Feel cheated by Hip-o-select

[robbo3333]

I'm sorry my first post on this forum has to be a negative one, but I'm feeling cheated by Hip-o-select over the Supremes IHAS & David Ruffin David Unreleased CD's. Having pre-ordered these with Amazon UK, I am being told that IHAS is currently unavailable [[don't know when or if we will recieve stock) & DR is temporarily out of stock [[we will notify you when this is available).
Having previously purchased 54 items from the Motown section, spending quite a bit of money on them, I feel really let down by the company over this issue.

Best wishes,
Robbo3333

[mwmr]

I'm sorry my first post on this forum has to be a negative one, but I'm feeling cheated by Hip-o-select over the Supremes IHAS & David Ruffin David Unreleased CD's. Having pre-ordered these with Amazon UK, I am being told that IHAS is currently unavailable [[don't know when or if we will recieve stock) & DR is temporarily out of stock [[we will notify you when this is available).
Having previously purchased 54 items from the Motown section, spending quite a bit of money on them, I feel really let down by the company over this issue.

Best wishes,
Robbo3333

I'm with you on this.

It is insulting to UK fans,like us, that Hip O Select do not post to the UK and we have to find alternative ways to purchase.
Even more so as IHAS is a ltd pressing of 2,000 copies.
Furthrmore the original price on amazon for this set was £42 although it has dropped in price.
The UK was the place that never lost faith in Motown and where the acts,some big names,some small names have ALWAYS found work/tours since the golden days were over.
HipO treat the UK fans disgusting!

[MrTopCat]

That's BS... I was about to order the David Ruffin CD today or in a few days. WTH?!? That's absolutely disgraceful. The DR CD's release date was today... What the hell happened? :X

They should've made a bigger pressing of the DR CD.. After all, they've written, on their website, that is back by POPULAR demand... 2000 copies is NOTHING.

[alanbill1074]

I Hear A Symphony is still on sale at amazon.com for $32.54. I'm also in the UK but I wasn't taking the chance on not getting this so I pre-ordered from them and mine shipped today. Anyone UK based trying to get one now can get it here:

http://www.amazon.com/I-Hear-Symphony-Supremes/dp/B00975L576/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349779534&sr=8-1&keywords=supremes+i+hear+a+symphony

[144man]

British fans shouldn't have the worry of not knowing whether they'll ever manage to get a copy.

I thought that companies were in existence to maximise their profits. It seems all they try to do nowadays is maximise executives' salaries. When are the shareholders going to wake up?

[Jaap]

I agree that this way of doing business is not very friendly towards loyal buyers in Europe [[and elsewhere outside of the US). I initially ordered my copy with Amazon.com, but changed to Amazon.co.uk when it became available on the same day, but now switched back to Amazon.com... problems would be solved if we could also order directly from hip-o select, as we used to be able to do...

[MrTopCat]

You can order directly from Hip - O afaik. They've got their international delivery rates on their website, but I ain't paying $50 for shipping for a single CD.... No way!

This whole situation is ridiculous!

[robbo3333]

Also buying from outside the EU we are liable for VAT which on £25 [[roughly the Amazon US cost) will be an additional £5

[robbo3333]

Just looking at The Supremes At The Copa CD and see it was manufactured in the EU [[all others in my collection are USA). Was there a problem, where Hip-o / Universal won't do this again?

[masterblaster]

I felt "cheated" by Hip-O-Select when they didn't release volume 12 of The Complete Motown Singles and have never ordered from them since. They don't deverve the custom.

[MrTopCat]

Why did they even bother putting up listings for both releases, when I'm sure they knew they'd not be able to deliver on what was promised.....

I am really pissed right now.

[marybrewster]

Am curious:

Have you all sent your complaints to Hip-O or Amazon? It may serve a better purpose to go directly to the source, rather than posting on a message board that "the powers that be" at Hip-O and Amazon might not even see.

Now, if you all are just venting, I totally get that. I'd be upset too. But with all due respect, venting here ain't gonna get your CD's.

Just a thought.

[MrTopCat]

Well, I just ordered David Ruffin's CD through a third party seller on Amazon... The whole thing's gonna cost me £10.27.... Hooray for third party sellers and Booo for the way Hip - O does business...

[Kamasu_Jr]

I'm not sure why Motown fans in the UK have these problems. I order from the UK all of the time and never have any problems aside from the occasional long delivery time.
I agree it is too expensive to order through the HIP O website. I can understand that. Unlike other fans in the US, I pay shipping PLUS taxes on anything I order through Hip O/UME because it has a warehouse in my state. The Supremes IHAS set would have cost me over $50.00- way more than I wanted to pay for it, so I had to find another source - I did and found it cheaper. I agree with Top Cat, you have to be smart and resourceful on your own.

[robbo3333]

MrTC, great minds think alike I ordered mine for £9.72 [[inc.P&P), you're at £10.27, just checked again and it's at £10.49. Any bets for what it'll be by the end of the day?

[MrTopCat]

MrTC, great minds think alike I ordered mine for £9.72 [[inc.P&P), you're at £10.27, just checked again and it's at £10.49. Any bets for what it'll be by the end of the day?

Good for you man. Glad you ordered one as well. See, if Amazon doesn't want our money, there are other ways to find our CD's [[ even cheaper than Amazon's . Their price atm is at £14.69 ). When I put my order through there were only 3 copies left from this seller. Glad I acted so quickly.

Still, I am very disappointed in how this whole situation was handled by both Amazon and Hip - O. No explanation, no warning, nothing.

[RossHolloway]

Sorry to hear about your troubles with Amazon UK, but I've had great success ordering thru Amazon here in the US as well as Amazon in Canada. I've actually ordered some cds [[non-Motown) from a seller in the UK and I've never had a problem receiving my purchase nor did it cost an arm and a leg.

[calvin]

I've been following this forum for some months, this is my first post so let me start by saying hello to everyone and thanks for the information you share.

I guess I understand why they like to limit these releases - it puts pressure on potential buyers so they won't delay their purchase and it encourages some to buy extra copies to hold for future resale. This allows the manufacturer to clear inventory quickly and get the return they want on their investment.

