Guide to buying software online

The Business Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) has produced a shopping guide to help people spot and avoid illegal software offered to them over the internet. 1 Trust your instincts If a price for software seems too good to be true, it probably is. 2 Make sure it's authentic Be wary of software products that come without any documentation or manuals. 3 Read the label Be wary of products that do not look genuine such as those with hand-written labels and watch out for products labelled as academic, OEM, NFR or CDR. 4 Beware of back-ups Take special care to avoid sellers offering to make 'back-up' copies or citing Section 117 of the Copyright Act. 5 Steer clear of compilations Avoid compilations of software titles from different publishers on a single disk. 6 Do your homework Check the feedback section on the auction site to find comments about the seller based on previous transactions. Keep in mind that a clean complaint record doesn't always ensure that you will receive genuine product. 7 Get the seller's address Remember that if you cannot recontact the seller, you may have no recourse if the product turns out to be pirated. 8 Keep receipts Print out a copy of your order number and sales confirmation and keep them at least until your software arrives in satisfactory condition. 9 Be careful when crossing the border Be especially cautious when dealing with software sellers in other countries. 10 Report piracy Buyers suspecting software piracy, counterfeit software and/or fraud on auction sites should contact the software manufacturer or www.bsa.org.