Andrys Basten's Music Vendor Pricing FAQ

Andrys Basten's Music Vendor Pricing FAQ - U.S.

Andrys Basten's Books-Videos-Music FAQ - Main Page

Rates, Policies, Shipping, Tax for Various Online Stores

From: Andrys' Books-Videos-Music Searchbox Page Also try the European-Vendors FAQ.

Note: Shipping policy summaries are for standard-shipping option.

8 A B C M T [ Will add other stores from my searchbox page soon.]

800.Com (Click on store names for Classical Music Page)
To Search Classical, change their Left-Top option from Pop Music to "Classical Music"...
A more advanced classical music searchbox is due soon. Use last name only for best results
Help Desk Menu
Sales Tax - Based in Oregon, so no sales tax for any shipments within the U.S.
Charges - Credit cards are charged when items are shipped.
Shipping Policy
Ships only to U.S., U.S. territories and commonwealths, APO/FPO addresses, and Canada.
To U.S. - 2-3 business days for CDs and videos, 3-7 for audiocassettes
$2.95 for each CD/casette order + $0.95 for each additional item
$1.95 for each DVD order + $0.95 for each add'l item
$3.95 for each VHS-Video order + $0.95 for each additional item
Approximately $3.25 for each order + $0.95 for each VHS-Video, game, or book
Note: There is no $-penalty for separate shipments for one order due to item-availability
differences, so 800.com advises us to "avoid delays by placing separate orders
for items with different availability designations."
Return Policy - 30 days for unopened or defective media
Special Features: Priority Mail is Standard for shipping. Especially good pricing.
Good service. Drawback is they carry less stock than some others.

Amazon-US (Classical Music Page)
Advanced Classical-Music-Search-Box
New and notable classical-music releases
Browse Early Music
Help Desk (Menu of info on all rates/policies -- example pages below too)
Sales Tax: "Sales tax is charged only on orders sent within the state of Washington"
Charges - Credit cards are charged when items are shipped.
Shipping-policy
International Shipping
To U.S. - Standard: About 3-7 business days
Approximately $2 per shipment for CDs or DVDs
Approximately $3.50 per shipment for books or VHS-videos
+ $.99 for each item
+ $2.95 for each book or VHS-video
Note: Waiting until the entire order is ready before shipping minimizes shipping cost.
   Shipping the items ordered as they become available involves extra shipping costs.
Returns Policy - Can return books and unopened media within 30 days
Shopping Cart: Saved items remain for 90 days.
Video Formats: NTSC only. DVDs are Region 1, No.America-coded.
Special Features: Excellent service. Reviews and user feedback
Their Classical Music Reviewers appear to be independent.

>Berkshire
I don't affiliate with them but they have excellent deals for cut-outs, etc.
Don't miss Crotchet's Bin Ends deals though
Shipping-policy
International Shipping, Yes
To U.S. - Standard: (Often several weeks)
$5.00 for the 1st disc, book or cassette + 10 cents for each additional disc,
book, or cassette
Note 1: "Please note that a "+" at the end of a description means that those items
are not for export and can be sold only in the USA."
Note 2: "...please check the price and the number of discs in the set" (shipping charges).
Note 3: "Please specify as many alternate choices as possible or request a refund
if any of your choices are sold out."
Returns Policy - They don't say, but these are low-cost, often out-of-print items.
Special Features: You can order by phone, at 1-800-992-1200, credit cards only.

Borders (Classical Music Page - though mainly Bocelli and Church)
Music-Keyword Search
New Classical Music releases
Help Desk (Menu of info on all rates/policies -- example pages below too)
Sales Tax: wherever Borders has operations - currently only Michigan and Tennessee
Charges - Couldn't find statement re when cards are charged.
Shipping options
International shipping
To U.S. - 3 to 7 days
$3.00 for each order, $0.99 for each item
Note: On varying availability of ordered items, each is shipped separately but
   the per-order fee is assessed only one time, with per-item fees applied as usual.
Cancelling or changing an order
Returns Policy - May return books or unopened music/video items within 30 days, w/ conditions.
Special Features: Noting Out of print titles: Separate lists of titles currently unavailable

BUY.Com The Main Page
Classical Music Search Page
Classical Page
Help Desk Menu More FAQs - answers
Sales Tax - charged for orders shipped to California, Tennessee, Indiana and Massachusetts.
` Credit is given government institutions upon request.
Charges - Billed when products, including backordered or preordered items, are actually shipped.
Shipping Policy
International Shipping
Ships only to U.S., but has web sites in Canada, the U.K., and Australia.
To U.S. - 3-10 business days
Approximately $2 for each order + $0.95 for each CD, DVD, or Audiocassette
Approximately $3.25 for each order + $0.95 for each VHS-Video, game, or book
Note: With different stock availability, "each item will ship as soon as it's ready.
   The additional items will still be charged the 'additional items' rate
   even if they ship separately."
Returns Policy - 30 days refund or replacement, for unopened or defective media.
Exception: Clearance items have a 14-day deadline and must be defective.
Special Feature: Low Price Guarantee - "If you buy something from buy.com, then find a
lower price at any internet store, including ours, within 24 hours of placing your order,
we will gladly refund the difference." This applies to items immediately available at stores
that are authorized to sell them and are not membership clubs/stores and where
a special coupon is not used. Very good pricing.