Still, this should be about the music and making it available to those who love it. We loyal fans should be able to purchase copies without some kind of mad scramble to get our hands on a copy. Third party sellers are great, but what if I pre-order on Amazon and am away on holiday when the release date comes? Do I have to worry about coming up empty handed? It also happened to me once [[not with HIP-O) that I ordered a limited release through a third party seller, only to be informed a week later that it was unfortunately no longer in stock and my order couldn't be filled - it was then too late to buy it elsewhere, sold out!

They should print enough copies to last for a few months at least, to give those who want it a chance to buy. Maybe they did, I don't know what their sales numbers are like, but 2000 copies of each of these releases seems like a pretty small number.

I don't know if the fault lies with HIP-O or Amazon.co.uk, but they can surely see how many copies were pre-ordered and make sure that those go out in a timely manner, so the buyers don't have to worry about it.

[theboyfromxtown]

Hello,

We regret to inform you that your order will take longer to fulfill than originally estimated. Our supplier has notified us that there is a delay obtaining stock for the following items you ordered on October 05 2012.

David Ruffin "David Unreleased Lp & More"

We are awaiting a revised estimate from our supplier, and will email you as soon as we receive this information.

If you would prefer to cancel the item, please visit Your Account on the link below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/css/order/edit.html?ie=UTF8&useCase=cancel&orderID=202-8644182-3774714

One of Amazon's aims is to provide a convenient and efficient service; in this case, we have fallen short. Please accept our sincere apologies.

You haven't been charged for this item yet as we don't debit money from your payment card until just before your items are dispatched. We'll send you a confirmation e-mail when your items are dispatched to confirm the date, contents and method of delivery.

Please consider the following similar items, which may be available sooner:

- You can purchase a different version of the original item:

"I Hear A Symphony [VINYL]" [lp_record]
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001PSFBIM/ref=fxm_em_sub_o

Differences between your original item and our recommendations are typically minor but some things, such as the item's cost, may be different.

Warmest regards,

Customer Service Department
Amazon.co.uk

[RossHolloway]

@ Calvin - In the past most Limited Releases were generally between 5-10,000 copies, and for the most part none of the releases have sold out in days or weeks. For the most part these releases [[IMO) have been geared towards the labels or artists real hard core fans. As a hardcore Motown fan I've made the mistake three times in the past by waiting too long to order a release and it sold out before I was able to order a copy. Since then I've kept up with the current releases, and on certain ones I pre-order. I think for the most part there are some fans in Europe who may have difficulties getting the releases right away. For some reason I do not think that Hippo-Select either has a licensing agreement in Europe or a distribution agreement there. But again, Amazon.com is a God-send in that folks overseas have had luck thru that site or other online sites.

[RossHolloway]

@TheboyfromXtown - have you tried Amazon.com here in the US?

http://www.amazon.com/David-Unreleased-Lp-More-Ruffin/dp/B00975LCMO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349800149&sr=8-1&keywords=david+ruffin+unreleased

[MrTopCat]

@Ross - I'm sure that they do have some sort of a licensing/distribution agreement for Europe, because most of the TCMS box sets are available from all major retailers/online retailers in the UK.

This whole situation is very fishy. OK, I did not pre - order and could've been left out without a copy, but @robbo3333 did pre - order, and @theboyfromxtown did pre - order as well, and now @robbo had to order the DR CD from a third party seller [[ like I did ), and @theboyfromxtown is left without a copy. It's all very confusing and frustrating.

BTW, my copy of David Ruffin's: Unreleased LP & More is Preparing for dispatchThat's the status of my order on Amazon.co.uk. I placed my it a couple of hours ago. Those guys are fast..

[whitesoxx]

Managed to order the DR cd from a Dutch brick and mortar record shop and iI picked it up at the weekend :-)

[jboy88]

I personally don't blame the overseas members for there beef with Hip-oSelect! i actually have one of my own, namely with the limited edition staues. I remember when the DAVID album came out initially and telling my Dad I had to order it ASAP as it would be gone for good if i didn't get it soon! My Mom told be that it wasn't true! Lo and Behold, She was right!

It also seems that history is repeating itself lately. Just as in Motown's heyday, several under the radar acts are still being overlooked for reissues in favor of Diana Ross/Supremes! Aside from the Tammi Terrell, David Ruffin, and Eddie Kendricks, no other 2nd tier or lower ranked Motowners have been reconized with releases. [[Thank goodness for ACE/Kent for those releases)

[robbo3333]

IHAS now being sold on Amazon UK by a reseller for £78 plus £1.26 P&P. At least Dick Turpin wore a mask!!

[calvin]

@RossHolloway
Yes, one usually does not usually have to hurry with HIP-O, there have always been enough so that the releases are available for a while, which is great.

I heard about HIP-O too late for David Ruffin Unreleased on its first issue. But since I learned about HIP-O I've bought all their releases from the classic Detroit years, and most but not all of the other releases. And I did buy most of these through Amazon.co.uk, usually pre-ordering. The usual pattern for the pre-orders is a very high starting price and the same release date as Amazon.com, but the price comes down at the end and the release date is moved back a month or two. But I always waited and always ended up getting what I wanted, and usually at a very good price [[plus free shipping).

These two releases make me a bit nervous, though, with only 2000 copies being released [[though 3500 copies of the David Ruffin cd were already sold years ago). And I see that Amazon UK didn't just move back their release date like they usually do - the David Ruffin cd is listed as "temporarily out of stock" while the Supremes IHAS is only offered by RAREWAVES USA for £78 - you can't order it from Amazon UK at all right now. What's going on???

So when I saw this thread this afternoon I immediately ordered both from Amazon.com, who say they have it in stock. I still have my pre-orders on amazon uk, but I'll cancel them once the cds are dispatched from the US.

I just wish the pre-orders from Amazon UK worked better, as they do with some other labels. I think the Syreeta One To One on Soulmusic was scheduled for release on Amazon UK on 8 October, and I received my copy today, no hassle. Why can't the HIP-O releases work this way?

[davidh]

i have had no trouble with Hip-o-select?hmmmm.sorry u all r having problems.

