Discogs experiences-postive and negative*

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by ROFLnaked, Oct 17, 2015.

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  1. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    You need to download an add-on for Chrome developed by a Discogs user. I donated to him since I find the add-on to really enhance Discogs functionality.

    Discogs Enhancer
     
    Simon A and uzn007 like this.
  2. There is an add on for Chrome that lets you do it.

    Discogs Enhancer for Chrome
     
    uzn007 likes this.
  3. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    Well, this is disappointing.

    Bought what I thought was a 1987 pressing of a Marvin Gaye album but got something else. This is from an actual store selling on Discogs urging people to buy from them because they're a store! Well, this store doesn't know their pressings because the one I wanted is easily identifiable via a strip at the top-right of the jacket that says "Motown Classic Vinyl" yet they had 2 up for sale, sealed.

    Sent them a msg. No response after 3 days so I had to use the "Seller not responding?" link and now, they have 4 days to actually respond or else their account gets suspended. I'll need to return this and my guess is their 2nd one for sale is the same thing they sent me, yet I have no expectation of them actually addressing the issue by categorizing these in the appropriate section.

    Amateur hour, here.
     
  4. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    Look at the post right above yours. ;)
     
  5. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    To balance things out, I got a DCC pressing of The Doors' Strange Days as well as a DCC pressing of Cream's Fresh Cream from a different seller. In both cases, these were utterly perfect! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

    Same for the DCC pressing of the Eagles' Greatest Hits I purchased from a different seller. :righton:
     
  6. Mugrug12

    Mugrug12 The Jungle Is a Skyscraper

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Ah bummer about the plugin cuz I’ve been using safari mostly on my phone for discogs time...
     
  7. I see it....I was composing my reply to the post he made that quoted me and getting the link for him
     
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  8. I too was reluctant as I was a firefox user but honestly it makes browsing discogs a much nicer experience and having got used to chrome I don't use firefox anymore
     
  9. Mugrug12

    Mugrug12 The Jungle Is a Skyscraper

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Will it work for chrome in iOS?
     
  10. I don't know but it's worth a try, you can always remove them.
     
  11. Mugrug12

    Mugrug12 The Jungle Is a Skyscraper

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Will do thank you for the link.
     
  12. Let us know how you get on with it, if it works with iOS of course.
     
  13. Mugrug12

    Mugrug12 The Jungle Is a Skyscraper

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Will do, though I just realized something- my Biggest gripe is that I’m signed up for email wantlist updates so I always get the emails from sellers who reupload the same copies. I suppose the plugin won’t affect those unfortunately.

    Anyway to circle back to the general thread discussion- I am
    Happy to report I’ve been on a good run for my last maybe 5-6 discogs orders. Everything has been as described. Except one record which was visually graded and looks great but has some distortion. Easy peasy return though so I’m counting it in the positive column.

    I can’t expect every seller to playgrade because there is only So much time in the day. Also everyone’s needle is different so I think we need to accept there is some subjectivity (within reason) to grading and a painless return is sometimes needed and I consider it par for the course. Anyway discogs has been working good for me lately yeah baby!
     
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  14. Brian Hoffman

    Brian Hoffman Obsessive fanatic extraordinaire

    Location:
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Well, after going through the removal process my one negative is now gone! In case anybody isn't sure where it is, it's a dropdown next to the feedback.
    [​IMG]
     
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  15. uzn007

    uzn007 Pack Rat

    Location:
    Raleigh, N.C.
    OK, so I had an "interesting" shipment show up from a Discogs seller last night.

    This guy has a huge inventory of "BRAND NEW FACTORY SEALED" records. He had a RSD album from last year that I wanted to pick up, but he also has a lot of older records, "new and sealed" going back at least to the 70s (lots of his listings indicate that the records have overstock marks on them, cutouts, etc.).

    Now, I was suspicious to begin with, and I did see one feedback that indicated that someone had bought an opened album that had been re-sealed, but I figured I'd take a chance. There were a couple of older albums I wanted that were $6 and $10, respectively, plus the RSD album which was $23 (lowest price I saw on Discogs for an unopened copy).

