Amazon Marketplace

[Coopmv]

I have used all of those, but twice had problems with ImportCD.  On two occasions I ordered DVDs which were explicitly listed as NTSC and received PAL DVDs.  On both occasions I returned the item and received a refund, but I lost time and the cost of mailing the thing back.

If it were not for the lousy USPS, my experience with ImportCD would have been nearly perfect.  I once received two box sets, each in its own fatboy jewel case, both cases were crushed though the CD's survived intact ... 

[SonicMan46]

Boy, the Amazon Marketplace sounds like a 'crap shoot' - 

I've used most of the places preferred already, but must say that Caiman seems to have some of the best prices and has a lot to offer (regardless of whether 'in stock', unlikely, or sent for as ordered by customers) - I have used Caiman dozens of times and have had absolutely no problems w/ them (one exception which was a mis-directed order to the wrong customer) - I know others have had poor experiences, but maybe I've just been a lucky one?   

[nut-job]

Boy, the Amazon Marketplace sounds like a 'crap shoot' - 

I've used most of the places preferred already, but must say that Caiman seems to have some of the best prices and has a lot to offer (regardless of whether 'in stock', unlikely, or sent for as ordered by customers) - I have used Caiman dozens of times and have had absolutely no problems w/ them (one exception which was a mis-directed order to the wrong customer) - I know others have had poor experiences, but maybe I've just been a lucky one?   

Well, one I ordered from Caiman (through their "tower records" site) last week and which seemed to be in stock hasn't shipped yet and now reports backorder on the site.  I could cancel the order, but the price is 10 bucks higher on every other site I've seen so far.  I'm sticking.

[George]

Well, one I ordered from Caiman (through their "tower records" site) last week and which seemed to be in stock hasn't shipped yet and now reports backorder on the site.  I could cancel the order, but the price is 10 bucks higher on every other site I've seen so far.  I'm sticking.

I had the same issue with the Tower site myself, it happened at the same time as the order with MDT that I described in the MDT thread. This had never happened to me before with any seller on any site. My CD was $12.99 and this is at least $10 less than everyone. I'm waiting mine out too.

[Coopmv]

I continue to buy from selected AM vendors.  While I have placed some 20 orders with MDT since late last year, MDT does not uniformly have the best prices on all labels.   

[Jay F]

I had the same issue with the Tower site myself, it happened at the same time as the order with MDT that I described in the MDT thread. This had never happened to me before with any seller on any site. My CD was $12.99 and this is at least $10 less than everyone. I'm waiting mine out too.

PET SOUNDS or THE BAND?

[George]

I continue to buy from selected AM vendors.  

Me too, that continues to be the first place I look for CDs.

[Benji]

I've waited months and months for Caiman to back-order, being the stubborn thing I am. Eventually the thought of them accruing interest on my money (fractions of pennies or not, it's the principle of it!) got the better of me and I cancelled. Better to order at a higher price, see if you like it and if not flog it to some other punter on eBay! 

[Benji]

Me too, that continues to be the first place I look for CDs.

Same here. I love buying from Marketplace for all the good as new bargains, though I buy many more books than CDs. I love getting books for the nominal price of a penny.    Cheap prices + sense of smugness from recycling used goods = joy.

[George]

Cheap prices + sense of smugness from recycling used goods = joy.

[DavidRoss]

Ack!  3 of the last 4 marketplace sellers I bought from sent RECORD CLUB issues!  This is not acceptable.  They need to identify those things clearly.  If in mint condition and otherwise hard to come by I might pay $2 for one, but not more.  I learned long ago that I couldn't trust sellers there for DVDs, but now it's getting so that I'm afraid to buy classical CDs as well.  Anyone else experiencing this?  Or have I just had a run of bad luck?

[DavidRoss]

If I were going off the deep end in real life I know that my friends would give me shit about it and tease me back into sanity--and if I couldn't take the hint, one or two would probably take me aside for a "come to Jesus" talk.  I'd like to think that my virtual friends feel comfortable enough to do the same.  But I'm just an educated country boy who's spent half his life around farmers, truckers, construction workers, etc., and we might do things a bit differently out here.

