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class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.unpin">hide</button> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div id="bodyContent" class="vector-body" aria-labelledby="firstHeading" data-mw-ve-target-container> <div class="vector-body-before-content"> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Software on physical media sold to end consumers</div> <p><b>Retail software</b> is <a href="/wiki/Computer_software" class="mw-redirect" title="Computer software">computer software</a>, typically installed on PC-type computers post 2005, delivered via the Internet (also known as <a href="/wiki/Cloud_computing" title="Cloud computing">cloud</a>-based). Traditionally this software was delivered via physical <a href="/wiki/Data_storage_device" class="mw-redirect" title="Data storage device">data storage</a> media sold to <a href="/wiki/End_consumer" class="mw-redirect" title="End consumer">end consumer</a> but very few companies still provide their software using physical media. The software is typically sold under restricted licenses (e.g. <a href="/wiki/EULA" class="mw-redirect" title="EULA">EULAs</a>) or in the case of cloud-based software sold as a <a href="/wiki/Software-as-a-Service" class="mw-redirect" title="Software-as-a-Service">Software-as-a-Service</a> (SaaS) model. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Types">Types</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Retail_software&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Types"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Cloud-based software: this is software that is not installed on a user's device but delivered on-demand via the Internet to the end user's device(s) either through web-based apps or native apps (<a href="/wiki/IOS" title="IOS">iOS</a> and <a href="/wiki/Android_(operating_system)" title="Android (operating system)">Android</a>). Most new software companies provide both or a combination of web, and native apps which may provide different functionality depending on the actual user in a client company. </p><p><a href="/wiki/Original_equipment_manufacturer" title="Original equipment manufacturer">OEM</a> Pack -HOW This is a licensed copy of software given by the software manufacturer to a computer manufacturer to pre-install on a computer being sold to a customer. A backup copy may or may not be provided on a CD to the end-user along with the computer. </p><p>Box Pack - This is a licensed copy of the software that an end-user buys off the shelf from any authorized retail outlet. They may sometimes be more highly-priced than OEM versions as you generally get additional software along with the main software within the pack. </p><p>Paper License - This is a scheme provided by the software manufacturer to companies or businesses that require many copies of particular software to be installed on multiple computers within the organization (<a href="/wiki/Volume_license_key" class="mw-redirect" title="Volume license key">Volume license key</a>). Say, for example, a company requires installing software on 50 computers in its office. Instead of buying 50 CDs and managing those 50 individually, the company can buy one copy of the software and request the software vendor to issue a paper license authorizing them to use it on 50 computers. The software vendor then charges them accordingly. This method is also much cheaper than buying 50 individual packs. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Retail_software&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: History"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>An important historical event that led to the expansion of the market for retail software was the <a href="/wiki/Open_Letter_to_Hobbyists" class="mw-redirect" title="Open Letter to Hobbyists">Open Letter to Hobbyists</a> by <a href="/wiki/Bill_Gates" title="Bill Gates">Bill Gates</a> in 1976. </p><p>Until the 2000s with the emergence of the <a href="/wiki/Internet" title="Internet">Internet</a>, retail software represented the vast majority of all end consumer software used and was referred to as <b>shrinkware</b> because of software almost always ships in a <a href="/wiki/Shrinkwrap" class="mw-redirect" title="Shrinkwrap">shrinkwrapped</a> box. </p><p>The most famous examples of retail software are the products offered on the <a href="/wiki/IBM_PC" class="mw-redirect" title="IBM PC">IBM PC</a> and <a href="/wiki/Clone_(computing)" title="Clone (computing)">clones</a> in the 1980s and 1990s, including famous programs like <a href="/wiki/Lotus_123" class="mw-redirect" title="Lotus 123">Lotus 123</a>, <a href="/wiki/Word_Perfect" class="mw-redirect" title="Word Perfect">Word Perfect</a> and the various parts that make up <a href="/wiki/Microsoft_Office" title="Microsoft Office">Microsoft Office</a>. <a href="/wiki/Microsoft_Windows" title="Microsoft Windows">Microsoft Windows</a> is also shrinkware, but is most often pre-installed on the computer. </p><p>The rise of the <a href="/wiki/Internet" title="Internet">Internet</a> and <a href="/wiki/Software_licensing" class="mw-redirect" title="Software licensing">software licensing</a> schemes has dramatically changed the retail software market e.g. by <a href="/wiki/Digital_Distribution" class="mw-redirect" title="Digital Distribution">Digital Distribution</a>. Users are capable of finding <a href="/wiki/Shareware" title="Shareware">shareware</a>, <a href="/wiki/Freeware" title="Freeware">freeware</a> and <a href="/wiki/Free_software" title="Free software">free software</a> products or use Web services as easily as retail.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Producers of proprietary software have shifted to providing much of their software and services via the Internet, including <a href="/wiki/Google" title="Google">Google</a>, <a href="/wiki/Microsoft" title="Microsoft">Microsoft</a>, <a href="/wiki/Yahoo!" class="mw-redirect" title="Yahoo!">Yahoo!</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Apple_Inc." title="Apple Inc.">Apple Inc.</a> Software is also becoming available as part of an integrated device, as well. </p><p>In 2011 Apple declared the discontinuation of many of its boxed retail software products.