    So here's what I got:

    The RSD album seems fine. It looks like a brand new, unopened album, just as expected. I opened it and played one side and it looks and sounds great.

    The other two are a little fishy:
    * The shrinkwrap is a crinkly sort of plastic that I don't recall ever seeing on an album before.
    * Each album had an odd little pattern of wrinkled shrinkwrap -- in the same place on each record -- that looks like it might have been due to a heating element or something. Maybe over-paranoid, but overall, the shrinkwrap on these two doesn't look like any record I've bought in the last 45 years.

    I opened one up and played it and observed:
    * The record jacket, overall, looks "Used". I don't think I've ever bought a 40-year-old unopened record before, but there were some small creases on the jacket, etc., that looked more like I would expect from a lightly-used record.
    * More specifically, there was wear on the corners of jacket but no corresponding tear in the shrinkwrap.
    * I found a spot on the front cover (i.e. under the shrinkwrap) that looked like a pricetag had been removed, i.e., a series of little grooves like someone had rubbed it with their fingernail or something.

    Now, the plus side is that the one record I played sounded fine. The vinyl looked unplayed, and it sounded unplayed. So as far as that goes, I have no complaints on the condition of the actual record. I haven't listened to the other one yet.

    But I'm mulling over how to respond. On the one hand, I don't feel like I've been ripped off. The actual vinyl is in NM condition even if the records aren't actually new and factory-sealed as advertised. But OTOH, I probably paid a buck or two more for these records than I would have if they had been listed as "NM". If this guy gets an extra buck or two on every record he sells, he's doing all right (an extra ~500 bucks in the last three months).

    Your thoughts? I suppose I should just message him and tell him what I think.
     
  16. Is there any feathering on the opening of the "sealed" records? I guess if you're content with what you've received just keep them and move on, perhaps make a mental note that this seller likely re-seals stuff and possibly avoid in the future.
     
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  17. R. Totale

    R. Totale The Voice of Reason

    I'd pay $6-10 for actual NM vinyl of older records with perhaps slightly shopworn covers that I actually wanted all day long. Much better odds than paying $2 less for an open copy that someone who sells $4 records on Discogs would think of as Near Mint.
     
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  18. uzn007

    uzn007 Pack Rat

    Location:
    Raleigh, N.C.
    I'm not sure what you mean by "feathering". My initial feeling was certainly to just move on. It's a relatively small amount of money, but the fact that the guy got a 13% premium from me (and probably from a lot of other buyers) bugs me slightly as well.
     
  19. It's the wear on the open edge of the jacket from being opened a lot, often has a feathered look to it, perhaps frayed would be a better description.
     
  20. uzn007

    uzn007 Pack Rat

    Location:
    Raleigh, N.C.
    It did look like there was a little wear on the edge. I'll take a closer look when I go back upstairs. Like I said, I've never bought a 40-year-old "new" record before, but these didn't look like any new record I've ever bought.
     
  21. cporcp

    cporcp Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kentucky
    I’ve had a couple, just like you described, that were definitely re-seals. I contacted the seller, who mentioned the albums were purchased in a lot from a failed business. Not sure who did the re-sealing, but back they went, as the vinyl was clearly not anywhere near the M- claimed.
     
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  22. dkurtis

    dkurtis sonoftheFather

    Resealing will always be blamed on the previous owner - regardless of who did it. The shrink then and now are very different as is where the shrink seam is located. The seam of most new seals are in the center of the jacket, whereas the older seams are on the edges. The corners or edges of a sealed record can still take a beating. The outward shrink-wrap should reflect the jacket wear. The jacket and shrink-wrap should tell the same story. Also, the inner paper sleeve should also tell the story. It should appear yellowed if folded and not handled. Also look for spindle marks on the label. I would never buy a SS record from someone reported to have resealed. The good news is that the record condition of the one you opened is acceptable to you for the price. Most collectors who buy SS albums do not open them due to the loss of value - and the seller bets on that. If the records are M-, I would not pursue the matter for the low prices paid (6-10$). I would also remove him from my list of preferred sellers and move on.
     
