Why do so many Amazon Marketplace sellers suck???

nspindel

I buy a lot of music (duh....). A lot of stuff is out of print, hard to find, etc. I can't even count the number of times the sellers on Amazon send the wrong version. You order a remaster, you get the original. You order a mofi gold cd, you get the original. Today's screw up was Billy Joel The Stranger on SACD. I didn't want the new mofi one, I wanted the out of print Columbia one. Amazon has many listings for the Stranger, including separate and accurate listings for the mofi and Columbia SACD's. I ordered one that was listed as the Columbia SACD, in acceptable condition, Seller described that it had no artwork or original case, and had scratches not affecting play. It was listed for $50. Typically sells for $75 and up, so I was good with the missing artwork and scratches as long as it played fine.

What shows up in my mailbox today? The Columbia SACD? Nope. The Mofi SACD? Nope. The remastered cd? Nope. The original 1990 cd that sellers list for a penny? Yup! It's just inexcusable to list something at a premium price and not check the accuracy of the item.

A few weeks ago I ordered the 180g vinyl Rhino Black Sabbath Master of Reality, new/sealed. Opened it up, and it was so warped that I couldn't get the needle to track. So I return it, fair enough, and buy same title from a different Amazon seller. What shows up? Not the Rhino version, but the NEMS version. I contact the seller for a refund. Seller replies "Does it really matter?". YES IT FREAKIN' MATTERS!!!

These are just a couple of examples from the past few weeks. But I've had problems with the Amazon sellers for years. In most all other product categories on Amazon I've never had a problem. But seriously, over the course of many years buying music on Amazon, if I'm buying from the marketplace sellers I seriously think I have a 50% satisfaction rate. Max. And it's not like I'm buying from the same people. I try to remember the sellers who've screwed up so I don't buy from them again. But it seems like they almost all suck!

nspindel

Lemonade from lemons - just scored a still sealed original 1977 vinyl Stranger on eBay for about 1/3 of the cost of the SACD!

DMara

I bought some stuff on Amazon Marketplace such as an Escort Redline radar detector and a URC MX-6000 wireless controller without any issue. I guess it's hit or miss.

nspindel

As I mentioned in the original post, I've bought many types of products from Amazon marketplace sellers, generally there's not an issue. The problem seems limited to buying music. Idiot sellers see a listing for Billy Joel The Stranger for $100, so they assume their piece of **** scratched cd is a steal at $50, without bothering to check what version they have. I just don't understand why these music sellers just list things willy nilly without doing their due dilligence.

gdb

Accurate feedback is a wonderful "teaching tool" for such sellers.............

gdb

Unrelated for the most part but......funny nonetheless !:cheesygrin:

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/customer_service

nspindel

I left some 1-star feedback for this Billy Joel seller today, don't you worry.

F1nut

I agree Neil, the music sellers generally leave a lot to be desired.

headrott

They sure do. I bought Steve Vai's "Flex-Able" on CD that was listed as a Japanese import for $31.99. Fine.....But what shows up? The US CD that you can get for about $13.99. I e-mailed the seller. No response whatsoever. Idiots. I have had some good experience with some Amazon sellers as well however.

nspindel

Did you file a claim with Amazon? If the item is mislisted you'll get your money back every day of the week. I've never not gotten a refund, it's just the pain in the **** factor. I've had some good experiences with sellers as well, there are some good ones. But it just seems the success rate with buying music on Amazon is quite low. I seriously think that half of the music transactions I do there end up being returned. Other types of merchandise are generally fine. One example of a good seller on Amazon is Newberry Comics. That's a quality store in Boston, they know what they're doing, and if I see them selling the item I want I'll buy from them every time, even if they're a buck or two more.

VSchneider

I wondered, too, and the same likely applies any time you want a specific release of a media item - a particular book edition, DVD or CD/SACD. I have had Amazon store (not a market seller) ship a CD instead of SACD, too. After all, to the person listing/packing your item - it is round, it is shiny, the album cover is right... I bet It would be much harder to list or ship a wrong model DVD player or digital camera. The majority of the general public I bet has not heard of SACD format much less understands the difference, or why a particular printing of a book might be more desirable (hey, isn't it better on Kindle anyway?)

It took me another 15 minutes on the phone with the Amazon rep that one particular time to explain their shipping mistake after I had already provided them with actual Amazon product pages and ASIN's. "I am sorry, I don't see a difference other than $1.24 in price." The refund was promptly offered after that, but it wasn't worth it. The SACD was apparently out of stock for weeks.

nspindel

So I'm kind of glad this happened. With the money I now did not spend on the Stranger SACD, I managed to buy still sealed original vinyl pressings of the Stranger, Glass Houses, and 52nd Street!