Past Purchases (CLOSED)

[DavidW]

I almost put in a BRO order today, so tempting especially with the great prices on Arte Nova.

[Solitary Wanderer]

Just wish they had the cover art as well... would make browsing easier and more fun

[SonicMan46]

Just wish they had the cover art as well... would make browsing easier and more fun

Chris - this is a company likely on a 'slim' budget, just not that much money to spare!  I usually have a couple of extra-windows open (one to Amazon & another to check other reviews), and if a recording comes up of potential interest, I'll check it out - probably the best that you can do @ the moment w/ BRO - Dave 

[jlaurson]

It should be noted that RBO is an "overstock/cut-out" retailer... their stock may not be shrink wrapped, a CD will often be the "old" (oop or soon to be oop) edition, and it can contain cut-out, accordingly marked.

That said, I've only had good experiences with them; their service is terrific (the one bad disc I once had in a set was immediately replaced) and their S&H for within the US is excellent (when ordering in bulk).

Meanwhile, the cat dragged in the following:


(I love that EMI is finally putting some effort into the cover art of their budget series. Another gEMIni or double forte or rouge&noire or GrAoC or even American Classics series I could not have stood to look at.)

Stockhausen   EMI 20th Century Classics Zyklus - Sprial I, II, Pole, Japan, Wach, Tierkreis, In Freundschaft	Poulenc EMI 20th Century Classics   Organ, Piano, 2Piano, & harpsichord Ctos. Aubade, Les Biches, Litanies	Britten EMI 20th Century Classics Les Illum., Serenade, Nocturne, Simple Sy., Sinfonia d.R., Sea Interl., Young Person's Guide
Brahms String Quintets   The Nash Ensemble Onyx	DBruckner Symphonies 3-9, Mass in f, Te Deum   Celibidache, Munich	I was missing only the 4th and the Mass from the Celi-Bruckner EMI set, but at a great price ($75,-) I didn't pass it up, freeing the single discs for gifts to well behaved Bruckner-neophytes in my realm of acquaintances.

[George]

It should be noted that RBO is an "overstock/cut-out" retailer... their stock may not be shrink wrapped, a CD will often be the "old" (oop or soon to be oop) edition, and it can contain cut-out, accordingly marked.

I was concerned about that originally, but every CD (about 30-40) that I have bought from them has been shrink wrapped and does not have any cutout markings.

[jlaurson]

I was concerned about that originally, but every CD (about 30-40) that I have bought from them has been shrink wrapped and does not have any cutout markings.

Right. You usually get product like that. But you don't know ahead of time and you should be aware that it COULD be cut-out product. (BRO won't indicate on their website.)
Hardly a problem, given their low prices and the high likelihood of getting 'virgin fare'.

[At Tower we always joked about the American customer's "Virgin Complex" of absolutely demanding that product be shrink-wrapped, lest they not be interested in it. Too cute and ever so predictable. I spent 10% of my time re-shrink-wrapping product.  ]

[Dancing Divertimentian]

[At Tower we always joked about the American customer's "Virgin Complex" of absolutely demanding that product be shrink-wrapped, lest they not be interested in it. Too cute and ever so predictable. I spent 10% of my time re-shrink-wrapping product.  ]

Not so much a virgin complex I think as more a guarantee the product is actually new - especially when it comes to certain e-tailers (Marketplace) who like to test the limits of what is "new" already.

[Que]

Not so much a virgin complex I think as more a guarantee the product is actually new - especially when it comes to certain e-tailers (Marketplace) who like to test the limits of what is "new" already.

Well, as Jens' little story demonstrates, shrink wrapping does not offer such guarantees.

Having worked in a classical music store myself, I can remember some customers who wanted to listen to a particular CD - which was undone from its shrink wrapping for that purpose - and after listening demanded another copy that was still in shrink wrap to purchase!  Seems like a Virginity complex to me.

Q

[jlaurson]

Well, as Jens' little story demonstrates, shrink wrapping does not offer such guarantees.

Having worked in a classical music store myself, I can remember some customers who wanted to listen to a particular CD - which was undone from its shrink wrapping for that purpose - and after listening demanded another copy that was still in shrink wrap to purchase!   Seems like a Virginity complex to me.

 Ah, the good times.  Know those customers all too well. And it's not like they were buying it as a gift, either. Perhaps the shrink-wrap mania stems back to vinyl times when it really did (or rather: could) matter. Shrink-wrapping LPs became a high art in classical departments (well before my time, btw.). The best clerks could get the three air-holes just right with three incense sticks held in one hand.