[theboyfromxtown]

@TheboyfromXtown - have you tried Amazon.com here in the US?

http://www.amazon.com/David-Unreleased-Lp-More-Ruffin/dp/B00975LCMO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349800149&sr=8-1&keywords=david+ruffin+unreleased


Hmmmmmm.............what a good idea. I guess at least that way I can guarantee getting a copy

[robbo3333]

Calvin your last post hit the nail on the head. I have been doing exactly the same as you. Last night the DR CD showed as estimated dispatch as today, this morning at 9 it was temporarily out of stock. Amazon UK must have known well in advance that they would not recieve either, but no mention. Still very disappointed and angry.

[RossHolloway]

I personally don't blame the overseas members for there beef with Hip-oSelect! i actually have one of my own, namely with the limited edition staues. I remember when the DAVID album came out initially and telling my Dad I had to order it ASAP as it would be gone for good if i didn't get it soon! My Mom told be that it wasn't true! Lo and Behold, She was right!

It also seems that history is repeating itself lately. Just as in Motown's heyday, several under the radar acts are still being overlooked for reissues in favor of Diana Ross/Supremes! Aside from the Tammi Terrell, David Ruffin, and Eddie Kendricks, no other 2nd tier or lower ranked Motowners have been reconized with releases. [[Thank goodness for ACE/Kent for those releases)

That's so not true. Not only did we get the great Cellarful of Motown series which covered the whole gammit of Motown artists, we also had many Anthology releases, the great Earl Van Dyke set, and not to mention the great ACE/Kent releases which could only happen thru the approval of Universal/Motown in the first place. While we don't all get what we want when we want it, let's be fair and grateful for all the wonderful releases that have come out over the past 10 years or so. I don't think your comments are fair to those like Harry, Andy and George who have done an exceptional job with these releases, and all the work they've done for us fans.

[RossHolloway]

@RossHolloway
Yes, one usually does not usually have to hurry with HIP-O, there have always been enough so that the releases are available for a while, which is great.

I heard about HIP-O too late for David Ruffin Unreleased on its first issue. But since I learned about HIP-O I've bought all their releases from the classic Detroit years, and most but not all of the other releases. And I did buy most of these through Amazon.co.uk, usually pre-ordering. The usual pattern for the pre-orders is a very high starting price and the same release date as Amazon.com, but the price comes down at the end and the release date is moved back a month or two. But I always waited and always ended up getting what I wanted, and usually at a very good price [[plus free shipping).

These two releases make me a bit nervous, though, with only 2000 copies being released [[though 3500 copies of the David Ruffin cd were already sold years ago). And I see that Amazon UK didn't just move back their release date like they usually do - the David Ruffin cd is listed as "temporarily out of stock" while the Supremes IHAS is only offered by RAREWAVES USA for £78 - you can't order it from Amazon UK at all right now. What's going on???

So when I saw this thread this afternoon I immediately ordered both from Amazon.com, who say they have it in stock. I still have my pre-orders on amazon uk, but I'll cancel them once the cds are dispatched from the US.

I just wish the pre-orders from Amazon UK worked better, as they do with some other labels. I think the Syreeta One To One on Soulmusic was scheduled for release on Amazon UK on 8 October, and I received my copy today, no hassle. Why can't the HIP-O releases work this way?

The way I see it the internet has gotten us all spoiled. Remember back in the day when there was no internet or shopping at our fingertips? Personally, I dont think I've even purchased a cd in a physical store in the past 3 or 4 years. Every music purchase I've made was thru the internet, and it sure beats the old way of buying music - driving around from store to store in hopes that they have what I wanted. To my European friends, while I understand your frustrations, this is the same madness that we in the US had to endure with the releases of the Cellarful Series and Anthology series and many other titles that were only released in England or Europe. And if it were not for the internet, I probably would not have 50% of the Motown releases in my collection. If you're impatient like I am, its worth spending a few extra dollars to get a copy when something is first released, or wait a few weeks and maybe you can find a better deal for a cheaper price on the internet. I've been buying these Motown Select items for a few years now, and I don't think any have sold out in the first few months of their release. Happy Shopping!

[robbo3333]

Justhad a chat with Amazon UK, here it is unedited:

D S Prahnnoy:Hello, my name is Prahnnoy. How may I assist you today?


Me:hello i preordered this item for release today but am now being told its not in stock

i also ordered David ruffin unreleased LP and had to cancel, and buy from a reseller


D S Prahnnoy:Can you please wait while I look into this?

Sorry for keep you waiting.

I see that the item 'I Hear a Symphony' is not in stock right now.


Me:I can wait


D S Prahnnoy:However, you'll still receive the item by the estimated delivery date of 19 October 2012 - 22 October 2012


Me:It's a limited edition of 2000 copies world wide released today. why is it listed on your site as available for pre-order when that isn't the case. If I knew you were unable to supply I would have ordered from your USA site


D S Prahnnoy:I'm sorry for any inconvenience caused in this case.


Me:Are you telling me that you due to recieve copies?


D S Prahnnoy:In this regard, I have escalated this issue to the concerned Team, who will take necessary actions.


Me:Did you recieve any copies of either CD and have they been sent out?


D S Prahnnoy:Please understand that we are just retailer of an item and rely solely on the information provided by supplier.

When we contacted the supplier directly to obtain a copy of this item, and they have advised that they will take further time to obtain this item.


Me:I cannot believe that as a retailer, you had no knowledge that they would not be available today. The David Ruffin CD was showing in my orders section as being readied for dispatch yesterday!


D S Prahnnoy:I have forwarded all your comments to the attention of our appropriate department in our company to let them know about your experiences and to review your complain.


Me:Will I be told of any outcome?


D S Prahnnoy:Perhaps you could check our website from time to time to see if this item has come back in stock or if it is available from a third-party seller through Amazon.co.uk Marketplace.

I have escalated your feedback to the concerned Team, who will take necessary actions to stock the item as soon as possible.


Me:Prehaps your buyers could get assurances that they will recieve stock before advertising unavailable items


D S Prahnnoy:As I have already forwarded your comments to our internal team, they will take necessary action in this regard.

