O365: differences between direct purchase and via a partner
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@Minion-Queen said:
@Carnival-Boy said:
@Minion-Queen said:
We do not accept payments from our customers for Office365. This limits the customers interaction with their admin panel etc. The customer should always have complete control of their licensing.
Yikes. I must have complete control. In what way would I be limited?
Nothing limiting at all by going this route. If you need help in anyway that is what we are here for. As a MS Partner we have dedicated account and technical account managers to reach out to if we aren't able to answer your questions. We have direct numbers and emails to contact them not an 800 number.
And there is that.
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So there aren't any downsides with purchasing with an open licence via a reseller/MSP?
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Maybe a bit off topic, but what is the process to moving to a VAR/MSP if you already have a O365 domain setup?
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It is as simple as putting in our partner number and name.
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@coliver said:
Maybe a bit off topic, but what is the process to moving to a VAR/MSP if you already have a O365 domain setup?
You'd have to contact them then you can change the partner of record in office 365.
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Nope you don't have to contact them it can all be done via the control panel. We have done this many times,as unfortunately there are lots of shady MSP's out there and we have had to rescue migrations more than once.
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@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.
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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.
