Topic: On-line Stores & Sellers

[Scarpia]

Recent orders from mdt and hyperion have been taking a bit longer than usual, but not longer than 2 weeks, or maybe 3.  I remember reading that around holiday time when the weather was dreadful and there were the terror scares things were being put on boats instead of aircraft, so it is possible some packages are making very slow and circuitous passages to their destinations.

[Coopmv]

MDT - experiences over the holidays and advice, please! 

On December 24 or so, I placed a moderate order w/ MDT which was shipped on 1/7/2011 - to date (i.e. 2/7/2011), I've not received this order (but have been charged!) - an e-mail last week stated that their trans-Atlantic shippings have met w/ delays - now I'll willing to give them 6 weeks so and will wait until mid-February, if the package has not arrived.

But, for USA customers using this 'over the pond' site, have you experienced similar delays to the USA this holiday season?  Thanks - Dave

Dave,  I reported a loss to MDT on 1/18 for my order that was shipped on 12/17 and the replacement arrived last week.  Today, I finally received orders from Presto that were shipped on 1/4 and 1/5.  But I received a Presto order that was shipped on 1/28 last week.  Go figure ...

[Coopmv]

Dave, I'm having that experience with MDT right now, and I'm only a few hundred miles away from them!

Have you visited Derby yet?

[SonicMan46]

Dave,  I reported a loss to MDT on 1/18 for my order that was shipped on 12/17 and the replacement arrived last week.  Today, I finally received orders from Presto that were shipped on 1/4 and 1/5.  But I received a Presto order that was shipped on 1/28 last week.  Go figure ...

Hi Stuart - well same situation here; Scarpia may have a good point about water vs. air shipments over the holidays and w/ the bad weather - I'll give MDT 6 weeks and if still not here - send them another e-mail.

Have you visited Derby yet?

Not sure what 'Derby' is?  Assume another retailer across the pond?  Now I have visited Churchill Downs in Louisville, KT several times, but not during Derby time -     Dave

[Coopmv]

Not sure what 'Derby' is?  Assume another retailer across the pond?  Now I have visited Churchill Downs in Louisville, KT several times, but not during Derby time -     Dave

Dave,  That was more of a question for Brian since he is now a resident of London and he mentioned MDT (located in Derby) is not that far away ...

[SonicMan46]

Dave,  That was more of a question for Brian since he is now a resident of London and he mentioned MDT (located in Derby) is not that far away ...

Stuart - thanks for the explanation - I did 'google' Derby and found a city in England, so thought that was the relationship?  Dave 

[Brian]

Dave,  That was more of a question for Brian since he is now a resident of London and he mentioned MDT (located in Derby) is not that far away ...

Haven't visited Derby, but if I do, maybe I'll collect the CDs in person!

I e-mailed MDT early this afternoon; no response so far.

[Coopmv]

Haven't visited Derby, but if I do, maybe I'll collect the CDs in person!

I e-mailed MDT early this afternoon; no response so far.

I will be curious to know if you hear from MDT tomorrow.  MDT really rolls out the red-carpet for me since it has always responded to my email inquiries within 24 hours, which is quite impressive given the time difference.

[SonicMan46]

Well, good news! 

My MDT order arrived today (2/11 - shipped on 1/7) - took nearly 5 weeks; the box was deformed on one edge; OK what may be damaged?

Fortunately, the packaging was well done - no damage to any of the contents - now I have a LOT of listening time to do!  Will post - 

[Brian]

I will be curious to know if you hear from MDT tomorrow.  MDT really rolls out the red-carpet for me since it has always responded to my email inquiries within 24 hours, which is quite impressive given the time difference.

They did indeed write back to say they're sending a new order.

[Scarpia]

Based on recent experience, avoid Borders on-line ordering.  Despite claims that they expect to continue in business, I find the quality of their on-line service is now unacceptable.  I am in the annoying situation of having a product ordered before the bankruptcy showing "backordered" even though it is "in-stock" on the web site, and when I try to contact their customer service on the web site get "that feature is not available now."  This is not a bankruptcy that anything useful will emerge from.

[Lethevich]

Sounds balls, sorry mate That Mozart set is so ubiquitous it'll show up affordably again I'm sure.

[Scarpia]

Sounds balls, sorry mate That Mozart set is so ubiquitous it'll show up affordably again I'm sure.

I think stock of the current version of the Hogwood set is dwindling, presumably there will be a new box set, but when?  I think it is inevitable that these things will distributed only digitally in the future, which is not my preference.
 

[Gurn Blanston]

They did indeed write back to say they're sending a new order.

And I mentioned in the Purchases Today thread last Saturday that 2 box sets that I ordered from MDT arrived in perfect order in 13 days from order date. I was delighted with that, better than I could have hoped given the late trends in shipments from Europe to America.

[Scarpia]

Day 4 of Borders having my item listed in stock and not shipping.  Day 2 of not bothering to reply to my request to cancel.   

[karlhenning]

Oof.

[Scarpia]

If they don't cancel my order by tomorrow I will try to call their customer service number.  I am reluctant to take that step, because I suspect their phone lines are tied up with calls to suicide prevention hotlines.   However, they have managed to convert me to a person who occasionally purchased from Borders to a person who will never spend a penny at Borders if I live to be 1000 years old.   

[Scarpia]

Borders still did not reply to my e-mail, so I had to call.  After 15 minutes on the phone, the two orders were cancelled.  No more borders.com for me, coupons or no coupons.

[Orpheus]

Any opinions about the amazon marketplace seller "In Tune UK"?

Thanks in advance

Orpheus

[Lethevich]

Can we get a list going of labels that offer HQ covers/booklets/notes on their sites? Additions/corrections are strongly desired. I don't know if this applies to their whole catalogues - I don't want to check every disc's page, but I view them offering this option for at least some releases to be a statement of intent, meaning that all future releases should be offered this way.

HQ covers & full booklets:

Hyperion (the model for this concept - notes available in HTML or PDF booklets)
Chandos (the older issues aren't very good)
Toccata (very respectable website)
DaCapo (front covers, but the booklets are for paying downloaders only)
Sterling (in concept only: I find that their links either faulty or placeholders - presumably the latter)
Onyx (notes are also available in HTML)
ATMA Classique

HQ covers:

Tudor (HQ front and rear covers)
Glossa (very limited implementation, and the notes are currently not full, just PR blurb)
Neos (HQ front cover)

Full notes:

Soli Deo Gloria (it's in a PDF, but not booklet format)
Naxos/Marco Polo (also HQ rear covers for Naxos, but not front, for some reason)
Linn

Emusic.com used to offer HQ front covers to non-paying users, but no longer do.

I view labels offering free artwork as a token of respect to people who buy their discs. I don't want to laboriously digitise the booklets - I want to download them in 10 seconds, and as such, tend to more closely support the labels which offer this functionality.