mdf@osu-eddie.UUCP (Mark D. Freeman) (02/07/86)
I just joined the Columbia Record Club and received my shipment of 13 albums from the introductory offer. Looking closely at the album jackets reveals something possibly sinister. "Manufactured by Columbia House" appears on the back of most of the album jackets. The type is the same on each one, regardless of the other type on the album jacket. Are the albums, jackets, or sleeves in any way different than those I would find in record stores? I'd hate to be buying albums that were different than what I should reasonably expect. Nowhere did the membership offer mention different manufacturing of the records. In some book clubs, I understand that the offers clearly state that some of the books that are being offered are 'special club editions', whatever that means. If this is true of the records, why isn't anyone being told? Should I really care (other than as a matter of principle)? -- <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Mark D. Freeman Guest account at The Ohio State University StrongPoint Systems, Inc. mdf@osu-eddie.UUCP 209 Olentangy Street Mdf@Ohio-State.CSNET Columbus, OH 43202-2340 Mdf%Ohio-State@CSNET-RELAY.ARPA !cbosgd!osu-eddie!mdf I disclaim even my very existance. Acceptance without proof is the fundamental characteristic of Western religion, Rejection without proof is the fundamental characteristic of Western science. -- Gary Zukav from "The Dancing Wu Li Masters" <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
rcook@uiucuxc.CSO.UIUC.EDU (02/09/86)
I've had no problem with the quality of albums form C R&T club, but would
like to mention something about the deal.
Yes, you are getting albums for pretty cheap (somewhere around $5/album).
NO, its probably not a very good deal. Consider the following:
1. Unless you like VERY "popy(sp?)" music, you don't get a real good
selection of music.
2. Shipping can cause problems like warpage (albeit rare, but will happen
eventually).
3. If you forget to send in your response card, you WILL get the selection
of the month (usually the album with the HOT video on MTV about 2 months
previous to the fact, this could be wrong since I watch next to no MTV).
4. You (and your next 4 generations) WILL get "stuff" from them until your
natural life is over. Even after you go through the hassle of terminating
your membership.
The bottom line is: you are better off buying albums when you want at a
local discount record store. You get what you want, when you want it,
and can return (easily) if it has a problem. After taxes, stamps,
shipping and the very steep prices C R&T club puts on their selections
(at least 12.95 + tax), you CAN do better in the long run by avoiding
this so called deal.
The advantage: I used C R&T club to get my album collection off the ground.
I had only a couple albums and wanted to listen to music desperately.
So you could say I'm "paying interest on my music loan"
Rob Cook
UUCP: {ihnp4,pur-ee}!uiucdcs!uiucuxc!rcook
'Life is just a cocktail party on the street'
-Mick Jagger- rjp392@uiucuxf.CSO.UIUC.EDU (02/10/86)
/* Written 10:58 pm Feb 6, 1986 by mdf@osu-eddie.UUCP in uiucuxf:net.consumers */
/* ---------- "Columbia Record Club" ---------- */
I just joined the Columbia Record Club and received my shipment of 13 albums
from the introductory offer. Looking closely at the album jackets reveals
something possibly sinister.
"Manufactured by Columbia House" appears on the back of most of the album
jackets. The type is the same on each one, regardless of the other type on
the album jacket.
[...]
--
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Mark D. Freeman Guest account at The Ohio State University
/* End of text from uiucuxf:net.consumers */
Several years ago, I borrowed a record from a friend of mine. I noticed a
sticker saying "Manufactured under license by Record Club of America."
The sound wasn't very good, and, after I bought a brand-new copy of it at a
nearby record store and compared the two, I found that the record store copy
was FAR superior. Needless to say, that turned me off of record clubs!
Also, in a local record swap place, I've noticed a lot of used "Record Club
of America" albums...
-----
"Watch out where the huskies go, and don't you eat that yellow snow!"
