Godeal24 Legit?

[GO DAWGS!]

I noticed an ad on this site for GoDeal24 https://www.godeal24.com/ and wanted to know if anyone has bought a license key for Windows there, and if so, were there any issues? I have a Windows 10 Pro digital license tied to my Microsoft account and wanted to LEGALLY transfer it over to my new build running Windows 11, but for the life of me I haven't been able to do so. I've tried several different things I read online, but nothing worked. Now I will just buy a cheap key if this site is legit. If not, screw it! I can run an un-activated copy if I have to.

 

[Toothless]

Ive used the key sites that TPU sometimes has and they've worked really well. Even got proper customer support.

The one you linked seems to be a ripoff of gooddeal

 

[Deleted member 223428]

I bought some keys a few years ago from the TPU sponsored posts and never had an issue with them.

The godeal24 site was posted back on the 28th of July here so I think it's probably just rotating domain names to keep things 'interesting'.

GoDeal24 Announces July Sale, Save up to 62% on Genuine Software

GoDeal24 announces the July 2023 Sale. Get the software you need at the prices you want! As you plan your next-generation gaming PC build, let GoDeal help you find the software it needs, such as Genuine Windows 11 Pro, and Office 2021 Professional, at some of the lowest prices on the web. Get...

www.techpowerup.com

 

[cvaldes]

The sites mentioned in these sponsored posts are legit here at TPU and other similar news sites (Guru3D, Tweaktown, Wccftech, TechRadar, WindowsCentral, et al).

However it is important to note that they are selling Windows OEM license keys. Once activated, the key is tied to the motherboard serial number and is non-transferable. These are not retail licenses which may be transferable. It is as if you bought an HP, Dell, Lenovo system with Windows pre-installed. The Windows license cannot be transferred.

You are free to purchase a retail Windows license key but it really doesn't make any sense. At $7 a pop for an OEM key, just buy, activate and forget about it. Even if you wipe the boot drive clean and reinstall Windows, the system will phone home to Microsoft and self-activate the previous key if you don't try to switch Windows versions (like go from Home to Pro or Enterprise).

There is nothing new about this, many mom-and-pop PC shops have been selling Windows OEM licenses with the purchase of a PC component (like a CPU, motherboard, power supply, GPU, etc.) for a couple of decades.

Earlier today I bought an Office 2021 Professional Plus key from TPU's sponsored post. I received the activation key via e-mail about 5-10 minutes after purchase. I was using Office in trial mode and it took less than 30 seconds to activate the suite.

 

[W1zzard]

If you run into any issues with them, email me, w1zzard@techpowerup.com, I'll sort it out for you

 

[freeagent]

I have used them before for an Office key, legit!

There was another one that was advertised here, I bought an AIDA key, but then it was no good. Made contact and was issued a new dirty key. I ended up just paying for it on my own.

 

[Lost_Troll]

Mybe if you were to go to the main TPU site TechPowerUp , you will see their advertisement when you scroll down.

I have used them several times and had zero issues with their Microsoft keys and service paying them through PayPal.

 

[GO DAWGS!]

Thank you all very much for responding. I feel a little more confident now. I know the keys aren't that much, that's not the issue. I just don't want to support a shady site.

Thanks!

 

[cvaldes]

Your apprehension is understandable yet misguided. If the merchants that sponsored these posts on various news sites were bogus, people like W1zzard would be flooded with complaints and the merchants would quickly be blacklisted by news sites. Q&A forum discussions would also be overwhelmed by angry readers.

This isn't Fleabay.

A lot of these merchants have been operating for years. Maybe their prices are a little higher than those operating on Fleabay but it's worth shelling out an extra dollar or two to sites like GoDeal24 for peace of mind rather than some fly-by-night operator advertising on Fleabay, TikTok, whatever. The latter are more likely to sweep up some cash and vanish into the night. Fleabay will do nothing but media site operators like TPU trying to scratch out a living aren't going to let Dodgy Bros. Software Store continue to fleece their readership.

As a sponsored post, TPU probably gets a small commission for each purchases made via a clickthrough. It's in W1zzard's best interest to make sure the people who click through these links get good customer service because these sponsored posts reflect on HIM as well.

TL;DR - If you trust W1zzard, feel a little more confident about the sponsored posts that he allows. Remember, he buys baby food with it.

 

[GO DAWGS!]

Your apprehension is understandable yet misguided. If the merchants that sponsored these posts on various news sites were bogus, people like W1zzard would be flooded with complaints and the merchants would quickly be blacklisted by news sites. This isn't Fleabay.

A lot of these merchants have been operating for years. Maybe their prices are a little higher than those operating on Fleabay but it's worth shelling out an extra dollar or two to sites like GoDeal24 rather than some fly-by-night operator advertising on Fleabay, TikTok, whatever. The latter or more likely to sweep up some cash and vanish into the night. Fleabay will do nothing but media site operators like TPU trying to scratch out a living aren't going to let Dodgy Bros. Software Store continue to fleece their readership.

