Zoverstocks UK

I've bought a couple of used CDs from this company. Despite the claim all discs are inspected and in good condition I was sent one that they should have binned and not sold on because it was clearly (heat) warped and scruffy. It was so warped the seller couldn't fit the disc into it's holder. The disc was posted to me squeezed between the packaging/booklet (making it even more scuffed) and was almost impossible to remove due to the extremely warped condition. The sad thing is the seller must have been aware of this prior to sending.

The disc actually cracked when I tried to gently remove scuff marks and dirt from the playing surface.

The follow up cutomer service and subsequent refund happened very quickily but this one experience was enough to put me off contemplating doing any further business with them. I don't need the hassle or the disappointment of buying unplayable used CDs.

 

Sorry for the bump. I thought I'd share the Zoverstock's feedback stats as per today.



That is a very impressive! They selling 107K CDs per month. And this is only eBay. This not count Amazon marketplace. Zoverstock's is probably the biggest online (used) CD seller.

 

I've bought 20-30 cds from them in the last couple of years and all have been at least VG, most being Near Mint. Their prices are super low. You'll often find their Amazon listings are cheaper than Ebay so check there too.

 

I am deeply intrigued by the zoverstocks / musicmagpie business model.

Out of sheer curiosity I entered the bar code of a random CD and discovered that music magpie will pay me £0.27p for it. I then searched Amazon using the same bar code and discovered that zoverstocks would sell me a copy of the same CD for £0.31p + the standard Amazon delivery charge of £1.26.

So does their profit margin consist primarily of any volume discount they get on their postage costs?

As I said, deeply intrigued. Anyone out there have any thoughts or further analysis?

 

There the Go Hastings of the U.K
I don't care for big, big!volume cd sellers too many mistake made.

 

I ask myself that question about seller in the US ebay seller called Jay& Marie
theres no way they make money like they use to.

 

It's all about volume. They might only make a few pence per disc....but it all adds up.

 

I regularly get some great deals from them on forum recommended discs!
Their customer services department is OK by me.

 

They are fine if you want a great deal and you plan to spend more time listening to the disc rather than inspecting the bottom of it.

 

I've had a LOT of CDs from them over the last two or three months, mostly mid-eighties Music For Pleasure V/A comps. Straight transfers, no noise reduction used and all new-looking. Occasionally I have to use a new case but - as is usually the case - if I'm paying a penny for the CD, then it's no great hardship. Recently bought the Kinks' 'Hit Singles' late eighties disc on PRT for 37p. NEVER had any issues with them.

 

Zoverstocks is moving so much merchandise that there is almost no human intervention, aside from the people who pack the items for shipping in the warehouse. This means their pricing is handled entirely automated pricing programs. They've adopted a business model that they will be the low price leader on any item provided the competition meets their (automated) criteria. That means they will lose money on some sales, and assuredly leave money on the table for others. But they are doing a huge volume business and the overall margins are probably reasonably predictable. That's what matters in the end.

I will add that there is either an automated price check algorithm in place at the time of shipment, or else a human intervenes based on certain criteria, since they will sometimes cancel orders where their low price makes no sense. ($50 or $100 item for $3 kind of thing).

 

Do Jay & Marie even sell on Amazon? I NEVER see they show up among the low priced leaders...

 

I've never seen Jay and Marie on Amazon - I don't think they're there.

 

Jay and Marie have a fond place in my heart, because I got an original Reprise Hendrix Are You Experienced CD from them on eBay for less than $7 shipped. When I message'd them asking if they could check the matrix (to see if it was the non-RE version), I was surprised to get a response in much less than 24 hours - and that the response indicated they already knew about the RE/non-RE distinction. Very impressed.

Like others, I've never seen them on Amazon, and I doubt they would go there - if most of their eBay auctions sell (and it appears that a lot of them do), why give 30% to Amazon?

 

My last order was a mess.

I received a beat up disc from an entirely different artist. It was sent from a warehouse in Gibraltar with no indication of who the sender was. After closer examination I found a code (really small print) on the front, which I was able to match with the amazon order number. Luckily I had only a few outstanding orders, so it did not take that long.

The disc they sent was listed at £0.01 and they wanted it back.
The customer service was like speaking with a robot. I asked simple questions and got very long replies.
But I got a full refund plus £3.50 return shipping.

Don't think I will order from them again.

 

I just ordered my first disc from Zoverstocks... I figure it's risk-free, one cent, plus shipping. they shipped it right away, and it's en route. if the disc is beat up, a $4 refund should be easy to secure

 

My experience with mistakes is about 75% you need to return the disc--no matter how cheap it was--and 25% they tell you to keep it.

It's a hassle to return, which you have to do on your dime and then apply for reimbursement of the return shipping.

If you aren't willing to deal with that, then you might not want to play the game.

 

if those are your percentages, you're doing something wrong...

my pct. is 100% NOT returning... if it's the wrong item they sent, you have absolutely no requirement to send it back... if the disc is beat up, won't play properly, or damaged, I tell the seller I will not send it back for them to try to sell a crap disc to another buyer.

I've had about 15 cases, maybe 3 wanted the disc back

 

Well, I'll just say that your assertions with regard to your legal (or even moral) requirements are entirely incorrect and leave it at that.

And I'll add that I don't believe that I have a right, as a customer, to be a dick when the seller makes an honest mistake. But maybe that's just me.

 

I don't mind returning an item that was shipped by mistake
...as long as the item is worth more than the return shipping.

 

visit the FTC website and you will discover I'm right

 

Trust me, I don't have to visit the FTC website. If a company intentionally sends you unsolicited merchandise, you don't have to return it. That's not what's happening here.

If a company accidentally sends you the incorrect item, or an item arrives to you in a condition other than promised, you do have to return it, if requested. On their dime, but you have to return it.

 

that's the key here, and not what I was saying... and they have a short period of time to do so.

 

I ordered the Rush/"Clockwork Angels UK Fan Pack" edition from Overstocks recently. It was priced at only $10 while other seller listings started at $60 or more.

Well, when the item arrived, it was the hardback book CD packaging from the fan pack, but the rest of the stuff (magazine, key chain, etc.) were not included. I e-mailed zoverstocks about it and they gave me an immediate refund and told me to keep the CD. So no harm, no foul.