Liberty (and Consignpro) are by far
the two most expensive consignment software programs.
10-Year Cost Including All Fees
(Networking 5 PCs) |
| Liberty |
Consignpro |
| $ 9,139 |
$13,161 |
These vendors know that they would soon be out of business if true costs were disclosed, so they attempt to give the appearance of being 'competitively priced'.
They -
- both claim to have the 'lowest price'!
- hide fees
- lie about a discounted purchase price being available 'for a limited time only'
- require support fees
- withhold updates if support fees aren't paid
- charge large fees to add QuickBooks compatibility and a 2nd copy of the license (Liberty)
- charge monthly fees for 'new services' (Consignpro)
There are no pricing games at BCSS. Our prices are in fact the lowest. There are no hidden or ongoing fees. Why? Simple. We want your business. Here's what our competitors don't want for you to know:
| Fees1 |
BCSS
10 Years |
Liberty
5 Years |
Liberty
10 Years |
Consignpro
5 Years |
Consignpro
10 Years |
| Initial Outlay |
$ 595 |
$ 995 |
$ 995 |
$ 995 |
$ 995 |
| Home Copy |
free |
295 |
295 |
free |
free |
| Network 5 PCs |
350 |
897 |
897 |
1,180 |
1,180 |
| Support |
free |
1,800 |
3,600 |
975 |
1,950 |
| QuickBooks |
included |
199 |
199 |
included |
included |
| Data Conversion |
free |
200 |
200 |
200 |
200 |
| X-Charge |
n/a |
245 |
245 |
included |
included |
| Data Repair |
free |
free |
free |
345 |
690 |
| Printer Support |
free |
450 |
900 |
200 |
400 |
| Scanner Support |
110 |
210 |
free |
? |
? |
| Upgrades (not Updates) |
free |
200 |
400 |
200 |
400 |
| Online Backups |
free |
n/a |
n/a |
357 |
714 |
| Online Account Access |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
597 |
1,195 |
| Tag Customization |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
75 |
75 |
| Transfer Fee2 |
free |
500 |
500 |
50 |
50 |
| Second Transfer Fee3 |
free |
500 |
500 |
995 |
995 |
| Replacement Manual |
free |
25 |
25 |
25 |
25 |
| Replacement CD |
free |
35 |
35 |
25 |
25 |
| Hardware Mark Ups |
n/a |
$297 |
$297 |
$1,000 |
$1,000 |
| On-Site Training4 |
n/a |
|
|
$2,500 |
$2,500 |
| Hardware Shipping Fees |
free |
~+5% |
~+5% |
~+5% |
~+5% |
| FedX Overcharges |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
25 |
25 |
| Totals |
$ 945 |
$ 6,581 |
$ 9,139 |
$ 10,409 |
$ 13,161 |
1 As of 2/1/2008 as best can be determined. Not all fees are listed in one place or prominently. Amounts are based upon 5 users with printer support and database repairs once per year.
2The Liberty fee is $99 IF the software is being purchased with a business. Otherwise, the fee is "one-half the value of the software", so if Liberty determines the 'value' to be $1,000 and you sell it for $500, you get nothing.
3The Consignpro license can not be transferred a second time. A new purchase ($995) is required.
4 In Canada. $2,000 in the U.S. Restrictions apply.
|
| Hardware |
| |
Internet Price |
Liberty |
| Epson TM-U220 POS Printer USB |
$ 399 |
$ 529
+shipping |
| Unitech MS210 Bar Code Reader USB |
$ 208 |
$ 349
+shipping |
| Metrologic MS9520 Laser Bar Code Reader |
$ 158 |
$ 399
+shipping |
| MMF - ECD200 Cash Drawer |
$ 109 |
$ 189
+shipping |
| eLo 15" Touch Screen Monitor |
$ 525 |
$ 599
+shipping |
| Zebra 2844 Thermal Printer |
$ 350 |
$ 449
+shipping |
| Unitech K2724 POS Keyboard |
$ 145 |
$ 299 |
| Ithaca Thermal Receipt Printer |
$ 320 |
$ 469 |
11 User $9.95/mo., 2-4 Users $19.95/mo., 5+ Users $29.95/mo.
2Based annual support fees of $360, Home Copy License $299, 5 PCs networked, Quickbooks upgrade, one printer support charge per year, one replacement manual and one CD ($60), one data conversion ($200), one upgrade (not update) estimated $200
3The demo is limited to 25 consignors and 50 inventory items.
