Amazon selling used cd’s as new

In "pound shops" in the UK, they usually have a section of sealed CDs that are branded "replay" and make it clear that they're used - but I'd imagine most people, unless informed, would just never realise they've been sold a used CD unless the booklet is clearly damaged because they don't look at the bottom of the CD and they'd only have an issue if it didn't play properly. Incredible if Amazon have started doing that.

 

Amazon does not KNOWINGLY sell used items as new.

3rd party sellers who use Amazon for fulfillment do.

And for some SKUs, amazon allows sellers to co-mingle their inventory. In such a case, an item sent in new can get go-mingled with Amazon inventory and sent out. This is bad juju, and Amazon shouldn't do this at all. Co-mingling helps no one but scammers. Fortunately, this is not common in the media categories.

It's EASY to identify co-mingled inventory, however. It will have a big 3rd party barcode sticker on the outside.

 

The same thing happened to me! Although my copy was pretty clearly new, they'd stuck the mailing label right on the actual box and sealed it with packing tape. It was a mistake on Amazon's end - a lot of box sets are sold wholesale in cardboard boxes that can be shipped individually, and to save money and time (especially given their own courier service) they don't rebox. I think this set got a flag not to box it up even though it wasn't designed to be shipped like that (at all). I showed Amazon support and they refunded the entire purchase and let me keep the box - which was fine beyond cosmetic damage. Worked well.

I've never gotten a used CD sold as new from Amazon itself. Third party sellers (including Amazon's Warehouse Deals) are of course a different story.

 

For those titles, it's a choice between a sale of a CD-R that benefits the artist at list price and a used copy. Hardly deplorable to support the artist. If you don't want a CD-R and can get a pressed copy used...just do that.

 

Yeah, I have it happen from time to time, but typically through Amazon sellers (marketed as “fulfilled through Amazon”). I simply send it back, but it can be annoying.

 

The listing was exactly right. They were new (like you said, the plastic was still on). They were just from third party sellers. You didn't pay attention and Amazon refunded you money because customers are more important than sellers. Then Amazon charged the small business that you bought from even more money. Well done.

 

The box on the left came in the original Sony outer cardboard packaging. It was inside a bigger Amazon box containing the White Album 50th Anniversary vinyl and CD sets.
I would hope going forward that people won't have to order multiple items just to ensure that they're packaged properly.

 

Better off waiting for Barnes & Noble’s semi-annual 50% off sale anyhow. It’s usually sometime in summer, and again November. If they have any coupons running (Get on their email list) you can stack those on top of the 50%.

 

I'm buying everything I can from other vendors. Presto Classical, Grooves Inc, importcds, Discogs, local store.

Bezos has got enough money.

 

I do some selling on Amazon as a third party. Always careful about grading -- never "new" when it's anything but. Many third-party sellers mark otherwise new UPC scratch-throughs as "very good" and you can get some real deals. There are ones who cheat, but Amazon is pretty good about busting them when complaints come through. If you get a CD-r or a sloppy disc, by all means complain. You will be heard. Sellers are almost always responsive, in part to avoid bad seller-account "health."

My experiences with buyers have been pretty good, but there are the occasional ripoffs and liars, even with tracking. It cuts both ways. Amazon always sides with buyers.

As a consumer, never received anything but brand-new software from Amazon itself. (Labeling a third-party seller as "Amazon" is understandable but wrong.)

 

A few years ago I ordered 3/4 Abba back catalogue cd/dvd sets.
These were the remasters with bonus tracks and dvd footage, deluxe sets.
When they arrived they were all sealed in non manufactured plastic, the dvds were removed and inside the cds were the original 80s cds.
These were all separate orders and all sold and shipped by Amazon.
I called Amazon and they replaced all items with the deluxe sets.
Mostly Amazon is an awesome place to shop, but sometimes they really drop the ball.

 

I don't mind a CD sold as "new" with a barcode scratch AS LONG AS it's indicated that that's the case in the listing.

