Discogs - Why do Sellers there constantly list their items incorrectly?

I'm really getting tired, for example, of Sellers putting a common cd pressing in a listing for a rare Japan pressing. Stuff like that occurs all the time! Why don't they find the listing that matches their item? Is it that hard?

 

Laziness, pure and simple.

 

Or trying to con a sucker out of money. Obviously not a 25-cent coaster being passed off as an expensive Japan pressing, but more minor things.

 

It's always best to confirm details if you are looking for a specific version of an item, before buying. I do it all the time to avoid these sorts of situations. Unfortunately some sellers are morons, some sellers are crooks, some sellers aren't morons but are too lazy to bother and sometimes mistakes happen.

One jack a s s listed an item under the promo version. I bit, bought it, recieved a stock copy (not as described wrt to the vinyl as well). Filed a claim, a-hole seller said he sent me a promo just like in the pictures knowing full well he didn't. He also claimed the pictures on Discogs were his in his response to Paypal, which is clearly not true as they were there before he ever joined as a seller. Got my money back of course. I went to leave negative feedback and noticed a bunch of other negative feedbacks and a few days later he was suspended for being a crook which made me quite happy.

 

I often, if not almost always, send a message to the seller confirming the catalog
Number. Often, they don’t reply or indicate they did indeed list it incorrectly.
Always best to check.

 

As I always do on ebay on ebay, before buying check the seller feedback score. It has to be at least 99.9%

 

Because they are not audiophiles.

 

Indeed. And if the seller doesn't respond, then I don't want to purchase anything from her/him to be sure. If s/he's not willing to take the necessary time and effort to make a sale, imagine trying to get her/his attention when they send you an incorrect and/or defective item.

 

I ask questions about the disc - please confirm deadwax info etc. does the stain on the jacket smell like cat pee?

Sorry, but if we haven't done business before I need to ask.

The top drawer sellers always answer quickly and fully.

And others.... no response. That's ok... no deal.

 

definitely have had some less than thorough sellers. my main problems have been with grading, not so much the wrong version of a release. Once though, I ordered a promo version of Nas - Stillmatic. Either the seller didn't know, or purposefully failed to mention it was a censored version.

who the **** presses censored hip hop. those people should be jailed.

 

My experience, almost to a "t".

 

I would amend this to say 80% laziness, 20% cluelessness.

 

It is 90% laziness. The other half is pure greed.

 

Gentlemen.... and any Ladies. How many here are actual sellers on Disogs?

As a very experienced seller Discogs rules for creating a new release can be overwhelmingly daunting to say the least. This is why a lot of people would try to choose the closest listing to their own even if it isn't "exactly the same." It is kind of frustrating for serious type collectors like myself and others here and like you guys, why I always ask the seller to be 100% certain it is the one I'm after after getting stung once. Heh, after 3 years I'm still learning the finer details and thankfully due to staff realizing I'm not a total curmudgeon and disturber now cut me a lot more slack for my mistakes after a brief sidelining a little over a year ago. They play by some very stringent rules in their park with a very very steep learning curve. It can be a great place for acquiring CD's so I try not to throw the baby out with the bath water.

 

I don't purchase CD's there, but vinyl listings can be daunting. So many listings for different labels/countries/stampers/mastering/pressing plants/etc. that it can take a long time to stumble upon a match.
So I always confirm that what they are selling is what I want.
My issue is with sellers that have slow/no responses. Recently I have had multiple issues with wrong items shipped, items that could not be found, incorrect grading, and have had to get Discogs involved.
A good seller will respond/ship quickly and take the time/effort to make sure what you have inquired about is what they have.
Step one is up to the buyer to make sure you are getting the one you want....as Discogs listings are not EZ to decipher at times.
Anyhoo...

 

The only problem with waiting for questions to be answered is when in the interim, someone else snatches up the title you were asking about.

 

I bought an original UK pressing of Kraftwerk - The man machine from an idiot on Discogs
He said it was mint minus for the LP and the cover and inserts, when i got it and complained it was nowhere near mint and told him it was being returned to him he was not happy, i got emails saying "it plays great, it,s near mint yadda yadda yadda"
Even after i cleaned it on my moth pro RCM with L art du son it still sounded like crap
When you email a seller and they dont reply forget them, they ignore you in the hope you will just buy it

 

I'll have to disagree with the position that on Discogs ,"creating a new release can be overwhelmingly daunting", as I find it very straightforward and simple. Adding updated details and variants are also fairly easy as well. I'm am a collector and actively add to the Discogs database, be it additional details of a release or a new release, to ensure my collection is accurate and well defined. One thing though, I've noticed that there are sellers that drop ship (list items from other sellers / shipped from other sellers), so this is something that needs to be more transparent.

The grading system on Discogs is also very problematic Grading Definitions, as there is a big drop in the quality of items between Near Mint and Very Good Plus+, as VGP+ can mean seam splits / cut-outs / drill holes, which Discogs define as "minor things". I too have purchased Near Mint items that are far from what anyone would define as near mint condition, but at least there were no cut-outs or drill holes.

I would suggest the following to potential buyers on Discogs:
- be familiar with the grading definitions (above)
- check the sellers profile to see their Contribution rating, that means they have actively added details to the database
- check theirs profile to see their # of Releases pending, which means they have created new releases
- check their neutral feedback
- ask for pictures of the actual item
- avoid sellers that do not communicate

As always, Caveat emptor

 

Sometimes, it's about moving stock onto people who might not know any better.

One seller sold me a pressing he swore was a 1st UK pressing but it turned out to be a European one as it's clearly stated on the label "Made in Holland".

After seeing the matrix info indicated on a supposed 1st US pressing of an album, I gently let the seller know that it was actually a 3rd pressing and that it's therefore in the wrong place but never heard back and the LP is still voluntarily being offered as a 1st US pressing.

 

Couldn't this be construed as False Advertising? Or at least Bait and Switch?

 

How much effort is someone going to put into selling something for a few bucks?! Is there a discoggs category for "unclassified", i.e it's an LP, that's it.

 

If you want to go to the expense of proving intent, via an investigation of repeated, documented transactions . . .

Most laws are written to protect sellers (retailers), not consumers. You don't actually have to sell your house for the lower price if the agent lists it online for $20,000 instead of $220,000. Most consumers have an inflated sense of legal recourse because most retailers will honor anything but a ruinous error, rather than argue in front of other customers.

 

I find it best with discogs, as with Amazon or Ebay, is to only buy from sellers who are explicit (meaning that they take the time to write out a detailed description of the condition) with regard to condition. Using this approach, I have had very good luck.

 

I sell on Discogs. This is how I do it:

COLLECTOR ALERT!!! Private Collection. “TARGET” (Purple on Light Blue) Disc Made in West Germany by Polygram. Aluminum to Center. CD and Artwork in Excellent Condition. Jewel case has shelf wear. All of my used items are 100% Guaranteed. Ships 1st Class Mail.

 

I'm usually pretty fair in my expectations but massive overgrading annoys me.

Discogs removed negative feedback I left so the rating is not completely accurate.