AcousticSounds > SoundStageDirect

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by RandelPink, May 12, 2017.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. RandelPink

    RandelPink The camel wore a nightie Thread Starter

    Location:
    LA
    I don't mean for this to be a bash against SSD, but I just thought I'd share my preferences for ordering vinyl online through the 2 mentioned dealers.

    First, they both offer a lot more then just vinyl and often times are a great resource for user reviews on certain pressings etc. I find AS seems to have more people reviewing the vinyl over SSD though. While both sites also seem to have very similar catalogues and inventory, prices seem to be identical except for SSD has a premium on some titles which I'm not sure why. Both usually have a discount for vinyl and digital music at any given time (10-20%). SSD does offer free shipping at a lower price point then AS (currently $50 and $89) which is nice but I'll point out a relevant part to that below.

    I have used both for multiple purchase but here's why I will always search AS first...

    Speed : AS hands down. Hands DOWN. They can process orders and ship SAME day depending on when you order, plus have faster expedited shipping. I've had SSD take up to 5 business days to gather in-stock items and finally have them shipped. Maybe their warehouse is that much larger? Either way 5 days seems excessive.

    Accuracy : I have had at least a half a dozen items show up as 'In-Stock' at SSD website, click to add, checkout and get debited/charged. I then have a received an email about the item not being in stock and that I should respond to them within 72 hours otherwise it will be cancelled and refunded. When I do reach out, they usually say there's a delay from the pressing plant with no idea when they would receive more stock. I have yet to experience this with AS as they seem to be able to update their site in almost real-time of backordered or out of stock items.

    Packaging : AS has sent almost identical shipping methods/packaging almost every time I've ordered, which IMO is the proper way to send vinyl. I have not had any damaged sleeves or covers and no warped wax (I know warping is mainly with pressing and not shipping typically). SSD, well they seem to have a few different packaging techniques. I haven't received anything damaged in shipping with them either but I find it off they're not consistent with a relatively same sized order (usually 4-8 records).

    That pretty much sums it up, again this isn't meant to bring SSD down. I simply wanted to share my experience in ordering online from the two stores.
     
    ted321 and tmtomh like this.
  2. mpayan

    mpayan A Tad Rolled Off

    5 days? More like 5 weeks. Id buy from SSD exlusively if it were not for that.
     
    Mr. Grieves and googlymoogly like this.
  3. RandelPink

    RandelPink The camel wore a nightie Thread Starter

    Location:
    LA
    I've heard longer wait times, but the longest I waited personally was 5 business days. It's funny too because most of their items have written in green 'Item Usually Ships In 1 Business Day'. That usually part seems to get them off the hook.

    One other thing I wanted to add was pricing. SSD seems to add $4-5 dollars to certain titles. The biggest upcharge I saw from them was $50 for the (already expensive) Great Gatsby Gold/Platinum Third Man release. MSRP was $250 and they listed $300...
     
  4. TheSeldomSeenKid

    TheSeldomSeenKid Forum Resident

    I prefer Amazon, as if you need to make a return, they cover shipping costs. I had to pay to send back one item for an exchange to Elusive Disc last year when making my first Vinyl Purchase(4 items) from an internet site. I did get Music Direct to cover my shipping costs on a Return after I asked, but they said it would be a one time offer, so has me hesitating buying Vinyl from them or SSD, AS, Elusive, etc. unless I can only find something at a lower price or exclusively at those Sites, or only available at one of those sites. I would buy SACDs from these On-line Sites though, as figure not much chance to get a defective disc.

    Elusive Disc(and I think also AS) does require $99 minimum in your order for Free Shipping and Music Direct & SSD only require $49, so not sure how Elusive Disc & AS competes(the one order I made from Elusive Disc, I wanted 4 items anyways that came out to over $99, but that would be rare for me, as most likely would spend less money per order and glad Amazon reduced their minimum order of $35 to qualify for Free Shipping(they had jumped up to $50 last year, but the war with Sprawl-Mart for On-Line orders helped to get Amazon to lower their Minimum Spent back to $35 for those of us, who are not Prime Members).

    I do order from Burning Shed, but maybe I should be careful on buying Vinyl from there(even though the 2 I had bought did not have any flaws), since return shipping to Europe from the US would be very expensive. Even Amazon-UK has told me in the past to just keep the defective product(one book had the jacket cover shredded badly and just one Vinyl Problem), and they would send me another one for replacement. Amazon-US emails Return Shipping Labels to send back items at no extra costs.

    I did get the Blue Vinyl Reissue of Porcupine Tree's 'Fear of a Blank Planet' from AS, as at the time(about 5-6 months ago) it was the only place that had a copy, but it arrived in perfect condition and packaged well. Music Direct & Elusive also package well which is better than Amazon(inconsistent in how they package Vinyl or other products), but with free return postage to make an exchange, there is no risk to order from Amazon-YMMV.

    I do like the Customer Service with Burning Shed, although a little slow to return emails at times, but they are helpful.
     
    Last edited: May 12, 2017
    RandelPink likes this.
  5. Maranatha5585

    Maranatha5585 BELLA + RIP In Memoriam

    Location:
    Down South
    Yep, Acoustic Sounds all the way... faster, decent packaging, and prices.
    Sometimes navigating vinyl can be a pain on the web site.
    Amazon just seem to never pack correctly, I'll spare the stories, but do need to say my experience
    with Amazon UK re: packing have been awful nightmares. I got the deluxe "Tune In" Lewisohn
    boxed book set and it was actually placed in a big box with a piece of paper around... dented/crushed
    corners. Just plain idiots, no care - no bubble wrap.. nothing.
     