I do object to promos sold as new without any indication of that.

 

Yup, if the only reason you complained is because there was a third party sticker over the barcode: Amazon FORCES third party sellers to do that when they send inventory in for Amazon to ship on their behalf. They have no choice.

And if you complained simply about those stickers (which can be removed), then you cost the sellers 20+% for absolutely no reason.

 

Agree, but they bury the fact that it’s a CD-R in the product description. If you don’t read the whole thing it’s easy to miss. It borders on deceptive.

 

It also dilutes the market, with CD-Rs soon finding their way onto the secondary market & being sold among the CDs, creating pain for us in the future.

 

I only buy from Amazon third party sellers that I know have a track record as honest, legit businesses. Too many scammers in this world.

 

Yes it’s there in the description of the item but I would also call it fine print. For those who arent aware of what we are referring to (and this is different than the OP’s original situation) I have cut and pasted the wording from the entry for Elvin Jones Live at the Lighthouse Vol 1 as an example. This is a CD I have wanted and it is hard to find. Got all excited when I saw it on Amazon for $16, but then noticed the below. It is an option, but I choose to hold out for the “real” thing.


Editorial Reviews
This title is manufactured "on demand" when ordered from Amazon.com, using recordable media as authorized by the rights holder. Powered by CreateSpace, this on-demand program makes thousands of titles available that were previously unavailable. For reissued products, packaging may differ from original artwork. Amazon.com’s standard return policy will apply.

 

Amazon rules say you can't do cutouts as "new" -- "like new" is the highest rating it can be listed under if there is any kind of flaw. And Amazon no longer allows written condition descriptions on new product, I believe. It's either new or not. So promos with markings should never be listed as new.

Sometimes UPC scratches are light ("like new") and sometimes they are on the deep side ("very good"). If the listing says "like new" or lower grade and the write-up says factory sealed, it's almost certainly a cutout. As a buyer, I'm usually happy to have the discount and a perfect disc. Can't play a UPC.

 

Haven't bought anything from Amazon in a few years. Too many issues and varying packaging. I also want competition, not a monopoly.

 

I purchased an on demand CDR of Iggy Pop's Skull Ring a year or so ago, it was fine, until I got to the last track, which had a glitch in it, returned it, same thing, glitch in the last track. Sent it back and ordered a used "real"pressing with no defects.

 

If the item is a box set, is rare, or I’m looking for a specific CD version, I always order the item fulfilled by Amazon, even if it costs slightly more than buying the same from and shipped by a third party. The return process is much easier.

Stuff I don’t care as much about I’ll get from whoever has the best price and condition.

 

No, there were third paty sellers listed and I made sure I chose the option sold directly from amazon.com and was sent third party items anyway. They didn'send what I ordered. The amazon.com price was more expensive in both cases. I always chose the amazon offering as I don't want to deal with third parties if there is a problem

 

I'm pretty sure one of the volumes of the Salvo/ZTT The Art Of The 12" comps I ordered sometime last year was not legitimately new.

Also about a year and a half ago I ordered a new sealed copy of the Yes Drama remaster (with bonus tracks). When I was adding it to my collection on Discogs recently I saw that the disc I was sent is listed as an unofficial Russian release. I went back and looked at the order info and it came from a third party seller named Skyvo Direct USA

 

This is a result of Amazon `FBA` (Fulfilled by Amazon), as mentioned above, secondhand goods sellers send items to Amazon`s warehouses, where it is packed and sent out by Amazon, they are relying on the description given by the seller.
To be fair it is annoying and a hassle but items can easily be sent back if not of acceptable quality.
Much more serious is the fact the `Pound shops` and other discount shops are selling secondhand CD`s and DVD`s that have been repackaged as `NEW`, with no indication that they are secondhand.
This is entirely illegal!
But as it is big business the authorities have chosen to ignore the practice.

 

That's what kept me from getting the "Bob's Burgers" sets beyond the first season.