Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

Re: .0

Your reasoning is pretty much right. There are a couple of drawbacks.
Their stock is not the greatest, usually about 1-2 months behind 
what you could get at a store.

Recently I ordered one at full price, one at 10.99, and one free.
I received a letter saying they had already shipped
two (the ones I had to pay for) and would not send the third (free)
until I had established a credit history with them. Then I received
the two disks and paid for them; now I'm waiting for the 3rd disk.

The point is that you aren't going to get away with the $2 s+h each
you claim.  You can't present a list of 7 cd's and order them all
at once. Read the fine print on the "get a friend to join form".
When your friend becomes a member in good standing (how do they 
interpret this? When s/he established a good credit history?),
then you get your free CD. When you add it to their "not currently
in stock" shell games, and add your irritation level to the
monetary total, you may not find it so favorable.

        I became a member and ended up spending about $7.25 for each
    of 6 CD's.  I am waiting six months so that I can rejoin the club
    again and get another 6 discs.  The only complaints I have have
    already been addressed, availability of advertised discs, and the
    small choice of discs.  But I still could find more discs to add
    to my collection.
       
        My advice would be to join if you think that there are enough
    discs worth getting.
    
    ASP

    The main problem as I see it is the lousy selection.  They have
    a couple of good ones and the rest are junk.  But the average price
    does look pretty attractive.  I have seen many notes to the effect
    that the best strategy is to join, get what you have to get, quit...
    
    Jim
    

    I have not heard anything one way ot the other about the CBS CD
    club (other than what I have read here).
    
    However, lately I have developed very strong anti-CBS feelings lately
    and am not going to buy anything from them.
    
    The reason (in case you haven't guessed) - "copyguard"!  I don't
    appreciate someone trying to tell me what I can/can't do in my own
    home with something that I have purchased.  Even worse than CBS's
    "we're going to tell you what you can't do" attitiude is the fact
    that they are willing to produce intentionally distorted music and
    attempt to sell it to us!
    
    No, thanks.  Not for me.
    
    -Bob

re .2

You don't have to spend $.22 to reject a monthly selection, just mark it 
REFUSED when it arrives, and CBS pays for it.

re .-1

I intend to be a customer in good standing when I tell them I quit their club 
due to the copyguard issue.  It probably won't make much difference, but it 
makes me feel like I have more clout.

						     
							- JP

    Here is the fee structure for s+h from the membership agreement:
    
    	1st selection
    		single disc				$1.69
    		2-disc set (ie. double cd)		$1.99
    		any larger set				$2.29
    	2ed selection
    		single disc				$ .99
    		2-disc set				$1.29
    		any larger set				$1.59
    	each additional selection
    		single disc				$ .70
    		2-disc set				$1.00
    		any larger set				$1.30
    
    	It has been mentioned in another note that if you order a
    	CD and they don't have it (or something) and they send
    	you one of those coupon's instead, that when you redeem it
    	they don't charge you for s+h.
    
    As far as what is in the catalog not being available, I have not
    had any problems yet, I think it is because I buy music that
    is not too recent (ie. at least 5 years old).  Maby if those
    people who have had problems could elaborate.  Were you ordering
    recent music?
    
    Also, I just batched together two selection (rejection) cards,
    a coupon, and payment for my last ordered CD in one envelope,
    with only one 22 cent stamp on it (equals 50 cents savings in
    postage, not much, but better than nothing).
    
    
  .re -?
    
    Someone mentioned something about waiting 6 months then joining
    again to get another 6 CDs?  Why bother quiting, you will end
    up missing out on another free CD.  Like I said in the origninal
    note, you join yourself up again, aliased under a friends
    name/address, and you get an extra CD for joining yourself up.

  Reply to .5 (question about copyguard):
    
    Does anyone know for sure if the "CBS Compact Disc Club" is
    really associated with "CBS (the record label)"?
    