Oh, I totally understand that. I know TPU wouldn't do that. That would hurt their reputation if so.

 

[cvaldes]

I explained it because your initial inquiry sounded like you had scant confidence in TPU and those who run it. After all, your profile is less than three months old. I have zero knowledge about what you know about online shopping.

Remember that these same merchants advertise elsewhere. I know I have purchased some license keys clicking through a link on another tech media site. If the news site is legit, then the sponsored posts have the approval of those site operators. Not just this specific GoDeal24 post here at TPU. W1zzard has welcomed a variety of sponsored posts from many merchants over the years.

 

[ir_cow]

Legit that your keys don't expire. Where the keys comes from is a mystery to me. I assume it's grey market keys.

 

[GO DAWGS!]

I explained it because your initial inquiry sounded like you had scant confidence in TPU and those who run it. After all, your profile is less than three months old. I have zero knowledge about what you know about online shopping.

Remember that these same merchants advertise elsewhere. I know I have purchased some license keys clicking through a link on another tech media site. If the news site is legit, then the sponsored posts have the approval of those site operators. Not just this specific GoDeal24 post here at TPU. W1zzard has welcomed a variety of sponsored posts over the years.

I've never bought anything from one of these key sites. Never even paid them much attention until recently. After looking around, I see there are many out there to buy from, and yes, with such low prices, they do seem too good to be true. And I certainly meant no disrespect towards W1zzard or anyone else. Just wanted some feedback on that site.

 

[cvaldes]

Like I wrote earlier, mom-and-pop PC stores have been selling OEM license keys for 20+ years. Nothing new about this practice and it's not exclusive to online sales. I've never purchased a retail copy of Windows or Office in my life.

It seems like there are a lot of these online vendors but my hunch is that it is really just 2-3 operators, each running multiple storefronts. Again, nothing new or different about that, most of the adult "tube video" sites are owned by one Russian guy for example.

In 2023 you could probably walk into a mom-and-pop PC store and just buy a key over the counter. They know that the money you spend in their shop are dollars you aren't giving to some guy in Hong Kong. And they have a vested interest in keep customers happy so they return. They have bills to pay: rent, payroll, utilities, etc.

There are far shadier sales propositions online than this sponsored post.

 

[GO DAWGS!]

Like I wrote earlier, mom-and-pop PC stores have been selling OEM license keys for 20+ years. Nothing new about this practice and it's not exclusive to online sales. I've never purchased a retail copy of Windows or Office in my life.

It seems like there are a lot of these online vendors but my hunch is that it is really just 2-3 operators, each running multiple storefronts. Again, nothing new or different about that, most of the adult "tube video" sites are owned by one Russian guy for example.

In 2023 you could probably walk into a mom-and-pop PC store and just buy a key over the counter. They know that the money you spend in their shop are dollars you aren't giving to some guy in Hong Kong. And they have a vested interest in keep customers happy so they return. They have bills to pay: rent, payroll, utilities, etc.

There are far shadier sales propositions online than this sponsored post.

GoDeal24 lists their address being in Hong Kong at the bottom of their webpage

ADDRESS
Shun Feng International Centre 3B-09, 182 Queen's Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong

 

[cvaldes]

We know. Some of these license key stores say they are in Hong Kong. Hong Kong has enjoyed a business-friendly reputation for decades even though it is now part of the PR of China.

I assume it's an actual physical location that is used as a convenient address for many businesses, but not an office. More a mailbox than anything else.

There are several places on this planet that have local regulations that are particularly favorable to online businesses, not just Hong Kong. I believe Cyprus is another.

Best to use a credit card that doesn't incur foreign transaction fees.

 

[wheresmycar]

GoDeal24 is my top go-to solution for keys (and i've bought many)... great fast service + zero negatives/troubles to report on; everything just runs as expected every time.

 

[Xii-Nyth]

yeah godeal is a good site, always saw sales on wccftech and got a 3 pack of keys one time, all worked

 

[Frick]

I've had an Office 2021 key bought from there revoked (or some other keysite TPU advertises for). Or revoked, one day that Office install was not activated and wouldn't reactivate.

 

[Xii-Nyth]

I've had an Office 2021 key bought from there revoked (or some other keysite TPU advertises for). Or revoked, one day that Office install was not activated and wouldn't reactivate.

try asking them for a replacement. in your case its a little odd since it did work but temporarily

 

[R-T-B]

try asking them for a replacement. in your case its a little odd since it did work but temporarily

Honestly that's not at all unusual if you buy keys on a keymarket like this outside the incredibly permissive windows ecosystem. They tend to oversell the keys, and it gets them blacklisted.

 

[Wye]

Selling or buying OEM licenses without hardware is illegal.
Godeal24 IS shady, and Microsoft will bring it down eventually. And your "incredible deal" license might go buh bye at any moment.

Guess what the law says about advertising illegal stuff? No, "I didn't knew it was illegal" is not a valid excuse in front of the law.

TPU will probably delete this post, but they can't delete the accounting records: they did accept money from Godeal24. And the illegal site history was already stored by investigating companies.