Question/survey regarding the re-selling of freebie plugins

[Dumbquestions]

Genuine taboo question regarding sale of freebies in the forum. Please redirect if this should be in a different thread. I guess this is more of a survey than a question.

I often see people selling current (or, what was once) freebie plugins. Obviously, sometimes people miss the promo/offer and buying it second-hand may be the only way to acquire it at that point without paying retail pricing. That part makes sense.

I guess I’m just curious if anyone here has had consistent success selling those type of plugins on the forum, or if you think it’s more time than it’s worth to post them for sale, keep track of a bunch of unused freebie serials, and routinely bump those threads. Not that it’s hard to do that, but just wondering if people out there are typically buying them, or if most folks typically perceive the value of what they’re looking at as low when they come here, and tend to ignore those products that are popularly known as a plugin that was once free? (I also know it depends on the plugin)

Just for example, recently a lot of us with Focusrite interfaces got NI Massive for free, yet I see some people trying to go and sell it for 60 bucks (this example is from another buy/sell forum). And I see them bumping their post often without adjusting the price. This is an exaggerated example but a real one. Seems like this person is price gouging pretty hard, i don’t know how I should feel about overpricing something by that much, but I guess we all have bills to pay ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ is this actually working for them though? I don’t sit there following their post to find out, so I’m asking you all. Personally hate the idea of taking advantage of someone that missed a freebie offer, $60 is a bit steep for that one. But I imagine you all have different opinions?

Can anyone speak to any success they’ve had with selling any past freebies? I mean there’s so many i see often: izo elements, massive, tape mellofi, ethereal earth - to name a few..
The second-hand market for these seems a bit oversaturated. No plugin pun intended. I have a list of my own but I just want to get an idea of what to expect before posting them is all.

Thanks.

[chk071]

I'm sure that these plugins sell. If that's your primary question.

[darkinners]

I don’t do this sort of thing, but I also don’t judge the people doing those. I gave away those free licenses or even unused game code for free that I got by buying Nintendo Switch to internet strangers. I find managing these things with that little money not worthing my time and I rather make someone happy.

It’s a free market, as long as people are willing to pay for it. Like you said, even the freebie plugins are free but actually communicating with buyers, keep track of inventories. Organising post..etc Those are manual labor, I don’t see problem of rewarding pay.

[chk071]

I don’t do this sort of thing, but I also don’t judge the people doing those.

That's how I keep it as well. I'm also a firm believer of "where there's a buyer there can be sales". If someone missed a freebie, and can grab the license for a cheap price, what's the issue? Massive, for example, continues to be sold, full price. It was a special offer on Novation/Focusrite, which not even everyone was entitled to get.

[Dumbquestions]

True, i wouldn’t judge there either, since selling it makes lots of sense when you don’t need it in the first place, more just trying to form my own understanding of how to price them realistically. I figured hearing about others’ successes there might give me a better idea—and whether those seemingly overpriced copies end up actually selling. If so, maybe that price would appear more normal to my eyes.

[Patheos]

hmm, I must have missed something. I am aware of plugin resellers from different developers but I have never come across a freeware plugin that is being sold unless it's 'open source' & the code has been worked on.

[GaryG]

hmm, I must have missed something. I am aware of plugin resellers from different developers but I have never come across a freeware plugin that is being sold unless it's 'open source' & the code has been worked on.

I think OP specifically means paid plugins that are given away free at some point like the recent Massive giveaway for Novation users or Plugin Boutiques monthly freebies. Not plugins that are ususally free.

The Massive example is an interesting example of market perception; the guy could have bought it years ago for a lot of money and $60 is a fraction of what he paid, seems a good deal to him but kind of torpedoed by the giveaway.

Each to their own imo.

[darkinners]

hmm, I must have missed something. I am aware of plugin resellers from different developers but I have never come across a freeware plugin that is being sold unless it's 'open source' & the code has been worked on.

Actually very easy to know the sweet point. KVR forum have good search features. just search those plugins and check those that sold and listed in threads that haven't sold for a period of time (like 3 months) so you get a pretty good idea.
Of course, there's a possibility that those people hauled a lot of free licenses they already sold a bunch and still have a lot left. Either way you can still get a pretty good idea.

[i need Help]

Every time I see a paid plugin being offered for free I think "Welp there's gonna be 20 postings in a row on KnobCloud for this" lol. I'd only have a moral issue if people are selling it when it is still available for free to everyone, I've seen that a few times.

Other than that, I mean it's still a good deal if it's being resold for less than buying it from the developer. It's not the resellers fault if someone missed the free offer. I don't think being opportunistic is inherently bad.

Of course, there's a possibility that those people hauled a lot of free licenses they already sold a bunch and still have a lot left.

From chats with a few sellers on KnobCloud, this 100% happens.

[jleeper]

I recently bought one of the Focusrite Massive licences (for less than $60) and was glad to buy it since I didn't qualify to get it direct from Focusrite.