-year old geek/thug running a scam out of his Star Trek bedecked bedroom.

Recently, in spite of my nervousness, I decided to look for "discount software." Why was I wandering into such uncharted scary territory? From the manufacturer, the software I wanted cost $1,140. And I didn't want to pay that much. I started with the notable "Big Chain" stores, but their prices weren't much better and none of them had all the programs I wanted to purchase in one store.

I went slumming to the discount houses. I found prices of $941 and $823 -- an improvement, no doubt, but enough to get me past cheesy web sites and the hardball sales pitch ("You're an idiot if you don't BUY HERE NOW!")?

Not really. I kept looking. Then through some fluke click I ended up at Vio Software. It's a tastefully designed site, no hardball pitch, and not at all cheesy.

I found the software I wished to buy (all of it) and the total price was... wait for it: $753 -- that's a 34% savings over the manufacturer's price and a 9 - 20% savings off the "Cheesy-Cheap-Software-Here" sites.

After reviewing their return policies, I placed the order. The software arrived in a timely manner, was well-packaged, and, praises be, was legit software complete with original manuals.

That's it -- I'm not paying retail any more.

Resources

• Vio Software