I sold first edition books on eBay for a time, and before starting I needed to know what books were selling on eBay, and what their final price was. At that time, eBay stored about six months of auctions. It took me weeks to sort through all listings in able to find and record the information I needed.

Enter Deep Analysis. Deep Analysis really is good software. Instead of spending all those interminable hours I could have turned it loose and it would have done all my research, and delivered an organized report, while I did other things. The many functions performed by DA are quite valuable.

But, I don't believe the company has kept faith with their customers. When it first went up for sale, there was a one time price of $117. Since then, the cost has risen to $179 with a $49.95 annual renewal fee. No problem. We all understand increasing costs.

What isn't OK is that all those folks who originally bought the software for a one time fee now have to pay for upgrades, or their software will no longer work. I strongly contend that the original buyers should be “grandfathered” in – but they aren't.

If the company owners need to add renewal fees that is their business. But they are decidedly not abiding by the original promise made to purchasers who bought in good faith. My estimation of their company has dropped considerably.

A similar, although not identical, tool is the Market Research Wizard. The Wizard is broader in scope than Deep Analysis because it researches the entire web, rather than eBay specifically. Depending on the objective of the user, this can be positive or negative.

But the philosophy and business ethics of the Wizard owners is dramatically different. Originally sold with a renewal fee, the company owner, Chris Malta, has made a big-hearted decision to drop renewal fees entirely. This is the text that went out to owners of the Dropship Source Directory and Chris's other products, including the Wizard:

"You are receiving this Customer Update email because you purchased our Drop Ship Source Directory at some time between January 1st and June 30th 2004, and we thank you for your purchase.”

“At the time you purchased, we were charging a $19.95 renewal fee for the Directory at the end of your six month subscription.”

“We are no long charging that renewal fee. As of July 1, 2004, we have eliminated the $19.95 '6 month renewal fee'".

“In order to be fair to you, our valued Customer, we have back-dated the elimination of that fee to January 1st, 2004.”

“What this means to you is that you now own a permanent membership in The Drop Ship Source Directory at no extra charge. Your Directory Membership will never expire.”

“We have added even more people to our in-house Research Team, and are now researching thousands of wholesale suppliers every month. We're also traveling the country to Wholesale Trade Shows, to form personal relationships with the biggest and best Wholesale Drop Shippers out there.”

“This is all in order to add new drop shippers to our Directories. We add new drop shippers literally every day, so please take advantage of your now-permanent membership and use your Directory to its full potential!"

The owners of Deep Analysis have exhibited a lack of ethics which makes it a lesser product than the Market Research Wizard.