The i-Deals Incident

[Karl Henning]

Sellers agree to abide by Amazon's product description guidelines--hard to find on the site but the link is here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_rel_topic?ie=UTF8&nodeId=1161242

For CDs, the guidelines are:
Note--if the CD surface is damaged or worn, with scratches or scuffs, it may be listed ONLY as "Acceptable."

Like New = Perfect
Very Good = Limited wear on packaging and inclusions -- not on the CD itself
Good = Like very good but with identifying markings on packaging or the CD itself -- but not dings, scuffs, or scratches on the CD

Per these guidelines, many sellers describe the condition of their CDs inaccurately.

Thanks for this, Dave! (Though I'm sure it's not exactly any secret on Amazon). I was disappointed that the booklet was missing from the recently-landed Benvenuto Cellini ... was inclined to let it slide, but see now that I ought to lodge a mild dispute ....

[Scarpia]

I received a reply to my inquiry with i-Deals store

Dear Scarpia,

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for visiting i-Deals
Store.

Due to a pricing error over the weekend we experienced an unexpected
surge in sales and quickly ran out of inventory. Unfortunately, the
items in your order were cancelled because there was no more available
inventory.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Sincerely,
Betsy D
i-Deals Store
Customer Service

In the end, it appears I will receive one item at dramatic discount (Vanska's Nielsen symphony cycle).  I have already gone back and added 5 star feedback for my recent i-Deals orders of the past weeks (the Sony Bernstein/Mahler, Kempff Mono Beethoven, and numerous others).

[Karl Henning]

Sellers agree to abide by Amazon's product description guidelines--hard to find on the site but the link is here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_rel_topic?ie=UTF8&nodeId=1161242

For CDs, the guidelines are:
Note--if the CD surface is damaged or worn, with scratches or scuffs, it may be listed ONLY as "Acceptable."

Like New = Perfect
Very Good = Limited wear on packaging and inclusions -- not on the CD itself
Good = Like very good but with identifying markings on packaging or the CD itself -- but not dings, scuffs, or scratches on the CD

Per these guidelines, many sellers describe the condition of their CDs inaccurately.

Follow-up is, Amazon themselves offered me a partial (ample, really) refund against the order. No complaint.

I received a reply to my inquiry with i-Deals store

In the end, it appears I will receive one item at dramatic discount (Vanska's Nielsen symphony cycle).  I have already gone back and added 5 star feedback for my recent i-Deals orders of the past weeks (the Sony Bernstein/Mahler, Kempff Mono Beethoven, and numerous others).

Most neighborly!

[Scarpia]

Most neighborly!

And aligns with self-interest.  I need them to get back on their feet and start offering the low (non-erroneous) prices that I have so often taken advantage of.  Mean-spirited negative feedbacks have hurt their short term rating (although they are still rated 99% positive over the long term and 4.9 star average over 12 months).

[Karl Henning]

Hmm, reminds me . . . wonder if I owe them any seller feedback . . . .

[flyingdutchman]

Overall, I got 21 discs (two were double cds), but not all through I-Deals.  I didn't get any multiple disc sets although I did order them.  From I-Deals I count 10 discs, much appreciated and certainly would have accepted the outcome should the ones from them had not gone through.  Zoverstocks was the other place I ordered a lot from and got good deals.  They take time, though, as they come from the UK.

[Madiel]

I received a reply to my inquiry with i-Deals store

Which is exactly in keeping with what I thought happened all along. Out of Stock wasn't a lie. Out of Stock is what happened a short time after word spread that there was an insanely cheap deal to be had.

[flyingdutchman]

I would agree with that.  However, in my case I ordered many discs long before things became public and yet many did get canceled. 

[Que]

I would agree with that.  However, in my case I ordered many discs long before things became public and yet many did get canceled.

How do you know that when you knew others didn't? 
I don't think that the timing of the stir here at GMG would be reliable indicator. It seems that many kept silent to keep others from fishing in the same pond...
But any frequent visitor of Amazon would have been able to pick up on it the same time you did, or even before you...

Q

[flyingdutchman]

Sorry, no, as I found out about it early early Friday evening.  I surf the web constantly and keep an open page on at Amazon to go back to it every hour or so.  I didn't talk about it, but about 5 hours after I found out about it, someone started posting about it here.

I literally stumbled upon the sale almost 15 minutes after it started.

[Scarpia]

The i-Deals storefront page now lists items available (but not at the erroneous prices that attracted so much attention).  At first glance, their prices don't seem to be as low as before the catastrophe, but I suppose they have to make up financial losses.   

[Scarpia]

First i-Deals order placed since their pricing misfortune.  Impressive discounts seem to have returned.

[TheGSMoeller]

I've ordered several discs from i-Deals in the past few weeks and they have provided steller results. Very fast shipping and items in quality shape.

Every company, and human, makes mistakes. It's inevitable. What separates the good from the bad is how they recover from those mistakes. As of now, looks as if i-Deals is headed back on track.

[Mirror Image]

I have ordered many items from them as well, Greg, and have been impressed with their service time and time again. In hindsight, I feel bad for what happened to them and for reacting the way I did, but I was thankful they did honor several of my orders. It looks like they're doing quite good now and have recovered quite nicely. Let's hope they're able to stick around awhile. They still have some of the best deals for CDs on the web.

[kishnevi]

Chiming in to say that I've had the same good experience with them on several orders in the last couple of months.

In fact,  there have been a couple of items which I chose them over a slightly cheaper competitor just to sort of reward them.

[Mirror Image]

In fact,  there have been a couple of items which I chose them over a slightly cheaper competitor just to sort of reward them.

Same here.

[Coopmv]

These Amazon MP sellers constantly change their prices.  They have a trader mentality ...

[TheGSMoeller]

These Amazon MP sellers constantly change their prices.  They have a trader mentality ...

Zovertock seems to automatically change if another MP underprices them. I've actually watched disc prices go down everyday due to two competing sellers and then snatch it up at an unbelievable price.

[North Star]

Zovertock seems to automatically change if another MP underprices them. I've actually watched disc prices go down everyday due to two competing sellers and then snatch it up at an unbelievable price.

I don't remember where I found this blog post, but it's definitely worth a read.

A few weeks ago a postdoc in my lab logged on to Amazon to buy the lab an extra copy of Peter Lawrence's The Making of a Fly – a classic work in developmental biology that we – and most other Drosophila developmental biologists – consult regularly. The book, published in 1992, is out of print. But Amazon listed 17 copies for sale: 15 used from $35.54, and 2 new from $1,730,045.91 (+$3.99 shipping).

[DavidRoss]

I don't remember where I found this blog post, but it's definitely worth a read.

Amazon listed 17 copies for sale: 15 used from $35.54, and 2 new from $1,730,045.91 (+$3.99 shipping).

Gosh ... you'd think that for orders over $1,725,000.00 they would throw in free shipping.