Is there anything else I can assist you with?


Me:Ok I think this has run it's course. Thank you for your help, but still very disappointed.


D S Prahnnoy:You are welcome.

[robbo3333]

Ross I think you've missed the original point. There are a few of us who pre-ordered through Amazon UK, only to be told today that they are unavailable. Hindsight being a wonderful thing, if we knew this was going to happen we woud have ordered through different suppliers.

[Glenpwood]

I know there's a lot of confusion over the 2000 copies number posted at Hip-O Select but Andy Skurow stated last week on Nightflight that the number is solely what Hip-O has to sell via their site. There were more than 2000 printed so Barnes and Noble, Amazon UK & US, brick and mortar stores etc would get theirs as well. In the UK case they get a certain allotment that doesnt figure into the US amount at all so no need to panic yet or pay resellers outrageous amounts to get these new releases. I hope this helps. I know its hard to wait for something you really want to show....

[MrTopCat]

The way I see it the internet has gotten us all spoiled. Remember back in the day when there was no internet or shopping at our fingertips? Personally, I dont think I've even purchased a cd in a physical store in the past 3 or 4 years. Every music purchase I've made was thru the internet, and it sure beats the old way of buying music - driving around from store to store in hopes that they have what I wanted. To my European friends, while I understand your frustrations, this is the same madness that we in the US had to endure with the releases of the Cellarful Series and Anthology series and many other titles that were only released in England or Europe. And if it were not for the internet, I probably would not have 50% of the Motown releases in my collection. If you're impatient like I am, its worth spending a few extra dollars to get a copy when something is first released, or wait a few weeks and maybe you can find a better deal for a cheaper price on the internet. I've been buying these Motown Select items for a few years now, and I don't think any have sold out in the first few months of their release. Happy Shopping!

While I do understand what you're saying, what happened here is a totally different case. With the Anthology and the Cellarful series, we were presented with widespread releases. None of them were limited edition releases, while in our case both the David Ruffin CD and the Supremes CD are limited edition releases and if we don't act fast we'd have to pay within the hundreds.

We're frustrated, because neither Amazon nor Hip - O did their jobs correctly. If you're a retailer, you SHOULD know the amount of copies you're about to receive, and if you're a supplier you SHOULD let the retailer know about the limited availability of your release. Both parties dropped the ball big time.

@robbo - it's good that we ordered our copies earlier today mate. Now the only copies that are available are from Rarewaves USA - £70 each... lol

[RossHolloway]

Robbo3333 and MrTopCat - I've had that same issue with a couple different sites here in the US as well. I understand the frustration. Still, no need to panic.

[Jaap]

The point is not that internet got us spoiled. Obviously, buying CD's in the past have been different and the internet has been very helpful. In 1987 I actually bought "Motown Around The World" and "The Supremes: The-Never-Before-Released-Masters" directly from Motown in L.A. because they wouldn't be imported through the regular record stores. Internet obviously is much more easier. The problem now is that we don't know where to order and hip-o-select has not been very helpful in this sense. I don't mind waiting, I don't mind spending a relatively large amount of money if that helps to keep future releases coming, but it would be nice that we could order a copy from a place that we could actually trust to deliver. It really shouldn't be this difficult, particularly in the age of internet and the so-called "global village."

[MrTopCat]

I know there's a lot of confusion over the 2000 copies number posted at Hip-O Select but Andy Skurow stated last week on Nightflight that the number is solely what Hip-O has to sell via their site. There were more than 2000 printed so Barnes and Noble, Amazon UK & US, brick and mortar stores etc would get theirs as well. In the UK case they get a certain allotment that doesnt figure into the US amount at all so no need to panic yet or pay resellers outrageous amounts to get these new releases. I hope this helps. I know its hard to wait for something you really want to show....

Robbo and I didn't overpay tho... Each of us went through a third party seller and the prices were very reasonable - around £10 a piece i.e exactly [[or maybe even less ) what we'd have had to pay if we were to order it from amazon.com AND LESS that what we'd have had to pay if we were to order it from amazon.co.uk.

It's their loss [[ and our gain ), really.

[robbo3333]

I can buy from Rarewaves-USA IHAS on Amazon UK for £79.26 or Amazon US for approx £35, both including P&P. A difference of £44.26, in wartime isn't this called profiteering.

[jboy88]

I have nothing against Harry, Andy etc. invovled in what they've done! They're certaintly doing a hell of a job with the reissues, especially the TCMS series! I didn't mean to come off as ungreatful by any stretch!

Glenwood: I can see that being the way to go know! Though it would appear that they make fewer copies for the retailers. [[Amazon, B&N, ect.) This is evident in how several titles that are still instock on Hip-oselect are selling for big money on Amazon!

[theboyfromxtown]

"I Hear A Symphony" is released today and a copy is available at £78.00 plus £1.26 postage from US company Rarewaves in Kentucky.

Rarewaves also have the David Ruffin album in stock at the cheaper price of £68.81 plus £1.26 postage

[MrTopCat]

"I Hear A Symphony" is released today and a copy is available at £78.00 plus £1.26 postage from US company Rarewaves in Kentucky.

Rarewaves also have the David Ruffin album in stock at the cheaper price of £68.81 plus £1.26 postage

Wow... At those prices, the CD's better be made of solid gold.. :D

[calvin]

I know there's a lot of confusion over the 2000 copies number posted at Hip-O Select but Andy Skurow stated last week on Nightflight that the number is solely what Hip-O has to sell via their site. There were more than 2000 printed so Barnes and Noble, Amazon UK & US, brick and mortar stores etc would get theirs as well. In the UK case they get a certain allotment that doesnt figure into the US amount at all so no need to panic yet or pay resellers outrageous amounts to get these new releases. I hope this helps. I know its hard to wait for something you really want to show....

This is good to know, I wasn't aware of it - I thought that they only printed 2000 copies. I don't mind waiting a bit longer for the UK release, as long as I'm convinced that I will be able to buy a copy.

But what about the ones that are sometimes said to be limited to 5000 numbered copies? I guess for those there really only can be 5000 printed for sale worldwide?

