Someone's not paying attention

This is not a rant, it's just kind of funny.

So, I went to Amazon to pick up a Buddy Guy album. I had two ways to order it (not counting vinyl or streaming via subscription).

1. MP3, $9.90.

2. CD, $4.99 with free two-day Prime shipping.

But wait, there's more!

The CD also comes with Autorip, which means they give you a link to a downloadable MP3 version as soon as you buy it. AND they will give you a $1 credit towards digital items if you choose normal shipping.

So the CD costs them more (as they have to buy and physically ship it to me) but costs me less than half that of the MP3 - which I get immediately as part of the deal. I also get a copy of the album on CD, which is good backup. AND best of all, it's a Buddy Guy album

Like I said, not a complaint. I just think it's funny - nobody's paying attention. I've seen this with other albums, but never to this extent.

Maybe trying to burn through physical stock?

When I worked for Harbor Freight, I encountered similar inconsistencies. 8” pneumatic wheel = $19.95…furniture dolly w/ two 8” pneumatic wheels = $29.95. I always wondered if the closing manager had to round up a bunch of discarded dolly frames in the parking lot at the end of his shift.

mtn wrote: Maybe trying to burn through physical stock?

Maybe, it's an older album and probably not a huge seller.

But Miranda Lambert's new album (to pick the first one I checked) is $3 cheaper for the CD than the MP3. No autorip. But I can't imagine they're concerned about inventory quite yet on that one.

I just looked at the top sellers. La La Land and the new Stones album are both 30 cents more by CD. Hamilton soundtrack is the same price. Moana soundtrack is 20 cents cheaper. All with Autorip, all with the $1 credit. So it's not THAT unusual.

It is weird for sure. I've noticed it too on a few things--I usually get Vinyl though if I get a physical copy, and it almost always has a free digital download with it.

Comparative pricing. Someone was selling that CD at that price so their algorithms matched it.

They also don't really "stock" CD's. They make them on demand with their own burning and case printing machines.

When you've got 200 million products on the "shelf" some weird oddities slip through the cracks. My brother runs a distribution center for them, and has a few interesting stories. One of them was about a 'cable roller' -- this is a 6-foot-wide steel frame with a pair of rollers and a motor, designed to put cables onto those giant spools that you see on the back of AT&T trucks when they're running fiber. It cost ten grand, weighed a ton (literally, 2000 pounds) and yet was coded in the system as being available for $3.95 gift wrap... :)

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Comparative pricing. Someone was selling that CD at that price so their algorithms matched it. They also don't really "stock" CD's. They make them on demand with their own burning and case printing machines.

I've never received a burned CDR from them, only mass-produced stamped ones.

In reply to codrus:

And you didn't hook us up with a link?

codrus wrote: When you've got 200 million products on the "shelf" some weird oddities slip through the cracks. My brother runs a distribution center for them, and has a few interesting stories. One of them was about a 'cable roller' -- this is a 6-foot-wide steel frame with a pair of rollers and a motor, designed to put cables onto those giant spools that you see on the back of AT&T trucks when they're running fiber. It cost ten grand, weighed a ton (literally, 2000 pounds) and yet was coded in the system as being available for $3.95 gift wrap... :)

I would only order them gift wrapped.

I often buy cds like that. Not that much cheaper but right around the same price with auto rip. Why wouldn't you? Unless you're living a really minimalist lifestyle I guess. I love getting the physical cd and appreciate having the music right away.

Wall-e wrote:

codrus wrote: When you've got 200 million products on the "shelf" some weird oddities slip through the cracks. My brother runs a distribution center for them, and has a few interesting stories. One of them was about a 'cable roller' -- this is a 6-foot-wide steel frame with a pair of rollers and a motor, designed to put cables onto those giant spools that you see on the back of AT&T trucks when they're running fiber. It cost ten grand, weighed a ton (literally, 2000 pounds) and yet was coded in the system as being available for $3.95 gift wrap... :)

I would only order them gift wrapped.

only if I could choose the paper

Someone might not be paying attention...but someone is.

Keith Tanner wrote:

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: Comparative pricing. Someone was selling that CD at that price so their algorithms matched it. They also don't really "stock" CD's. They make them on demand with their own burning and case printing machines.

I've never received a burned CDR from them, only mass-produced stamped ones.

All CDs are burned, just depends on the quality. They DO NOT stock all of those CDs, they DO make the CD to send to you.

That's been pretty common for a while now. Lately I've been buying on vinyl - which is usually just under $20 and includes the digital download. A lot of them have been limited edition color pressings too, which is cool. If I'm going to hold onto physical media, I'd rather have the wax than a cd.

