Envato Implements Item Support Policy For Themeforest And Codecanyon

If you purchase regularly or occasionally on Themeforest (WordPress Themes) and Codecanyon (WordPress Plugins), then you have probably seen new item support policy which Envato implemented for those two WordPress marketplaces.

Envato implemented an Item Support Policy for sellers on ThemeForest and CodeCanyon except PSD templates, Sketch templates, TypeEngine themes, Mobile, and Edge Animate templates.

When browsing items on  CodeCanyon or ThemeForest, you will see blue badge which indicates that the seller provides support. There’s also a badge and text that informs potential buyers if an item is not supported.

 

Example of Item Support Policy

 

Item Support Policy For Themeforest And Codecanyon

According to the policy, buyers will automatically receive six months of support from the date of purchase.Till now buyers had lifetime support if not stated differently.

If you purchased supported items before the new policy went into effect, then you have six months of free support starting from September 1st.

For buyers who wish to have support option for an entire year, they can buy package for 12 months support. Envato takes 30% fee and gives 70% of the purchase to authors.

The price of a 6-month support extension for a Regular License is calculated as:

• 37.5% of the item price (30% of the list price) when purchased at the same time as the license;
• 62.5% of the item price (50% of the list price) when purchased during the support period;
• 87.5% of the item price (70% of the list price) when purchased after the support period has ended.

 

What Does Envato Item Support Policy Mean For Buyers?

Buyers will still get purchased items like before. The only change is support provided by author/s of purchased product. While support was considered to be lifetime and free before this policy, now it will be paid.

You will get 6 months of free support from date of purchase and ability to pay additionally for 6 more months of support. Price of additional support is calculated by above mentioned criteria.

Be noted updates and bug fixes are included in the cost of all items regardless of whether you have support or not. Authors are also expected to keep the item working as described.

If and when an author releases an updates, it will be available for all previous buyers to download for free no matter if you still have valid support or not.

The key difference between having valid support and not, is that if you don’t have valid support then authors aren’t expected to help troubleshoot the issue or provide any customer service to you what so ever.

They just need to ensure that the item works as described. And if it doesn’t work then they will most likely release an update which will be available to all previous buyers (for free).

This new system raises some questions and difficulties:

1. We all know that on Envato there are sellers which give great support (also with extra modifications) and sellers which give very poor support (long reply, poor help). Both will get the same money for support. Not fair…
2. I know many sellers will provide help even after 6 months. It all depends on seller. Most of them are professional and they know that happy client is the best advert. But lot of sellers will also give very poor support for 6 months.
3. This change confuses buyers. This raises a lot of questions about support.
4. What if someone wants to use theme on 3 sites and buys same theme 3 times? Does he have to buy support every time?
5.  Rating products. This is another problem. Buyers have an option to rate products. But this could also change. Will buyer be able to rate product even after 6 months when his free support ends? Buyer may give bad rating then.

If you are WordPress user and have website, then you know how easy is to get things down the road. New plugin, theme or WordPress update can mess things up.

Then you will need author support. It can happen sometime in free 6 months period or after 2 years. You never know. Most commercial products outside Envato come with one year of support and updates.

Be noted that Envato also offers Envato Elements service where you can find more than 2,000,000 various digital assets ranging from WordPress plugins, themes, stock photos, videos, audio, etc. For more info be sure to check my Envato Elements review.

I have also wrote tutorial how to automatically update WordPress themes and plugins purchased on Envato via admin dashboard and without need of license so check that too.