Is there a way to ask Amazon for more details about items they're selling?

I was looking at some SHM SACDs on Amazon UK today. They're horribly overpriced, as these things always are on there. However, I'd like to know if these are the original 'paper sleeves' versions (which I'd prefer) or the more recent jewel box reissues. The (scant) details do give the dates of release as 2010/2011, which is when the paper sleeve versions came out. Still, I'd like to know for sure before I order.

I can't find an option for asking questions for this sort of thing, though. Does anyone know if there is one and I'm just missing it?

 

Do you mean buying directly through Amazon, or from a third party seller? I know you can send a product related inquiry to a third party.

 

Amazon themselves. It's quite easy to get info like this from Marketplace sellers. Not so much so from Amazon themselves! If there is an option, it's buried deep somewhere...

 

Based on my experiences, Amazon will only reiterate info already found on the product page. They don't generally have any extra info that's not already found on the product page.

But you can ask if you want...you can go to help, or customer support and chat with them online.

For the US Amazon website, you go to "Help" > "Need More Help" > "Contact US" and follow the instructions from there. Amazon UK might be quite different thought so this may be of little help

 

They certainly don't make it easy for you to ask them for more details... It would have been nice if they'd stated whether the SACDs were MLPS or not. I'd class this info as quite important myself!

 

I agree...though Amazon may see it differently.

Is there a Q&A section that's part of the product page?

 

No, I haven't. The details are so basic on these titles I doubt anyone would know for sure if they're the MLPS versions anymore than I would..

 

The only other thing I can tell you then is ask Amazon if you can return the product if you don't get what you expected. Though they might only accept a return if the order is fulfilled by Amazon. If it is fulfilled by Amazon, then they will gladly pay for return shipping and give you a full refund to include original shipping + original purchase price.

Bear in mind this is how Amazon operates in the US, they might have a different policy for the UK

 

Yes, thanks. It may come to this..

 

No problem. Glad to help

 

In my experience Amazon cannot give any information besides what is already there on the web. When emailing about something you always get these long generic pre-made answers and you have to go back and forth a few times before you get a personal reply that actually in detail relates to what you have asked. I have also been on the chat, but you are then talking to someone at a call-center that knows less than yourself. It seldom leads anywhere.

What will always happened in these cases though is you will get the suggestion to go ahead and make the order and if it is not to your satisfaction you can return it, free of charge. Be aware though that if you make too many returns like this you will get a warning and might get blacklisted. I got such a warning when I returned damaged Beatles Mono boxes several times.

 

Damn good question. I assume Amazon just presents whatever the source tells them.

Which makes me blame the originator of the article for sale for providing such lame info.

I am always grateful when some customer posts a useful review, or a tracklist. Though Amazon's carelessness in presenting reviews that may apply to an entirely different edition of a cd is really irritating.

And it does seem Amazon as policy discourages interaction with customers.

 

I don't have any advice on getting more info from Amazon other than what has already been said. But I will add this. I once bought a CD by the band Felt and it was supposed to be one of those mini LP replica sleeves. A Japanese pressing I believe. But they sent me an earlier reissue in a standard jewel case. Not what I was after. But they initially wanted me to pay for return shipping. Since it was the same album, same tracklist etc. Even very similar label catalog numbers. It was very annoying. I actually had to call and speak with a "manager" to try and explain they had different barcodes and this was not what was advertised on their site before they'd give me a pre paid return label. Suffice it to say I stopped trying to get more of those mini LP replica Felt CDs from them... Just fyi. Just check to see if the ones you want have specific catalog/barcode numbers different than the ones you don't want in the listing is my only suggestion.

 

Your experience is what I'm afraid of...

 

I did get my money back so it wasn't a worse case scenario or anything like that. But it did come down to me to prove they were wrong is all. Discogs comes in handy for these slight variation in identifiers...

 

This is the only info it gives. The date (and insane price) tallies with the original non-jewel box edition. Still don't trust 'em, though...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Songs-Key-L...1424958835&sr=1-3&keywords=Stevie+wonder+SACD

 

Why wouldn't you buy from one of the sellers instead of Amazon itself? Huge price difference on the example you provide. That would lead me to believe this is the jewelcase version.

 

I would be a little wary at that price point too...

 

Good point. Easier to ask them, I suppose. I just fancied something 'quick' from Amazon.

 

Amazon UK charge mental prices for Japanese SACDs. That said, they often have OOP titles because their prices put people off buying them!

 

amazon cant even tell whether the item they are selling is CD or vinyl, I think the customer service people they are using are outsourced from India, literally, so of course they cant comment the stock in US or EU.

 

Cheaper to order in Japan: http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/products?term.media_format=&q=songs+in+the+key+of+life

 

That's the jewel boxed reissue from last year. I wanted the original 'paper sleeve' edition.

 

Amazon lists by UPC. No matter what else the listing says, that's definitive.

 

If you're that picky then a mass seller like Amazon isn't for you.