4Shipping charges are not disclosed prior to ordering.
5$50 if software is sold with a business
|
| |
| BCSS/Liberty Features Comparison |
| Bar Coding | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in POS | Yes | Yes |
| Buyers' Fees | Yes | Yes |
| Check Printing | Yes | Yes |
| Consignor Contracts | Yes | Yes |
| Customer Tracking/Reporting2 | Yes | Yes |
| Customizable Inventory Lists | Yes | Yes |
| Data Backup | Yes | Yes |
| Employee Security (log on) | Yes | Yes |
| Aged Inventory to House Account | Yes | Yes |
| Financial Reporting | Yes | Yes |
| Home Copy Cost | Free | $ 295 |
| Layaways | Yes | Yes |
| Network Pricing | Yes | Yes |
| Network Security | Yes | Yes |
| Pay Outs by Date | Yes | Yes |
| QuickBooks Compatible | Yes | No |
| Smart-Pricing | No | Yes |
| Split Payment Types on Invoices | Yes | ? |
| Tag & Labels Supported | Yes | Yes |
| Tag Color Markdowns | Yes | Yes |
| Time Period Markdowns | Yes | Yes |
| Updates from Web Site | Yes | Yes |
| View Reports on Screen | Yes | Yes |
| Wish List | Yes | Yes |
| |
| Scan Gun | $ 139/$ 153 | $ 399 |
| Receipt Printer | $ 329/$ 399 | $ 379 |
| Cash Drawer | $ 179 | $ 179 |
| Shipping | Free | Not Free2 |
| 800# | Yes | Yes |
| |
| 2Shipping charges are not disclosed prior to ordering. |
A Word about Ethics
Not long ago Liberty stripped essential features from their full version to create a product called 'Liberty Lite' and in so doing. claimed that the stripped features weren't "required". From their web site: "...we’ve disabled some of the features many new store owners and smaller stores don’t really require."
This product wasn't on the market for long, perhaps because the manipulation was too obvious. No doubt users of 'Liberty Lite' discovered they were using a 'disabled program' and were being forced into ultimately buying the full version anyway. (Click here for a more detailed representation of Liberty Lite. )
These were the 'disabled features'. Were they really 'not required'?
- No add item/consignor at point of sale
- No group pay outs (only individual pay outs)
- No retail items
- No store credit at point of sale
- No suspended sales
- Only cash as a tender option in point of sale
- No QuickBooks compatibility
- No credit-card capabilities
- No customer purchase history
- No layaways
- No security or user administration
- No wish lists
Here's another example of how Liberty manipulates users into paying more that first represented:
"Effective February 1, 2006 stores who purchase Liberty 2002 and who wish to purchase additional licenses will need to upgrade to Liberty4 Consignment."
In other words, a 2nd license for Liberty 2002 is purposely made 'not available' forcing 2002 users to pay another $300 to upgrade to Liberty4 if they want to use any Liberty product on 2 computers!
Deception
From their website: "we will not be undersold" - The initial cost of Liberty's programs is just the beginning. Their software cost is the highest in the industry! This and several other unsubstantiated claims are an indication of Liberty's underlying intent to deceive.
A response from Renee Milam, Sales Consultant, 4/27/06: "We do not list all fee's [sic] on our website."
Customer Feedback
Charles is a BCSS customer. Liberty called him to see why he had not purchased their program. Charles said he purchased BCSS. The Liberty rep asked why he purchased our program when Liberty was so much better so Charles asked how much Liberty charges for support and updates and the rep stated an amount. Charles said that was exactly his point: "Why should I purchase a high-dollar program that is also going to charge for support and updates when he could purchase a better program for less and no extra fees?!"
I had 3 phone calls today alone from dissatisfied Liberty users who want to change programs. All three were highly dissatisfied with technical support. They have to call and leave their number then wait for someone to call them back. One user reported that they could not print receipts with Liberty software and they reported this. They explained he needed a new printer and offered to sell him one. He stated he would wait and purchase one at a later time. George bought the same exact receipt printer Liberty Software supports but he needed their assistance because he still could not print receipts. They asked if he had bought the printer from them and when he said "No" they told him they could not help him unless he returned that one and bought a receipt printer from them.