@jboy88
Regarding the title of this thread, I don't feel cheated by Hip-o - I'm grateful for all the work they've done getting all this stuff out over the years and I will continue supporting them. I just wish the pre-ordering on Amazon UK worked better with their releases. Why does it work for other labels but not for HIP-O? It's not fun pre-ordering a couple of months in advance and then, on the release date, being told that it's already out of stock and not getting any guidance as to whether it will be in stock with them soon, or ever. I wish this could be improved for future releases.

[jobeterob]

There have always been licensing issues for Hip O in Europe.

It's unfortunate but it has nothing to do with the issuing of the product or it's quality.

I had to pay $64.95 to get I Hear A Symphony. I didn't really like that but I wanted that CD. And thats in Canada where our dollar is worth $1.02 to a US Dollar.

These days, no one is buying many physical CDS, so I made a choice.

I could have waited for a while to buy and I might have got one a lot cheaper. I still haven't bought Live at the Copa ~ and I might land that a lot cheaper now.

So, we make choices and grin and bear it.

I'm happy I paid more for it and got it now. I missed John's show with Andy and George about I Hear A Symphony - well, I got the last 5 minutes. So, the booklet is great for me - to know Mary and Flo are on My World Is Empty and know that the Andantes are on Any Girl In Love.

Reasonable price for what I wanted.

[144man]

theboyfromxtown,

as an accountant, how can this make any sort of financial sense?

[144man]

Who made the decision a few years ago that Hip-O could no longer supply directly to Europe, and why?

I THINK WE SHOULD BE TOLD.

[theboyfromxtown]

theboyfromxtown,

as an accountant, how can this make any sort of financial sense?

Errr, maybe the MD of Rarewaves has a spare time job at Hip-O!!!! LOL

[theboyfromxtown]

Sorry Robbo - I didn't see your post when I posted mine. You saw that Rarewaves copy before me and I didn't even spot that they were selling it cheaper on Amazon.com

[carlo]

I had to pay $64.95 to get I Hear A Symphony.

Where did you order from? Did you order directly from Hip-O Select? I ordered from Amazon.ca and with shipping and taxes, it's going to cost me a little over $35. The Amazon.ca release date was today, but it hasn't shipped yet.

[robbo3333]

Hello BoyfromXtown, I was wonderig if I should be buying shares in Rarewaves!!

[robbo3333]

Recieved a reply from Amazon UK, placing the ball in Hip-o's court:

"Please understand that we are just retailer of an item and rely solely on the information provided by supplier. When we contacted the supplier directly to obtain a copy of this item, and they have advised that they will take further time to obtain this item."

[jack020]

I will wait for IHAS to be sold thru Amazon UK.
I noticed the J5 release was moved back one week also on Amazon UK.

[mwmr]

Cancelled my order with Amazon UK and now ordered via Amazon.com to ensure I get a copy.

I feel I have been forced into this to ensure I get a copy as its limited.

What an appaling and shabby way to treat fans and run a buisness.

[MrTopCat]

Honestly, this was my first Hip - O purchase EVER, and if I didn't know about the quality of their releases beforehand, maybe I'd have avoided them in the future.

[nathanj06]

Make a beeline to amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/I-Hear-Symphony-Supremes/dp/B00975L576/ref=pd_ybh_1

http://www.amazon.com/David-Unreleased-Lp-More-Ruffin/dp/B00975LCMO/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1349863101&sr=1-1&keywords=david+ruffin

I hope all you guys are able to get what you want. :)

[jack020]

Against my beliefs I ordered a copy of IHAS this morning thru an Amazon,com seller which was a little cheaper than Amazon itself.
Still I think it will be sold thru Amazon UK for a much lower price in the coming weeks. We are all getting a bit crazy....

[marybrewster]

We are all getting a bit crazy....

I believe you are correct, sir. All this hype is driving the prices up. Sadly, I think it's fans doing it to other fans.

And I don't know why everyone is stuck on this "2000" number. I thought that was for U.S. distribution ONLY; that the UK had it's own magic number.

[calvin]

I believe you are correct, sir. All this hype is driving the prices up. Sadly, I think it's fans doing it to other fans.

And I don't know why everyone is stuck on this "2000" number. I thought that was for U.S. distribution ONLY; that the UK had it's own magic number.

I expect that in the end, maybe 6 weeks or so from now, we'll see IHAS offered on Amazon UK for about £12 - for whatever reason, they usually seem to be sold later but at a cheaper price here.

Still, in previous cases, I always got emails from Amazon UK stating that the release date was moved back. Amazon UK has handled it differently this time - no email, just suddenly out of stock on the release date - not even giving a new release date.

I purchased my copies at reasonable prices - David Ruffin for about £10 from an Amazon UK marketplace seller, and IHAS for $33 [[$40 including shipping) from Amazon US. I'd probably save £15 by waiting for Amazon UK but it's worth £15 to me to get my copies now and not bother with it any more.

I don't really think it's fans doing it to fans - I think it's Amazon and/or Hip-o. Amazon UK is leaving us in the dark, not making it clear when [[or if) they will get stock. Hip-o states on their website that the quantity is limited to 2000. I believe what was stated her earlier by Glenpwood that this number does not include the UK, but I don't see this stated clearly by Hip-o anywhere. The record labels like to stress limited quantities because it moves the products off the shelf faster.

[calvin]

And just to add to my previous comment - I'm not saying that I think Amazon and/or Hip-o are doing this deliberately. I guess that they just messed it up.

[robbo3333]

Hello Calvin, I posted earlier in the thread Amazon UK are saying its not them it's the supplier. With the Supremes at the copa CD it was for the first time, as Im aware, that it recieved a seperate catalogue number 0602527966854 as opposed to the USA number B0016644-02. Has this change something to do with the distribution problems we are now experiencing?

[calvin]

Hi Robbo, yes I saw your post, thank you. But as you also pointed out earlier, Amazon UK must have known before the release date that they weren't getting their supply on time, so they could have handled this better [[by giving us some information!). Even now, you had to go to them to find this out.

