I have just noticed a trend that most of the new WP themes come packaged with Visual Composer and now in your control panel the BUY OUR PLUGIN nag never goes away. Completely pisses me off. Don’t [language removed] include the plugin unless it will be updated by the theme and go away. Same with Revolutionary Slider but I can delete that from my designs. But, if I am going to use a shortcode helper, include your Premium Plugins that are actually included. I like to keep my control panels up to date and tidy, not with some nagging question. Envato was a great place to shop but nowadays with this bullshit 6 months updates and all you authors getting lazy and adding Premium plugins that don’t update is stupid. For the moment, I do not have a replacement for the Envator marketplace, but, believe me I am shopping hard for a replacement.
Lazy? Do you really expect theme authors to also develop slider, page builder etc.?
I guess you have no idea how much time it would take to develop something to match the level of Slider Revolution or Visual Composer, don’t you?
And then you expect to buy the whole product developed from scratch for 59$? Don’t get silly.
These premium plugins are being constantly developed and improved and teams spend time working on one product exclusively, so how do you imagine theme author do the same, but with theme, page builder, slider and anything else to replace premium plugins at the same time? Once again, don’t get silly.
Moreover, bundled premium plugins are updated with theme updates…
Go ahead and maintain that snarky reply. Ultimately we are the consumers. You really missed the whole point of my thread…historically the themes I have purchased the VC plugin does NOT have a nagging and relentless won’t away message to buy their plugin. So, my point really is that if those folks want to try and strong arm people to buy their plugin, then as theme developers that are looking to attract new buyers to your themes would either negotiate a different relationship with Visual Composer or find a different plugin.
That is why I always hate posting in this forum because theme developers are really over impressed with themselves. I bid on job based on themes being available. Once some other channel becomes available that is better for my business model, I will switch in a heartbeat. The consumer (us) will always flag the victory flag, not the developers. FYI.
I think it is fully legit for a plugin author to ask the end user of their product, who received said end-product via extended license from a theme author, to purchase the product directly. And the only way to get into contact with those indirect users is via admin notices in WordPress.
The cost for a theme author to buy an extended license for a plugin/script is laughably low (just 5x the standard license), and after that, the actual author of that plugin/script does not benefit at all from the sales the theme is having. And let’s be honest, many theme buyers nowadays specifically look for themes that have the most premium plugins bundled.
The alternative would be not to allow extended licenses at all, which would require you as the theme buyer to purchase those plugins directly anyway (which you are still free to do, if you want to get rid of those messages).
You also seem to show a rather arrogant attitude as well (after you accused @MNKY the same), by basically saying that the consumer is always right. That is simply not the case; without the (premium) products available, the consumer wouldn’t have anything to buy. It should be a relationship based on mutual respect, if nothing else. But if a potential consumer comes to a seller, expecting the seller to bend over backwards … because the consumer thinks s/he is always right … I as a seller would rather forgo a sale, than having to deal with such a consumer.
You are already getting something for free (premium plugins with your theme); it is only fair to the actual developer/author of that product to be able to advertise for it.
With all due respect that simply isn’t true - it’s a 3 way street and about mutual respect.
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Envato rely on both buyer and authors
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Yes authors reply on happy buyers
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BUT what would all the buyers, who get websites at ridiculously low prices rather than paying the thousands of $ they are worth, do if authors were not producing the files; especially the sizeable number who’s business depends on envato’s authors.
Yeah, because when there will be another big marketplace, its themes will be developed by angels in heaven - without bugs, with unlimited customization options and free lifetime support 
There is also a big element of trying to restrict fraud that forms another reason for not providing the full plugins without update control, marketing messages etc.
While less scrupulous buyers can still use the plugin elsewhere - at least by restricting updates to needing to be done by the author that goes a small way in preventing misuse
I am cool with the theme author updating the plugin. But, with a recent theme I purchased the nagging message would never go away. That was a first. Just for the record, it seems I am the only customer participating in this thread. I am sure other customers feel the same way as I do.
Ok, I may have overreacted a bit and I certainly respect your point of view @vegasphotog , however, when conversation starts with accusations, one may expect negative replies from the opposing side. Sellers and buyers should respect each other. I am sure that most theme authors are working very hard to deliver better product to the customer and not trying to be lazy, this is just market reality that buyers & sellers see from different perspectives.
IMO there should be some form of buyer education by Envato, so everyone understands what they get.