Yes that is true... selling 3D virtual models is really troublesome for sellers as they take most of the risk. In the case of 3D prints and actual objects things would be a lot easier like if CGT sold those on Amazon or real stores like Walmart etc... if someone got something in the mail or at the store and did not like it they could return it and the seller would still get the goods back which they could in turn sell again to new clients.
With 3D virtual goods once the exchange is made or the product is stolen there is no way for the buyer to protect his product or police it.
Now it would be amazing if CGT got together with a bunch of amazing programmers who created 3 special software packages to embed into CGT models automatically once uploaded onto the website.
1. A software that makes free sample 3D models not editable or render-able by who downloads them. If someone tries to tamper with the free sample or edit it a virus is sent into the person's computer that formats their hard drive. That would stop those free loaders for good!
Also this way if people want to give away free samples they are free to do so without impacting the sales market and devaluing the value of 3D.
2. A software that automatically makes models work in most 3D software mainstream software packages like Maya, lightwave, 3DS max cad etc... which also ensures that rig and lighting texturing information transfers correctly too not like FBX which sometimes can be glitchy and you loose important data.
3. A software that auto detects your models poly count, whether it has been normal mapped, if the model has odd faces or non manifold geometry, that knows which software it was made in and that automatically fills out that information for the seller once it is uploaded onto CGT.
I think these softwares if well integrated, would really elevate the standard of CGT's website. I don't think 1 and 2 would be that difficult to code but they would really improve CGT.
Everything in software 1 except the virus can be done in Maya manually but it takes a really long time to do because you have to work in the back end and write some python code to lock things and hide others in layers etc.
Also the second software should be quite easy to make for an advanced programmer... all you need it to do is look at the maya code for instance and scan through and find the relevant data and then tell the system to print the info onto the webpage settings... how I wish I were good at programming I would have already made these and given them to CGT for free a long time ago.