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

[Skalap]

Mmmmmmm I feel you on that one.

I really care for both though, because I love both VMP and Needles&Grooves.

Like, VMP is perfect for me in terms of the vinyl hobby if you know what I mean. I don’t think they are a nasty company though. And they do have a lot of quality control problems and it’s likely that you will receive a warped record from them, but I still really enjoy them.

And I love Needles&Grooves because it’s such a fun group of people I’d love to all meet! I love everyone here, like everyone has their own personality and loves music and is real! Love the generosity of many of the people here too and I love the humour in this forum too!

It's hard for me to understand how you can say "VMP is perfect for me in terms of the vinyl hobby" and then "it’s likely that you will receive a warped record from them".

They are bad, period. Worst thing is that they seem to be bad at almost everything: communication, quality control, shipping, pricing, stock, etc... Only thing that saves them now is their Classics track, it's the only thing that I sometimes miss but that's it. Vinyl hobby is now way better since I don't receive warped records and have to enter in the replacement process that sometimes takes months.

 

[hamicle]

Finally caught up on the last 25 or so pages.

Buying records should not be an ordeal. If it’s becoming an ordeal then do it differently - cut out the bit that’s causing the problem. They’re only records.

 

[Joe Mac]

It's hard for me to understand how you can say "VMP is perfect for me in terms of the vinyl hobby" and then "it’s likely that you will receive a warped record from them".

They are bad, period. Worst thing is that they seem to be bad at almost everything: communication, quality control, shipping, pricing, stock, etc... Only thing that saves them now is their Classics track, it's the only thing that I sometimes miss but that's it. Vinyl hobby is now way better since I don't receive warped records and have to enter in the replacement process that sometimes takes months.

They were a useful savings bank for you though. Give them money. They either don't send out the record or do damaged. Because your are BOTS & international no replacements so they give you your money back. Think how rich you’d be @Skalap if you were still buying your records from VMP, you could have a beautiful apartment on the Champs-Élysées...

 

[NathanRicaud]

It's hard for me to understand how you can say "VMP is perfect for me in terms of the vinyl hobby" and then "it’s likely that you will receive a warped record from them".

They are bad, period. Worst thing is that they seem to be bad at almost everything: communication, quality control, shipping, pricing, stock, etc... Only thing that saves them now is their Classics track, it's the only thing that I sometimes miss but that's it. Vinyl hobby is now way better since I don't receive warped records and have to enter in the replacement process that sometimes takes months.

Well, it’s only like 30% of the time I received a warp record from them. And I know that’s high, but I just accept it. Some warps aren’t too severe, so I can still play those records on the turntable.

Yeah, the Classics track is definitely the best thing they have going!

But mmmmm, I don’t know. I still really enjoy VMP. Like, their colour variants are always so good-looking and their pressings for the most part sound great!

 

[Skalap]

They were a useful savings bank for you though. Give them money. They either don't send out the record or do damaged. Because your are BOTS & international no replacements so they give you your money back. Think how rich you’d be @Skalap if you were still buying your records from VMP, you could have a beautiful apartment on the Champs-Élysées...

Ahahah! I can see the discussion at the bank. Skalap, so you want to buy this 20Mio€ appartment on the Champs-Elysees but you only have 2000€ on your bank account. How will you do that? Me: well, first I only have 2000€ because they're amazing sales on Mr Bongo website and 5 super nice Japanese jazz records were released last week. Second, you must check my Discogs account, I can trade my collection and already pay cash for the toilets in this apartment, I even have change for paper rolls. Third, I have tons of credits at VMP store, they can pay you for the amount due and they usually pay 5 times what they should, it just might be a bit warped but still playable. So, do we have a deal?

 

[Joe Mac]

Ahahah! I can see the discussion at the bank. Skalap, so you want to buy this 20Mio€ appartment on the Champs-Elysees but you only have 2000€ on your bank account. How will you do that? Me: well, first I only have 2000€ because they're amazing sales on Mr Bongo website and 5 super nice Japanese jazz records were released last week. Second, you must check my Discogs account, I can trade my collection and already pay cash for the toilets in this apartment, I even have change for paper rolls. Third, I have tons of credits at VMP store, they can pay you for the amount due and they usually pay 5 times what they should, it just might be a bit warped but still playable. So, do we have a deal?

VMP credits, buying luxury apartments from Russian plutocrats since 2019...

 

[AnthonyI]

Well, it’s only like 30% of the time I received a warp record from them. And I know that’s high, but I just accept it.

@NathanRicaud , I know you are perfectly happy with VMP and how they run their business and that's your prerogative and I'm not picking on you, honest, but this comment is exactly why they're still in business and why it'll never change. This is without a doubt the mentality of the majority of their customer base. ONLY 30%??? It's your hard earned money my friend, you DON'T have to accept it, not from VMP or any other retailer. Think about it, how many warped albums have to exist for YOU to have a 30% average?

Again, this isn't meant as an "attack", you're a great part of this community and this community has always been about helping it's members, it's one of the best parts and my favorite part of this community, gear, album & music choices, even personal problems, the core of this place helps each other...........and that's all I'm trying to do.

