Irritating experience with plugins and devs

[Leo1999]

IK’s upgrade policy is the same as everyone else’s: you need a qualifying product that can be upgraded, either an older version or a lesser version of the same title. Upgrades are cheaper than full versions because you have to already have a full version to upgrade. It’s not that difficult of a concept.

To see what particular product SKU you purchased, look at “My Orders” in your User Area. If it’s an upgrade or crossgrade, it will be listed as such there.

If you got the software as a free product as part of a promotion, it will be tied to the qualifying product that you purchased.

If IK's upgrade policy is the same as everyone else's why do I have issues now?
I re-sold more than 50 plugins without any issues!
I re-sold upgraded plugins, plugins I paid un upgrade charge and the buyer did not have to have some qualifying product.
I know that you have to pay a iLok transfer fee first via iLok manager, before selling an iLok plugin and can easily transfer it via iLokmanager, I can transfer it easily via iLokmanager. I can easily transfer PA plugins via their plugin manager and know that buyer has to pay a transfer fee.
I transfered Arturia, Softube, NI, boz digital and many more without any issues and I did not need any communication with dev beforehand.
I do not remember the price of every plugin I bought in many years or whether it was a crossgrade or upgrade or whether I bought from a dealer or whether it was raining outside when I bought it.
I might not be the most clever one, but I am also not the most stupid one.

I do not feel like ever buying a IK Multimedia product again

[Rivanni]

If that's the case, change the title of this topic. And move on.

[Leo1999]

If that's the case, change the title of this topic. And move on.

Change to what?
I did not write IK Multimedia in the title and I wrote in my first sentence that I do not intend to bash a dev, but to warn people and some people appreciate it and some even made the same experience.

So what's the problem?

[ghettosynth]

4. As it may seem like I'm defending IK: Although I like some of their products very much, I've decided to not give them a single buck until they become less customer-hostile. It's not about the transfer issues, but many other small things that make dealing with them living hell / purgatory.

Yeah, just as one example. If you buy hardware from them and try to sell it, they lock editors behind a non-transferable registration. Well, at least that's they way it was some time ago. There was a discussion about, IIRC, their trigger pad some time back.

Frankly, I doubt that it will ever change. That level of paranoia/greed comes from the top and has been entrenched in IK for as long as I can remember.

[Leo1999]

Btw IK support immediately replied to the buyer of my transfered license.
I also sent an email to IK Multimedia yesterday and still no reply. All I asked them was to tell me what qualified plugins a buyer needs to be able to register and activate my license.
They do not seem to know the answer themselves because of their chaotic system

[DarkStar]

A Qualifying Product is generally one that has a standard list price of 99.99 (excluding VAT etc) or more.

Which product did you sell / transfer?

This FAQ may help too: https://www.ikmultimedia.com/faq/index.php?id=1354

[Leo1999]

A Qualifying Product is generally one that has a standard list price of 99.99 (excluding VAT etc) or more.

Which product did you sell / transfer?

This FAQ may help too: https://www.ikmultimedia.com/faq/index.php?id=1354

I have found the order in the end and it is
Total Studio 2 MAX Maxgrade
What does Maxgrade mean?
Devs usually have updates, crossgrades
and upgrades, but IK Multimedia has Maxgrades to make it even more confusing.
I sold it for 80 €, but have refunded to the buyer, of course

I found the definition of Maxgrade with your link, but still do not really understand.
I obviously seem to be too stupid to understand IK Multimedia language

[Leo1999]

Can someone who has got Amplitube 2 Max only register my Total Studio 2 MAX version only? Or could someone with AmpliTube 3, 4 or 5 Max register, too?
What else are qualifying products?
Why do they write Total Studio 2 MAX in their example, isn't the current version Total Studio 3.5 MAX ?

