DCC Archive Half.com woes

I've bought a fair amount of stuff off Half over the last year or so. However, it seems to be in decline. Has anyone noticed that:

-coupons are much more scarce now, and less generous
-it's become a flea market on the Internet
-shipping prices went up, and continue to be absurd ($2.33 for media mail for 1 CD?!?!)

Recently they had one of those rare 'returning customers' coupons, so I tried to use it. After tearing through piles of feedback for the stuff I was considering, I figured it wasn't worth the risk/hassle.

My sister, meanwhile, used the same coupon to buy some videos. Turns out the "brand new, factory sealed" item was a previous rental, and they hadn't bothered to take off the "E-Z Video" sticker (see comment about about 'flea market on the Internet').

Now, I bit the bullet the other day and ordered two SACDs for myself: Head Hunters and the Byrds' GH. The former showed up today and it was...a sealed stock BMG Music Club CD, for which I paid about $10 pre-coupon. Both sellers had 4.9/5.0 ratings, so I thought they would have the good sense to know the diff between "SACD" and "CD." Nope.

What's fun also is when people list stock CDs as gold titles, then ask $30 for them.

Discuss, or if you don't like this thread, talk about the progressive movement.

 

Hate to burst thy public bubble, but the progressive movement is caviat emptor. Don't feel too bad though. Here's some facts.

CD, DVD and SACD prices are such that, the best you're off on, is buying them in a used CD store on foot. Ok, let's put this aside.

When users log into half.com (including large volume flea marketers who dump tons of CDs) sellers can either use a UPC code or a Artist/Title to list. Guess what? Both have turned up unrealiable. I tried to buy 7-10 DTS Cds and they turned out to be all ordinary Cds. I DID get to return it, but I got screwed for $13 worth of shipping costs. I talked to someone who works for Half.com (ebay) and they said, many people just put artist and title in and they don't watch out for (or understand) what SACD or DTS is, so they leave it there. All they care about is their price is there and correct, and so is the track listing. Ugh with a capital Ugh.

Coupons, huh? Yes, a lot of people were using them more than once, per user name, and they stopped that. Screw coupons, half.com is gonna git cha anyways. Yes the prices of shipping and markup are insane. However, a lot of retailers on the Internet are charging $4-8 flat-rate for UPS per 3 items, and tough noogies - no 1st class, 4th class or media mail on their web site. Pitty.

Feedback isn't as refined as eBay. Idiots do buy from Half, and leave good feedback for sending CDs at all. Some of the vendors have treated me good. Others, well I have a couple of words for them, and they ain't Merry Christmas.

Now, Half.com supposedly has let in "buyer ask" interfacing now. They didn't before. Does it help? Donno. I've never bothered with half.com [since] for many reasons, only one of them being I've wanted to strangle a few vendors.

It does work OK getting rid of a couple of loose Cds. Everyone buying from me has been pleased. But then again, I'm not a 2-dollar kind o' guy, and I DO take care of my stuff.

Some of your rant was definately on the money, but as far as shipping and coupons go, look around. You don't get this treatment all over the place. For the most part, don't buy ANY specialized media there like SACD, DVD-A or DTS-CD.

I did get a LD copy of "25X5" Rolling Stones documentary, and sometimes you can't find that on eBay.

Half.com can suck. Caviat Emptor. Make it worth it not to suck, or buy it on foot, my friend. Thanks for letting me rant over your's.

[ December 27, 2001: Message edited by: Sckott ]

 

Hi Patrick, I've got to say I agree & disagree with you on this one. I know, I know make up your mind will ya !?! I've bought about 8 titles on half.com over the past 3 months and have gotten some great deals. For example:

BB King-Live At The Regal (MFSL)-sealed:$16.95

John Mayall-Bluesbreakers (MFSL)-sealed:$19.95

Muddy Waters-Folk singer (MFSL)-sealed:$19.95 *I think someone didn't know what they had*

Ray Charles-Greatest Hits 1 & 2 (DCC)-like new $9.99 ea.

