Counterfeit CDs

The thing is, does Amazon care? They have their "return anything you don't want" customer service to keep people happy (which, admittedly, is a fantastic resource), but they don't sell bootlegs directly (as in, "Sold by Amazon.com"), and the third-party sellers who they act as a distributor for undoubtedly sign contracts that waive Amazon's responsibility in the legal procedures and stuff. "By clicking Confirm, I agree that if I sell bootleg crap, Amazon will not be legally penalized for it."

Yes, it would be great if Amazon could/would hire people to do this. But they have nothing to lose besides perhaps a handful of fulfillment sellers or whatever they're called ("Prime Partners" or whatever). Amazon is not content with having the amount of money it does; it wants more, more, more! They're not going to hire people to test for stuff that their legal paperwork says they're not responsible for in the first place. They take their cut of bootleg BS, having waived all involvement in it, and if someone comes after them, it's nothing for them to just give up the $10 cut they took from that $40 Pink Floyd box set just to keep people satisfied.

 

I have an issue with the on demand CD-Rs too but to be fair they do disclose it - usually under the picture and price boxes and in tinier font. Have almost been duped a few times. “Imagine my luck that hard to find Elvin Jones Blue Note cd is available for $15!” Oops, “Note: this title is manufactured on demand when ordered from Amazon.com”

 

I tend not to buy from third party sellers on Amazon. I think there are more protections for buyers on eBay and it’s usually the same sellers. Amazon seems to have a problem with counterfeiting in general. There was an article in this week’s New York Times about how counterfeit books proliferate on eBay.

Paging Big Brother: In Amazon’s Bookstore, Orwell Gets a Rewrite

 

More alarming, the article states 11% of CD's shipped by Amazon itself are counterfeit.

 

They're phasing out that note, it seems. You happened to get lucky and see it. I didn't see it when I thought I finally found the Lakeshore Killing Them Softly soundtrack. I paid $22 for a worthless ripoff clone CD-R - $22 that I could have saved and put toward the genuine article. Bastards.

I haven't used Amazon in years because I just disliked the interface, found it hard to navigate. I didn't care about the "big evil corporation" thing. But after seeing **** like this, I'm glad I stopped supporting them and I won't be back. I'll stick to Discogs, where the prices are better and I know I'm not getting a cobbled-together knockoff.

 

Karma! Goddamnit! See what happens when you pitch a lot of honest sellers out with the bath water.

 

I haven't bought from Amazon since they purged all the small sellers.

 

I say you throw out the whole tub, then there won't be any problems at all!

 

Yeah, that purge, combined with the death of GoHastings, very quickly raised the base price of cheap CDs by several dollars on the Web.

That purge got done because the major labels wanted it.

 

Many fine used CD sellers got kicked off Amazon Marketplace in that purge, right as shops like Half.com and other cheap used CD vendors went offline. The major labels got their way and helped to gut the remaining used CD marketplace.

 

Can't say I really noticed. If anything, used CD prices are getting lower.

 

Not on Amazon.

 

Has me nervous. Thinking of pulling the trigger on the Tommy box set from a few years ago (Yes, I know I am late to the party).
Amazon listing says "fulfilled by Amazon" however, it is not in stock and states Oct availability.

Should I be scared? This box is not cheap.

 

Has anyone in this thread provided a verifiable way to know if any CD's they're buying on Amazon is or is not a counterfeit? And has anyone shown a difference in the sound quality because it's a counterfeit?

I'ld like to know myself because I certainly would rather buy from a reputable seller without having do all this refund foot work if I even suspect it's counterfeit. My advice is if it bothers you that it might be a counterfeit then contact the seller and express your concerns that if it turns out that you have proof it's a counterfeit you'll demand your money back and give the seller a bad rating.

Can't think of any other solution. Good luck with your expensive purchase.

 

I'd say proceed without worry. Something like the Tommy box usually hasn't been counterfeited. The Chinese operations have largely kept away from counterfeiting large sets that contained a variety of formats, especially ones that included Blu-rays and things like deluxe hardcovers. They tend to focus on CD-only sets with less lavish physical extras.

People don't realize that Pink Floyd included things like marbles and scarves in the Immersion because it added to the complexity of counterfeiting those sets.

 

Believe it or not I have had my best year of selling on Amazon. Now granted I am not making a ton of money. But I have been able to unload a lot of cd's for decent money.

 

I found their fees to be high for modest items.

 

This is true. I don't mind so much, as most stuff I sell is on the high end when it comes to price. Lot of film scores, most which have gone oop.