Who´s your best source for online records shopping?

Who´s your favourite?

 

I don't use any of these, but among the big three audiophile outfits (MD, AS, and ED) I prefer Elusive Disc. I've had customer service problems with the other two.

 

Postage has put paid to online purchases!

JG

 

I use a combination of eBay and Amazon. The latter mainly for new releases and the former for second hand stuff. I have to say I've gotten stuff I never thought I'd ever see from eBay. Some great deals too. Up to press I've never bought from Discogs, though I do use the site.

 

Yes, buying from the US these days is virtually impossible thanks to postage prices. On eBay at least.

 

Generally, discogs for information, ebay for buying.

 

For information, and on rare occasion purchases, I use Discogs (I think I've made 3 purchases in the past year). But, for a lot of purchases I use Soundstagedirect.com: This weekend they had a 20% off sale; and with $49.99 in purchases, shipping is free -- and no tax unless you live in Pennsylvania, I believe it is. Their shelf prices are higher than Amazon, but with the higher discounts (sometimes 15% off) and no tax, they always beat Amazon. Problem is, they don't have every LP, whereas Amazon does.

 

My new purchases come mostly from soundstagedirect - I've been super happy with their customer service and they are super accommodating on exchanging bad pressings (they'll order you a new one, test listen to it, send it to you without you need to send the defective one back, and you send back the bad one in the mailer they sent you the good one in).

I'll use Amazon too for the new stuff as well as the return process is super easy.

 

I use eBay and Audiokarma mostly. I had a major customer service problem with Elusive Disc and NEVER will order from them again. Two years ago I purchased a VPI 16.5 record cleaner from them. They actually wound up sending me the upgraded model costing $100.00 more. I phoned them and emailed them, spoke with, Dave, I believe his name was. They were all too happy to correct the problem and I sent the more expensive unit back and they sent me the one I initially ordered. Then I ordered two albums from them and when I received them, one was severely warped to where it wouldn't play and the other was borderline. I called for a return authorization and sent back the albums. ONE MONTH LATER I CALLED because I had still to received the replacement albums. I was told by Dave that they were first processing the newer orders and mine was on the back burner. So I did a charge back on my CC to recoup my $$. What a jerk! I will never deal with them again.

 

So you called them to tell them that they sent you the more expensive model when you were charged for the base model?

 

Yes, I did not want to keep the more expensive model for the lesser price. I believe in honesty and Karma....

 

Amazon for everything pre-order.

Amazon for anything relatively current.

Ebay and Discogs for used, or sealed older pressings.

 

Direct from the artist/label whenever possible. Then, in more or less order of frequency, Music Direct, Acoustic Sounds, Soundstage Direct, Elusive Disc.
I haven't bought anything used online in years.

 

I use Discogs for out of print older titles and will purchase nothing below VG+. I try to buy NM-/NM- . Music Direct and Sound Stage for new titles. Buying direct from artists is a bonus. Burning Shed is also a good prog rock source.

 

Yup! Amazon, then Elusive. Soundstage Direct has ridiculous ship times. I have never received anything faster than 13 days. Don't use them anymore and I don't know why anyone around here would. But, after reading some other posts you can run into issues with any of them.