Amazon.com pulls a DVD Empire

[pgh kenny]

If people felt that they received superior service, they wouldn't have thought twice about paying more for the collector's sets.

I agree completely. The fact that other retailers will sell the basic set of episodes at a different price would be a non-issue if we were treated by AU as appreciated customers and as important investors in the project. For people worried about price, the sad truth is that people will probably be trading the episodes on Kazaa for free not long after the discs are released. I don't fault BMG for wanting to earn money. I do fault AU management for acting like they actually want to lose money and operate an unprofitable business. In fact, at times I've wondered if mangement would prefer for us to cancel our orders.

[pgh kenny]

I personally didnt pre order this disk because of past problems with AU, i ordered it the day before it was to be released (Jun 18th iirc) and it was 115 bucks then. As it stands now since they only cleared up ONE of my double charges I am currently paying 230 + shipping for this f***ing set.

I think you have a legitimate complaint. I made some comments on this thread about price, but I was thinking of those of us who pre-ordered in february to get the collector's edition lunchbox with the bonus disc. back in february, i think most of us realized there was a certain amount of risk related to untested business model, etc.

However, $115 in June is a ton of cash for one season of a tv show on dvd, especially since the introductory price at amazon appears to be sub-$70. I guess the $45 extra is to cover the administrative overhead related to f-ing with your debit card, oh and the bonus disc. send a letter registered mail to cancel your order and then buy it at amazon.

[mephisto]

The way BMG sees it, you should have had this in your hands in August. They were giving 2-3 months, according to what they told me.

I certainly understand that BMG wants to sell as many sets as possible. But they could have at least waited 2-3 months until after the real release date (and not the one they hoped for but wasn't possible due to music clearance etc). I guess everyone could agree to that

our DVDs are still at BMG's and their excuse is that we should have the discs since 2 months? Not very sensitive if you ask me. And certainly not fair to all the people who preordered and to AU.

again, I do not mind that they try to sell the set. But they could have waited a bit longer and their retail price could be a bit higher... just IMHO

[LetsBolt]

I have so much to say but am so flustered at this moment that i just dont know how to feel.
I recently ordered the set from AU like 4 weeks ago on my debit card, and haven't yet been overcharged- and hopefully since i ordered it later they fixed their charging problems and never will. However now that it seems we can get these DVD's from a TRUSTED company within a month [we've been waiting how long now?] and for a cheaper price, its totally become a confusing ordeal. Now- although some may be saying we should have expected Amazon to sell these DVD's i was under the thought that these were officially only going to be sold through AU. With that being said i feel i have been greatly mislead now. Im not pointing fingers, but when i see people getting dicked around getting trippled charged and not to mention being LIED to about when the hell they would be getting these DVD's, it doesnt seem out of line for AU to be giving some sort of refund type- thing [good english i know]. No, not giving away the sets for free [although if these box sets were a pizza, we'd all have about 500 free pizza's by now] but perhaps cutting off some $$ off the price especially when now we see that a more trusted company like Amazon is selling them.
So whats in order now? Making a petition to AU demanding our prices to be cut? ar har har.......[damnit lets get these dvds allready]

[fnordboy]

but perhaps cutting off some $$ off the price especially when now we see that a more trusted company like Amazon is selling them.
So whats in order now? Making a petition to AU demanding our prices to be cut? ar har har.......[damnit lets get these dvds allready]

Yeah right when Ross is already crying poverty... He couldnt possibly stand to lose more money on this....<yawn>

[Dreaming of Me]

I like this idea!

AU can make it up to all of us by giving the sets to us for the Amazon price. If they did that I would keep my order with them. If not, I'd rather not have a lunchbox. $60 is too much money for a lunchbox anyway.

[pgh kenny]

i'm still thinking about all of this. it does piss me off that amazon is allowed to sell these before we even receive our copies. i don't know that we were intentionally mislead, but i guess my understanding was that au would be the only source for at least six months before other retailers got involved. along with that, i had the excectation that the price would hover in the $100 neighborhood for at least six months. i think that it is a lame excuse for bmg to say that the original planned ship date was x, y or z. what happened to our so-called bragging rights?

[Mold E. Peaches]

I like this idea!

