Insane ebay auctions - CD

[Stormspell]

It is quite good free promotion for my upcoming re-release.

Too bad you dont ship to eastern europe (because 16$ for a CD = no shipping) like shipping to Poland is more insecure than shipping to Greece, Portugal or Australia

Actually Czech, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia have been added to the list and I do ship regular mail now. Just be aware that it is at the mercy of your postman and I cannot be held responsible for lost/stolen packages.

[Stormspell]

But seriously, 16$ ? Stormspell, care to explain ? I have received like 5 cds at once from USA for that sum xD ! Priority mail (20 days max).

$16 is the cost for first class mail of one cd with registration. Registration in USA costs $11.50 EXTRA on top on the shipping cost. It is not like in Europe 1-2 EUR to get registration sticker on your package. Here is costs a lot more!

So for a package with one cd with jewel case in bubble envelope (5oz weight) the pricing goes as this:

First class (airmail): $4.80
Registration: $11.50
-----
Total: $16.30

So in fact I DO HAVE TO PAY EXTRA $0.30 FROM MY OWN POCKET TO SHIP. Not to mention I also pay for the bubble envelope and paypal fees. So yeah, please do not tell me how expensive it is - go tell USPS!

And I HAVE to ship to Greece and Italy REGISTERED. Because otherwise a lot of people there feel entitled to claim their packages lost and claim their money back just because without registration it cannot be proven otherwise.

I don't say every Greek or Italian is a cheater - far from it, but it happens often enough, so I'm forced to do it.

Here is a print screen from USPS' website shipping calculator. Go check for yourself if you do not trust me:
http://ircalc.usps.gov/ExtraServices.as ... 0&o=5&mt=5

[Stormspell]

But seriously, 16$ ? Stormspell, care to explain ? I have received like 5 cds at once from USA for that sum xD ! Priority mail (20 days max).

"International priority" is just a fancy word USPS uses instead of Airmail letterpost.

Yes, I can ship up to 8 CDs with jewel cases in a flat-rate priority mail envelope for $13.45 worldwide. And that's how I ship to most of the places. BUT this is still UNREGISTERED service, so I still have to add $11.50 to make it registered when shipped to the countries in question. Which by the way makes it even slower to deliver coz it has to be kept track and scanned at every check point on the way.

So registered priority mail would be $24.95 requiring special packaging and no postage online (means I have to go and stand in line at the post office to ship such package opposed to printing the labels at home and dropping at the nearest collection box) and same size EXPRESS EMS package is $28.95 - which for only $4 extra is FULLY TRACKABLE ONLINE, INCLUDES INDEMNITY INSURANCE, and TIMES FASTER. so I use it instead of going through the hassle of registering priority. It is no brainer really.

[Avenger]

I don't know where this whole "no barcode is the first press" theory came from. It seems a lot of German guys like to push this.

It's not a theory and I'm referring to this cd only, the info comes from MS and I can confirm as I have the barcode version and it's indeed from 1987 ^^

http://www.musik-sammler.de/album/15363

There is 1 year difference between the two versions. Maybe (don't have the other one to make a doublecheck).

Oh, so I was digging around through some old ebay auctions and noticed this. Totally disproves the "no bar code" theory...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Steeler-Strike-Back ... 19bce1c57d

[Avenger]

Nebuchadnezzar, we've been over this countless times in the past. Regardless if other countries do or not, greece has a shitty postal system. Stop trying to be a hero.

And just so that I'm not claimed a "racist" by the greek brigade these are the following countries that I deem as having garbage postal systems.

Italy
Greece
China
Russia

I'm sure there are a ton of other countries in the middle east or those with a third world standard of living but I've never sent or received anything from those countries and never plan to.

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Do you know how many million people are in those countries? The percent of (real) loss is the same. Have you never heard of the Canadians who open & keep things (not cds "smarty" guy) in the Customs without a serious excuse? So stop breaking our balls & go to the beach & have some fun. If it's dark there I can't change your mood & attitude, I'm not a God.

[wom]

Greece DOES NOT have a shitty postal system at all, its at least equal to every other country in europe [except italy ]

If you had problems i would say its mostly based on experiences from 10 years ago OR customers try to rip you off on purpose (thats not uncommon)

btw, lets see if this still goes for 200$+

[Heathen]

The problem is Paypal, which allows the buyers to rip sellers off using the same mechanism, that can be used when the seller is a real rip off. Since you are not a rip off, maybe you should think about accepting Credit Cards directly. Although I admit I don't know what are the costs to introduce such a system.

[Stormspell]

The problem is Paypal, which allows the buyers to rip sellers off using the same mechanism, that can be used when the seller is a real rip off.

Bingo! if it wasnt for that I'd gladly ship any way the buyer wants. But with paypal buyers conveniently "forget" that cheap mail ships at their own risk and claim their money back leaving me to absorb the loss...

maybe you should think about accepting Credit Cards directly. Although I admit I don't know what are the costs to introduce such a system.

To do that I have to sign for a merchant program and pay monthly fees as well as transaction fees. And given that 99% of the people would always prefer to go through paypal instead giving me their credit card number, I see such expense as unnecessary burden. At least at this point.

Besides, you can always dispute through your credit card company and get your money back, so it is not that different to paypal in that regard.

[Helstar]

Nebu, we are in third world, what can we do

I wonder how many packages did Stormspell send to Italy that buyers claimed "not received" ... (btw, people are retarded not postal system).

[Heathen]

(btw, people are retarded not postal system).

That's right. "You have a flawed postal system" is a polite way of saying "People in your country often steal"

[Troma]

http://cgi.ebay.com/SENTENCED-SHADOWS-P ... 20b155192b

Some poor schmuck just paid $170 for a boot

the price can't be real,why do you think its a boot?

[perishinflames]

Original 2nd pressing is on a red disc (1st press on a black disc), but its not shiny red like that. And it has an MPO matrix, not just "C THRASH 015" with no other markings. Its definitely a boot.

and what makes it even worse is his salesmanship:

GET THE FIRST ORIGINAL FROM ME! ARGGH!!!

[Troma]

Original 2nd pressing is on a red disc (1st press on a black disc), but its not shiny red like that. And it has an MPO matrix, not just "C THRASH 015" with no other markings. Its definitely a boot.

and what makes it even worse is his salesmanship:

GET THE FIRST ORIGINAL FROM ME! ARGGH!!!

ahh, never knew there is one. thanks for the info.

[kansa_666@hotmail.com]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... :MEBIDX:IT

Is this piece really worth this much?