    Even if it was, I don't see what difference it would make.
    Just don't buy the CD's that have the "CBS record label".
    Every selection in the catalogs have the label list at the
    end of the desc. in ()'s.  They certainly can't copyguard
    other labels since it has to be done before the masters are
    made (never mind the legalities).

    Never pay postage...           
    
    Every month you get the 'get a friend to apply' cards, well of course
    they are postage paid.  All you do is tape these to the front of
    whatever it is you are sending to the club and...  
    Everything is postage paid by CBS.  
    I have done this several times without any problems.
    I still have not figured out how to get around paying the postage
    on the cds you recieve, but this works well for returning any.
    
    Peter
    
    	P.S.  I think the club is worth the problems.  One thing you
    can improve on in the scheme mentioned in the first note would be
    to NOT buy the $7 disk at the introduction.  $7 is bringing the
    average cost up!  

 Re: .-1
    
    Do you tape the whole thing to the front or do you just cut out
    the "No Postage Necessary..." and "PERMIT NO. ..." parts?
    
    I just recomputed the cost per disc if you don't get that
    one at $6.95 deal.  Comes out to $5.84/disc.  May be
    something to think about, but since it is not much of
    a difference, I would get it (maybe).

    
    	Tape the whole thing right to the front.
    You would not want it to look like your doing anything devious,
    would you?
    
    Peter
    

    re:.9,.10,.11
    
    It should be noted that if you haven't opened up the package,
    you can send it back postage-free without resorting to any
    arcane methods. just bring it to the P.O. and say you didn't
    order it and want it returned to sender. *In theory* (but I
    certainly wouldn't suggest this sort of unethical, if not illegal,
    behavior), if you're careful enough when you open the package,
    it's possible to seal it up again so that it looks like it
    wasn't opened. Oh, and if there's en envelope glued to the
    front of the box with the invoice in it, opening such and
    removing the invoice doesn't constitute opening the package.
    
    All this comes from having done this with book clubs (and the
    International Preview Society). With the latter, after I returned
    about three albums, they notified me that they were taking me
    off the "negative option" list and would only send me something
    if I specifically ordered it.
    
    --- jerry

The "Compact Disc Club" (not CBS) has an 800 number; you can call it to reject
the featured selection instead of returning the card.

Both this club and the Musical Heritage Society tell you that if you ever do
receive a selection you didn't order, to simply mark it "REFUSED" and throw
it back in your mailbox (no need to go to the Post Office).

/john

    I'm a little confused here, is the "Compact Disc Club" another
    club seperate from the "CBS Compact Disc Club"? 
    
    If they are different, what kind of deals do they give, else
    if they are one in the same, please post the 800 # (you just
    wanted us to ask, didn't you :-)
    
    			As usual, thanks in advance (and all the jazz)

Compact Disc Club: 800 CD-AUDIO.

Three CDs for a dollar when you join, no requirement to ever buy any more,
shipping charge about 1.69 per CD (even when shipped together), tax charged
on total (including shipping).  CDs are $14.98 and $15.98.  For each CD
purchased at full price, you get a certificate useable to purchase CDs in
the catalogue for half price.  This works out to about $14.36 including
tax and shipping per disc for each two you buy.  Not great, but not awful.

I've gotten my introductory three discs (total cost $6.36 + 0.22 postage to
pay the bill) and may or may not stay with the club.

/john

    The COMPACT DISC CLUB John is talking about is at

	P.O.BOX 91414
	INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46291-0014

    But it looks like you got a better than when I joined them, since I
    am pretty sure I have to buy 2 more within some timeframe ( I did
    not check my papers !). But you will get certificatates for the 2 first
    buys, which you don't with the CBS club. (It took me a long time
    to be removed from the CBS club list. Only after telling them
    that everything that arrives at my door will be kept as a sample
    ( unordered, etc) they stopped.

