Examples of ridiculous CD prices

I came across three examples (quite by accident) on Amazon of compact disc boxed sets being sold for astronomical prices. Has anyone else seen the same? Any thoughts as to why this is happening (or being allowed to happen)? Just my opinion, but selling music at these prices is just begging the consumer to look to illegal file sharing sites for the music/liner notes. Also, prices like these keep the liner notes from being obtainable by the average man/woman.



Screen Shot 2020 12 17 at 2 42 29 PM — Postimages


Screen Shot 2020 12 17 at 2 43 03 PM — Postimages


Screen Shot 2020 12 17 at 2 44 07 PM — Postimages (notice the "new" price on this one)

 

Fortunately, when I owned all three of these sets, I ripped them in .wav format and scanned the liner notes. I feel sorry for anyone that wants to buy these sets now.

 

Another example of pricing insanity

Screen Shot 2020 12 17 at 2 51 41 PM — Postimages

 

... and another ....



Screen Shot 2020 12 17 at 2 53 22 PM — Postimages

 

Aren’t these just because of a pricing algorithm?

 

Again, look at the new price on this one...



Screen Shot 2020 12 17 at 2 56 26 PM — Postimages

 

I'm not sure. I was wondering why they are all $902

 

I can't see the screen shots and therefore do not know specifically what you are posting ---

however, I have seen things like that in my own searches, when said box set has gone out of print.
(specifically --- a couple box sets I bought in the '90s, foolishly got rid of, and then decided 10 years later I wanted to reacquire them. Which ultimately did not happen)

I suspect that the person(s) posting them do not really want to sell them, but would do so for the right amount of money (a lot).

 

This.

 

One thing I've noticed is Amazon is really high priced on OOP CDs. Usually ebay will have them for much less. I do always wonder if people buy those CDs on Amazon.

 

The shipping is reasonable.

OP: Is it the same seller for all?

 

The pricing algorithm that either Amazon has for sellers, or a third party software that sellers are using, is broken. I can't tell you how many CDs I've seen with $902 whatever at Amazon that I picked up elsewhere for less than $10, or even less than $5.

Amazon used to be a good place to buy used CDs but really isn't anymore. It started a few years back when they decided to kick out all the smaller volume sellers that were selling from personal collections. Now what's left are mostly bulk sellers that re-wrap buffed used discs or sell discs that look like they were run over regardless of stated "condition".

 

Yes, I love my copy of Coltrane's Complete Impulse Studio Recordings set but if someone offers me $270 for it, I'd be hard pressed to say no.

 

I don't think it is all, but some of them are from a seller called Mega-Movie-Deals

 

Screen Shot 2020 12 17 at 5 29 11 PM — Postimages

 

Screen Shot 2020 12 17 at 5 30 20 PM — Postimages (used from $969 )

 

Sounds about right.

Something called Thebookcommunity_ca often has disks I might like, but not at its ridiculous prices. Amazon sends me emails about what I might like, and I posted a review to the effect "not at that price", and Amazon rejected my comment.

 

I'm not sure what is meant by Amazon's pricing algorithm for third party sellers. Does Amazon suggest a maximum selling price? As far as I know, anyone who has a seller account can post an item at any price they want. That Miles Davis - Chronicle set currently has a high price of $456.60, or about $500 less than yesterday. The lowest used price is $159.

I know that Amazon uses an algorithm for their own pricing, which is typically why dvd/blu-ray prices are the same on Amazon as at their competitors, and go up/down at the same time.

 

This is only a problem is shop at Amazon, and only Amazon. That site tends to throw up things like this all the time, there's not a whole lot of meaning behind it. As the saying goes, it's not what you're asking for, but how much people are willing to pay that matters. The chances of anyone meeting these prices is remote, imo. To find true aberrations you'd have to look across at least Amazon, Ebay, and Discogs and compare to find obscene prices.

 

It's because the box set is out of print. I passed on a box set that originally sold for ~$60 back in the mid 90's. Now you can't touch it for under $200. Had I known about the OOP aftermarket I would have invested in box sets.

 

Aren’t these all just third party sellers that are looking to score?

All they end up doing is looking stupid. Entertaining though, in a way.

 

It's just a quirk in the system. Probably something to with bots of third-party sellers. I'm sure you can google it, or find an explanation on reddit. I have a paperback in my shopping cart that just went up to $1,036.

 

Beatles , White Album
Abbey Road
Let it Be
Rubber Soul
Anthology 1
Anthology 2
From a thrift store in Tampa ,all mint ,25 cents each !
At the same store ,five years ago, I picked up an unpeeled 'Butchers Sleeve' for 10 cents !
On the other hand on my travels I have seen ridiculous prices attached to media that will never sell even if they do a 50% off sale .

 

Here is an eight-song CD.


The reissue has a plain white cover with no pictures of the band, but has two bonus tracks. It is only $30. Oh, and it's their worst album.

 

I was buying CDs from Amazon way back when it was called "CD Now". Yeah some of those high prices are decoys. A seller will list two of the same title, one at a super high price and the other at a moderately high price. It is an old ploy that often works.