Steven Zahm@ Jill
This email was being sent out because of an configuration error, initially, and then continued to be sent, repeatedly, to a few users due to a bug in the Software Licensing plugin that is used to generate the license keys. This has finally been resolved, today, I hope.
At present license key do not serve a purpose, neither does the renewal option. It will in 2014. I will be adding in-admin updates and the key will enable that. The in-admin updates will be for a period of a year. Renewal will be to renew the in-admin updates. After that period without a renewal, updates will have to be applied manually like they have to be presently. Whether or not your license is active or not will in no way remove your ability to continue to use your purchase.
I hope that clear and makes sense. Apologies for the confusion!