Go ahead and make jokes about buying BMG issues.  It won't hurt my feelings and if they're funny I'll enjoy the laugh. 

[Szykneij]

Ack!  3 of the last 4 marketplace sellers I bought from sent RECORD CLUB issues!  This is not acceptable.

What makes Record Club issues less desirable?

[nut-job]

What makes Record Club issues less desirable?

They have an awkward looking logo on them somewhere, and their resale value is somewhat less because of people like DR who prefer not to have them.  They are normally manufactured by the original label, so the disc and music it contains is itself is for all practical purposes identical.

When I get one on Marketplace I am normally irritated that it wasn't mentioned by the seller (it never is) but I usually don't make an issue of it.

[Jay F]

Ack!  3 of the last 4 marketplace sellers I bought from sent RECORD CLUB issues!  This is not acceptable.  They need to identify those things clearly.  If in mint condition and otherwise hard to come by I might pay $2 for one, but not more.  I learned long ago that I couldn't trust sellers there for DVDs, but now it's getting so that I'm afraid to buy classical CDs as well.  Anyone else experiencing this?  Or have I just had a run of bad luck?

I've gotten record club issues on a number of occasions lately (past year or so) when the seller failed to mention it. At some point, however, I noticed that I'd stopped noticing. As long as the disc plays through, and the sound quality is good, I don't care the way I used to about club copies. Yes, it would be nice if people would indicate "bmgmusic.com club edition" -- I always do when I'm selling one -- but I'm not that bothered by it anymore.

Sometimes used CDs smell--usually the booklets--and that bothers me more than getting an unanticipated bmgmusic.com edition. And, ugh, rotten foam inserts from really old discs are another thing I hate. Those I return if the schmutzification of the disc is too egregious, although twice the seller told me just to keep it and offered me a refund. That's what I do when I'm unhappy with a used CD or LP, arrange for some kind of refund, partial or total.

[Coopmv]

I've gotten record club issues on a number of occasions lately (past year or so) when the seller failed to mention it. At some point, however, I noticed that I'd stopped noticing. As long as the disc plays through, and the sound quality is good, I don't care the way I used to about club copies. Yes, it would be nice if people would indicate "bmgmusic.com club edition" -- I always do when I'm selling one -- but I'm not that bothered by it anymore.

So some e-tailers actually sell Music-Club CD's?  I have always been under the impression Music-Club CD's are only for individual retail customers ...

[Jay F]

So some e-tailers actually sell Music-Club CD's?  I have always been under the impression Music-Club CD's are only for individual retail customers ...

I'm just talking about people selling used CDs on Amazon Marketplace. importcds.com and mdt aren't going to send you a bmg copy.

[Coopmv]

I'm just talking about people selling used CDs on Amazon Marketplace. importcds.com and mdt aren't going to send you a bmg copy.

Indeed, I have noticed some individuals selling on Amazon MP.  I generally avoid those vendors.

[Jay F]

Indeed, I have noticed some individuals selling on Amazon MP.  I generally avoid those vendors.

You shouldn't. Sometimes you can get things that way that are just what you're looking for, at not a bad price. When you were curious about the Bach/Schiff box set, I looked through amazon for one of the old ones on AMP, but there weren't any.

[Gurn Blanston]

I'm just curious here, so no big deal.

I wonder what the business model is for certain vendors on the Marketplace. As an example, look for almost any Classical disk and then go to the "Used" tab and look at what's available. There will often be 15-20 disks under $10, then a few in the regular retail price range (under $20). And then, the mystery (to me). There are a few vendors there, like "Any-Book" and "Woody's Books" and a couple of others that have the same disk, used, for anywhere from $40 to $100! What's that all about? Do they actually sell these? Do they even intend to sell them?

I've written to both of those companies and got no reply from either, but I can't imagine that I'm the only one that has been curious enough to do that. Has anyone even figured that out? If so, share the wisdom with me. I can see when they have the only copy out there, but when 30 people have one to sell, starting at $3, I'm just puzzled.