When an individual purchases a piece of software, the last thing he/she wants to discover is that there is something amiss with the purchase. Quite often a problem that arises with a purchase is incompatibility, that is, the product simply will not work with your computer because your system either does not have the gumption to run the program or your system is lacking the proper resources to execute the commands of the software. Seldom is there a product that is compatible with all computer systems and as such it is important to read the packaging of the product and determine if your computer is capable of running this software.

Solutions to software incompatibility can be relatively straightforward but at the same time may be rather complex. If your computer simply lacks the resources, whether that means you need to upgrade drivers or increase the speed of your machine, then the solution merely involves an additional purchase. On the other hand, if the software is completely incompatible with your computer's operating system then you will likely not be able to utilize that piece of software.

Another problem that frequently arises is your purchase is missing a component that may or may not be necessary for the operation of the program. While many new products are complete in their packaging, purchasing second hand software can be risky. In doing so, one may encounter this particular problem. The missing piece might not be essential however, and may simply be a booklet explaining how to install and run the software. Conversely, if the missing piece is crucial to the operation of the software then one can observe the packaging for the contact information of the manufacturer and go about finding a solution in this manner.

Other such problems involving software revolve around what is termed glitches. These most often occur with gaming software and hamper the overall playability of the game, basically via interrupting the game play or by causing the game to freeze.