AU can make it up to all of us by giving the sets to us for the Amazon price. If they did that I would keep my order with them. If not, I'd rather not have a lunchbox. $60 is too much money for a lunchbox anyway.

But I thought in a previous post that they said they would not be getting the bonus material either. I have read and read for months and never posted, I think it's time to speak up. The fact that I was misled to the fact that this set was EXCLUSIVE to AU pisses me off slightly. If I had known that from the get go, then I might not have ordered from them. All I wonder is those poor souls that are scalping their sets on ebay must be getting horrible feedback as it's been months since the auctions ended, and they've not been able to produce any product...lol...their feedback rating must be negative 30....

[ClarenceWorley]

I want to cry.

With this Amazon revelation, AU better be on its best behaviour from now 'til shipping... and all the way (one can only hope) to courtesy emails ensuring every single customer received, and is satisfied with their purchase.

[pgh kenny]

Actually, Jason, since you are the only one of us that has seen the set, I think that you should do the honorable thing and

"Be the first person to review this DVD!"

over at amazon.com

[Cornelius1047]

Hmm. So I guess it wasn't a mistake at all.

Sorry to be messenger of "bad" news, this being my first post and all. I honestly just stumbled upon it and thought it to be of interest. Apparently, it's a lot more relevant than I had even anticipated. Just don't hate me for stepping in the puddle and accidentally tracking mud on your carpet.

K

[Jason R]

No need to apologize. I don't think people here are in a mood for shoot the messenger.

I am amazed that Amazon is selling the discs for so little. Their margins must be very small, but I'm not going to deny that it is a fantastic price.

I tried to tell BMG and AU that it was important to let the pre-order customers get their product first. I told them this over and over and over and over again. Bragging rights are one of those intangible things that mean a big deal to fans of anything, whether it is new cars, new stereos, or beloved TV Shows. There were many things that occured behind my back that would not have occured if I had been kept in the loop.

Now, as I predicted to them, I will watch it backfire. It is not always fun to say "I told you so," but I told them so.

Jason

Hmm. So I guess it wasn't a mistake at all.

Sorry to be messenger of "bad" news, this being my first post and all. I honestly just stumbled upon it and thought it to be of interest. Apparently, it's a lot more relevant than I had even anticipated. Just don't hate me for stepping in the puddle and accidentally tracking mud on your carpet.

K

[dTheater]

AU's going to get what they deserve. I expect a rash of cancelled orders in the next week. It will be total chaos in the "universe" of AU. In fact, they must be living in another universe if they think they can continue to operate a business in this fashion. I won't cancel, since I want the bonus disc, but I will not be surprised if people who order from Amazon get their discs before people who ordered from AU.

I don't think AU can be blamed for this, though. Someone else made the point that BMG was going to wait two months after the release date they were given. It's 2 months after that release date, but BMG still has the discs. Yes, AU have jumped the gun over and over and over again and the music clearance issues are a major part of the delay, but BMG still has the discs, so if anyone should've set a release date, it would be BMG. I just don't understand how this is not BMG's fault.

Is BMG even allowed to do this to AU? Don't they have a deal? Is BMG taking advantage of some giant loophole? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[marquito]

So now I'm thinking, should I cancel with AU and order with Amazon? I'd probably get the set faster! It's just funny because I was just asking why this set wasn't done with other, reputable, distributors. Now it seems Amazon is carrying the set. How convenient. The discs are pressed. OK. So are they on their way to AU? WTF is going on!? I want to get my discs before any Amazon or DVD Empire people get theirs. I paid the price. On top of that, if the Amazon people get the bonus dics, too (which it appears they will) then all we're getting for the extra money is the lunchbox. GRRRRRRRR

[Ross Rojek]

So are they on their way to AU? WTF is going on!? I want to get my discs before any Amazon or DVD Empire people get theirs. I paid the price. On top of that, if the Amazon people get the bonus dics, too (which it appears they will) then all we're getting for the extra money is the lunchbox. GRRRRRRRR

Nope no bonus disk to anyone else. Thugh apparently Ventura is going to be calling so they can try and buy it from us. Seems Amazon told them they needed it to be able to compete with us.

The slipcase was just finished. Next week they disks get inserted and shipped to us. I'm trying to get it fast freighted (depends on how many pallets) so it'll get to us faster.