[Agreed]

Isn't Maxgrade just a portmanteau of Total Studio MAX and Upgrade? So it's like, an Upgrade, to Max: MAXgrade. Which would suggest to me at least that it indeed would be an upgrade product, rather than a separate distinct product offering. If I search for "Total Studio Maxgrade" the retailers that sell them make it clear that it is an upgrade for owners of "MAX" product bundles, like for example Amplitube 5 MAX with Arc System, or Sampletank 4 MAX - in fact they list the product for sale as "for registered owners of any IK Multimedia "Max" bundle."

I do not mean to be insulting and I understand not necessarily getting this right off the jump but it is on you as a seller to know your product before trying to sell it, IMO. This was not information that was impossible to find, in fact it was the first google result for me.

[Leo1999]

Isn't Maxgrade just a portmanteau of Total Studio MAX and Upgrade? So it's like, an Upgrade, to Max: MAXgrade. Which would suggest to me at least that it indeed would be an upgrade product, rather than a separate distinct product offering. If I search for "Total Studio Maxgrade" the retailers that sell them make it clear that it is an upgrade for owners of "MAX" product bundles, like for example Amplitube 5 MAX with Arc System, or Sampletank 4 MAX - in fact they list the product for sale as "for registered owners of any IK Multimedia "Max" bundle."

I do not mean to be insulting and I understand not necessarily getting this right off the jump but it is on you as a seller to know your product before trying to sell it, IMO. This was not information that was impossible to find, in fact it was the first google result for me.

IMO a decent company could reply to a customer when a customer sent an email with the question what plugins are qualified.
But they do not reply!
And when I read your post it makes me feel that you think it's the way you wrote, but thinking is not knowing, that's just speculation.
The description and example of IK Multimedia on their homepage clearly shows how sloppy IK Multimedia is.
"An example of an MAXgrade would be if someone owns the AmpliTube MAX software collection, but is now interested in Total Studio 2 MAX. Instead of purchasing the full version, a discounted MAXgrade option is available at a lower price."

This information does not tell me how to transfer my Maxgrade license and if a buyer can register it. It just tells the owner could
purchase it to a lower price.
So I sell my license to a buyer who owns Amplitube MAX, he pays me and then has to pay again IK Multimedia a lower price???

Why would anyone primarily be interested in Total Studio 2 MAX NOW? , the current version is 3.5!!!! This company really scares me, the only company that scares me.
I even know what Waves WUP is and how to transfer Waves licenses and Waves is pretty complicated, but IK Multimedia is simply irritating

[Leo1999]

I am not going to sell it any more, because I do not want to get in trouble again and lose even more money.
The license is not in my account any more, I don't care, I don't need and want IK Multimedia products any more

[DCrown]

There are other companies in a similar price range like Arturia, Waves etc and if u want guitar amp sims the choice is big without confusing upgrade and transfer policy that will drive u mad
I suppose the example shows vers 2 instead of 3.5, because they have not updated this information and because Ikmultimedia loves 2 irritate and confuse their customers.

Even though I am not a big fan of most PA plugins, Plugin Alliance has the simplest and best plugin manager. Updates, resales, downloads, installations, demo versions, license transfers, registrations can be done within seconds.
Compared 2 PA ikmultimedia is stoneage

[DarkStar]

A MAXgrade is the discounted price for a MAX product To get it you would need to already have another MAX product registered to your User Account.

The FAQ is referring to a single user. It does not address transfers.

You can transfer a MAXgrade licence to any other user. But to use it, the receiving user must already have (or get) the MAX edition of another product. They will not have to pay anything for the product licence that you are transferring.

[Leo1999]

A MAXgrade is the discounted price for a MAX product To get it you would need to already have another MAX product registered to your User Account.

The FAQ is referring to a single user. It does not address transfers.

You can transfer a MAXgrade licence to any other user. But to use it, the receiving user must already have (or get) the MAX edition of another product. They will not have to pay anything for the product licence that you are transferring.

Thanks I think I understand now.

[jamcat]

Your two best options would be either to sell the Maxgrade and transfer it and the qualifying MAX product to the buyer, or register the Maxgrade serial number back to your own account.

Right now as it stands, there is nothing stopping the guy you originally tried to sell it to from selling it or using it himself, since it is not attached to an account right now.