Amazon Blue Note CD-R experience

[riverrat]

I was pleased to find a "Like New" copy of Woody Shaw Bemsha Swing on half.com for $34.95, from seller known as book_barons.

The 2 CD set arrived sealed, apparently new, but without the barcode sticker along the edge of the case. There was good quality color album art and the CDs were nicely printed with the blue & white BN logo, but it white paint went clear to the center hole- no central ring of clear plastic. And the playing surface was bluish tinted- a dead giveaway.

A thread here explained that tiny print reading "Manufactured by CreateSpace, Scotts Valley, CA" along the barcode that would prove it was an Amazon CD-R and sure enough, there it was.

I contacted the seller and obtained permission to return it. The invoice is from a business called "chilibris" based in CT, but shows that returns go directly to Amazon- they apparently "fulfilled" the order for the seller, who claimed not to have known that they were sending me a CD-R.

So, in a nutshell, Amazon's "legal" Blue Note CD-Rs are either dishonestly, or honestly but ignorantly being sold as genuine CDs via third party sellers on half.com.

Personally, I have mixed feelings about this Amazon reissue scheme. On the one hand, it is good to have the music remain available and this is a creative business model for doing so for "traditional" CD customers. On the other hand, the either dishonest or, at best, incompetent lack of clarity regarding the fact that these are not genuine CDs is really annoying. I can testify from personal experience that CD-Rs don't last as long and aren't as durable. Besides that, steering clear of "fake" CD-Rs really matters to collectors.

Anyway, just thought I'd share my experience to help others avoid being fooled..

[Claude]

Given that Amazon offers new CDs, second hand CDs (sold by Marketplace sellers) and now also on demand CD-Rs, they should create seperate product pages for the CDs and the CD-Rs to avoid confusion. It's not the same product.

On the Bemsha Swing product page, one Marketplace seller is offering an original CD for $60, twice the price of the CD-R, and he stresses that it's a "Extremely rare ORIGINAL 1997 release on Blue Note. These are silver, factory-pressed CDs, and NOT the new "on demand" CD-R pressings."

Another seller is offering a disc for $65, described as "100% BRAND NEW - FACTORY SEALED !" It's most likely an original pressing, but the vague description would also be correct for an official CD-R (that would of course be overpriced).

The format of the discs should be identified by the product page, not by the information given by the Marketplace sellers.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000005GXL/

Edited February 27, 2009 by Claude

[David Ayers]

I posted some time ago that some UK classical manufacturers were selling CDRs as CDs. The problem is that it creates distrust. Buyers who are happy with CDRs maybe don't need to worry, but others do, and in any case there is a question of price point, it seems to me. If you pay a collector's price for what turns out to be a CDR you are likely to feel miffed. Buyers who feel uncertain about what they are being offered will err on the side of caution. That said, if it is advertised as CD-R, no problem.

[Claude]

Another problem is that this makes it possible for counterfeiters to sell similar but illegal CD-Rs on Ebay. The official CD-Rs can be resold on the second hand market just like any CD. Who will be able to check if a CD-R sold on Ebay is official or illegal, if the print quality is a good as the official discs ?

[robviti]

if this kind of crap becomes widespread and customer dissatisfaction increases, i wonder if more and more people will see lossless digital downloads as the best way to go?

[Patrick]

Has anyone else gotten something like this? I wonder just how many Twin Sisters customers there are...

Dear Amazon.com Customer,

We've noticed that customers who have purchased or rated Workout by Hank Mobley have also purchased Christmas Saxophone by Twin Sisters. For this reason, you might like to know that Christmas Saxophone is now available. You can order yours for just $8.99 by following the link below.

Christmas Saxophone

Twin Sisters

Price: $8.99

Album Description

The Leader in Children's Educational Music

This product is manufactured on demand using CD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.

Track Listings

1. The First Noel

2. We Three Kings

3. O Holy Night

4. Jingle Bells

5. Angels We Have Heard On High

6. Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming / Infant Holy, Infant Lowly

7. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

8. Coventry Carol / Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

9. O Little Town Of Bethlehem

10. O Come, O Come Emmanuel / What Child Is This?

11. Silent Night

12. Away In A Manger

[AndrewHill]

This is a real concern, especially if sellers are not making clear whether they are selling legit manufactured products or reproductions of said product.