CDNow (Classical Music Page)
Advanced Classical-Music-Search-Box
New Classical Music releases
Help Desk (Menu of info on all rates/policies -- example pages below too)
Sales Tax: Applicable taxes are charged for shipments to California, Florida, New York,
Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as some APO and FPO addresses.
Charges - "Your card will not be charged until your order is shipped."
Shipping-policy
International Shipping
To U.S. - a few days to 2 weeks
$2.99 for first U.S. music title, $0.99 for each additional one.
Import titles are likely to cost more.
   Also, "If your order contains only DVDs or only VHS and Laser Discs,
   shipping and handling for the continental U.S. is $4.95,
   no matter how many videos are included in your order. Orders that contain
   both DVD and VHS or Laser Disc will incur an additional shipping charge,
   since they are shipped from different warehouses."
Note: Billing of "items in a multi-CD box set" is "based on the price of the unit.
   Music videos, DVDs and T-shirts may count as 2 or 3 items each.
   The total will be shown you before you confirm the purchase.
How to cancel all or part of an order
How to add to an existing order
Returns Policy - "May return any unopened item, except vinyl recordings,
within 30 days of delivery for a full refund...(minus shipping and handling charges)."
They also offer to replace any shipment-damaged jewel box or cassette case.
Video Formats: NTSC only. DVDs are Region 1, No.America. FAQ included on page.
Special Features: Fast-Forward Rewards - Credits for purchases. Coupons offered.
Special Note: - CDNow was recently saved from financial disaster and, while its service
gets good marks, it was having trouble getting product. Things seem improved for now.

CD Paradise is on the European page. Click on the link to get there.

Crotchet - UK (Classical Music Page) - UK company with U.S. servers
Classical Music Search-Box
Searching by last name only, works best here.
Browse recent classical music releases by record label or type of music
Baroque and Early Music
Bin Ends (Closeouts) - Great deals here.
General Crotchet FAQ (Help Menu)
Shipping Costs
To U.S. - 5-7 days Value-AddedTax Removed
Approximately $3 for first item and $2.25 for subsequent ones.

MyMusic, in Canada (Classical-Music Search Page)
This is an unusual one. To get an artist's recordings you need to put in the last name only, or
the last name followed by a comma, a space, and then the first name ( kempf, freddy ) .
This will avoid mixing in the kempff CDs when looking for "Kempf' without the first name.
Help Desk Menu Q&A - FAQ
Sales Tax - None for U.S. residents. Canadians are charged applicable taxes
Charges - Will not bill until they actually ship the order.
Shipping Policy - Economy option detailed, *but the standard default is higher*.
International Shipping
To U.S. - 4-14 business days
$2.99 for one disc, $3.99 for two discs, and $4.97 for 3 or more discs
Note: If an item is out of stock, they'll send the rest of the order without any extra
   shipping costs above what was authorized.
Returns Policy - 45 days exchange/return for defective media and for other reasons.
Special Feature: Lowest prices, with no sales tax. Carries CDs hard to find in the U.S.
Excellent service. Downside: Availability is not displayed upfront.

Tower Records (Classical Music Page)
Advanced Classical-Music-Search-Box
New Classical-Music Releases
Help Desk (Menu of info on all rates/policies -- example pages below too)
Sales Tax: "Orders shipped to a California address will be subject to 7.75% sales tax."
Charges - I can't find an asurance that credit cards aren't charged until items are shipped. Anyone?
Shipping-policy
International Shipping
To U.S. - Standard: "several business days"
$2.99 for one item, $3.95 for 2-3 items, and $4.95 for 4 or more items
Note 1: "Orders of $100.00 or more will be shipped via FedEx..." (I assume at Tower's cost.)
Note 2: Added orders on same day: "...all Express Checkout orders going to the same address,
placed within 30-minutes of each other, will be shipped as a single order."
Note 3: Advance Orders mixed with others will hold up your order.
Note 4: Backorders may be sent separately, at no extra cost.
Returns Policy - Can return "any part of an order within 30 days of receipt" within reason
U.S. online customers can return domestic titles to Tower Records retail stores.
Video Formats: NTSC only. DVDs are Region 1, No.America-coded.
Special Features: Liberal return and easier cancellation procedures:
"A request to cancel all or part of an order is best submitted to us directly by phone
during customer service business hours. Ph: 1-800-369-8693 Mon-Fri 7AM-Midnight PDT.
For express cancellations, see Express Order Cancellation Help

Information as formatted here is copyrighted by Andrys Basten, all rights reserved �2000

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