Just wondering re pricing

I am in the process of looking for a paid for OEM for 10 Pro as I want to keep my 7 Pro key and buying one of those is just as expensive according to my local dealer - $209 + p&p which is pretty good.

Now I am also thinking at the same time what sort of mark up these dealers make over what they but the software in for resale as soem EBay sellers for example (not that I would buy from them) are offering the key but no DVD for s little as $120. So in my mind making say even a 25% mark up on what sellers pay Microsoft for what exactly do Microsoft produce their software for??

Ok Navy mate now the dearest one I quoted was from one of my usual suppliers of parts etc and I have in the past bought in excess of 8 OEM's for 7 all were in the Microsoft packaging so I have no qualms with them and I guess they are heavily discounting the price to shift more.
The ones from EBay for example are sometimes quoting as having 3 available which I find suspect because if one was a genuine dealer of computer parts like my supplier you would expect them to buy from Microsoft in lots of more than say 50 and to discount to $120 means someone somewhere ie Microsoft are making some serious money at $299 direct from them.
I am also curious just how those people come by those few paltry keys as I cannot imagine for one moment Microsoft selling a few keys like that in the first instance and then the buyer selling them on again and make a profit. To me it would mean Microsoft would be selling keys at rock bottom prices to anyone, and leaves me wondering what would they say if I approached them and said can I buy five keys please - cannot imagine they would sell them than less than they would otherwise.

NavyLCDR said:

Not every business is honest.

Yes agree Navy I just find it incredible that licences can be got in that way. You would think Microsoft would be suspicious of any dealer/seller who didn't buy more than say 50 keys. The only way I think these characters who but licences must have some really odd arrangement because if I were to buy the licencee I just have - I would have to sell it on as unused for at least a 25% mark up - which means that the $222 OEM I paid for it I would have to price it for $278 because it wouldn't be worth my while doing it and why would I for $55??

ICIT2LOL said:

Yes agree Navy I just find it incredible that licences can be got in that way. You would think Microsoft would be suspicious of any dealer/seller who didn't buy more than say 50 keys. The only way I think these characters who but licences must have some really odd arrangement because if I were to buy the licencee I just have - I would have to sell it on as unused for at least a 25% mark up - which means that the $222 OEM I paid for it I would have to price it for $278 because it wouldn't be worth my while doing it and why would I for $55??

I am sure wholesale oem licences for a system builder are much cheaper than we as public can buy them.

cereberus said:

I am sure wholesale oem licences for a system builder are much cheaper than we as public can buy them.

Yes I agree cerebus it is the odd few that have say 10 for sale or as low as 4 - I just wonder where they get them from. For the big boys like for example Toshiba I can see they would have to buy in bulk as it were.
Now if what you say about system builders like myself I would have to pay full price from Microsoft or get a discounted one from a trusted dealer for a dedicated build that I am doing - or is it that I can buy as little as five licences for around $75 a pop and then sell them on in EBay at a great profit. You see most of the EBay sellers I have looked at are selling the key only and just referring the buyer to the Microsoft site for the download (no DVD). Buying licences seems to be very convoluted business in that there are so many forms it seems one can buy the licences from.
The only simplistic way of selling cheap licences to me would be if one owned a business that made computers go bust and then sell off the stock of licences.