    This current CD club is now telling me that they are waiting for a
    payment for these 2 first buys, which I did not receive yet. I hope
    they do not expect prepayment on your orders. I am trying to phone
    their   customer service number ( and let you know later).

    Thomas

The Compact Disk Club appears to be associated with the International
Preview Society record club. While I joined from a separate add, I have
since received a Compact Disk Club flyer with a Int'l Preview Society 
mailing and the format and layout for both clubs' materials is the same.
I've been a member of the record club for a couple years and been reasonably
happy with it.

						Rod Burr

    Re: .16

    The problem has been clarified. The CDs had been sent April 14 but
    did not arrive at my door yet. They will resend them without any
    problems.

    Thomas

    /john-
    
|   ...simply mark it "REFUSED" and throw it back in your mailbox (no need
|   to go to the Post Office). 

    What mailbox?  I don't own a mailbox.  A slot in the door, yes,
    but a mailbox?
    
    But, anyone can mark a package "REFUSED" and take it to the closest
    mailbox.  The closest mailbox to my house is at the post office.
    
    								-mr. bill

    The Compact Disc Club selections seem to be mainly Phillips and
    variations (Decca, London, DG, Archiv, etc) and a few RCA, for teh
    classical choices.  Someone else may have looked throught the other
    parts of the catalog.  First 3 came quickly for $6 and change total.
    
    paul

Re: several

I believe that The Compact Disc Club is an RCA enterprise.

I belong to it and CBS and as I've recently fulfilled my obligations to 
both am planning to cancel both. I kinda like the idea about cancelling 
CBS with a note about copyguard.

Chuck

    reply - .7
    	I've joined the club three times within the last five months
    using my own name each time and have not had any problems.
    
    	Does anyone have any information about the quality of the
    disks in the club?  I noticed on the back of some of the disks (not all)
    "Manufactured by Columbia House under license".  Has anyone compared
    these disks with disks manufactured by other companies.  Maybe that
    is why they are cheaper than disks in other stores.
    
    john loonie
    

    
    Re: .22
    
    That disclaimer means that the disc was manufactured in a CBS plant
    rather than in the plant where the version you get in the store
    was made.
    
    I have yet to hear of anyone who can demonstrate lower quality of
    the CBS plants to others.
    
               

    
    The current CBS Toll Free Number is (800) 457-0500.

I received in the mail yesterday an offer from the CBS club for six 
free (or was it $1) CD plus a bonus CD for $6.95. Obligation is to buy 
four more at the "regular" (read high) price over the next two years.

I've been a member before so I know what I would be getting into but 
this seems like a decent deal. I'm considering it.

The reason I'm entering this is that I've never seen 'em give away six 
before, only three. Is this new or is it me?

Chuck

    The last 2 times I joined the CBS club I got this "deal". Since
    Noteworthy came on the scene I won't join any CD club which requires
    some minimum purchase obligation anymore.z
    

    Re: .25
    
    It is almost the same as the old deal (3 free, buy 2 more, friend
    who joined you up gets 1 free) except that almost everything
    was doubled, except # free for friend who joined you (ie. 6 free,
    buy 4 more, friend who joined you up gets 1 free).  They have
    recently changed it so that it is exactly double the original
    deal in the the friend who joined you now gets 2 free.
    
    Doubling everything in the deal is only to their advantage because
    they lock you in to buy twice as much.  Some people have
    kept copies of the old deal and used it to join up their friends
    so it seems they may still accept the old deal (hey, locking
    you in to buy 2 cds is better than not locking you in at all).

    
    The month that I joined for two free, buy two more they went to three
    free, buy two.  Now it's six free, buy four which just doubles the
    old deal.
    
    They don't stock much out of the mainstream, otherwise I would have
    quit and joined a few more times.  I think I entered the math in
    her before, you end up paying about $9 a disc as long as you quit
    after you fulfill your obligation.  After that, you don't really
    save at all.
    
    Just placed my first Noteworthy order, will see how that works out.
    