You should have kept shopping, I bought the live performance version for only $3.99. Buddy Guy came to my house and played the entire album in person. He arrived in 2 days because I have Prime.

chandlerGTi wrote: All CDs are burned, just depends on the quality. They DO NOT stock all of those CDs, they DO make the CD to send to you.

Hmm, do you have a source for that? (Like an article or something?) I don't doubt Amazon is big enough to own their own cd manufacturing plant but seriously doubt it's worth their time and money to make them to order. You can get cds in one day from them. Look at the variety of packaging and art and die cuts and bas relief and everything that artists do with their cds. The last cd I bought had stickers in the sleeve. Very few are in the traditional polycarbonate case with simple color inserts any more. Think about the work flow of an Amazon distribution center. They spend literally seconds on each package.

My guess is it would cost them more to make the cds on demand. It's possible for them to do, sure, but I just really doubt it.

Walmart does this too!

I'm looking at a shelving unit. $70.00 in store, $49.00 on line with free same day site-to-store. So I stop at Walmart in the mornng on the way to work when it is not crowded. Find out the item I want to buy is way more expensive that listed online. So I got to work, order the item online, and pick it up on the way home and save $$$$$.

This just reminds me of how subway used to have cookies next to the register.

33 cents each, or 3 for $1.00! What a deal!

dculberson wrote:

chandlerGTi wrote: All CDs are burned, just depends on the quality. They DO NOT stock all of those CDs, they DO make the CD to send to you.

Hmm, do you have a source for that? (Like an article or something?) I don't doubt Amazon is big enough to own their own cd manufacturing plant but seriously doubt it's worth their time and money to make them to order. You can get cds in one day from them. Look at the variety of packaging and art and die cuts and bas relief and everything that artists do with their cds. The last cd I bought had stickers in the sleeve. Very few are in the traditional polycarbonate case with simple color inserts any more. Think about the work flow of an Amazon distribution center. They spend literally seconds on each package. My guess is it would cost them more to make the cds on demand. It's possible for them to do, sure, but I just really doubt it.

I asked, I ordered some out of print cd (six feet deep I think) and it came but wasn't the original packaging that I remembered from 1993. I believe Fueled by Caffeine worked for them perhaps he could verify or deny?

I just read up on this, it appears that to "sell" an MP3 the prices are set by the distributor; however, if they have the rights to the CD to print then they can sell you the CD and "give" you the rip which is really just the rip of the cd rather than an officially downloadable MP3 from the distributor. It's really only saving you the time to rip it yourself since you do "own" the CD once you pay for it.

Another thought is that they are trying to bring CD listeners over to MP3/downloads by giving them something that looks free to alleviate future CD manufacture, warehousing and distribution.

Edit: by read up I mean that I googled it and read the answers from elsewhere, it doesn't mean I'm an expert and that what I wrote above is cast iron. Capice?

My special lady friend and I have a phrase for this sort of thing, and how it pertains to us. "statistically irrelevant."

example: We both like small, stick shift vehicles with manual windows, and no back up cameras. Car companies don't care, because they can make their money focusing on the majority of their market. It makes sense. I believe lots of folks default to the rip because their iphone is right there, and it is easy.

"give me convenience or give me death" -Dead Kennedys

trucke wrote: Walmart does this too! I'm looking at a shelving unit. $70.00 in store, $49.00 on line with free same day site-to-store. So I stop at Walmart in the mornng on the way to work when it is not crowded. Find out the item I want to buy is way more expensive that listed online. So I got to work, order the item online, and pick it up on the way home and save $$$$$.

Or you can ask them to price match. We were at target, Colin saved up all his $ and optimus prime was $49.99. He had $36. On target.com it was $32.94 and they price matched it at customer service, no return trip.

I saw Buddy Guy in concert last year. He was amazing--- one of the best showmen I've ever seen. I don't think I've ever seen a performer who is more at home on stage.

If you get a chance, go see the man while you can. He's tremendous.

Mass produced CDs are not burned like CDRs are. I used to be involved in this in a peripheral manner. The process

There's a visual difference between a CDR and a mass produced CD, so you can tell what you're getting. Amazon is not doing print on demand for CDs or books unless it's specifically set up that way.

For example, the Racing The Rock DVDs are POD due to the volumes involved. You can see the difference in the disc. Amazon can do books that way as well, small volume ones. But it's not a default.

Amazon's Print on Demand

Looks like Buddy's coming to Denver in March. I might have to make the hike over the hill.