This is why Second-Hand or Pre-owned Microsoft Licenses can be your cost savings choice 

What is a second-hand license? 

A second-hand license, a pre-owned or used software license is simply a software license that has been used by another company before being resold. This type of license comes with all the same benefits as purchasing a new license, including access to product updates and product support from the developer (Microsoft). However, the cost savings are significant as you are only paying for the right to use the software without having to pay full price for it.  

Does a second-hand license offer value like a new one?  

Yes! A second-hand license offers all of the same benefits as buying a new one but at a fraction of the cost. As long as you do your research and make sure you are purchasing from an authorized reseller, you will get all of the necessary features and tools that come with using this type of software. Additionally, your purchase may also include additional maintenance plans or warranties depending on who you purchase from.  

Who should want to buy a second-hand license?  

Those who are on a tight budget or looking for an affordable way to acquire software should consider buying a second-hand license. Buying second-hand software is an economical way to get the same features and functionality as more expensive plans, but at a fraction of the cost. Many resellers offer competitive pricing to help buyers save even more. Furthermore, since many companies upgrade their software every few years, there is a huge market for used licenses that you can take advantage of. By buying a second-hand license, you can benefit from the latest features in your chosen software while keeping your budgets in check.  

What should I consider when getting a second-hand license?  

When getting a second-hand license, there are several important factors to consider.   

• One factor that you should and cannot miss is doing a thorough background check on the seller (middleman/reseller/company). The credibility of who is leading or handling the second-hand licensing sale over to you counts in case you encounter issues; you can easily get access to him (them). 
  

• Also your ability to take time to read and understand the terms and conditions of the second-hand license matters. Yes, you may have an individual (reseller/organization) leading the purchase process but take time to understand what you are also getting into.  
  

• Check that the license is still valid and has not expired. You should also check if the license has been suspended or revoked for any reason. This is because some licenses have terms and conditions that do not allow transfers to another party. Verify all this to avoid legal issues. 
  

Advantages of second-hand Office licenses (on-premises) 

1. A great price for the same Microsoft software.

Second-hand software licenses can often be purchased on the second-hand market for more than 50% cheaper than new licenses. This way you can easily save money for the same software compared to buying new licenses outright.   

2. Buy the license that best suits your organization. 

It is important to buy software license that best suits the needs and roadmap of your organization. In addition, it’s important that you don’t buy what Microsoft tells you to buy. By using second-hand software and an independent party, you can purchase the software version/edition that best suits you.  

3. Second-hand licenses can provide access to the same features and updates that are available with new licenses. This means you don’t need to worry about missing out on any of Microsoft’s latest offerings. 

4. Many second-hand license sellers offer support services that can help users troubleshoot any issues they encounter while using their new software.  

If you choose an independent party such as Q-Advise to purchase your software licenses together with you, you can be sure of good and non-biased advice that is most useful to you. With the experts at Q-Advise you get the chance to ask questions about the software you want to buy; you in turn get answers from experts who really know what they are talking about.  

As a software user there will always be a time you want to renew your Microsoft software licenses or you are forced to switch to a different version of it. That is when you often find out that buying software licenses can be expensive. But you don’t have to be worried about cost, if you opt for second-hand Office licenses!  

Again in your quest to purchase  a license, in case your reseller is Microsoft affiliated, you will likely be advised to move to Office 365 with the explanation that it comes with more offers as a cloud-based subscription. Wwe would advise that a neutral third party will give you  objective, but not tilted advice. 

Independent Microsoft licensing advice! 

With an independent party that specializes in software licenses, you can save a lot on software costs. This can possibly be done by means of second-hand software licenses purchased from Microsoft.  

Q-Advise is the authority in the field of independent Microsoft licensing advice. Because we are not tied to software manufacturers (and therefore do not receive rewards / fees for sales from them to customers), we do not look at what is best for Microsoft, but what is best for your organization.   

At Q-Advise we have a lot of experience in helping organization with second-hand software licenses at greatly reduced prices. An example of this is, SQL 2019 or Office 2019 or 2021 LTSC licenses, which can often be delivered at a much lower cost than a Cloud annual subscription to Office 365. 

Do you want to mix your second-hand purchase in your Enterprise Agreement, Open Value, NCE /CSP? Or you want to know how your cloud services can be used in conjunction with on-premise licenses to get the best of both worlds.  

Want more answers and explanations to your questions and doubts on Microsoft second-hand software? Contact our team today.