I also got the 2 OOP Dr.John Bluesiana Triangle CD's still sealed for $4.99 ea

However, 2 of my friends got burned on Half.com with CD's & videos in the month of Dec. with "Like New" titles that should have listed as "acceptable".

Shipping is OK. I've seen better and I've seen worse. Some online stores are charging as much as $6.95 for "standard shipping". Talk about padding your sale !

I guess it really comes down to luck with half.com. I've been lucky but there are plenty who have not.

-ED

[ December 27, 2001: Message edited by: Ed In NY ]

 

Scott, my "progressive movement" comment was a SNL/Mike Meyers reference ("Coffee Talk"). Kudos to anyone who caught that. BTW, it's "caveat."

Also, not to beat the same tired, dead, rotting horse here, but I *****DO******* beat the pavement for used stuff ****ALL THE TIME****. But you should already know that.

Case in point: picked up a MoFi Tull "Thick as a Brick" yesterday for $16. (And MFSL 2112 last week for $13 -- different store.) Anyhoo, while supporting my LOCAL INDEPENDENT STORE (on foot) by buying this Tull CD, I asked the store owner if he was carrying any SACDs. He said, "We've carried Bjork." Then told me he didn't think the format was going to survive and I would have to special order anything I wanted.

So, not to be nasty, but please don't tell me to beat the pavement any more. If you can tell me where to pick up second-hand or reasonably priced SACDs within a 90 miles radius, I've got my car keys and am ready to go.

 

Sorry Patrick. I basically treated your post like you were someone I didn't know as well, cuz people don't know we talk amongst ourselves so rudely behind everyone's back via email (OOPS!!). I'm sure you understand. However, I don't know why ya dunked your head in half.com barrel for SACDs. It's true; Although I'm sure that no one meant any harm, I still got reamed on shipping to GET the idems and then return em. Maybe you didn't read my nutty experience with half.com a while back. Now, you woulnd't get me to buy anything but ordinary CDs because I now know what kind of people sell CDs there, and they can be much less knowledgeable than a record store clerk in Borders.

You know I think you're a good doobie. You also have the "the luck" sometimes! Not like I've NOT been hurt but if the same predictable mess turns up, I go somewhere else (and try not to do it again, leasyt I put another quarter in the "DON'T" jar!). I'm all for trouble free shopping! You're right, I shouldn't be reminding you to shop on foot. I should just email you new sneakers with no body in the message. I'll do it too. You know ME that way!

What's aggrivating, is I know this guy who could benefit from eBay big time, but he's gotten nothing but reamed... I can't say I blame him for disliking eBay, but he gets all bent out of shape when I tell him "Oh, I bought it at eBay". Hey, that's another extreme. I say be careful. SACDS on half? Yah, right. It's Missy-Moo-Moo from Jersey who's just figuring out email, sadly.

Post is brought to you by 'I should keep my dirty little mouth shut.'

Good used SACDs? I'm thinking the labels are getting so hung from bad investments, I say buy what you want while you still can. There's no "out of print" fairy that'll remind you to buy "now" before they're shipped away from stores and back into eBay. Someday a Blonde On Blonde SACD might go for sick money. Apologies, amigo. I'm also a bad speller, among other things.
(Edited for spelling)

[ December 27, 2001: Message edited by: Sckott ]

 

Sorry to be so PMS, i/o PSM.

I guess I should have used the "ask seller question" thing, but I was eager to get these. Simple reality is that it sucks when you have a nice resource like half that you can't trust. Before buying these "SACDs," I passed on a DCC "Made in Japan" (which I very much wanted, but didn't trust the seller) and MFSL "Surfing with the Alien" (same).