Whatever it is, let's hope that Hip-O and Amazon can work together and get this sorted by the next release. I've already pre-ordered Trouble Man on Amazon UK - maybe I should also pre-order it on Amazon.com! LOL

[Jaap]

Funny enough, my local Amsterdam record store has 4 copies of the new edition of the David album in store [[no IHAS though)...

[luke]

Hippo should be thanking God it has such dedicated and supportive fans!

[robbo3333]

With the J5 set being released next week [[UK), more stress on the way? Here's hoping for a trouble free release.

[MrTopCat]

With the J5 set being released next week [[UK), more stress on the way? Here's hoping for a trouble free release.

I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you... But hey, maybe the whole David Ruffin and Supremes fiasco was just one big misunderstanding.

[calvin]

With the J5 set being released next week [[UK), more stress on the way? Here's hoping for a trouble free release.

Robbo, thanks for reminding me - I forgot about that one, though I also have it pre-ordered on Amazon UK. I guess I'll wait and see what happens around the release date before I give up and order it from amazon.com or a marketplace seller.

[robbo3333]

Hello Calvin, it will all go smoothly, or a race between me, you & MrTC for the best deal Monday morning. LOL.

[jack020]

Amazon uk has it again at 37 UK pounds:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/I-Hear-Symphony-Supremes/dp/B00975L576/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1349893244&sr=1-1

[honest man]

I really could not shell out more tha 15 quid[ at a push] for this cd, gone are the panic days of buying from market sellers etc,i used to get an aunt in USA to purchase MOTOWN SINGLES [Hipo stopped shipping to uk. after vol 4 or so] it cost me a smal fortune and stress ,to get them sent.if i get it great if not so what, the ony song woud like to hear ALT Lovers Concerto,sure it will turn up somewhere else. no problem . Hipo shipping is crap and yes i am voicing my opinion on SDF as aready have done to hipo, so no smug comments,thank you.

[roger]

Who made the decision a few years ago that Hip-O could no longer supply directly to Europe, and why?

I THINK WE SHOULD BE TOLD.

My understanding is that it was Universal in London/Britain/Europe that decided that they wanted to "release" the Hip-O material in Britain/Europe and so Hip-O [[for "political" reasons within the Universal group) were told they could no longer supply anything directly to "European" addresses [[in reality those countries within the "European Union").

Hence,whenever there is a Hip-O release, we folks in Britain/Europe have a few weeks before we are allowed to buy it .. if the folks at Universal in London/Britain/Europe decide to "release" it here there is some minimal promotion campaign[[and generally we get it at a lower price than in the U.S.) .. if they decide not to "release" it we have to try to get it through other channels .. Amazon/Soulmusic.com/Dustygroove etc.

I don't think any of the blame for this fiasco can be put on Hip-O .. it is all to do with "egos" in London/Britain/Europe.

Roger

[luke]

Dont get it-why would Britain honchos not want to release it with so many huge fans there??

[copley]

My understanding is that it was Universal in London/Britain/Europe that decided that they wanted to "release" the Hip-O material in Britain/Europe and so Hip-O [[for "political" reasons within the Universal group) were told they could no longer supply anything directly to "European" addresses [[in reality those countries within the "European Union").
Hence,whenever there is a Hip-O release, we folks in Britain/Europe have a few weeks before we are allowed to buy it .. if the folks at Universal in London/Britain/Europe decide to "release" it here there is some minimal promotion campaign[[and generally we get it at a lower price than in the U.S.) .. if they decide not to "release" it we have to try to get it through other channels .. Amazon/Soulmusic.com/Dustygroove etc.

I don't think any of the blame for this fiasco can be put on Hip-O .. it is all to do with "egos" in London/Britain/Europe.

Roger

Roger, you are 100% correct. The fault does not lie with UMe US who initially shipped Hip-O product to the UK but with UMe UK who threw a political spanner into the works! So don't go blaming Hip-O folks, blame the London office for this mess. On the up side Hip-O releases are always much cheaper in the UK so I don't mind waiting and have never had a problem with them selling out.

[smark21]

The I Hear a Symphony Deluxe is now available on itunes, at least here in the US. And the booklet comes with it as a pdf download. Costs $24.99 to purchase. As I’m not a big audiophile, if I decide to purchase it at some point, I’ll go with itunes and just burn it to blank CDs to play when I rent a car. No need to worry about getting one of the 2000 CDs being issued and I’ll be able to read the booklet and view pics on my computer, or I can just print on paper, if it comes to that.

[robbo3333]

The DR CD has now been dispatched by the Marketplace seller. Decided to hold fire on IHAS, to see if it does recieve a release here, but monitoring Amazon USA for stock levels if low will buy from them.

[MrTopCat]

The DR CD has now been dispatched by the Marketplace seller. Decided to hold fire on IHAS, to see if it does recieve a release here, but monitoring Amazon USA for stock levels if low will buy from them.

Same.... My CD should be here in less than 2 weeks... Woot! I am so happy! Can't wait!

[calvin]

Hello Calvin, it will all go smoothly, or a race between me, you & MrTC for the best deal Monday morning. LOL.

Hi Robbo, my DR was also just dispatched by the marketplace seller [[Marvelio UK or something like that). IHAS was dispatched yesterday by amazon.com.

With the J5 release, I'm going to give Amazon UK some time, even if the same thing happens. I expect they will eventually get all of these titles and sell them at a better price than in the US, as they have in the past. And for me, the J5 release is a "would like to have", not a "must have" - I will buy it if available at a reasonable price, but if I miss out - which I doubt - I would not lose any sleep over it.

[robbo3333]

Another strange one on quantity J5 - 4000 & Supremes - 2000. I thought the Supremes were Hip-o's biggest selling artist [[maybe Diana Ross), and certainly more than J5. Strange new policy.

[calvin]

My understanding is that it was Universal in London/Britain/Europe that decided that they wanted to "release" the Hip-O material in Britain/Europe and so Hip-O [[for "political" reasons within the Universal group) were told they could no longer supply anything directly to "European" addresses [[in reality those countries within the "European Union").

Hence,whenever there is a Hip-O release, we folks in Britain/Europe have a few weeks before we are allowed to buy it .. if the folks at Universal in London/Britain/Europe decide to "release" it here there is some minimal promotion campaign[[and generally we get it at a lower price than in the U.S.) .. if they decide not to "release" it we have to try to get it through other channels .. Amazon/Soulmusic.com/Dustygroove etc.

