FFXI Ultimate Collection Abyssea Edition - Questions

[wildsprite]

Rosina there are no "new account only" codes for FFXI, every multi code allows you to use with a new account or upgrade an existing one, that is how they were designed

[Ritsuka]

I have a couple of questions concerning this special digital-download-only version of FFXI.
For who doesn't know, I'm talking about THIS edition.
So here are the questions:

1. I see there are 4 possible online shops from where you can buy it. Steam, Gamesload, Gamesplanet, Direct2Drive. I know Steam but I don't know the other three. Are they european? Will they allow me to download the european version of the game?
2. I know how Steam works and that's the reason why I don't want to be buying there, but how about the other three? Can I just go there, register and buy my product the same way I would do in any online shop (like Amazon) with the only difference that I will have to download the product instead of them sending a physical copy to me? I'm asking this because I don't want a framework (like Steam) that installs and manages the game for me. I want to download the installation files, keep them wherever I want and install the game whenever I want, without any virtual difference from what I'd do if I had the physical disc in my hands
3. What happens to the bonus item, the Destrier Beret? I already have an account. Can I buy the game from one of those 3 shops, then I'll receive that code and I'll be able to use it on my already existing FFXI account?
4. Similar question for the other expansions, are they all incorporated into a single registration code? Or are there different codes for each expansion packs? Asking because I don't need any, but I have a friend who still needs a couple, so I thought I might as well give them to him for free, supposing there's a way to load them inside his already existing account.

Thanks.

I used the Square Enix one all I had to do was put in your payment info then they gave you link to download the installer software which was small only 2mb? and then you launch that and it well start download the whole game which was about 3 hours on 400/kb connection.

I like it and like someone said before it gave you 2 codes one for game itself and one for in game hat. I linked that too a frineds free account and made their's a full account so if you tryed the free version you can save your char level's and junk