 

Nah, Don't feel badly. You'll find these things, just keep peelin' them eyes. Can't tell you how many incredible things I've found just being anal and relentless (sounds like a bad porn movie title). As I said I was looking for 360s' of Chicago and such, they were right in front of you and you sent em to me. Something that's worked well is communitcation. What HASN'T worked is getting Missy-Moo-moo to know the fact that her Tubular Bells CD isn't ah, SACD on Half(brains).com

Maybe there's some DCCers that can help ya, if not, maybe someone that has CDRs of those titles so you can save the eye peel? If you network some "wants", then more people can help ya out. You've certianly helped me that way. Don't pass up what works, Patrick!! I'm a big believer in communication being a big folcrum in pulling stuff out of the dark. Remember?? Tsk tsk. Nah, you couldn't have forgotten.

If anyone can help Patman, maybe he can save his CD "jones" so he can get those speakers done with piece of mind. Keep it up!

[ December 28, 2001: Message edited by: Sckott ]

 

Well I did use the "ask seller question" thingy to little advantage. After receiving the regular title for the DCC Gold Nat "King" Cole's Greatest, I decided to query the next two "vendors" to make sure it was the right item. I asked them if this was the "DCC Gold Disc version"... Two positive replies, "Yeah it's the right one!" Cool, went for the more expensive one. He cancels out after two days. OK, go to the next in line. I receive the CD 3 days later - the REGULAR version! Ack! I query this vendor again, and she replies, yeah well it looked the same to her... Sheesh! I have made some killer deals in the past, but it is hit and miss. I stick with the "known" vendors as much as possible, and then it seems to work out OK...

 

Yeah - half.com....hmmmmm...

Hit and Miss.

Caveat Emptor.

Good advice.

Picked up the MFSL Woodstock CD set for $75 (twice!) sold it on ebay for $250 each time. Just picked it up again (for $50!) and will keep this set as it is beautiful...I really like the e-mail notices when a scarce item that is on your wish list becomes available...it's like a race to see which buyer will get it...have scored numerous good deals this way...

On the other hand...did get burned a couple of times on "Gold" CD's that weren't and some crappy BMG issues - still, it's better than the "selection" at our local used music stores here in the desert....

Happy New Year!

Ben

 

If it's just a normal CD that you want (and you don't care WHAT issue you get) Half.com might be nice. Like, if you just want a Def Leppard CD to replace the scratched one you have, and your beast friend ruined the disc in a "thinking" accident. Duh.

Ah, then someone has it for $3.99 without artwork. That works, eh? Ooh, w/shipping means $5.53... Then the disc comes media mail with cute little teddy bears on the return address sticker. "Thank you for buying my CD!!" Ah, my Def Leppard "High N Dry" Cd. I can now love life and cut down on my medication. (big Homer Simpson WOOHOO!)

Yeah, it's very true I find DCC and MFSL Cds all over the place. If you've got a real bad itch to get something specific, as long as its OOP and/or Rare (like imports, and no one on line can help) I think that shouting in public ("DCC Orbison needed or I'll shoot this dog!!")

I believe it's just as important as asking for what tubes to buy, someone giving them to you, or asking for help publiclly. Hey, if someone's buried in copies of Jethro Tull's MFSL "Stand Up" and you want one, can't two wrongs make a right?

To go back to the starting rant, take a look at most CDs on half.com, add shipping and impatience. Then go down to your local lamebrain used record store. Either they'll have it, or you'll forget totally about why you went to half, because you've found better Cds and you can take them home NOW.

I'll make it clear, as many people and companies on half.com are good, very good. But if you look at the score, half.com loses by more than half.

 

Recently, on half.com, I received what was supposed to be DCC 24K EJ's Greatest Hits and it turned out to be the Polydor aluminum version. I used their dispute process, the seller never responded and they issued me a full refund including S&H. Don't hesitate to use this feature if the product isn't as advertised.

 

One more thing to say about eBay and half.com

They can be a sucky experience, true, however my record and CD collection wouldn't look as good without them!

As Metallica would say: "Sad but true."

Best to the Board and Happy New Year!

Ben

 

Thanks for the heads up, Jay. I have been having problems myself but half. com sure doesn't make it easy to submit a Buyer Protection Report when the seller doesn't respond to your problem report. I've sent them an email which I'm half expecting them not to respond to.