CD shipped without jewel case - ok?

I'm in the US and recently bought a 2004 CD from Europe via Discogs for about $12 shipped. It arrived with pamphlet and insert but without a jewel case. When I complained he said I had clicked the checkbox to agree to his terms at checkout. Looking up his terms now I can see about 20 lines down that they do say he ships CDs without jewel cases. I'm trying to figure out if I should raise a fuss or just let it go. Returning the CD to Europe would be very expensive but I don't think it's right to bury anything you want in your terms.

 

I've seen some seller's offering this an option, to help cut shipping costs.
Hit your local Goodwill and grab a title for a buck for the jewel.

 

I’ve seen this on eBay a few times now. As long as the CD and artwork are in good condition I don’t think it would bother me too much. Most modern jewel cases are so poorly made they get smashed in transit anyway.

 

I would say it is OK if stated clearly in the description, not if it is buried in small print as you describe. $12 seems a little pricey too unless there is something special about the CD. I wouldn't bother to return it, but would certainly never order from them again and would probably leave negative feedback to warn others.

 

2004, yep
What irks me is when they say they'll send it with a brand new jewel for that old 1984 that was issued in a smoothie. Noooooooo!!!!!

 

You should have read the Terms and Conditions before checking the box.
Once you sign an agreement (of any kind) you're pretty much (legally) done.

 

As long as he at least included the artwork, I would be ok with it. Imagine getting an record without the album cover????

 

The seller should have made it absolutely clear.

I’ve bought a couple of CDs without jewel cases (as the seller knew that postage from their country would otherwise be prohibitive), and of course I didn’t mind at all, because I knew in advance. That makes a big difference.

 

I’m fairly precious about the condition of my CDs - but luckily there is a CEX shop nearby that will clean scratched discs for €1. I’ve had a few posted without the jewel cases and they have been carefully packed and scratch-free. Others have arrived loose in the packet. So unless it’s a significant saving I’ll opt for jewel case included as well.

 

Nothing like a smoothie with some weight.

 

I once had a guy complain that the disc had arrived “smashed” on a cd I sold him. I asked him to send a photo - turns out the disc was fine, the tabs on the jewel case had broken in transit. He was furious because he wanted “to have the original jewel case”. It was nothing special. Just a standard one - and wasn’t even the ‘original’ one since it had been sent to me in a bulk package from the manufacturer, discs on a spindle and artwork flat-packed, meaning I had to put the discs in jewel cases, which I got from eBay.

I tried to explain that these things happen, but he kept saying it wasn’t ‘Mint’ as per my description, and was actually defective by being ‘broken’. He argued with me to the point where I refunded him for the cd, which was annoying as it was quite rare by that point being a very limited run.

 

Damn right!
Actually thanks for the reminder. My local has a Ryko I need to pick up, for the green. Always good to have extra's for those.

 

I guess we all have our annoying proclivities when it comes to collecting music...I could share all of mine, but it would take me all morning.

 

No! I wouldn't raise a fuss, for the reasons mentioned.
Cheaper for shipping, new cases get damaged too easily.
I've bought CD's and DVD's the same way a few times, but I knew this going in however.
At the same time, I've always had replacement jewel cases for my own second hand CD's I've bought myself.
This is nothing new, and some sellers have been doing this for years.
In a way, they have done you a favor.

 

I'd have made him return it for a refund, just to be a bit of a pain to him. He's being totally unreasonable.

 

In the U.K. it’s quite difficult to get good quality cases now. Back in the late 1990s I remember going into HMV in Oxford Street and picking up great quality double cd cases. I also remember asking the guy in Our Price in Kensington High Street for some and they would get them from behind the counter for £1 or something like that.

Now the eBay ones in the U.K. are mostly rubbish. It seems all the good quality ones are in the U.S.A.

The best place in the U.K. for old style fat boy doubles, quads etc...is actually ‘The Works’ stores as they have a spoken word or ‘Reader’s Digest’ type cd section that are often 3 or 4 cd sets. Mostly £1, so worth it just to get a brand new multi-disc jewel case.

 

Is this really a problem? If you're ordering CDs by mail -- and at this point, aren't we all? -- you have to expect broken jewel box pieces anyway.

This is no different than getting a jewel box with a broken hinge, a crack on the back, and a couple missing teeth on the tray. Just replace it.

Purchase a supply of empty jewel boxes, or buy the best condition CD you can find at a charity shop as the need arises.

 

Negative feedback saying what? "I didn't read the seller's terms and conditions and, as a result, saved a whole bunch on postage"? Wow, how awful.

Perspective, people.

 

I also remember buying certain “import” titles from Camden Market that were supplied without Jewel Cases - artwork and discs were in plastic sleeves (and often not even on public display - you had to ask the guy who looked like he might have some stuff hidden somewhere under the table).

You’d then pop your purchase in a jewel case when you got home.

 

I would be annoyed, and I would rate him down, and clearly explain why.

As for your best course of action.... don't cut your nose off to spite your face. If the disc is in good condition, and you are able to easily get a case, it may be more sensible to cut your losses .... rather than add to them with more shipping costs.
If the seller is a regular, voting him down is the most effective measure. Regular sellers rely on a good rating.

 

Those fats I never see, especially the Sony colored one's. Which makes sense due to my location. My locals have enough classical titles I'll never run out of good sturdy cases
I've only run into 1 of those Readers' Digest 3 disc comps once.

 

From my perspective a disc without a case isn't a term or condition. It is part of the item, not a contractual issue.
If part of the item is missing or damaged it should be on the item description, not the terms and conditions

 

I disagree entirely. Unless the jewel case was printed, coloured etc, it's as generic as an Amazon mailer. It;s like buying a used LP and complaining that the torn-off, discarded shrink wrap hasn't been included.

A plurality of opinion is to be expected.

 

“I’m too lazy to read a seller’s terms and conditions because they are more than three sentences long! I’m mad that they want to hold me to them and I’m going to take out my laziness on them!”

 

A cd comes in a case. If he is selling it without the case, part of the item is missing, whether coloured, fancy or plain. Cd's come in a case. It is not an opinion or preference, it is a simple statement of fact.

It is a product description issue, not a terms and conditions issue.