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  23. uzn007

    uzn007 Pack Rat

    Location:
    Raleigh, N.C.
    Sure, sure, this is all very reasonable and I mostly agree. But I still have two reservations, one minor and one major.

    The minor one is that, while the records are certainly clean and listenable, I still feel that I overpaid somewhat. Neither of these are particularly rare or collectible. Not a big deal because I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford the $16, but it still irks me.

    The major one is that this guy is obviously a scammer, and he has "BRAND NEW FACTORY-SEALED" records going for up to $500 on his Discogs page. So I feel like I should leave (at least) neutral feedback to give people a heads-up, but I'm reluctant because I don't know if I want to deal with the hassle that might result.
     
  24. cporcp

    cporcp Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kentucky
    You probably don’t want to deal with the hassle - especially for $16. You could send the albums back and leave negative feedback, or request a partial refund and leave neutral feedback and a comment that warns others of the seller’s practice. Either way, expect a potential in kind rating from the seller, which may or not be a concern for you.

    Unless you contact the seller and try to resolve this - somehow - I would not leave negative feedback. I did this just recently with a $26 album. The seller had a ton of great feedback, and just a few negatives. Guess what?

    Like you, I felt it was an opportunity to warn others away - also like yourself, I could afford the $26. The seller’s rating, due to the number of transactions, decreased by something like .2% as a result of my feedback - following their feedback, mine was reduced by 10% for the same reason. I was able to have their feedback removed by Discogs as it violated their policies.

    When I received the resealed albums - different transaction - I contacted the seller, and sent them back along with a comment and neutral feedback. There’s only so much you can do. I’ve accepted that Discogs is a dice roll, that the odds are not really in your favor, and that sellers’ practices, while not necessarily condoned, are protected.

    Personally, I would just leave a comment and neutral feedback.
     
    Last edited: May 6, 2020
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  25. raye_penber

    raye_penber .

    Location:
    Highlands.
    Discogs can be be a great place, from time to time, with excellent sellers.

    That said, here's a transaction involving an original pressing of Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds.

    Listing description:
    "All 4 sides of the glossy vinyl are UNMARKED. Sleeve NM! Awesome audio with NO SURFACE NOISE - Richard Burton's iconic intro loud & clear!"

    I message the seller and politely ask him to check the A side of the first disc, just in case, if he has the means/time.
    He tells me that he has no need to because he knows it 'plays well'. Just check my feedback, he says. All those customers can't be wrong.
    I still ask for a photo of the sleeve, but never hear back.

    Giving him the benefit of the doubt, I make the order.

    When the LP arrives the first thing I notice is the state of the sleeve - all four corners are stubbed, and the general age-ware leaves it in the ballpark of 'VG-/Good'.
    And then I play the A side.
    First thing I notice?
    Richard Burton's 'iconic intro' ... distorted to hell.
    Rest of the side is acceptable, despite a little background crackle (for the record, all of my LPs are NM to EX+, and I have over 500 ranging from the late 60s-2020).

    So I message the seller and politely explain, despite the inconvenience since the whole debacle could've easily been avoided if the seller was either more honest/less lazy.
    The first thing he tells me is that I am 'wrong'. That he has spent 'years in the business'. That he will issue an immediate refund.
    I tell him that it's fine. It's more effort that it's worth to repackage and send it back.
    And then he says, with no prompt from me:
    "I must ask you not to leave ANY Feedback! if you do then no mention of grading/returns/quality etc. I have spent 3 years building my Positive Feedback and it is ESSENTIAL to my business!"

    This pisses me off no end (and I'm usually the most patient, placid person you'll meet).
    He offers a refund, but I tell him it's fine, we'll chalk it up to experience, but he really ought to grade more accurately in the future because others probably won't be as forgiving. No hard feelings (and I tell myself, sure, it's fine - he'll be on my 'never again' list and I'll search for another copy).

    He sends me this in return:
    "Ive spent too much time messaging you. Please DO NOT attempt to buy from me again!!"

    The guy had 100% positive feedback.

    I guess the hyperbole of the description should've tipped me off.
     
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