-Frank Zappa
-----
Russell J. Price
University of Illinois
UUCP: rjp392@uiucuxf.UUCP
{convex, ihnp4, pur-ee, seismo}!uiucdcs!uiucuxa!uiucuxf!rjp392
{pyramid, pyrnj}!pyrchi!/
sequent!/
ARPA: rjp392@uiucuxf.CSO.UIUC.EDU
FIDO: LawBoard, Champaign, IL, Net 11 Node 102 (Russ Price)avolio@decuac.UUCP (02/11/86)
In article <34200016@uiucuxc>, rcook@uiucuxc.CSO.UIUC.EDU writes: > > 4. You (and your next 4 generations) WILL get "stuff" from them until your > natural life is over. Even after you go through the hassle of terminating > your membership. My wife still gets letters from CR&TC. She cancelled her membership 5 years ago. That was 3 addresses ago. That was even under her maiden name (they have corrected it). "Dear Former Subscriber... have we got a deal..." Note, they never write to say "This is your last chance." -- Fred @ DEC Ultrix Applications Center {decvax,seismo,cbosgd}!decuac!avolio
ben@catnip.UUCP (Bennett Broder) (02/12/86)
In article <5100003@uiucuxf>, rjp392@uiucuxf.CSO.UIUC.EDU writes: > Several years ago, I borrowed a record from a friend of mine. I noticed a > sticker saying "Manufactured under license by Record Club of America." > The sound wasn't very good, and, after I bought a brand-new copy of it at a > nearby record store and compared the two, I found that the record store copy > was FAR superior. Needless to say, that turned me off of record clubs! > Also, in a local record swap place, I've noticed a lot of used "Record Club > of America" albums... Ah, the Record Club of America. I paid my money to become a lifetime member in this club. Turned out to be their lifetime, not mine. They were out of business within a year. I have never done business with a more screwed up organization. As part of my lifetime membership, I was supposed to pick 5 free albums. I did. They sent 2 of them, and substituted others for the remaining 3. I wrote and complained. They sent more unwanted records. By the time the club went out of business, I had about 15 of their records, only 3 of which were the ones I ordered. -- Ben Broder {ihnp4,decvax} !hjuxa!catnip!ben
ibyf@ihlpa.UUCP (Scott) (02/12/86)
About the Columbia record club.......... > 1. Unless you like VERY "popy(sp?)" music, you don't get a real good > selection of music. No? my catalog included best of Bread vol 1, the Andrews sisters, Seals and Crofts Diamond Girl and a whole page of '70s' music. > > 2. Shipping can cause problems like warpage (albeit rare, but will happen > eventually). Possibly, but in 8+ years, I've only gotten 1 bad album (scratched) and I sent it back, they sent me a new one. they even paid the freight. > 3. If you forget to send in your response card, you WILL get the selection > of the month (usually the album with the HOT video on MTV about 2 months > previous to the fact, this could be wrong since I watch next to no MTV). And if you don't want it, send it back. They credit your account. After all, your the one who forgot to send in the card. > > 4. You (and your next 4 generations) WILL get "stuff" from them until your > natural life is over. Even after you go through the hassle of terminating > your membership. Yes, unfortunetly. But that's what 'free enterprise' is all about. What if generation three wants to join? > > The bottom line is: you are better off buying albums when you want at a > local discount record store. You get what you want, when you want it, > and can return (easily) if it has a problem. After taxes, stamps, > shipping and the very steep prices C R&T club puts on their selections > (at least 12.95 + tax), you CAN do better in the long run by avoiding > this so called deal. That's funny, my records cost $8.98 + shipping and freight. And I get a cretificate for 1 free with every one I buy. And they run 2fers about every 3 months or so. So if thats the only time you buy albums, your down to about 3 bucks an album. This is real handy about Christmas when your broke, and don't want to stand in line, or go out in the cold. > > The advantage: I used C R&T club to get my album collection off the ground. the Disadvantage: They don't have RCA labels. that means any collection will be incomplete. So I joined RCA as well! Addison ihnp4!ihlpa!ibyf My brother? I always thought of him as mom and dad's science project.
barnett@im4u.UUCP (Lewis Barnett) (02/12/86)
In article <812@decuac.UUCP> avolio@decuac.UUCP (Frederick M. Avolio) writes: >In article <34200016@uiucuxc>, rcook@uiucuxc.CSO.UIUC.EDU writes: >> >> 4. You (and your next 4 generations) WILL get "stuff" from them until your >> natural life is over. Even after you go through the hassle of terminating >> your membership. > >My wife still gets letters from CR&TC. She cancelled her membership 5 years >ago. That was 3 addresses ago. That was even under her maiden name (they >have corrected it). >-- >Fred @ DEC Ultrix Applications Center {decvax,seismo,cbosgd}!decuac!avolio I cancelled mine at least 8 years ago, and I'm still getting stuff at least twice a year. Of course, it's not much trouble to toss it, but think of the money those guys are wasting on me! :-> Lewis Barnett,CS Dept, Painter Hall 3.28, Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX 78712 "Frankly, there's something about reality that gives me the shivering willies!" -- Hank the Hallucination -- -- barnett@im4u.UTEXAS.EDU, barnett@im4u.UUCP, {ihnp4,harvard,seismo,gatech,ctvax}!im4u!barnett
mrgofor@mmm.UUCP (MKR) (02/13/86)
In article <812@decuac.UUCP> avolio@decuac.UUCP writes: >In article <34200016@uiucuxc>, rcook@uiucuxc.CSO.UIUC.EDU writes: >> >> 4. You (and your next 4 generations) WILL get "stuff" from them until your >> natural life is over. Even after you go through the hassle of terminating >> your membership. > >My wife still gets letters from CR&TC. She cancelled her membership 5 years >ago. That was 3 addresses ago. That was even under her maiden name (they >have corrected it). "Dear Former Subscriber... have we got a deal..." >Note, they never write to say "This is your last chance." >-- >Fred @ DEC Ultrix Applications Center {decvax,seismo,cbosgd}!decuac!avolio When I was about 13, I joined CR&TC without my parents' knowledge. They sent me the 12 free records and I even ordered one or two more. Shortly afterwards, we moved to Europe, and we didn't know what to do with the club (I was supposed to buy another X records at some unattractive price over the next 2 years, or something like that). So what did I do? I wrote them a letter saying "I am a minor, and therefore the "contract" is not valid. Besides, we're moving overseas. G'bye" I never heard from them again. --MKR