Good Deals on Other Amazon Sites (Italy, Spain, France, etc.)

Paul Simon - The Complete Albums Collection (15 CD Deluxe Boxset)
http://www.amazon.it/Paul-Simon-Collection-Esclusiva-Amazon/dp/B007EG9CPM
EUR 50,98

 

Thanks for posting. That worked out to just under $80.00 US shipped once VAT was removed and shipping added. I had been waiting for that one to go down in price before I bit, all the Immersion sets I bought on pre-order. Here's hoping more Immersions come to be, would love to see an Animals and a early years set.

 

I have to say I've had a very frustrating month with Amazon.it. They had some great prices on a few Boxsets (Blur 21 Vinyl, Bob Marley Complete Island Recordings Vinyl) which despite the highest shipping prices of any European Amazon site (to the USA) I went for anyway.

As well as ordering other boxsets the aforementioned BOTH came poorly packaged and with significant damage resulting in me returning the 2 at a very high return shipping cost (which they reimbursed me for). I have received emails from Amazon.it stating they have not received either returned box set yet despite the Blur having cleared Italian customs on December 7th and the Marley clearing Italian customs on December 10th. I have never heard of a vendor not receiving a return once it's in their country and has cleared their customs 3 weeks prior.

I have never experienced this with Amazon.uk/Amazon.fr/Amazon.de or Amazon.es when ordering from the states.

Are any of you from Italy or have any of you had this same experience? I'm nervous that I will be charged both for the replacement and for the original damaged items.

 

One must be wary of the post in Italy and one must register any items to be sure. A glance at eBay will show how many sellers are unwilling to send to Italy without such safeguards.

I ignored this and the first item I sold on eBay (REM/Chronic Town EP) was bought of course, by someone in Italy. I duly posted it and certo -it went missing! It was never recovered and I lost both the rare record and the money.

To be honest, I suspected the buyer of simply pretending he never received it. This is no slur to the Italian people, I have many, many friends of long standing in that country.

 

Dark Side of the Moon -immersion: € 58

http://www.amazon.it/dp/B004ZNARH4

 

The only way to send large items like these overseas is by International Priority which comes with tracking which I have followed all the way to and through Italian Customs whereby then the trail goes cold. I would say Amazon.it needs to hold their domestic postal service responsible for this but I will just have to wait and see.

Thanks for the reply culabula.

 

Hello. First of all, please let me say I'm very sorry for this unfortunate situation.

Regarding the waiting, you must consider there's lot of people here in Italy thinking that the period starting from 8 December to 6 January it's all party time. You enter everywhere thinking half the employees are all ill or something bad happened to them and their families. You may ask (yourself) what's happened and somebody smiling and/or surprised might reply to you: "Hey, it's Xmas time" or "Holiday time!" until 01/07. Translation: "why are you breaking my balls, it's Xmas. leave us alone". Ah...the good old italian solidarity between colleagues..I cover you and you'll cover me...

You may experience half empty offices everywhere (I suspect they do this every other year, 50% rest during even years and the remaining 50% rest during odd years). So it's entirely possible that the boxes went through the customs process and Amazon it hasn't received them back. But, since I believe they were tracked, you shouldn't have reasons to worry.
As for being charged, as long you state you're just sending back a faulty item that was already paid for, you should be alright and nobody should ask you to pay. The items cleared customs already so a payment should have been notified to you, in case. I'm optimistic that nobody's going to ask you to give them more cash.

As for the vinyl, I would never bought such massive boxes from them. I'm aware their packing isn't always top notch. Sometimes terrific, sometimes just average, it's really a crapshoot.
Prices are tempting but no guarantee you're going to get a 100% perfect item. CDs; less risky.

In the end: Amazon most probably didn't receive the boxes yet, because: "Hey, it's Xmas time" and as long as the boxes cleared customs and nothing more has been asked, you just have to wait.

Cheers,
Oh, and "Happy Holydays"

 

I ordered (and received) "The Beatles in Mono" vinyl set from them and it was perfect, delivered in rapid time. I use Amazon Italy a lot, where there are bargains and have never had a problem.

 

Same for me.

 

In fact, I said:

I had a small book delivered in pieces, go figure...I guess it depends on the employee that cares for your order, sadly.

IIRC, the "Beatles in Mono" vinyl box had a double, bulletproof packaging by the record company too which was safer and better than Amazon Italy's one

 

Thanks for that Marcel (and all else who replied) I keep getting probably automated notices from Amazon.it letting me know they still haven't received the returns and that I would be charged if they don't get them back. As they have PDF's of my postal receipts and customs forms they know I'm not lying. I have subsequently received replacement items which were free as replacement items. I'll keep an eye on the tracking and will keep you all posted (pun intended!).

I will say the replacement Bob Marley vinyl box came in the excellent Universal Music box with foam padding similar to the double, bulletproof packaging that Marcel describes in the post above and that arrived in perfect condition. The original one I received was merely placed in a box too large with some crumpled brown paper as "protection". The very interesting thing about the Blur box was it had no shrink-wrap and was wrapped with a more "saran wrap" type of wrapping leading me to believe these were previously returned and resold as new as opposed to "used" as a "Warehouse Deal" as they do here in America.

I will say I have had excellent customer service from all of the various Amazon's around the world so would expect ultimately this experience to turn out similarly.

Thanks again everyone I appreciate the replies and reassurances.

 

You're very welcome. As I said, the "Hey, Holyday time" situation may account for the waiting, it's almost surprising that some people shows up at work at all, here

Hope the problem finds a solution as soon as possible...

