Discogs experiences-postive and negative*

I only buy digital , my experience with Discogs has been awesome. Great communication from people I asked questions of, some excellent deals on rare items (better deals than our classifieds). I have over 100 transactions, not one instance of overgrading CDs.

 

Account closed. Done with Discogs.

The final step was after I told the seller that we would have to agree to disagree, and that while life is too short for either of us to get into a pissing war over a record, I was disappointed with his grading system (I see that he has gotten a negative from someone else for over-grading since I left mine for him 2 or 3 days ago) as well as his retribution feedback. I only have/had 8 total feedbacks on Discogs as a relatively new & light user, and he responded with, "Make note of the fact that my positive percentage is higher than yours: FACT!" Ridic!

In my defense, I have been selling on eBay--the majority LP records--recreationally since 1999. In that time I have received nearly 2,800 feedback ratings, and not even one negative or neutral: 100% positive sales in 18 years. The small handful of issues that have come up, I have always apologized profusely, and offered the seller a full refund including shipping both ways. I can recall two instances where the sales were international in which case I offered $$ back to make the deal palatable. That's the cost of doing business and it's solid customer service. I cannot imagine taunting a buyer like this.

I have learned my lesson with buying internationally, and I am certainly done with Discogs. There is no point in even having a feedback system where the seller turns around and leaves a negative in retribution--as I see that my guy has done at every instance--to the point where a wronged buyer will not leave bad feedback for fear of receiving one in kind.

 

I can understand your disappointment. But it always astonishes me how much people care about their feedback as a buyer.

Joachim

 

Whatever. It astonishes me that apparently you're willing to put all this energy and thought into feedback and little to no effort into simply getting your money back and moving on. Did Paypal tell you you'd be on the hook for return postage?

 

There are many people online (including here) whom refuse to use Paypal.

 

Yes.

 

In my experience with my ~ 30 CD/box purchases from Discogs the majority have been graded 1 grade too high. IME people on the sale forums here grade much more accurately. But since I rip everything (EAC sails through most things, until you hit the G/P grades) and am not a collector this doesn't bother me, since I set my expectations/purchase prices accordingly.

My major complaint with Discogs is the iPhone app is not very good.

 

Agreed on all counts. I've had a great experience with discogs - about 30 transactions, two of which were so-so (sent wrong version/pressing but gave refund without me having to return the disc) and the rest excellent. Everything I've seen online about this leads me to believe that vinyl buyers have much more hit-or-miss experiences on discogs (which they probably do almost anywhere online that one can buy used vinyl).

I also greea bout the iOS app - it provided very little benefit, and it wouldn't keep me logged in - and when it forced me to log in each time, it would actually open Safari to do the actual login, which was ridiculous. It also created a situation where when I went to the site on my laptop or desktop computer, it would no longer remember my login there either. I deleted it from my phone and am much better off for it.

 

HARRUMPH!

I just hope none of you come crying to me expecting a little coke & sympathy after a bad cybernetic record deal has left you on the outside looking in!

DOUBLE HARRUMPH!

 

I've been on discogs since the site was launched basically. Used Gemm and Musicstack before that. It's always been a crapshoot. If you find good sellers, add them to your list because they are becoming more and more rare, especially with the vinyl trend that's going on now and brick and mortar stores moving away from selling used CDs. Lots of amateur hour sellers flooding the site. Ebay is the same quagmire.

 

I'm just surprised. When I asked as an American seller if I'd be responsible for paying to get my item returned if I got a SNAD (Significantly Not as Described) claim from overseas, they said as the seller it would be my responsibility to pay to get the item back if I wanted it returned. Did you actually file a claim and get this ruling, or just talk to someone on the phone?

 

I recently had an issue with an item not as described and Paypal told me that return postage was my obligation BUT, they would cover up to $30 of that cost if I wanted to claim it back from them. So I didn't have to pay for the postage but the seller wasn't on the hook for it. Unlike eBay who make the seller pay for the return postage.

 

Seller with a good reputation has a CD without any "sleeve" grading. I e-mailed him two days ago, with no response. With my luck, if I purchased it, it'd be just the disc.