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Retail_software&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Proprietary_software" title="Proprietary software">Proprietary software</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Retail_software&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Business Software Alliance. <i>Software and the U.S. Economy in 2002</i>. January 31, 2003.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/11/07/20/apple_initiates_mass_discontinuation_of_boxed_retail_software">Apple initiates mass discontinuation of boxed retail software</a> on appleinsider.com (July 20, 2011)</span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol 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a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Software_distribution" title="Template:Software distribution"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Software_distribution" title="Template talk:Software distribution"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li 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href="/wiki/Open-source_software" title="Open-source software">Open source</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Freely_redistributable_software" title="Freely redistributable software">Freely redistributable</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/License-free_software" title="License-free software">License-free</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Proprietary_software" title="Proprietary software">Proprietary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Public-domain_software" title="Public-domain software">Public domain</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Source-available_software" title="Source-available software">Source-available</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Compensation models</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Adware" title="Adware">Adware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Commercial_software" title="Commercial software">Commercial software</a> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Retail software</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Crippleware" title="Crippleware">Crippleware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Crowdfunding" title="Crowdfunding">Crowdfunding</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Freemium" title="Freemium">Freemium</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Freeware" title="Freeware">Freeware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pay_what_you_want" title="Pay what you want">Pay what you want</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Careware" title="Careware">Careware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Donationware" title="Donationware">Donationware</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open-core_model" title="Open-core model">Open-core model</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postcardware" class="mw-redirect" title="Postcardware">Postcardware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shareware" title="Shareware">Shareware</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Nagware" class="mw-redirect" title="Nagware">Nagware</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trialware" class="mw-redirect" title="Trialware">Trialware</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Delivery methods</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Digital_distribution" title="Digital distribution">Digital distribution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/File_sharing" title="File sharing">File sharing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/On-premises_software" title="On-premises software">On-premises</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pre-installed_software" title="Pre-installed software">Pre-installed</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Product_bundling" title="Product bundling">Product bundling</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Retail software</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sneakernet" title="Sneakernet">Sneakernet</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_as_a_service" title="Software as a service">Software as a service</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Deceptive and/or illicit</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Unwanted_software_bundling" class="mw-redirect" title="Unwanted software bundling">Unwanted software bundling</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Malware" title="Malware">Malware</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Infostealer" title="Infostealer">Infostealer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ransomware" title="Ransomware">Ransomware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Spyware" title="Spyware">Spyware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trojan_horse_(computing)" title="Trojan horse (computing)">Trojan horse</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Computer_worm" title="Computer worm">Worm</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scareware" title="Scareware">Scareware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shovelware" title="Shovelware">Shovelware</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Software_release_life_cycle" title="Software release life cycle">Software release life cycle</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Abandonware" title="Abandonware">Abandonware</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/End-of-life_product" title="End-of-life product">End-of-life</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Long-term_support" title="Long-term support">Long-term support</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_maintenance" title="Software maintenance">Software maintenance</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_maintainer" title="Software maintainer">Software maintainer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_publisher" title="Software publisher">Software publisher</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vaporware" title="Vaporware">Vaporware</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_vaporware" title="List of vaporware">list</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" 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