 

[Expensive Headache]

Here’s a new one that prompted me to write to CS:

“Hey,

My order screen shows I’m getting Slowthai for December. I never swapped for this! I left the track as is so I could receive Run DMC as my December R&HH pick. Can you correct this before my order ships so I can receive Run DMC please? I do not want slowthai - nothing great about britain. Thanks.”

The new system is all sorts of goofy. Not how I want to restart my subscription for a year, VMP.

 

[TimmahTao]

Here’s a new one that prompted me to write to CS:

“Hey,

My order screen shows I’m getting Slowthai for December. I never swapped for this! I left the track as is so I could receive Run DMC as my December R&HH pick. Can you correct this before my order ships so I can receive Run DMC please? I do not want slowthai - nothing great about britain. Thanks.”

The new system is all sorts of goofy. Not how I want to restart my subscription for a year, VMP.

I mean, perhaps don't give them a year of your money until they can competently get you the product you paid for?

 

[Dark Star Boogie]

Here’s a new one that prompted me to write to CS:

“Hey,

My order screen shows I’m getting Slowthai for December. I never swapped for this! I left the track as is so I could receive Run DMC as my December R&HH pick. Can you correct this before my order ships so I can receive Run DMC please? I do not want slowthai - nothing great about britain. Thanks.”

The new system is all sorts of goofy. Not how I want to restart my subscription for a year, VMP.

All three of my tracks show last month’s selections, although I swapped RunDMC for Clipse...probably never “finalized” it

 

[Expensive Headache]

I mean, perhaps don't give them a year of your money until they can competently get you the product you paid for?

the glitch occurred after the renewal period occurred - it was RunDMC as of last night...

 

[wokeupnew]

 

[TimmahTao]

VMP Customers: "Why do these things keep happening to us!?"

VMP Employees: "Why does our (insert scapegoat here) keep messing up our awesome business! We love vinyls!"

 

[Count_Vader]

I'm OoTL. Could someone please update me on the latest batch of screwups?

 

[dhodo]

I'm OoTL. Could someone please update me on the latest batch of screwups?

Store migration is still completely screwy, even though they've been doing it for a week and a half. People are having all kinds of problems with their accounts and some people haven't gotten their November boxes still. CS is so backed up, people that emailed back then still haven't had a response. Two people on Reddit got the number of Mobb Deep they ordered squared (5=25 and 4=16), so people are worried they won't get theirs at all since they shipped the wrong amounts.

 

[TimmahTao]

I'm OoTL. Could someone please update me on the latest batch of screwups?

VMP transitioned to a new web store without beta testing during the busiest shopping season on the year. Apparently because their front end store isn’t compatible with their back end/logistics, people who ordered several copies of Mobb Deep received several times the number of copies they ordered. Now VMP is asking them to mail them back.

 

[TimmahTao]

VMP transitioned to a new web store without beta testing during the busiest shopping season on the year. Apparently because their front end store isn’t compatible with their back end/logistics, people who ordered several copies of Mobb Deep received several times the number of copies they ordered. Now VMP is asking them to mail them back.

Oh, and people are fucking SHOCKED. SHOCKED, I TELL YOU.

 

[Expensive Headache]

Here’s a new one that prompted me to write to CS:

“Hey,

My order screen shows I’m getting Slowthai for December. I never swapped for this! I left the track as is so I could receive Run DMC as my December R&HH pick. Can you correct this before my order ships so I can receive Run DMC please? I do not want slowthai - nothing great about britain. Thanks.”

The new system is all sorts of goofy. Not how I want to restart my subscription for a year, VMP.

update: Changed my plan to six months (price is about the same versus a year and the recent glitch gives me pause). However; RUNDMC now reflected as in my December order. While VMP have some excellent titles, my lack of FOMO does not justify a year re-up for splatter versions of new releases.

 

[displayname]

This has all been a very fun read. VMP might as well start a reality show at this point. I'd probably watch it. I'm sure they have staff regularly monitoring our threads here. I'd love to see the conversations that take place in response to all this.

Once they do announce the the next 3 months I'm sure it'll re-ignite the flames of all the unresolved issues. I still haven't made a decision on my renewal. I'll have to talk it over with the lady. She still very much likes VMP, but she also doesn't mess with any of the forums/ reddit.
She did laugh really hard at the Mobb Deep issues though.

 

[Rahawk2]

A good reminder:
According to the Federal Trade Commission, you have a legal right to keep unordered merchandise and consider it a free gift. That’s because federal law prohibits mailing unordered merchandise to consumers and then demanding payment.

Reminder: If A Retailer Sends You Something You Didn’t Order, You Can Keep It

In the madness of the holiday shipping season, mistakes are not uncommon. Sometimes, lucky shoppers find themselves on the winning end of those mistakes, like when you get 99 extra knives or when a…

consumerist.com

Good to know I got 4 records in the mail with no return address or note inside (not VMP) . I asked everyone I knowing they sent them and no one knows anything.