 

I see the "VG+" rating has come up a few times in this discussion. In my experience, this rating on Discogs is the one sellers take the most "license" with. Before I found my 4-5 reliable sellers that I do not stray from, I did have many issues with lps graded VG+ yet had deep scratches and gouges among other things. In most instances, I kept them and didn't complain. In two instances I did complain, because the overgrading was almost comically bad. I was super polite in both instances. I simply called this to their attention- I didn't ask for anything. One guy was super cool, he offered to send me replacements at no charge or a refund. The other guy was a total jerk - lecturing me on how my turntable must suck, I don't have a 6 million dollar RCM - all that holier than thou crap. So if you are out their in cyberspace and you sold someone a totally trashed Iron Maiden LP for $25, I hope you get many splinters while sliding down the banister of life

 

This. I've been in the OPs shoes and I always call paypal, explain the situation, and am never responsible for return shipping. They have always refunded my money and thanked me for being a customer for 1.5 decades.

The last issue I had was similar. Seller from Europe, I asked if he could double check the VG+ condition because overseas shipping is expensive. He did and said it played virtually noise free. When I received it, the album was extremely marked up with surface noise everywhere overpowering the music. I called PayPal and they refunded me. It's worth the time to give it a shot.

 

Well - I just made my 50th purchase on Discogs. So I have 49 positive feedback as a buyer. Just having my first negative experience. Kind of.

Usual stuff I've read in this thread. The record was graded as NM/M-. Seller has about 30 positive sells - 100% positive. Some feedback even praise the grading for the records.

So, pull it out and... Well I took a photo:



There's a click click click every rotation for about 7 minutes... Sure - it's a metal band - so it can get lost in the mix - but it's there absolutely in the less complicated parts and in between tracks loud and clear.

So. I'm in Canada - he's in Canada. I've never left anything less than 5 star rating before - and I don't want to - so I sent him this message tonight:

Thanks for shipping the LP out so fast. I wanted to ask you if you're aware of the scratch on side 2 - that covers half of the side of the album - and creates an audible click through 1.5 songs on side 2 and runs into the dead wax. There are a few other smaller scratches, but this is the one I wouldn't expect from a NM or M- rating. If you have an email address I could send you a photo of the scratch.

I've never left anything less than 5 stars on Discogs, and I've never encountered a scratch like this on a record of this rating so I wanted to mention this to you before I do any feedback.

Anyways - will see what happens. If he offers to take it back and pay shipping then all good. If not - then...

PS - I'm not being too anal about the record not being NM/M- am I?

 

The main Discogs problem is not having any photos of the actual product for sale. On Ebay if I see a cover overgraded then I just don't believe the vinyl grade.

 

Nope not being too anal. A record with that grade and a scratch like that? It should've been disclosed. I bet he probably didn't even see it. Quick visual grade is probably what happened and he was just lucky with the other items he sold. Just one possible explanation.

If he doesn't cover the return postage and you also paid via paypal you can ask paypal to cover the postage. They'll cover up to $30. Make sure you send it back with tracking. If you click on the Paypal transaction, it'll open up and there should be a link near the bottom of the transaction details to request return postage refund. You'll need to provide a copy of the postage receipt so make sure you keep that.

 

Thanks for the info.

I just woke up and checked my email - Full refund from Paypal already - and a message that just says "I must have missed it I will refund you your purchase price".

I can appreciate someone who is willing to do the right thing, right away. He didn't even ask to see photos of the scratch though which I know I would if I was surprised about somehitng like this. Still - I'm happy and will work out the rest of the details here.


JUST noticed - he only refunded the LP price - not the shipping I paid.

 

starting to think discogs isnt worth it. Recently bought an album from DIIV on there advertised as brand new, mint, still sealed. It arrived with creases and wearing on the cover including some of the actual cover pealing off, scratches and fingerprints on the vinyl and the download code it comes with had already been used. Seller was pathetic and tried to fudge the issue and accused me of being defamatory.

 

Sorry to hear that.

At the same time I placed my NM order - with photos above - I place 4 more orders with 4 other sellers. All NM condition. will see what transpires as they arrive. I have to admit - having people argue their 'defective' products is enough to turn a lot of people off many online sites...

 

Just received my most recent Discogs order.

This is from Supertramp - Paris Media Graded NM/M-

These photos contains 'some' of the scratches from all 4 LP sides.

 

And more...

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Discogs is far from perfect they make it difficult for new sellers to add new items, some of the info is totally not necessary kind of petty. many of my entries are better than the pictures posted, and they never show vinyl because it would not be similar. I've had had to many non paying buyers and they won't communicate.
I try to respond as rapidly as possible. But listing is easy and have decent sales without paying all the fees ebay has.

 

Overall, Discogs has been very good for both buying and selling (IME).

I used to sell on eBay but got turned off due to high(ish) fees, etc....