Vinyl Me Please (store, exclusives, swaps, etc)

Selaws said:
A big box (just 1!) arrived from VMP today, with 8 records in it. I haven't opened them all up yet but did go straight for the Oliver Nelson Skull Sessions. Its clearly not what was advertised (and let's face it, @Edd completely smashed it for the Wax Buyers Pressing) but I'm actually ok with it. It's still a cool looking variant (the blue side is better than the red) and im all for the audio quality over fancy pressings. The package itself is great, with a thick spine, gatefold with decent photos etc. Still, I can imagine there will be a LOT of variation in these and there will no doubt be some very unhappy people.

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Yeah that actually is decent and cool looking. I don't think people should be complaining about that, especially if it sounds good.
 
Edd said:
Many thanks, I mean it. It is not the first time that our ROTM are also an exclusive at VMP (this wonder Nina Simone, Harold Alexander, and Ofege I think).
But this is the first time that "a lot" of people have compared the two. This is, of course, very flattering. But let's stay objective: it's largely related to the fact that VMP is having difficulties. I'm extremely proud of the records we put out (you have to listen to The Brooks), and I know their quality, but if VMP hadn't messed around we would be talking much less about WaxBuyersClub.

If this interests you and you have the time, take a look at our archives and at the artists maybe unknown on your side of the ocean. French 79, The Waxidermist, Brace! Brace !, Extraa, Baston, The Bongo Hop.
I try to alternate well-known artists, who bring people in, and others much less. On each of the vinyl records, the work is the same. The goal is the same: to make you discover a record that we love.

With very confidential pressings (<1000), we cannot be compared with VMP, and I do not wish it (although, and despite their mistakes, it is very very flattering).
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@Edd I don't suppose you have any more copies of Skull Sessions for sale? I assume you sold out yes?
 
Satchmo2go said:
Same, but based on the archives, I have some new artists to check out. But yeah...for us Yanks...high shipping cost.
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At the risk of sounding like a fan boi... Its the same cost as I paid VMP as an international subber.

You pays your price you gets your, erm, records.

Also hilariously I just subbed to WBC last Wednesday. My records turned up an hour ago.. In one box. That's no way to run a vinyl sales business!
 
roffle24 said:
I mean in all honesty it seems people will complain either way. People complained that their big box shipment got held up over specific records, and now people complain that they're getting everything as fast as possible, but in separate boxes. I know you weren't exactly "complaining", I just find it very funny.

It's also kind of comical that people say the company could save money and not raise prices by shipping things together, yet so many people here and on reddit threw hissy fits if their shipment got delayed a few weeks if one record was holding it up. These aren't necessarily the same people, just saying you literally can't please everyone no matter what you do.

Before someone hastily responds... I understand there is a middle ground between "always ship everything together" and "ship everything separate and as fast as possible". I'd gather to imagine that logistically this can be challenging, especially since VMP can't do basic functions correctly, none the less micromanage their shipping policies.
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Oh I get it. There will always be a subset of people that complain, and as you said these people may or may not overlap.

I never have an issue of waiting for a record, I mean I get everything on streaming the day it comes out. Really not a big deal, that always satiates me till the physical copy arrives. I always thought it was crazy when people would complain about not getting a physical record the day it was released.

This is where VMP needed to put on their company pants and explain to their consumers why one box per month was essential to their business model.
 
Mather said:
@Edd I don't suppose you have any more copies of Skull Sessions for sale? I assume you sold out yes?
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We still have some copies left, we always do :
- Some records are lost on their way, they need to be replaced.
- Some records are damaged during the way to your turntable, they need to be replaced.

So most of the time, we still have copies 30 days after it has been send to our members.

Though, only (new) members can buy them. But because I'm a good guy, you might find sealed records at a fair price on discogs.

If you have any question, please ask. :)
 
Selaws said:
A big box (just 1!) arrived from VMP today, with 8 records in it. I haven't opened them all up yet but did go straight for the Oliver Nelson Skull Sessions. Its clearly not what was advertised (and let's face it, @Edd completely smashed it for the Wax Buyers Pressing) but I'm actually ok with it. It's still a cool looking variant (the blue side is better than the red) and im all for the audio quality over fancy pressings. The package itself is great, with a thick spine, gatefold with decent photos etc. Still, I can imagine there will be a LOT of variation in these and there will no doubt be some very unhappy people.

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Yup, mine was similar. Actually looks pretty cool because both sides are pretty different colors.

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gouis said:
It's kind of alarming that they can't keep up with shipping to the point where now everything just shipped independently. Seems like a large waste of money.
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I'm guessing due to covid, everything in the fulfillment center is zoned out and you have pickers only filling orders from their specific zone. Without knowing the layout of the warehouse, there's a great chance in a huge fulfillment center like they use that their product may not be all together right now. Especially product that may be delayed from the pressing plants.

VMP sucks but knowing warehousing, it's also very easy for me to envision about a hundred different ways that order fulfillment can be messed up right now.
 
I received three individual boxes from Amazon same day last week, same order. There is social distancing in fulfillment centres now, reduced staff to allow for that, uses of temporary warehouses because the usual ones can't hold the same number of employees. In many locations, CS staff may still be working from home, with the attendant issues in getting resolution from higher -ups that can create. Many companies are dealing with this as they try to strike a balance between good CS - which during a pandemic often means losing a bunch of money getting product to customers - and being financially viable.

European pressing plants were closed for several months. RTI was closed, and did not reopen at full capacity. There is already a shortage of lacquers made worse by Covid closures and costs have risen.

Yet, I have received a monthly box from VMP with some pretty amazing stuff throughout.

I dont dismiss that VMP has had issues but they are far from all coming from mismanagement. Most seem to be lingering from a botched system conversion, and unfortunately Covid likely made fixing that harder and longer.
 
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