I would think that most e-tailers don't have the shrink-wrap setup to do it, though. And you can tell factory shrink wrap (stiff to medium soft) from store/home-applied shrink wrap (very soft).

[karlhenning]

Well, as Jens' little story demonstrates, shrink wrapping does not offer such guarantees.

Having worked in a classical music store myself, I can remember some customers who wanted to listen to a particular CD - which was undone from its shrink wrapping for that purpose - and after listening demanded another copy that was still in shrink wrap to purchase!  Seems like a Virginity complex to me.

Q

Normally we have an unwrapped copy of a book for perusal at the MFA shop;  sometimes a customer will have bought the perusal copy, and there is then none open.  A subsequent customer will ask to have a look, so we'll open a copy for him;  95% of the time (I should estimate), the customer is happy to take the one we've opened on his request.

Though, then . . . we'll still need to open one as a perusal copy, of course 

[Brian]

This whole discussion is funny because at my university's library, "virgin" has a different connotation: if you check out a CD or book that's never been checked out before and they have to go get one of those sheets of paper to stamp the due dates on, you've officially deflowered that item. One time they got a shipment of new Naxos CDs and I unintentionally took the virginity of 6 CDs at once.  

[jlaurson]

...one of those sheets of paper to stamp the due dates on...

They still have those? How cute. I thought everything was electronic, by now.

[Renfield]

They still have those? How cute. I thought everything was electronic, by now.

Same! It's electronic here (University of Edinburgh). I guess Rice people do it the old-fashioned way.


Bought today,






And



(Saint-Saëns orchestral works, and the Organ symphony via Alain, Martinon conducting the ORTF.)

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Well, as Jens' little story demonstrates, shrink wrapping does not offer such guarantees.

Having worked in a classical music store myself, I can remember some customers who wanted to listen to a particular CD - which was undone from its shrink wrapping for that purpose - and after listening demanded another copy that was still in shrink wrap to purchase!  Seems like a Virginity complex to me.

Q

I'm confused, Q. Are you talking about a world-wide epidemic? My comments to jl were made simply to answer his accusations of AMERICAN paranoia (not that we're short on that). Nothing else.

If it's a world-wide problem then I say we're in good company.

However, my comments were made based on two things:

1) I myself am a proud veteran of music retail - worked in four Blockbuster Music's (as each one closed in succession ) for about two years and cannot recollect anything like a "complex" afflicting the buying public in regards to re-wrapping. Certainly there were those who balked at a re-wrapped disc but it was proportionally small in my estimation. At least my coworkers and I never complained about anything excessive...

2) Charlatans are everywhere on the web. And Amazon's Marketplace is a hub of dirty activity. The number of problems I've encountered from the Marketplace would fill volumes. I've even written Amazon proper once or twice to complain about the standards on the Marketplace. If you don't keep a very watchful eye you can get burned by some sneaky seller. Factory-wrap ensures the product exactly matches the condition listed on the Marketplace listing. Otherwise the charlatans can take advantage of the buying public and sell whatever disc they want as "new" when if fact it had been picked up at some rummage sale somewhere for a penny. I've gotten discs that look like this!!

So all I'm saying is shrink wrap might go some ways to keep certain sellers honest, and help the buying public in the process. 

[George]

This whole discussion is funny because at my university's library, "virgin" has a different connotation: if you check out a CD or book that's never been checked out before and they have to go get one of those sheets of paper to stamp the due dates on, you've officially deflowered that item. One time they got a shipment of new Naxos CDs and I unintentionally took the virginity of 6 CDs at once.  

Hope you wore your jimmy hat. 

[Que]

I'm confused, Q. Are you talking about a world-wide epidemic? My comments to jl were made simply to answer his accusations of AMERICAN paranoia (not that we're short on that). Nothing else.

If it's a world-wide problem then I say we're in good company.

No, as to the particular example I gave, I think we're talking about a world-wide minority - fortunately for all music shop clerks!

So all I'm saying is shrink wrap might go some ways to keep certain sellers honest, and help the buying public in the process. 

Absolutely, just saying that in the end anything can be tempered with.

Q

[Brian]

Prepare for a mind-blowing experience! 

[Brian]

Hope you wore your jimmy hat. 

The library opens today and classes begin a week from today. I better go get a couple boxes 

[George]

The library opens today and classes begin a week from today. I better go get a couple boxes 

[Solitary Wanderer]

Arrived in the post today: