Amazon now appear to be "holding" pre-release orders after they are released

[booty]

I ordered the 2 budget CD sets, "The Sound Of Detroit- Original Gems From The Motown Vaults" & "Shop Around" from Amazon UK a couple of months back @ £3.50 each. THese are now advertised as being in stock, but at £5.88 each. However my order now has no despatch date and am being advised that I will be emailed once stock arrives! Same thing happened with "Marvelettes Forever" which I bought on pre-order for £19.00! I've a feeling Amazon are holding back on despatching these at the cheaper prices in the hope I'll get ded up waiting and cancel my order. Maybe their pre-order price guarantee is costing them too much.

Anyone else experiencing this?

[copley]

In a word - no.

[carlo]

Booty...I experienced this same thing with the Marvelettes Forever More release. I eventually cancelled my order. I had the same suspicion that perhaps Amazon UK is not delivering because the pre-order price was set too low and they don't want to lose $$$. It wouldn't surprise me.

[motown_david]

Never had a problem. They always deliver on time.

[snakepit]

I'm still waiting for an e-mail from Amazon UK to tell me that it is being sent...pre-ordered weeks ago.

[shoo-be-doo]

My order is also in Amazon limbo land despite being ordered weeks ago. First time I've ever had this problem with them.

[booty]

When searching Amazon.co.uk for either title, they are both in stock and being fulfilled by Amazon thru Specialinterests but at £5.99 each. I pre-ordered my copies at £3.50 and I've a feeling this is why they've not sent out any pre-orders in the hope we'll get fed up and cancel. Below is the screen from Amazon that I've pasted showing "Shop Around" in stock.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Shop Around
Smokey Robinson | Format: Audio CD
Be the first to review this item Like [[1)
Price: £5.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
In stock.
Sold by specialinterests and Fulfilled by Amazon.
Want guaranteed delivery by 1pm Tuesday, March 20? Order it in the next 23 hours and 11 minutes, and choose Express Delivery at checkout. See Details
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[jack020]

Also ordered TSOD at 3.50 and still waiting for delivery!
Amazon UK website says there is 1 in stock.

[jack020]

Got Amazon e-mail saying delivery is delayed until march 24-27!

[thisoldheart]

not at amazon/us. got mine on day of issue! and love it!

[jack020]

Amazon UK is preparing delivery!

[jack020]

And back to


Not Yet Dispatched

[adrian]

Just checked - current prices at Amazon UK

"The Sound Of Detroit- Original Gems From The Motown Vaults" £4.26
"Shop Around" £4.52

[booty]

At last, both of mine are on their way @ £3.50 ea.

[dickiemint]

I got mine today from Amazon, good value at £3.50.

[jaybs]

Not convinced it is only Amazon, HMV tend to be the same with certain releases they are are never in stock for sending out so buyers have them on the reputed release date, for example the new Earl Van Dyke CD?

[144man]

Not convinced it is only Amazon, HMV tend to be the same with certain releases they are are never in stock for sending out so buyers have them on the reputed release date, for example the new Earl Van Dyke CD?

...and the new Shorty Long. They did get the Marvelettes' Forever More to me on time, however.

[jack020]

Finally shipped this weekend by Amazon Uk: they combined several orders [[a.o. Tom Moulton's 4cd Philly remixes!)

[jaybs]

Even though I ordered my Earl Van Dyke CD weeks ago from HMV they say they are still awaiting stock? and Amazon UK say 8-15 days delivery time?

[144man]

My Earl Van Dyke order now says awaiting allocation from stock, so presumably they have had delivery.

[jack020]

Found out that in some Amsterdam record stores The Sound Of Detroit- Original Gems From The Motown Vaults" & "Shop Around" are sold for € 5.00 each.

[jaybs]

I would like to know what it is with the Earl Van Dyke release, has it been released, on HMV and I ordered when it was first announced it is still saying waiting stock allocation, Amazon UK state 6-12 days and have increased the price by £10, while some Amazon sellers are asking from £18 to £49 for it plus postage, has it in fact been released? does anyone have a copy yet?

[booty]

Jaybs:

Yes, I got mine through Amazon UK last Tuesday [[27th March). Pre-ordered back on January 5th @ £31.00 but with their price guarantee paid only £8.99 for it.

[jaybs]

booty:

Thanks so it has been released! I will hang on a few more days to see if HMV get it in stock for the £8.99 price guarantee

[motownjohnny]

jaybs if it helps you are not alone! I ordered the Shorty Long CD on 13 March and the Earl Van Dyke set on 24 February, both from HMV. These, as you know, were supposed to be available on 26 March. Today I see on my HMV website account that the Shorty Long item is now "available and awaiting shipment", but despite having been ordered earlier, the Earl Van Dyke set is still described as "awaiting stock allocation." HMV have yet to contact me to explain why the delay for either set or how much longer I might have to wait for then to be delivered. Poor customer service I think!

[adrian]

I also got my Earl Van Dyke set through Amazon UK last Tuesday [[27th March).

[jack020]

Still haven't received my Earl van Dyke set from Amazon UK ordered feb.28, but site says shipping is april 5....

[alanh]

I've ordered a copy for myself and another for a friend who's not online. I ordered one with Amazon, the other with HMV, just in case there were problems. In the event, I haven't received either. So I suspect it may not just be an Amazon or HMV issue. Maybe the delay is down to the fact that full shipment hasn't been sent from the States to UK dealers. Frustrating!

[jaybs]

jaybs if it helps you are not alone! I ordered the Shorty Long CD on 13 March and the Earl Van Dyke set on 24 February, both from HMV. These, as you know, were supposed to be available on 26 March. Today I see on my HMV website account that the Shorty Long item is now "available and awaiting shipment", but despite having been ordered earlier, the Earl Van Dyke set is still described as "awaiting stock allocation." HMV have yet to contact me to explain why the delay for either set or how much longer I might have to wait for then to be delivered. Poor customer service I think!

I contacted HMV and they simply said cancel if you wish! the real blame is at the feet of Universal! who must not have pressed sufficient, Amazon and HMV must have known how many had ordered? I asked them if they have any system if those who order first are the first supplied, but they did not respond. It's no wonder sales are not what they are supposed to be when these long awaited released have such problems!

[Hotspurman]

Just been informed by Amazon.co.uk that the Philadelphia International 40th Anniversary box set has been put back to May, when the original release date was next Monday [[9 April). As it is my daughter who has ordered this as an Easter present [[I don't do chocolate!), I'll tell her not to cancel under any circumstances - she should get the guaranteed price of £41.67.

[144man]

I contacted HMV and they simply said cancel if you wish! the real blame is at the feet of Universal! who must not have pressed sufficient, Amazon and HMV must have known how many had ordered? I asked them if they have any system if those who order first are the first supplied, but they did not respond. It's no wonder sales are not what they are supposed to be when these long awaited released have such problems!

The annoying thing is that I was in HMV, Oxford Street, yesterday, and they they had a couple of copies of the Earl Van Dyke for sale in-store. With regard to the Shorty Long, HMV are often a few days late in obtaining Ace/Kent product. Ace's website has a direct link to Amazon.

[Hotspurman]

Obviously I can't speak for Universal [[or any other record company, come to that) but our own system allows us [[Pickwick) to track each and every order that is made on Amazon. Whilst Amazon place an initial order, the system we have in place is that the stock quantity is not generally allowed to fall below a certain figure, so we get told when an order has been placed and therefore know when we will need to top up. I'm sure most companies will have a similar arrangement, even more so for those companies with products that are likely to sell in large quantities.

[RossHolloway]

Can those in Europe order from the American Amazon website? I once ordered something from the Canadian Amazon website and had no problems with the order or delivery. I ordered the EVD set from Amazon on a Thursday and it arrived that Tuesday, which was way earlier than scheduled.

I've also ordered cds from Amazon from UK sellers and never had an issue with the order or it arriving in a timely fashion.

[Hotspurman]

With regards to purchasing from the Amazon US site, I've found it very much depends on the end seller. Many a time I've ordered and paid for and specified a UK delivery address and had no problems, other times it will come up with a message stating that it will only ship to a US address, so I've had to ask firends or more lately my father if they will accept the package and then forward it on to me.

The funniest one [[althougfh it wasn't at the time) was purchasing an ipod, which was significantly cheaper from the Amazon US site. So when it came up with the message it would only deliver to a US address, I arrange for it to go to a friend. The plan was for him to being it to Midem, the annual music show in the south of France each January. I wasn't in any particular rush for the item, but the firend decided I should have it sooner rather than later so sent it in the post to me. Not only did I have to reimburse his post, I got stung by customs too!

[Hotspurman]

With regards to purchasing from the Amazon US site, I've found it very much depends on the end seller. Many a time I've ordered and paid for and specified a UK delivery address and had no problems, other times it will come up with a message stating that it will only ship to a US address, so I've had to ask friends or more lately my father if they will accept the package and then forward it on to me.

The funniest one [[although it wasn't at the time) was purchasing an ipod, which was significantly cheaper from the Amazon US site. So when it came up with the message it would only deliver to a US address, I arrange for it to go to a friend. The plan was for him to bring it to Midem, the annual music show in the south of France each January. I wasn't in any particular rush for the item, but the friend decided I should have it sooner rather than later so sent it in the post to me. Not only did I have to reimburse his post, I got stung by customs too!

[Hotspurman]

Sorry about the duplicated post - the page keeps freezing and I was in the process of editing the typos out.

[144man]

The Shorty Long CD is now in transit to me, and HMV have emailed an apology for its lateness. They haven't given a reason yet for the delay in supplying the Earl Van Dyke CD.

[jack020]

Earl van Dyke set from Amazon UK has shipped april 3!

[144man]

Hooray! My Earl Van Dyke CD is now on its way.

[adrian]

Can those in Europe order from the American Amazon website? I once ordered something from the Canadian Amazon website and had no problems with the order or delivery. I ordered the EVD set from Amazon on a Thursday and it arrived that Tuesday, which was way earlier than scheduled.

I've also ordered cds from Amazon from UK sellers and never had an issue with the order or it arriving in a timely fashion.
Yes I have ordered several items from amazon.com. It is often cheaper to order from there than amazon.co.uk.

[jaybs]

Hooray! My Earl Van Dyke CD is now on its way.

Same here Wednesday morning email from HMV with a sorry for the delay!

[762rob]

I ordered the Earl Van Dyke for $12.52 from Amazon UK it would have been $27.13 from Amazon in the US.

I am in Tennessee USA, it was less than half as much to buy the release in the UK and have it shipped back to the USA.

[theboyfromxtown]

It works in reverse too.

I bought the Spector and Brian Wilson sets from amazon usa.