    

    The CBS CD club has just reduced prices on alot of CD's and the
    literature says they will be reduce more prices next month.
    
    The best part is that CD's as low as $12.98 count towards fulfillment
    of your enrollment agreement!

    $12.98 doesn't sound that great to me, unless prices have gone up
    drastically since my last visit to the US in June.

    I don't think $12.98 is that good either, considering that the most
    you'll pay for a single cd from noteworthy is about $11.90 including
    shipping.
    
    The clubs just aren't worth the hassle anymore now that Noteworthy
    is around.

    re: .31
    
    Yeah, unless you like classical.  We really need a classical
    Noteworthy, or preferebly a better classical selection from Noteworthy.
    
    Haverstick & Ballyk in Tampa (soon to move to Texas) has the selection,
    but the prices aren't much better than the stores or clubs once you
    figure in the shipping.  But for those of us tired of seeing the same
    titles over and over again in the classical section of Lechmere or the
    same couple of hundred classical discs in Record Town, Tape World, and
    the rest of the chain stores devoted to pop/rock, H&B is still an oasis
    in a very large desert with a catalog listing of over 5000 classical
    CDs, and a promise of a much expanded catalog in August.  They're very
    nice and helpful people at H&B, but it wouldn't break my heart to see
    Noteworthy give them some competition. 
    
    B
    

    Re: .30
    
    May not seem like much but it is a shot in the right direction.
    It is especially nice for folks like me who still have to
    buy selections to furfill out membership agreement (means I
    can spend six dollars less before I can get out).

    I also like it because I buy 60's and 70's music which usually
    is below their old $15.98 umbrella and wouldn't of counted
    toward my agreement then.
    
    If I get some time, I'll re-figure what I did in .0 and see
    what's the lowest cost/per CD you can work the deal out to
    now.

    RCA music Service has a deal where you get 4 CDs for $.01, then
    you buy one at regular prices in a year, then they give you a free
    one, so that's 6 for the price of one, plus some shipping.  But
    the selection is somewhat sparse.  Anyone in the RCA club?
    
    		Steve

    
    RE: .32 
    
    Do you have a phone/address for Haverstick & Ballyk? I've been using
    Compact Disc Centre, but I'm beginning to hit the limits of their
    catalog.
    
    Thanks.
    
    Will

    Haverstick & Ballyk is currently located at:
    
    Haverstick & Ballyk
    4040 West Kennedy Blvd.
    Tampa, FL  33609
    
    They will be moving to San Antonio, TX in August, but surely their
    mail will be forwarded.
    
    Telephone:  800-222-6872  (in Florida, 813-882-0104)
    
    B
    

    I just got the latest update from H&B today.  Their address in Texas
    is:
    
    Haverstick & Ballyk
    2186 Jackson-Keller
    San Antonio, TX 78213
    
    The 800 number remains:   800-222-6872
    
    They no longer list a special in-state number.
    
    In July (it's still July!) all CBS CDs are on sale for $12.97 +
    shipping.  In August, all London and L'oiseu-Lyre CDs are on sasle
    for $12.97 + shipping.  Beginning in September, their monthly sales
    will be for catalog subscribers only.  The catalog costs $5.00 a
    year and you get 2 big complete catalogs at 6 month intervals and
    10 updates in the months between.  The catalog is easily worth the
    $5.00 just as a reference, and you get those great sales besides.
    
    Remember, H&B is classical CDs only - no rock, no LPs, no cassettes.
    
    B
    

    
    Will
    

    
    Now you get 6 CD's for a penny.
    
    Dwight

	Somebody, please don't make me read 41 notes dating back so far that
half of them are probably invalid anyway? 

	I'm looking for a quick run down on cd clubs for the music lover with
very diverse taste in music.  I've found that the biggest problem I have with
the clubs is that I'm not a huge fan of pop music.  The suggestions I usually
hear are that I should put together a list of about 15 discs that I want and
then get in and out of the club as quickly as possible.  Is this generally
considered the way to do it?  Can you join one of these clubs by going through
the past years worth of catalogs and picking from them rather then from the
rather limited offering on the "JOIN NOW" article in the magazine? 

