Discogs experiences-postive and negative*

It's hard to tell reliable sellers on Discogs, especially if you're looking for specific titles. Unfortunately, buying records through Discogs appears to be a gamble, as this thread demonstrates. I got lucky when I ordered my first (and so far only) LP through a Discogs seller; he offered me a discount, having accidentally over-graded it. This is not the case with all sellers. I would say that if you're looking for an album that is readily available, check seller feedback and choose the seller with the most positive feedback. I always check their negative feedback to see if any complaints are valid; very frequently, the seller will receive negative feedback based on something unreasonable (like the item not arriving within three days of shipment). If you think that the negative feedback is unwarranted and undeserved, check the positive feedback, and if you like what you see, place the order. Given the number of people who have trouble buying records through Discogs, I would say don't feel bad about paying a little bit more to guarantee you're getting what you want.

It also never hurts to send the seller a message asking for details about the item, shipping, or anything else. I find that sellers are almost always friendly about this, it never hurts to talk to them.

 

What's the point of the app though?
I use Discogs on my Android daily. I use the normal site, and scroll to the bottom and click "Desktop Site". Everything is at my finger tips. What's the benefit of the app?

 

If I am looking for a specific version I always send the seller a message beforehand asking him to confirm / double check. That's the best way to avoid disappointment.

 

I have placed over 160 orders through Discogs in the last two years and several of those orders contained two or three albums.
I've been very lucky since I've only had a few problems and those were with the shipping carriers and not the seller.
I check a seller's feedback rating but I also check the number of transactions they have.

What I really like about Discogs is that you have several sellers to choose from when you're considering an album.
You can easily compare prices, ratings and locations (the location will determine the shipping costs).

Discogs is always the first place I go to when I want to place an order.

 

That's surely good advice, and what I did before purchasing.
As stated, those sellers had (actually have) many completed transactions and respectable reputation. Can't remember right now but surely above 99%, which is my threshold.
I looked at comments and did not spot anything significantly worrying.

Which poses another problem, at least with regards to the record that was sold under a different catalog version.
Should I leave negative feedback?
People would expect that I asked to double check (fair enough). I would expect somebody to know what they are selling (as much fair ).
I was granted a refund (fair enough again). But I did not want that item in the first place , that's why i was looking for other versions! (as much fair).

So why did I accept a refund? Just to avoid the hassle to return the item, go to postal office and bla bla bla.
Which is probably the reason why some (many ?) sellers still think they have a good chance to unload some of their stock to somebody that will get content and not even get bad feedback.

Totally agree with this.
However, I am not happy to receive something over graded or a wrong version to start with, let alone saying if it cost even more than average...
Problem is, would a higher price be a guarantee to receive what you paid for?
If so, I am in...
But, though I do not have much experience with these regards, I am frankly skeptical.

Thanks to both of you for advice, I will certainly do so and ask for pictures. If nothing else, at least to understand how they react.
Silly me to take things for granted.
Lesson 1 learned.

 

With Discogs, I think it's the seller's responsibility to check that it's the right version of what they're selling. Discogs is a database for doing just that. However, the variations between pressings can be so minute and difficult to determine that I would generally allow some leeway, as long as it's not something obvious like an '80s repressing of a '60s record. In regards to feedback, base it on how the seller handled the situation. I would honestly say that if they were helpful, apologetic, and refunded your payment without demanding a return, I would give them positive feedback and say that the seller shipped the wrong item, but was very helpful afterwards. Advise potential buyers to check first before buying, because the seller will help them ensure it's the product that they want. If they aren't helpful, don't refund your money, don't apologize, or any combination of those, leave neutral or negative feedback and explain that you received the wrong item and the seller did little or nothing to help. Unfortunately, not everyone uses it for these reasons, but the feedback system isn't there for revenge, it's there to alert potential buyers to good and bad sellers.

 

If I am selling an item with a number of differing pressings, I will try and mention it in the item description i.e. "Original US pressing. No barcode" - you might find that some other sellers will do that too.

 

Here's the conclusion I've come to recently.

I would leave Neutral feedback. Why? Well, I pay most attention to Negative and Neutral feedback when deciding who I will purchase from. I don't read the 2,000 positives - I read the 10 negatives, and the 5 neutrals - those help me decide if this is the seller for me.

So - in the Neutral - you could put all the details - good and bad - and I believe that will help future buyers much more than just 'another' positive feedback which will get buried soon and never actually read...

