Selling Vocaloids Used?

[shinami]

I'm sure Vocaloid Otaku is the better place to look/already has the answer, but I don't have an account there so… *shrug*

Well, I just want to know what people's opinions are in this matter.

I have Vocaloids Tonio and Miki, and while I can see myself using Miki in the future, I just can't get into using Tonio. I despise their English phonetics system and he's really hard to work with; I prefer English UTAUs. It was a waste of a money, and I'd like to sell him, for less of course since I have used the code once but it should last for a few more uses and Zero-G happily extends the uses if you contact them.

However, I don't know if it's alright. I know that some licenses say you can't sell them. That I'm stuck with it when I don't even have it installed or have a computer that I CAN install it on anymore when I know I'm never going to use him again. And then what would I even price it at? It's the DVD box with what came in it (not much, disc and an insert and the cover art), I paid $200 (such a waste), so maybe like $150? I don't even know!

What's the community's opinion on this? Any similar situations I could be linked to would be awesome, Google wasn't much help.

And really sorry if this actually does tread into "illegal" area for even suggesting selling it once I've bought it. It's something physical why can't I sell it gjsljflkalk

 

[oteto]

RE:

It seems to me like if one can produce commercial works with it, it should be ok to sell it...like selling a guitar or whatever, after all its your property right? As far as price I wouldnt even know...ill give ya 5 bucks for him lol!

 

[Chorvaqueen]

RE:

Hello, I come from VO but I somewhat discourage you from putting up a sale post there as I heard there was a previous drama regarding selling Vocaloids there. Not sure about the details as I only heard about this from a bunch of people.
--
Anyway:

Simply use the deactivation tool on him first if he's installed before.
http://www.vocaloid.com/en/news/products/deactivation_100.html

And then tell your future buyer to use this as well so s/he doesn't have to contact zero-g to request a new code (which can be problematic)--in case s/he would transfer PC's.

Hope this helps.

Not sure about the price as you can easily buy his DL version for 70 bucks. :s

 

[shinami]

RE:

Ah, that's a bummer. I'd probably have to rely on sites like eBay then or even here; didn't really want to pay a fee…

The computer he was on crashed and I haven't reinstalled him since - that should hopefully be enough? Though that does leave the code as a problem. Hopefully it should have a use or two left in it.

Well DL versions are always cheaper than physical. His physical copy still goes for $200 or more and some of the V3 physical copies with the editor are still up there from $170 up. Somewhere between $120-$150 should totally be fair… *murmur*

But I am very glad that it is even possible, thank you! And thanks for the warning, I didn't know VO would be so against it.

 

[Chorvaqueen]

RE:

Your best bet is probably eBay right now I guess.

 

[XJM]

Ah, that's a bummer. I'd probably have to rely on sites like eBay then or even here; didn't really want to pay a fee…

The computer he was on crashed and I haven't reinstalled him since - that should hopefully be enough? Though that does leave the code as a problem. Hopefully it should have a use or two left in it.

Well DL versions are always cheaper than physical. His physical copy still goes for $200 or more and some of the V3 physical copies with the editor are still up there from $170 up. Somewhere between $120-$150 should totally be fair… *murmur*

But I am very glad that it is even possible, thank you! And thanks for the warning, I didn't know VO would be so against it.

I might be up to buying him from you lol.... My Winderp machine is in need of repair but that won't be an issue soon. I don't normally buy boxed versions but in this case if you are willing to give me a good price I'll give you the address to ship to. Just put me as a potential buyer but it isn't certain yet. I'm going to get him anyway to continue my Engloid collection

 

[na4a4a]

RE:

It's easier to sell a physical copy a software application, if it's the download version then you may be out of luck...

 

[shinami]

RE:

Yep, it's a physical copy. XD

Here, have some proof photos!
http://i.imgur.com/4JVYDmg.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ZORDNqR.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/j05DCCW.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/OnuzDns.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/4uG97A6.jpg
Everything is pretty pristine and untouched.