	$6 per cd sounds great.  I might even be willing to buy things I
wouldn't ordinarily buy at regular store prices.  I've been trying to put
together a list of things I like to listen to that clubs might have (scratch all
Harvist Pink Floyd imports).  I had a kinda bad experience with one of these
clubs many years ago so I'm a bit nervious. 

	Somebody please advize?

    Or worse yet, having 41 people browsing through 41 replies to answer
    the question.
    
    - M

    
    
    However, to make it a bit easier, I'll attempt to supply an answer.
    Both "The CD Club" (actually RCA) & CBS' CD club are worth a look.
    The one thing I always liked about CBS, is that in their ads, they
    provide boxes you can check for your musical preference (Classical,
    Pop, Rock, Country or Easy Listening). Since I've usually picked
    either Pop or Rock, their monthly "automatic" offerings are from
    that category. I'm not sure if their monthly catalogs differ according
    to subscribers tastes or not.
    
    There's always the Musical Heritage Society for Classical (moderately
    priced & nicely recorded - most digitally mastered), but their
    mail-back "I don't want a selection this month" thing is a pain
    in the butt since you've got to cut a portion of the back cover
    of the magazine to mail back. After awhile, it seems like those
    magazines show up every week, instead of every month.
    
    Both CBS & RCA have fairly wide-ranging categorical choices. Usually
    2-3 pages for "Easy Listening" (Mathis, Ronstadt, etc.), 1-2 pages
    of country (Ricky Skaggs, Dolly Parton, etc.), 2-4 pages of classical
    (mostly from their own labels catalogs - 50's/60's RCA/COLUMBIA
    stuff was really good), 1-2 pages of jazz (contemporary, progressive,
    some big band, etc.). Even tho' the majority of the catalogs are
    "new" pop, rock, metal, etc. they're both pretty versatile. 
    
    I'm one who joins to get the freebies, do the minimum, bail out
    & join again...been doing it on & off since '61. It equals out to
    a small saving over local shopping, especially if your not in a
    large city or somewhere where discount houses aren't a big deal.
    What these companies charge for postage is a joke, tho. I can't
    understand why it costs me just over $3 to send 2 cassettes to England,
    but they charge $2.50 for 2 cassettes from Indiana to California.
    Sometimes, I think that's how they make their profit - by overcharging
    50-70% more than actual postage.
    
    Good listening !
    
    				The Cruiser
    
    

    re .44 and the boxes for musical preference.. I like that feature
    too!! I used it the last time I joined, to develop my Jazz collection
    by never returning the cards, just accepting the monthly choice!
    I got some real nice selections, that I wouldn't have picked, and
    a couple of great surpises, that I had never heard of. I join 
    periodically, and get out when My obligation is done. No complaints
    about them from me.
    
                    Wayne

    I've been a member of the CBS club for about a year now, and having
    fulfilled my buying requirements, I want to get out.  How does one
    go about it?  Write a short note with my membership number etc.
    or can I call? 
    
    Thanks
    Sameer

    re .46
    
    I always just write C A N C E L in black magic marker across the
    last card I send back in. You'll get a letter from them in a few
    weeks trying to lure you back in.

    You could also try their toll-free number and if it works post a
    followup note here please.  The number is:
    
    		1-800-457-0500

    
    
    My latest issue of the CBS Compact Disc catalog, gives a chance
    to change categories to "yes" receive another "version" of their
    catalog, featuring your particular taste in music. Nice touch. I
    still think postage is too darned expensive.
    
    				The Cruiser
    
    

    re .48
    
    Called the toll free number this morning, and they cancelled my
    membership with no problems after giving them my membership number.
    
    Thanks for the help.
    
    Sameer