Don't buy from BMG Music Club

I made the mistake of trusting that BMG really makes CDs as good as other places, and I thought that they would stand behind their products. I could not have been more wrong. Here is the response I got from them when I reported a CD of theirs oxidizing (I have put in "XXXXX" to conceal things like my account number, etc.):

To: Mr XXXXX Account XXXXX

Thank you for your recent correspondence.

We received your message concerning an order you received. We cannot process a replacement shipment of XXXXX.

Please note replacements are not possible for selections that have been
in your possession for an extended period of time.

Your understanding is appreciated.


Your Friends at
BMG Music Service

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So, you had better backup your CDs if you want to be able to listen to them in the future if you bought them from scum like BMG.

(If you don't know about oxidation in CDs, do an Internet search for "CD rot".)

Interesting thing this "CD rot", my collection dates back to the beginning of the CD era and I've yet to encounter any kind of rot, I do have early BMG and Columbia (I think that was pre-Sony, not sure)stock and I still play them. I also have have a small batch of LDs, no problems there either.

I have used BMG for years. I have never encountered a problem with their products. I have some CDs from as far back as about 1992-1993, and I have not noticed any such problems. Seems you just got a bad CD. I have an old Holst: Planets album that has some signs of rot/pitting; but this was not a BMG CD.

I don't know what to think about their refusal to replace the CD. I doubt many companies (BMG or most anyone else) will replace an old product, factory defect or not.

-Chris

My oldest CD is '70s Preservation Society Presents Disco Fever'. It is one of the first discs ever pressed when CDs hit the stores in 1981. It is absolutely perfect with no signs of decay at all.

It is a common misconception that BMG or Columbia House make their own discs and they are inferior to others. They simply duplicate them from the same masters as everyone else. They are direct marketing firms - not a record label. I think you just got a bad disc.

I used BMG and Columbia House for years but grew tired of it. Mainly because of all their 'specials' like 3 for the price of 1. When you factor in shipping and handling, their discs are $8 apiece but that average price actually increases slightly as you buy more. Now $8 for a new CD is a decent deal but the hassle of the whole process is not for me anymore. Still I've never gotten a bad disc from either service.

MDS said:

When you factor in shipping and handling, their discs are $8 apiece but that average price actually increases slightly as you buy more. Now $8 for a new CD is a decent deal but the hassle of the whole process is not for me anymore. Still I've never gotten a bad disc from either service.

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I pay around $4.00 per CD with BMG, after all is said and done. I always cancel after I finish my obligation and re-open the account and start the 'free CD' deal all over again.

If you do the *base BMG deal, it's $4.37 per CD. If you catch the occasional special deals, you can get 2 more 'free' CDs with the purchase of your obligatory single purchased CD, and push it down to almost $4.00 per CD average.

-Chris

*11 'free' CDs. $2.79 Shipping x 12 CDs + $18.98 one CD at regular price.

I think you might want to check your math.

Over time the average amounts to $8 unless the deal has changed recently and I don't think it has because I still get the 'We want you back' mailings.

MDS said:

I think you might want to check your math.

Over time the average amounts to $8 unless the deal has changed recently and I don't think it has because I still get the 'We want you back' mailings.

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The BMG agreements of the last 2-3 years:

11 Free CDs (plus 2.79 shipping per CD) = 30.69

1 Regular Price CD(18.98 + 2.79 shipping) = 21.77

Total is $52.46. Divided by 12 total CDs = 4.37 per CD

Catch one of the occasional special deals, and you can get two more CDs for 'free', bringing the average down a bit lower.

Ok, you did the math correctly.

However, my recollection is that as you remain a member and go for their 3 for 1 type deals, the average approaches $8, which is still a good deal.

So the ideal is as you said - do the initial offer and then cancel.

I think the straw that broke the camel's back for me was their 'points' system where you earn points with each purchase and when you accumulate enough you get a 'free' CD (shipping+tax applies of course). The problem was that only certain CDs qualified and as luck would have it - none that I wanted.

WmAx said:

I have used BMG for years. I have never encountered a problem with their products. I have some CDs from as far back as about 1992-1993, and I have not noticed any such problems. Seems you just got a bad CD. I have an old Holst: Planets album that has some signs of rot/pitting; but this was not a BMG CD.