And yes, this is literally all that came with Tonio (at least in 2010 from the Guitar place I bought him?). You have no idea how retrospectively angry I was when I got the Artist Edition Miki for about $90 including shipping (the buy-every-AHS-Vocaloid deal, me and others bundled together to buy it) and she came with a lovely box, a huge instruction booklet for Vocaloid (wish I could read Japanese) an incredibly sturdy and nice DVD case with looooads of inserts…Tonio didn't even have his cover art properly inserted and he was $200. *so much regret*

that probably isn't the best stuff to say as a prospective seller DX

But hey it's Tonio physical? :'D

Are you in the US? I'd definetly be up to it then and we can negotiate prices via PM or something? If you're out of country I'd just need help figuring out shipping, I've never shipped anything before orz.

 

[XJM]

It's easier to sell a physical copy a software application, if it's the download version then you may be out of luck...

I read the whole thing in the first post so I knew it was a DVD/Hard Copy. I was just saying I don't normally buy DVD versions because I find the download versions a bit more convenient lol... but In this case I wouldn't mind sending a few $$$ to a fellow VocaUTAU user (though in shinami's case less Voca I assume).


@Shinami

I am in the US and I can send the payment via PayPal. I'll probably just PM you if I decide I will buy him from you. I'll probably contact Zero-G first afterward just for security.

 

[shinami]

RE:

I make sure to buy physical because I like the assurance that I have the product forever and always even if they no longer support the download. Video games, software, it's a personal policy - I just don't trust digital yet. And hahah yeah I'm pretty awful at Vocaloid and I find it so difficult compared to UTAU; I'll hang onto Miki though in case I ever get better at composing music.

Ah, alright! So happy! I'm mentally thinking between $120-140 would be best (I really would like to make back as much as possible, but we can definetly negotiate, especially if you find similar used cases around - they'd be huge points in your offer's favor). I'm a little leery of contacting them as I'm very very very uncertain if it's even legal to sell it when he's uninstalled (I remember Googling and seeing that in Big Al's terms of use). Which I find a little silly, but if you're a stickler for the laws then I can understand.

 

[Hentai]

RE:

Don't worry about the legality of the transaction. The sale of the CD/DVD physical goods are protected (in the US) by the First-sale Doctrine. While the software itself may prohibit some actions as part of its ToS, AuP, or like as part of a user agreement the resale of the software itself is protected.

That being said there may be additional DRM or licencing issues tied to the CD key. Vocaloid 2 CD keys can only be activated a limited number of times. After X many uses you will need to contact the publisher (Zero-G or PFX) and have the key renewed so it can be installed on more computers. It is generally a painless process and all you need to do is tell them how you got a new computer or whatever and you key is out of uses. (Though I would not recommend saying you bought it used just to be safe) They may or may not require some additional form of verification but for the physical DVDs usually a photo of it w/ your email on a post-it is proof enough.

That being said Japanese companies are harder to contact and I can't advise you on how to renew those keys if they ever run out so at least in that case... caveat emptor may be the best policy unless you are confident in your Japanese.

 

[samth1815]

RE:

ONE SECOND

The computer he was on crashed?

If you hadn't deactivated him beforehand, you might not be able to activate him again, since the code was on a computer that crashed. I would definitely contact Zero-G and, one, ask them if it's O.K. to sell him, and two, ask how you can go about getting your code back (assuming you can't get to it)

 

[XJM]

ONE SECOND

The computer he was on crashed?

If you hadn't deactivated him beforehand, you might not be able to activate him again, since the code was on a computer that crashed. I would definitely contact Zero-G and, one, ask them if it's O.K. to sell him, and two, ask how you can go about getting your code back (assuming you can't get to it)

I'm actually facing a similar problem with my windows machine not working and almost all of my Vocaloid softwares are activated. Zero-G might just say to buy another product key that they generate (they all go through Yamaha...). I guess there's no harm in contacting them about what happened.

 

[shinami]

RE:

Oh dang it is an issue? D:
He was on a computer that got it's hardrive fried during a thunderstorm, so not exactly crashed but close enough.

I suppose I will have to. I remember I once wanted to contact them and the Vocaloid specific contact (apparently you were supposed to register your email when activating your Vocaloid? It didn't ask though…) didn't work, I'll just contact them through other channels I guess.

And I doubt you're still interested in it since the $50 sale is going on, XJM. It's alright if not, I'll just wait the sale out and put him on ebay I guess.

 

[samth1815]

RE:

Oh dang it is an issue? D:
He was on a computer that got it's hardrive fried during a thunderstorm, so not exactly crashed but close enough.