I don't think any of the blame for this fiasco can be put on Hip-O .. it is all to do with "egos" in London/Britain/Europe.

Roger

Does anyone know who I can contact at Universal in the UK regarding this? I'd like to get some clarification from them. Can we know before the US release date which titles they decide to release in the UK, and whether they will supply Amazon UK?

I'd also like some confirmation that the numbers given on the Hip-o website do not include the UK release. Some of the limited editions have been numbered. I recall that I bought the Syreeta disk from Amazon.com, and the Edwin Starr & Blinky, Temptations In Japan, Supremes In Japan from marketplace sellers on Amazon UK. Maybe these were not "released" in the UK? [[Though aside from Syreeta's, these were not hot sellers and were available for a long time, I think a couple of them still are.)

[robbo3333]

I have written to Universal UK and currently waiting for a reply. As soon as I hear anything I'll post it here.

[smark21]

This is one of the most unintentionally hilarious threads I’ve ever read here. Guys, CDs are becoming obsolete. Time for you all to get itunes accounts or download from Amazon.

Or start stealing.

In a few years, I suspect there will be hardly any physical media for music in a few years. You need to get with the times.

And all the calls to customer service reps who work in call centers in India will not make your CDs arrive any sooner. And why are you providing transcripts of phone calls with these service reps who have to work with a script? And copying and pasting automatically generated emails responding to consumer requests as if they have something unique or profound to say. The days of Mom/Pop shop one on one personal and unique customer interaction are also over. You may not like it, and it may not be a good thing, but these are the times.

[robbo3333]

Hello Smark, there is still a market for CD and indeed vinyl, or companies would totally stop manufacturing them. I am a record [[superceeded by CD) from the early 1980's, going to record fairs, collectors shops, etc. Whilst I understand that digital downloading is here to stay, it's just not for me, I'll go on collecting the physical media until it no longer exists.

[MrTopCat]

Smark, who are YOU to tell US what we should be or shouldn't be doing?!? Are you the one that's giving us the money to buy the CD's?!

Just FYI Vinyl sales have actually grown in the past few years and CD sales are still way bigger than digital album sales. Also, many CD compilations are not available digitally [[ most of the Kent/Ace re - issues are not)... How about that??!

[RossHolloway]

The I Hear a Symphony Deluxe is now available on itunes, at least here in the US. And the booklet comes with it as a pdf download. Costs $24.99 to purchase. As I’m not a big audiophile, if I decide to purchase it at some point, I’ll go with itunes and just burn it to blank CDs to play when I rent a car. No need to worry about getting one of the 2000 CDs being issued and I’ll be able to read the booklet and view pics on my computer, or I can just print on paper, if it comes to that.

Someone's been reading and taking suggestions at Universal! I've been talking about a pdf download with music downloads for a few years now! This is quite the development. Hopefully more good things will come from going down this road.

[luke]

Adele's cd saved the record industry. It continues to sell about 20,000 a week. Hmmm- whose buying it?

[robbo3333]

Message from Universal UK "sorry we are only the sales team, and cannot help with this issue".

[MrTopCat]

Message from Universal UK "sorry we are only the sales team, and cannot help with this issue".

LOL.. The sales team couldn't help you with a SALES ISSUE?!? That's hilarious.

[144man]

Message from Universal UK "sorry we are only the sales team, and cannot help with this issue".

If they were doing their job properly, they would refer you to someone who could help you.

[smark21]

I know there’s a market for Vinyl…I think that format will always have a devoted cult following and there will be young people who will become Vinyl fans with each generation due to the warmth of the sound of vinyl.

But physical media for music will continue to fade. I do feel bad for those of you not in the US who have to wait for your deliveries and have to pay the shipment fees. Really I do. But I’m not one for endless bitching and moaning. When faced with a problem, I try to resolve it as quickly as possible. Frankly if I were in your shoes, I would cancel my order [[if I haven’t been charged) and just download [[if available in my territory). Of course if I’ve been charged and/or I can’t download, I’d register my complaint, then sit back and wait, not obsess and record phone conversations with customer service reps in India and then take the time to transcribe the fruitless exchange to post on the internet. I hope you get your orders soon, and if they run out of merchandise, you get full refunds and you pursue other avenues to get these albums [[if you still want them).

[masterblaster]

Who made the decision a few years ago that Hip-O could no longer supply directly to Europe, and why?

I THINK WE SHOULD BE TOLD.

I ordered the first "Motown Singles Collection" when it was first released and received it in Britain. A few days after receipt, Hip-O informed me that it had not been dispatched due to a decision made by UMG to restrict all sales to USA only. I bought all subsequent volumes from UK distributers without any problem

[marybrewster]

Panic at the Disco!

I tried logging into Amazon today and it looks like portions of the site have crashed. Too many people ordering "IHAS"? I wonder, with it being #1 for several days, how many copies are actually left?

So glad mine arrived in the mail yesterday! Now I won't have to pay a premium price, which I already see several editions are listed at.

Good luck on getting his *hot* release! Don't wait too long, honey!

[calvin]

@smark21

This isn't really about whether digital downloads are better than physical cds. For some people they are, for others not.

I agree that digital downloads *could* replace physical cds for most customers, but the record labels don't seem too interested in making this happen, for whatever reason. Why do I say that?

For one thing, although it would be very easy to offer digital downloads in a lossless format [[such as FLAC), this is only rarely done. Compression saves space for portable devices, but memory is cheap for the home system, so compression isn't necessary. So some will prefer the physical cds for better sound quality. [[The original 128 kbps Itunes downloads sounded like cr*p, though there has been big improvement in this regard in the past few years.)

The marginal cost of "producing" one extra copy of a digital download to sell is practically zero. This is not true with the physical copies, plus you have shipping costs. So theoretically it would be easy for the labels to offer digital downloads at better prices than physical cds. Yet for whatever reason, this is often not the case. For example, on another thread there is currently a discussion of The Originals "California Sunset." On Amazon UK, the physical cd is offered at £4.99 for a new copy [[with free shipping) while the mp3 download costs £7.99. Why? And this is true even more when you include the choice of buying used copies of physical cds, which you can simply rip yourself [[and using EAC or something comparable, you can rip to a better quality than you could buy as a download).