I don't know what to think about their refusal to replace the CD. I doubt many companies (BMG or most anyone else) will replace an old product, factory defect or not.

-Chris

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I have encountered this problem before. The brand was Pearl, and they acknowledged the problem, and replaced the CDs (2 from one set) when I returned the defective discs to the manufacturer. This was long after the sale, and I no longer had a sales receipt. Nor is Pearl the only responsible company:

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/bronzed.asp

In BMG's case, they are a huge corporation that controls a significant percentage of the music that is sold. Their own records show that I purchased the disc legitimately. They will do nothing about their defective discs when the defect is not immediately apparent. This means they are scum.

MDS said:

My oldest CD is '70s Preservation Society Presents Disco Fever'. It is one of the first discs ever pressed when CDs hit the stores in 1981. It is absolutely perfect with no signs of decay at all.

It is a common misconception that BMG or Columbia House make their own discs and they are inferior to others. They simply duplicate them from the same masters as everyone else. They are direct marketing firms - not a record label. I think you just got a bad disc.

I used BMG and Columbia House for years but grew tired of it. Mainly because of all their 'specials' like 3 for the price of 1. When you factor in shipping and handling, their discs are $8 apiece but that average price actually increases slightly as you buy more. Now $8 for a new CD is a decent deal but the hassle of the whole process is not for me anymore. Still I've never gotten a bad disc from either service.

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BMG is not simply a retailer; they are a major corporation which owns a significant percentage of the copyrights on music that is sold. They are even more than a mere record label; they own several record labels:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMG

If they were a mere retailer, I would not be discussing the matter with them at all, and would go to whoever manufactured the disc.

The BMG in the Wikipedia is a record label. BMG Music Club is a direct marketing firm with agreements with most of the major record labels; likewise don't confuse Columbia House with Columbia records.

Yeah, I signed up for them when i was 16, and the would constantly be sending me cd's that I didn't order and my bill was up to $300 because they were sending me music faster than I was sending them back... Oh, also, I've worked at record store many times, and they DO NOT take back Music Club cd's so don't even try. The Barcodes are different, and it'll say Columbia House or BMG Music club in fine print near the bar code, so don't even argue.

They do not take them back in exchange because it breaks contractual agreements between the record labels and the record store, and they will stop selling their CD's to the record store should you start taking back record club cd's. Not worth it to make you happy.

Yes they will buy them as a used CD- but that's it.

Never been in one.

Humm, I've never joined one of these cd clubs. Is it safe to assume they're a rip off ??

NYyankeeboi said:

Humm, I've never joined one of these cd clubs. Is it safe to assume they're a rip off ??

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No, they are not a rip-off. They are a good way to get a large number of CDs quickly and at a lower price than buying from a store.

The main 'problem' with music clubs is forgetting to send back the monthly selection card or going on-line to refuse it because if you don't they automatically ship it to you. One could argue that it is not the fault of the music club in those instances - the consumer didn't follow through with their end of the deal. However, it can become annoying nonetheless.

One tip though: if you forgot to send back the monthly selection card and a CD arrives at your house when you know you didn't order anything, just write 'refused' on the package (without opening it) and hand it right back to the mailman.

MDS said:

The BMG in the Wikipedia is a record label. BMG Music Club is a direct marketing firm with agreements with most of the major record labels; likewise don't confuse Columbia House with Columbia records.

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The BMG Music Club is BMG's direct marketing company. See:

http://www.bmg.com/

BMG does not automatically send you the selection of the month, probably haven't for a couple of years. You mail the card in if you want it, or all can we handle via web page.

It does average out to about $8 per CD, no matter what the deal is.

DTS said:

It does average out to about $8 per CD, no matter what the deal is.

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Really. You must be using a different BMG. I only pay a touch over $4 each after I account for all costs. I already provided the math based on the membership base requirements in a prior post.

As for your statement that they do not auto send CDs. How do I enable this 'do not auto send' feature? If I don't refuse online every few weeks, I automatically receive a 'feature selection'. No problem, really. I just write refuse on the package and drop it in a mail box when one slips by me.

