Photoshop Elements on Ebay- Selling CD only no box, is this legit?

[peasprout]

Since I know a lot of you ladies use Elements, I thought I'd ask your opinion. I don't want to pay more than $40 for Elements 2.0 and they're going for about $30ish on eBay. However, most of them are cd only. Is this safe to buy? Also, how do I buy one from Amazon? When I typed in Elements 2.0, it shows up with the software, review, etc, but no price, just a button that says "buy it new or used for $33.90" which links to people selling the cd only, just like on ebay. What's the best price I can expect to pay? Thanks!

[August Mom]

I would be suspicious of the CD only. I wouldn't be surprised if people threw away the box, but is the manual included? Anyway, since PE 3.0 has rolled out, there are good deals going on PE 2.0. You should be able to find it brand new for a reasonable price.

Just do a search and see what you find.

Here it is for $29.99 at SoftwareOutlet.com

http://www.softwareoutlet.com/static/item0325.html

I'm not familiar with this site, but I linked to it from buy.com, which is reputable.

[starrynight]

I would email the seller and ask if it's a duplicate or burned copy. Often disk only things on ebay are but they can't put that in the auction because it will get pulled. Ebay doesn't allow that stuff.

Also if it's too cheap to be true it is! Dh found an OOP old horror flick on ebay for a reasonable price, not cheap at all but reasonable considering how impossible it is to get. Turns out it was a bootleg disk with a printed paper on the case so it looked legit in the auction. We had no problem getting our money back and all but it was a hassel!

[jubilee]

I had been thinking of getting one from Ebay too. I contacted one of the sellers of this, and they say it is from a bundle of disks- like you get with a new computer and they throw in all sorts of software. One of my concerns is that you don't get the manual to go with it. I asked Rashmi and she said she doesn't use the manual- but I frankly think my skills will be significantly less than Rashmi's, so I'll probably need the manual!! So, I've begged my DH to get Photoshop Elements from www.softwareoutlet.com instead. Hopefully I'm not disappointed this Christmas, because I want this more than anything!

[Thatchermom]

Elements is also included with some digital cameras and comes cd-only in that format. (That is how I got my copy) While it is possible that someone could sell off one that came in such a way that is legit, it is a risk.

[firsttimemommy]

Although NOWHERE on their site does it say this, it is the CD only - no manual. I was a little irked when I got it and never expected the CD only - but luckily I didn't really want the manual as I heard it stinks! But it is CD only. The CD does say it is "part of a bundle" and not to be sold individually, but obviuosly many many retailers/sellers are doing this so somewhere, somehow this has got to be an ok deal. The CD does come with a registration number, so I think as long as it has that, it is legit IMHO.

Also I would probably rather buy the CD only from them than through Ebay though. And I *think* the links on buy.com are paid advertising, so not sure they screen them (bad idea on their part IMHO, but just the way it is I think)

And you can't beat $35 shipped for the program even without the manual. I was planning to buy another tutorial type book anyway.......

Ronda
Proud Mommy to Jenna Leigh 1/03 and Jake 4/04

"If you live to be 100, I want to live to be 100 minus one day, so I never have to live without you" ~ Winnie the Pooh

edited for clarity! I'm a rambler!

[egoldber]

No idea about pricing, but as others mentioned, it sounds like a CD included with a bundle that folks are re-selling. I would definitely e-mail the seller and ask.

And after market manuals tend to be a bit better anyway. You can often find them at the library too. (Books like Photoshop Elements for Dummies, etc.)