  6. googlymoogly

    googlymoogly Forum Resident

    I no longer order from SSD because of the constant delays in shipping orders, sometimes a matter of weeks not days. I tend to stick to Elusive Disc and Music Direct for most of my vinyl purchases these days.
     
    ted321 and mpayan like this.
  7. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    Bull Moose
    Import CDs
    Amazon
    Music Direct
    Acoustic Sounds
     
  8. As a Canadian I order very little from the big 4 U.S. ordering houses (AS/MD/SSD/ED) as their shipping costs are outrageous, plus I have to pay brokerage fees. With the Canuck Buck having dropped like a stone in the last year or two, it makes ordering from them even more unattainable for me. It has cost me up to $40 in shipping/brokerage for one album. The only time I purchase from them is if a title is simply not available elsewhere.
     
    Dave likes this.
  9. Guitarded

    Guitarded Forum Resident

    Location:
    Montana
    Elusive Disc
     
  10. BrokenByAudio

    BrokenByAudio Forum Resident

    My best results have been with Acoustic Sounds, Elusive Disc and MusicDirect. One of the additional things I don't like about Soundstage is that even when it takes them several weeks to ship the item, they always make sure they charge my account immediately. That gets under my skin more than a little. I can deal with an immediate charge if you are going to ship within a few days but a few weeks? No, that's just wrong.
     
    hanzo, ted321, googlymoogly and 2 others like this.
  11. mpayan

    mpayan A Tad Rolled Off

    Any reason you can share that you dont use Elusive Disc?
     
  12. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    We're discussing vinyl. I've never bought vinyl from them.
    .
     
  13. Mr. Grieves

    Mr. Grieves Forum Resident

    I've had nothing but good experiences w/ Soundstage Direct, but that waiting time is an issue. Elusive Disc, Music Direct & A. Sounds is where I usually go. Packaging for all of them is pretty great.
     
  14. willmatic

    willmatic Forum Resident

    Location:
    Charlotte,NC
    I think the price point at Acoustic Sounds is a bit higher than SD. I could be wrong.
     
  15. Opeth

    Opeth Forum Resident

    Location:
    NH
    SSD is bad imo charge you for stuff they don't have, people that respond to polite inquiries are wiseasses and give you the run around. Quick to take your money though and slow to give it back. They don't even know what they have lead times or if they can get it.. but they'll charge the **** out of you for it..
     
    ted321 and RandelPink like this.
  16. RandelPink

    RandelPink The camel wore a nightie Thread Starter

    Location:
    LA
    Honestly, they seem to be identical on most titles. Overall though, I've never seen a cheaper price at SD. AS has always been the same or slightly less for every purchase I've made.
     
  17. willmatic

    willmatic Forum Resident

    Location:
    Charlotte,NC
    I stand corrected. Just did another scan and clearly I must have been confused. AS will be my new go to.
     
    RandelPink likes this.
  18. markshan

    markshan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    I bought a bunch of clearance titles from AS one time. They were all listed in stock, but all but one was not shipped. But they had no problem sending me just the one and charging me full shipping. I felt that the correct thing to do would be to put the order in pending and contact me. That left such a bad taste in my mouth that I use SSD almost exclusively now.
     
  19. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    Well I did this time, and it wasn't pretty. Hendrix's Smash Hits album between two sheets of bubble wrap, and one thin piece of cardboard, set inside an oversized, flimsy mailer. The mailer was bent, as was the outer jacket, and the record itself, smashed into pieces.

    I taped the box back together, gave it back to my carrier, and she marked it REFUSED. I've asked for a refund to my card.
    .
     
    Opeth likes this.
  20. mrdon

    mrdon Senior Member

    I use SSD almost exclusively. I've had a few items where the shipping was delayed a day or two but I refuse to "Amazonize" SSD (or any other business for that matter). Now if I had an issue, SSD handled it in a timely and courteous manner.
     
    Eigenvector likes this.
  21. vinylontubes

    vinylontubes Forum Resident

    Location:
    Katy, TX
    I've shop Elusive Disc, Music Direct, SSD & AC for about 20 years. Elusive Disc is now rare for me, as they don't offer free shipping. More of a last resort because the are the only store with the record in stock. Acoustic Sounds requires $79 and SST & MD are $49. But they all have coupons. So the sale goes to the best deal I can get shipped. I really don't care for if it takes a week. I'm not ever in a hurry to get a record. As far as packaging, you can leave instruction in the comments. I think SSD has a checkbox for special spine split prevention packing. I never do this. A spine split doesn't bother me. As rule I buy AP records from Acoustic Sounds and MoFi from MD because, the will have the records and I feel like they should get the maximum profits for being stakeholders in these labels.
     
    RandelPink likes this.
  22. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    And my refund has taken place. Ever since this debacle, I've made a point of trying to bend an empty album mailer, every time I've received an LP in the mail since, and they, along with the dozens of empties I have in a closet, prove Elusive Disc is now using a very flimsy mailer.
    Screw that. No more vinyl from them.
    .
     
    RandelPink likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine