O365: differences between direct purchase and via a partner
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@scottalanmiller said:
@thecreativeone91 said:
I personally would buy everything direct.
I would never do that. There are no upsides. Going through an MSP can add value, going direct cannot. If you go direct you voluntarily take the lowest level of service.
From my experience, I agree.
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@thanksajdotcom said:
You also can often get better pricing via partners.
Pricing is always the same, it can't change.
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@Carnival-Boy said:
So there aren't any downsides with purchasing with an open licence via a reseller/MSP?
Can't get the upgraded MS service or the partner services if you go direct. Going direct guarantees the lowest common denominator of services.
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@scottalanmiller said:
@thanksajdotcom said:
You also can often get better pricing via partners.
Pricing is always the same, it can't change.
That's not really true. From partner it's the same. Microsoft does give discounts direct though. This is one of the reason I have always bought direct for the special pricing.
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@thecreativeone91 said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@thanksajdotcom said:
You also can often get better pricing via partners.
Pricing is always the same, it can't change.
That's not really true. From reseller it's the same. Microsoft does give discounts direct though. This is one of the reason I have always bought direct for the special pricing.
Resellers often have similar but different promotions. It varies where the best price lies, but in general, a good reseller will beat the direct price nine times out of ten.
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@Carnival-Boy said:
What I know so far, and correct me if I'm wrong on anything here:
- We can't select a monthly subs, only annual. This isn't really a problem.
- Billing is from our MSP. This is a cool feature, as Microsoft will currently only bill us via credit card as we don't spend enough with them and there is a lot of overhead and admin involved in managing this.
If some MSP is trying to bill directly I think they are running a scam. Microsoft does not allow this in any market we have worked in.
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@scottalanmiller said:
Pricing is always the same, it can't change.
I've been quoted a different price by my reseller to the price listed on Microsoft's website. Not a lot different, but different.
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@Carnival-Boy said:
@scottalanmiller said:
Pricing is always the same, it can't change.
I've been quoted a different price by my reseller to the price listed on Microsoft's website. Not a lot different, but different.
It also depends on what it is. Certain types of items are cheaper some places direct and other items, or services, are cheaper through resellers.
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@thanksajdotcom said:
It also depends on what it is. Certain types of items are cheaper some places direct and other items, or services, are cheaper through resellers.
What are you talking about? There is no reseller here. O365 Partners are partners, not resellers. The final purchase is always through MS and the price is always the same. Always, no exceptions. Microsoft does not alter the price based on who is your registered partner or if you don't have one. I'm not sure where you are getting these ideas but none of this fits the reality of the MS O365 model.
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@thanksajdotcom said:
@thecreativeone91 said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@thanksajdotcom said:
You also can often get better pricing via partners.
Pricing is always the same, it can't change.
That's not really true. From reseller it's the same. Microsoft does give discounts direct though. This is one of the reason I have always bought direct for the special pricing.
Resellers often have similar but different promotions. It varies where the best price lies, but in general, a good reseller will beat the direct price nine times out of ten.
Partner's don't offer the same programs that microsoft does direct. I don't think they are even allowed to do the government contract pricing. All of that gets negotiated between the state government and Microsoft so everyone else can get the pricing.
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@Carnival-Boy said:
@scottalanmiller said:
Pricing is always the same, it can't change.
I've been quoted a different price by my reseller to the price listed on Microsoft's website. Not a lot different, but different.
I know some bigger resellers such as CDW can get better pricing. However they own you when you do that. I do know of a few MSP's that you get the licensing through them, but we have also had to fight to switch over 6 accounts like that this year so that they could get the support they needed.
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@Minion-Queen said:
@Carnival-Boy said:
@scottalanmiller said:
Pricing is always the same, it can't change.
I've been quoted a different price by my reseller to the price listed on Microsoft's website. Not a lot different, but different.
I know some bigger resellers such as CDW can get better pricing. However they own you when you do that. I do know of a few MSP's that you get the licensing through them, but we have also had to fight to switch over 6 accounts like that this year so that they could get the support they needed.
In that case maybe they actually become resellers and are completely separate from the partner situation.
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@scottalanmiller said:
@thanksajdotcom said:
It also depends on what it is. Certain types of items are cheaper some places direct and other items, or services, are cheaper through resellers.
What are you talking about? There is no reseller here. O365 Partners are partners, not resellers. The final purchase is always through MS and the price is always the same. Always, no exceptions. Microsoft does not alter the price based on who is your registered partner or if you don't have one. I'm not sure where you are getting these ideas but none of this fits the reality of the MS O365 model.