-Chris

WmAx said:

The BMG agreements of the last 2-3 years:

11 Free CDs (plus 2.79 shipping per CD) = 30.69
1 Regular Price CD(18.98 + 2.79 shipping) = 21.77
Total is $52.46. Divided by 12 total CDs = 4.37 per CD

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WmAx said:

Really. You must be using a different BMG. I only pay a touch over $4 each after I account for all costs. I already provided the math based on the membership base requirements in a prior post.

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This still doesn't jive with my recollection having been a member of BMG for many many years, so I went to the BMG site: http://www.bmgmusic.com. The deal is 7 + 1 + 4 = 12. There is shipping and handling for each CD + tax but let's ignore the tax...

1). 7 'free': 7 * 2.79 shipping = 19.53
2) 1 regular price: 18.98 + 2.79 = 21.77
3) 4 more 'free': 4 * 2.79 = 11.16
Total: 56.42
Average cost: 56.42 / 12 = $4.37 per CD.
[Note: You DO NOT get all 12 at once - it is 3 separate shipments!]

Next month you go for their 'Buy 1 get 2 free deal':
1) 18.98 + 2.79 = 21.77
2) 2 * 2.79 = 5.58
Total : 27.35
Average cost: (52.46 + 27.35) / 15 = $5.32 per CD

Oops...average cost is creeping up...

Next month you buy the featured selection:
1) 18.98 + 2.79 = 21.77
Average cost: (52.46 + 27.35 + 21.77) / 16 = $6.35 per CD

Another 3 for 1 deal comes along:
1) 18.98 + 2.79 = 21.77
2) 2 * 2.79 = 5.58
Total (52.46 + 27.35 + 21.77 + 27.35) / 19 = $6.79

ETC....

IIRC, the shipping charge goes down for each CD, so if the first is $2.79, the next is $2.69, and the third is lower but it is never lower than about $2.49 each. Add tax for each shipment and the numbers go up slightly more.

As I said before and DTS concurs, the longer you remain a member the higher your average cost per CD. If you buy just 1 selection - the featured selection - your costs increase even faster. $8 or so per CD is the average unless you get the intial deal and fulfill the obligation to buy 1 at regular price and then cancel.

MDS said:

This still doesn't jive with my recollection having been a member of BMG for many many years, so I went to the BMG site: http://www.bmgmusic.com. The deal is 7 + 1 + 4 = 12. There is shipping and handling for each CD + tax but let's ignore the tax...

1). 7 'free': 7 * 2.79 shipping = 19.53
2) 1 regular price: 18.98 + 2.79 = 21.77
3) 4 more 'free': 4 * 2.79 = 11.16
Total: 56.42
Average cost: 56.42 / 12 = $4.37 per CD.
[Note: You DO NOT get all 12 at once - it is 3 separate shipments!]

Next month you go for their 'Buy 1 get 2 free deal':
1) 18.98 + 2.79 = 21.77
2) 2 * 2.79 = 5.58
Total : 27.35
Average cost: (52.46 + 27.35) / 15 = $5.32 per CD

Oops...average cost is creeping up...

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Depends, as you can sometimes use the buy 1 get 2 free deal as the 1 obligated fulfillment CD if you happen to catch it. This usually only works on the featured selection, and if you specifically request the selection when it is made available ( as opposed to letting it auto-send ) -- so you have to happen to want the feature selection ( you almost never do ) and happen to take advantage of this offer when it occurs.

Next month you buy the featured selection:
1) 18.98 + 2.79 = 21.77
Average cost: (52.46 + 27.35 + 21.77) / 16 = $6.35 per CD

Another 3 for 1 deal comes along:
1) 18.98 + 2.79 = 21.77
2) 2 * 2.79 = 5.58
Total (52.46 + 27.35 + 21.77 + 27.35) / 19 = $6.79

ETC....

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Right. Now, it does not make sense. Why would anyone continue with the same account after fulfilling the 1 regular price CD and getting the free CDs? BMG allows you to close/re-open and start the deal all over again.

-Chris

WmAx said:

Right. Now, it does not make sense. Why would anyone continue with the same account after fulfilling the 1 regular price CD and getting the free CDs? BMG allows you to close/re-open and start the deal all over again.

-Chris

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Yep, that is the way to minimize your costs but most people just remain a member. I know I did for a long time before I just got tired of it. Now I prefer to actually go out in public and browse the used CD stores.