I can't compare the prices of The Supremes IHAS as a physical cd or digital download, since neither is currently available here. And while one can buy a physical cd from the US and have it shipped over, you can't buy digitial downloads from the US when you're in the UK - it seems they recognize that you're coming from another country and they block the sale.

Also, as MrTopCat mentioned, *many* titles which are available on cd are simply not available as a digital download. It should be so easy to offer them, but this often isn't done.

This is also true for some Hip-o titles. For example, I would have been happy to buy Teena Marie's Wild and Peaceful as a digital download, but for whatever reason it doesn't seem to be available in that format in the UK - at least not on Amazon UK or Itunes UK, and also not on Amazon.de [[Germany). So I bought a used copy at a good price.

Additionally, some people prefer physical cds for the liner notes and recording information. This is also easily solvable for the downloads, by including other files [[pdfs or whatever). They've apparently done this for IHAS, which certainly makes the digital download more attractive, but unfortunately this is still an exception.

And hey, I'm not moaning. I canceled my orders on Amazon UK and bought one from a marketplace seller, the other from Amazon.com, and both have been dispatched.

[MrTopCat]

I prefer the physical CD's because I like the feeling that I get when ever I receive/open a new CD. Holding the CD with my hands and reading the linear notes from the actual booklet. But I am a collector and a music fan. I also sing and try to study music all the time, and I value the CD's a lot more than the digital downloads.

@calvin - A few months ago I asked Ace Records why their releases are not available on Spotify/iTunes, etc and they told me that they simply do not have the digital rights for many [[ if not most ) of their releases. That's why the CD's are so important, because otherwise we'd not have gotten any of Ace's releases.

[calvin]

@MrTopCat

Yes, I also thought of that but then it slipped my mind as I wrote the post. It's a different feeling buying a physical product, holding it in your hands and then having it on your shelf, similarly with physical books as opposed to digital downloads. And this is especially true for some of the Hip-o releases, which have better liner notes than the average cd.

I think the music industry could push most buyers to go for digital downloads by doing some of the things I mentioned above [[especially by making the downloads much cheaper than the physical cds), but there would still be some - including myself - who would prefer the physical item for many titles.

And in terms of needing "to get with the times"... Well, this is a forum where people are talking about music that is roughly *50 years old*. ;-)

[robbo3333]

Now showing as in stock by Amazon UK at £28.60, no sign of shipping to pre-orders yet.

[calvin]

Now showing as in stock by Amazon UK at £28.60, no sign of shipping to pre-orders yet.

That's high compared to past releases - Supremes at the Copa was less than £12 when my pre-order was filled. Mine's on its way from amazon.com.

On another thread I saw that amazon uk has dispatched the new J5 cd to some, my order says expected dispatch is Monday.

[robbo3333]

Hello Calvin, my J5 is showing Monday as dispatch as well. Out of curiosity how much did IHAS cost in total?
Best wishes, Robbo

[calvin]

Hi Robbo, $31.72 + $6.48 shipping, so $38.20 which is about £24. Theoretically there could be an added import VAT on that, though in the past I've had items of similar value shipped here from the US and I never got hit with that.

[robbo3333]

I got my order in at £24 as well, so unless there's a dramatic drop in price when they eventually ship to me, it's about the same. I wonder if the higher prices are here to stay, as we were paying less than the USA?

[Reflections79]

IHAS is back in stock on amazon.co.uk. Can't wait to receive my copy, ordered it together with "Come and Get it". Hopefully it'll come this week.

[jack020]

Amazon UK now has a release date for IHAS : Nov.19!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00975L576/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

[robbo3333]

Hello Jack, release date 19 November, I wonder what's happened there. I have been told mine was dispatched today. If the 19th comes and it's at a considerably lower price, there's going to be an awful lot of upset people in the UK/EU.

[jack020]

It has been this way with most of the Hip-O releases: they usually are for sale for normal prices from the UK retailers 1,5 -2 months after they are for sale from the Hip-O website!
I guess IHAS will cost around 10-12 UK pounds in november.
But we were all going a bit crazy after reports of only 2000 copies...

[MrTopCat]

The David Ruffin CD is back in stock on Amazon.co.uk. The price is kinda steep though - £19.93 AND "it may require up to 2 additional days to deliver".

[144man]

A friend of mine ordered his copy of IHAS from Amazon.co.uk and has received it today, so it looks like we were worrying for nothing.

[sophisticated_soul]

A friend of mine ordered his copy of IHAS from Amazon.co.uk and has received it today, so it looks like we were worrying for nothing.

I know, I can't believe I fell for that scam . . . er . . . marketing ploy.:rolleyes::)

[MrTopCat]

Has anyone here received their David Ruffin CD yet ?!? I'm still waiting for mine to arrive...

[calvin]

Has anyone here received their David Ruffin CD yet ?!? I'm still waiting for mine to arrive...

Not yet, but I ordered mine on Amazon UK - and I think you did too [[?) - from a marketplace seller based in the US. Mine was dispatched on 11 Oct, it normally takes 10 days or so for these to arrive in the UK.

[MrTopCat]

Not yet, but I ordered mine on Amazon UK - and I think you did too [[?) - from a marketplace seller based in the US. Mine was dispatched on 11 Oct, it normally takes 10 days or so for these to arrive in the UK.

Mine was dispatched on the 11th as well. I know that it usually takes around 10 days for the items to arrive, but I am super excited about listening to it and 10 days seems like an eternity XD :D

Thanks for the info calvin :)

[robbo3333]

Hello MrTC & Calvin, I recieved DR on Wednesday and IHAS yesterday. I hope yours arrive soon.

[MrTopCat]

Well, hopefully it will arrive tomorrow.... I can't wait!

[MrTopCat]

I finally have it... YAY.... It's INCREDIBLE. What an album!

[marybrewster]

All this hype and worry over nothing, LOL.