 

For me the app is more optimized for a more limited screen size. I'm now on a Note 5 which has a pretty big screen and prefer the app since I'd be constantly pinch zooming in and out on Firefox. Though I have the screen locked to portrait for everything except Youtube, so YMMV.

I had an iPhone before this and the Discogs app is much better on Android.

 

I have had many good experiences on Discogs, but I am primarily a cd buyer. Often times I ask a question about the particular pressing,( catalog number etc...)before I buy... since photos are not included in the listing....

 

I`ve bought some really rare and great condition vinyl from Discogs lately at some pretty reasonable prices.International too,and I`m really happy for the most part.

 

I call phooey on the lazy sellers giving us all a bad name because that's exactly what it is. Every CD I have up on Discogs is for certain the pressing I'm selling. In fact, a lot of my own listings have been the providers of many an image on Discogs. I do understand your frustrations with these lazy sellers as I've been a victim once myself and have caught a couple of these lazy arses by inquiring before buying. Discogs should take a hard stand on these sellers, but for some reason don't, so buying and selling can become better for all of us.

 

Dave thanks for adding CD images to Discogs, I am pretty surprised by the quality of some of the CD entries for a vinyl centric website.

They are missing a bunch of entries for early/first Japan jazz discs, but after creating one new entry for a vinyl reissue and the constant things it kept asking me to check that was the last time for me.

 

I figured why not. I have a lot that isn't in their data base yet and plenty of time. I will be adding a lot more in the future time permitting of course.

I definitely noticed this as well but I don't have a vast collection of Jazz titles. Right, they are definitely after a "standard of adding" new releases and it's much more community orientated, much like here, than we were led to believe by it being so easy to start out and with definite rules. I was put on their Customer Improvement Program for not responding to correction posted advice from other members and some of them could be staff. Glad that's all behind me now.

 

Checking negative feedback is a good idea however it is not foolproof. I purchased Rolling Stones Exhile On Main Street 1975 German release from a scumbag in Germany - Ronald27 for 76 Euros place 9 Euros postage.

The records were poorly packed with no 'fragile please don't bend' written on the outside. Well they arrived snapped in two. I took photos contacted this scumbag immediately he initially told me it's okay the records are insured - then told me to return them at my cost. I gave him negative rating immediately because that was all I had over him & offered to withdraw once refunded

Well I got ripped off because scumbag then told Discogs I sent back a different record. He verbally abused & made threats of violence in our messaging I kept a cool head & Discogs told him to refund me which never happened.
He got banned for a couple of months and now he's back selling again. My feedback got removed as well which is disgraceful Discogs told me they could not say why.

 

I think it's easier to navigate on the app than through the browser on a cell phone.

 

just had a person back out of a 150 dollar purchase. i'm not happy. is there any recourse?

 

I don't think there's much you can do to force him to complete the transaction, and I doubt you want him to at this point (I wouldn't if I was the seller). But I believe as the seller you can cancel the order as non-paying buyer which then automatically leaves negative feedback for the buyer.

Curious, what did he give as the reason for backing out?

 

Co-sign what eddiel says - not a lot you can do aside from mark him down as non-paying.

TBH I prefer if somebody pulls out at the beginning of the transaction rather than stringing me along for a week or so.

 

he was very wishy-washy. I sent him an invoice and he said he couldn't pay via paypal because it wasn't available. I've had other folks pay with paypal so I knew that was bs. So I sent my email address and told him he could use that to pay me via paypal. Then he just said he was backing out. He was from the Netherlands so shipping wasn't cheap...maybe that's why he got cold feet.

 

NM vinyl from Discogs...




Seller made things right though.

 

I'm currently dealing with a seller who printed out my shipping label back on 5/31 but has yet to actually deliver it to the Post Office so it can get on its way to me. Checking the tracking it still says "pre-shipment status - a label has been created." I've messaged a couple times over the last two weeks but despite their promises to get it out quickly, it still has yet to move. The latest excuse was they were out of mailers and had ordered more. That was a week ago. I just today asked for a refund and not to bother sending the record. I placed the order way back on 5/26, this has just stretched out way too long.

Reading the seller's feedback, this seems to be a common occurrence, taking forever to actually ship the sales. Guess I should have taken that more to heart before actually ordering from them.

 

Adding records using your phone camera on the barcode, mainly. And it's easier to navigate than the site is when out and about.

 

I don't understand how the barcode reader works. Can it differentiate between different pressing that share the same barcode?

 

No, but it will bring them all up. You can then narrow it down very quickly by vinyl colour or country and can always check the deadwax info if that isn't enough (which I've never had to do).