 

Still €59

http://www.amazon.it/dp/B004ZNARH4

 

Haha, I never should have said that I never got any problems with amazon.it packing.
My Bowie vinylbox came badly damaged (outside) yesterday

 

Good luck trying to return it.

Check my post upthread. I just got an email from Amazon.it yesterday telling me they were recharging my credit card for the 2 packages I sent back to them over a month ago using USPS Priority mail w tracking.

Once they cleared Italian customs on December 7th and 10the respectively they were never heard from again.

Now I'm being charged an Additional $400 for items I very legitimately sent back and obviously do not have in my possession any longer.

Better believe I'm calling the credit card company and asking them to block the recharge.

As good as Amazon.it prices are sometimes, their shipping costs are the highest of any Amazon worldwide. Their packing and fulfillment is the worst and they are no help in dealing w the awful Italian post.

Good riddance Amazon.it.

 

Thanks but I have to try. The fact I'm in Europe and I have some Italian friends who can explain it in Italian might help........I hope.

 

My "Dark side of the moon" immersion boxset arrived with no packing; just a sticker with my address on it and a barcode. Furthermore; it was raining so the damaged shrinkwrap allowed the water inside...of course it was allowed to get back to were it once belonged. I was contacted by Amazon by phone and explained them the whole situation asking what was going on: such a boxset sent with no packing at all. If they had packed it properly, I wouldn't have wasted time (had to wait in line at the P.O.) and they wouldn't have to toss a nice boxset.

 

Now that's suspicious...by the way the "extended italian Xmas time" should be officially over after 01/06. If you have no news within 7-10 working days, your packages might be lost indeed BUT they were tracked so no excuses here. It's the carrier's fault.
If you need help, just PM me and I'll write you messages in italian that you can forward them. Not sure what's happening, but..ehm..this is definitely fishy. You sent a tracked package and no way they should charge your card.

 

and since this a "deal" thread after all, this great Günter Wand boxset (28CDs and 1 DVD) is available for €33 and change..

http://www.amazon.it/dp/B0069EOZT8

 

Here's the message I received:

"We have already provided for the creation of order substitute awaiting the return within Sat, Dec. 26 Having not yet received the item, we were charged the amount indicated below on your method of payment used.

If you have already sent the item, the charge will be canceled upon receipt of the returned item."

And here's the detailed tracking information on a package that cost $80 USD(!!!) to return to them! Shipped on November 27th...Cleared customs in Italy December 7th and now January 10th and no new tracking news, update or receipt by Amazon.it. The AMAZINGLY frustrating thing is that the EXACT SAME THING has happened to the Bob Marley Vinyl box I've returned...Shipped on December 3rd, Cleared Italian Customs on December 10th and that's the end of the trail. Italian post SUCKS but I'm not rating Amazon.it much higher!

Product & Tracking Information
Postal Product:

• Priority Mail International Parcels

Features: International Parcels
DATE & TIME/STATUS OF ITEM/LOCATION
December 7, 2015 , 3:30 pm Customs Clearance ITALY

Your item is being processed by customs in ITALY at 3:30 pm on December 7, 2015.

December 7, 2015 , 3:06 pm Customs Clearance ITALY

December 7, 2015 , 3:05 pm Processed Through Sort Facility ITALY

December 6, 2015 , 9:50 am Departed Milan, ITALY

December 5, 2015 , 3:00 pm Departed Miami, UNITED STATES

December 4, 2015 , 8:59 am Arrived Miami, UNITED STATES

December 4, 2015 , 5:57 am Processed Through Sort Facility ISC MIAMI FL (USPS)

December 4, 2015 , 5:54 am Arrived at Sort Facility ISC MIAMI FL (USPS)

December 1, 2015 , 1:12 am Arrived at USPS Facility COLUMBIA, SC 29201

November 30, 2015 , 12:19 pm Forwarded WEST COLUMBIA, SC

November 30, 2015 , 12:01 pm Arrived at USPS Facility WEST COLUMBIA, SC 29169

November 29, 2015 , 2:06 pm Arrived at Hub WEST COLUMBIA, SC 29169

November 27, 2015 , 6:52 pm Departed Post Office BOGOTA, NJ 07603

November 27, 2015 , 4:33 pm Acceptance BOGOTA, NJ 07603

 

This whole situation makes no sense at all; I would email Amazon giving them the tracking # so that they can check themselves and would email the customs office in Milan to know what's happening. Btw I've had packages that included just a single CD from Japan stuck in the customs for 10 days but that never happened in December.

I guess part of the problem, in your case, is that you sent a big package and it happened to arrive in spaghettiland during the "extended italian Xmas time" (12/08-01/06), when post offices and the customs receive a flood of packages.

Still, I would like to know why Amazon wants your money. And what did they write to you? "awaiting the return within Sat, Dec. 26", so were they working on boxing day waiting for faulty items? Major BS....

 

Up to €122.36

 

he...and it's "shipped by" Amazon.
I wonder for how long these "immersion" boxsets are going to be manufactured, according to the whypink floyd? website: "limited edition high quality boxset"

 

The Italian post is well known for being one of the least reliable (fraud, loss, theft) in the first world. This is the risk you take dealing with buying from there if you are the type who is likely to return anything.

It's one of the reasons that I don't buy from Amazon.it even if their prices are good.

 

But if you go to amazon.es and go to the marketplace page amazon.es has it listed at 48.99 euros (although out of stock). On the main page it is 112.45 euros.

http://www.amazon.es/gp/offer-listing/B004ZNARH4