I suppose I will have to. I remember I once wanted to contact them and the Vocaloid specific contact (apparently you were supposed to register your email when activating your Vocaloid? It didn't ask though…) didn't work, I'll just contact them through other channels I guess.

And I doubt you're still interested in it since the $50 sale is going on, XJM. It's alright if not, I'll just wait the sale out and put him on ebay I guess.

Well, I've never had the issue myself, but I think I remember reading somewhere something along the lines of (I'm going to try to explain it but I'm not too good at explaining, so I guess we'll see)

OK so you have your serial code right

So when you activate the VOCALOID on your computer with the serial code, it sends info out to the Yamaha activation servers and what it sends back is like the registration code or something like that, which is now on your computer. So in the event of a crash or you formatting your hard drive or something, that registration code is lost, and therefore the VOCALOID can no longer be activated.

SO if that's what happened, then basically Tonio is somewhere out in Limbo land.

Once again, I'm not exactly sure if that was how it worked, I'll check around and come back later and post what I find out.

 

[XJM]

Oh dang it is an issue? D:
He was on a computer that got it's hardrive fried during a thunderstorm, so not exactly crashed but close enough.

I suppose I will have to. I remember I once wanted to contact them and the Vocaloid specific contact (apparently you were supposed to register your email when activating your Vocaloid? It didn't ask though…) didn't work, I'll just contact them through other channels I guess.

And I doubt you're still interested in it since the $50 sale is going on, XJM. It's alright if not, I'll just wait the sale out and put him on ebay I guess.

to be honest the thing that caught my attention was that "ReWire" thing that it said on the DVD case. I'm not sure if the download version would come with that. Would be really useful when I finally decide to get something like Ableton or Maschine

 

[samth1815]

RE:

Yep, it's a physical copy. XD

Here, have some proof photos!
http://i.imgur.com/4JVYDmg.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ZORDNqR.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/j05DCCW.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/OnuzDns.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/4uG97A6.jpg
Everything is pretty pristine and untouched.

And yes, this is literally all that came with Tonio (at least in 2010 from the Guitar place I bought him?). You have no idea how retrospectively angry I was when I got the Artist Edition Miki for about $90 including shipping (the buy-every-AHS-Vocaloid deal, me and others bundled together to buy it) and she came with a lovely box, a huge instruction booklet for Vocaloid (wish I could read Japanese) an incredibly sturdy and nice DVD case with looooads of inserts…Tonio didn't even have his cover art properly inserted and he was $200. *so much regret*

that probably isn't the best stuff to say as a prospective seller DX

But hey it's Tonio physical? :'D

Are you in the US? I'd definetly be up to it then and we can negotiate prices via PM or something? If you're out of country I'd just need help figuring out shipping, I've never shipped anything before orz.

Oh also wait

miki has an artist version? Could you post some pics of that?

I never knew that existed, hah.

 

[shinami]

RE:

I took the video ages ago but took forever to upload it, sorry.

It would take too many pictures to look at everything included so I did a short video "tour". I wonder what other Mikis are like. Do any other Vocaloids come with this stuff? And I figured out that the back paper piece is indeed a sticker.

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqStj6abmdo[/video]

 

[samth1815]

RE:

shinami's words and such

Oh ok! I don't have miki, so I can't tell the difference xD

It might just be her normal version? I feel like she might just have artist edition on the box. Not sure, I'll look around.


Still, cool!

 

[TakeruInudo]

I make sure to buy physical because I like the assurance that I have the product forever and always even if they no longer support the download. Video games, software, it's a personal policy - I just don't trust digital yet. And hahah yeah I'm pretty awful at Vocaloid and I find it so difficult compared to UTAU; I'll hang onto Miki though in case I ever get better at composing music.

Ah, alright! So happy! I'm mentally thinking between $120-140 would be best (I really would like to make back as much as possible, but we can definetly negotiate, especially if you find similar used cases around - they'd be huge points in your offer's favor). I'm a little leery of contacting them as I'm very very very uncertain if it's even legal to sell it when he's uninstalled (I remember Googling and seeing that in Big Al's terms of use). Which I find a little silly, but if you're a stickler for the laws then I can understand.

You should be able to sell him with no trouble, I think it's the Editor itself you need to be more careful with, I cant remember the details.