True, reseller and partner are not the same. I wasn't using the term correctly (although most partners also resell). Partners often can give better pricing, or at least more for the money you spend, whereas resellers often charge the same or a little more. That being said, things like printers especially can often be found cheaper at a retailer or VAR than direct, but it varies from week to week.
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@thanksajdotcom said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@thanksajdotcom said:
It also depends on what it is. Certain types of items are cheaper some places direct and other items, or services, are cheaper through resellers.
What are you talking about? There is no reseller here. O365 Partners are partners, not resellers. The final purchase is always through MS and the price is always the same. Always, no exceptions. Microsoft does not alter the price based on who is your registered partner or if you don't have one. I'm not sure where you are getting these ideas but none of this fits the reality of the MS O365 model.
True, reseller and partner are not the same. I wasn't using the term correctly (although most partners also resell). Partners often can give better pricing, or at least more for the money you spend, whereas resellers often charge the same or a little more. That being said, things like printers especially can often be found cheaper at a retailer or VAR than direct, but it varies from week to week.
That's confusing to discuss printer resellers in a thread about O365 partners.
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@scottalanmiller said:
That's confusing to discuss printer resellers in a thread about O365 partners.
Really software and hardware are way different in purchasing.
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@scottalanmiller said:
@thanksajdotcom said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@thanksajdotcom said:
It also depends on what it is. Certain types of items are cheaper some places direct and other items, or services, are cheaper through resellers.
What are you talking about? There is no reseller here. O365 Partners are partners, not resellers. The final purchase is always through MS and the price is always the same. Always, no exceptions. Microsoft does not alter the price based on who is your registered partner or if you don't have one. I'm not sure where you are getting these ideas but none of this fits the reality of the MS O365 model.
True, reseller and partner are not the same. I wasn't using the term correctly (although most partners also resell). Partners often can give better pricing, or at least more for the money you spend, whereas resellers often charge the same or a little more. That being said, things like printers especially can often be found cheaper at a retailer or VAR than direct, but it varies from week to week.
That's confusing to discuss printer resellers in a thread about O365 partners.
Well we were talking for awhile in generalities about direct vs partner vs reseller. If you speak on O365, then I can't comment on that as @Minion-Queen handled all the billing. But in general, direct is usually the most expensive way to go.
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@scottalanmiller said:
What are you talking about? There is no reseller here. O365 Partners are partners, not resellers. The final purchase is always through MS and the price is always the same. Always, no exceptions. Microsoft does not alter the price based on who is your registered partner or if you don't have one. I'm not sure where you are getting these ideas but none of this fits the reality of the MS O365 model.
I'm not sure what you're talking about? I'm talking about purchasing O365 through a reseller under an Open License agreement. I will be billed by the reseller, not by Microsoft. O365 has been available to purchase like this for quite a while. There is no scam here.
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@Carnival-Boy said:
@scottalanmiller said:
What are you talking about? There is no reseller here. O365 Partners are partners, not resellers. The final purchase is always through MS and the price is always the same. Always, no exceptions. Microsoft does not alter the price based on who is your registered partner or if you don't have one. I'm not sure where you are getting these ideas but none of this fits the reality of the MS O365 model.
I'm not sure what you're talking about? I'm talking about purchasing O365 through a reseller under an Open License agreement. I will be billed by the reseller, not by Microsoft. O365 has been available to purchase like this for quite a while. There is no scam here.
Why would you purchase through the Open License Agreement? Does that have a benefit that purchasing via the standard method doesn't?
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@coliver said:
Why would you purchase through the Open License Agreement? Does that have a benefit that purchasing via the standard method doesn't?
That's what I want to know and why I started the thread. That was my question!
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@Carnival-Boy said:
@scottalanmiller said:
What are you talking about? There is no reseller here. O365 Partners are partners, not resellers. The final purchase is always through MS and the price is always the same. Always, no exceptions. Microsoft does not alter the price based on who is your registered partner or if you don't have one. I'm not sure where you are getting these ideas but none of this fits the reality of the MS O365 model.
I'm not sure what you're talking about? I'm talking about purchasing O365 through a reseller under an Open License agreement. I will be billed by the reseller, not by Microsoft. O365 has been available to purchase like this for quite a while. There is no scam here.
Yep I've seen it that way before too. Though in that case you are basically buying direct. They won't be your partner generally in the case of an open license and you will go to Microsoft for support.
