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Since I'm not a fan of Walmart, I jumped at the Margaritaville pre-sale of the Encores CD. List price was $14.98. Let's face it...only fans pre-order CDs. But I did.

Since it released today, I went over to check and see if the order shipped. Not really sure if the CD shipped, but I did notice that my credit card was charged $14.98 (confirmed with the card statement online).

Nice to see that today, the day of release, the CD is being sold for $12.00. Now, I realize that we're only talking about $3 here, which isn't going to shake the world, but this litany of things happening that say loud and clear "we only care about squeezing every dime we can out of you and really have no regard for the fan experience" is beginning to wear really, really thin.

I understand. I had pretty much the same reaction. I saw "free shipping" on the Margartaville offer, and actually figured they were doing me a favor.

C-Dawg wrote:not a big fan of Wallyworld either....can count the times I've been there in past year on one hand and not use all my fingers.....BUT will be heading there after work today to pick up a copy. Thanks for the info, it'll save me a few bucks.

I never go there either but I have to go right by there on my way back from my eye surgeon checkup so I'll be stopping in!

Here's my question - does an artist have control over what a retailer sells a product for once it's out of their hands? I don't know enough about wholesale/resell to say....

oceanstate wrote:Since I'm not a fan of Walmart, I jumped at the Margaritaville pre-sale of the Encores CD. List price was $14.98. Let's face it...only fans pre-order CDs. But I did.

Since it released today, I went over to check and see if the order shipped. Not really sure if the CD shipped, but I did notice that my credit card was charged $14.98 (confirmed with the card statement online).

Nice to see that today, the day of release, the CD is being sold for $12.00. Now, I realize that we're only talking about $3 here, which isn't going to shake the world, but this litany of things happening that say loud and clear "we only care about squeezing every dime we can out of you and really have no regard for the fan experience" is beginning to wear really, really thin.

Slightly related to your post: Here recently I've had a problem with online sales, specifically ebay, where I buy something and pay but then don't hear a word from the seller. No thank-you, or your order has shipped, or your order will ship in the next day, nothing to confirm the sale except that I can see my credit card has been charged. Maybe not a big deal but to me it is when were talking about a $500 camera body or a $100 motorcycle part, I'd like to know that I haven't been ripped off and I'd prefer not to wait 21 days waiting for something to show up that never will, should that be the case.

I'm surprised Margaritaville didn't have an automated message sent to you, seems most online retail businesses do.

oceanstate wrote:Since I'm not a fan of Walmart, I jumped at the Margaritaville pre-sale of the Encores CD. List price was $14.98. Let's face it...only fans pre-order CDs. But I did.

Since it released today, I went over to check and see if the order shipped. Not really sure if the CD shipped, but I did notice that my credit card was charged $14.98 (confirmed with the card statement online).

Nice to see that today, the day of release, the CD is being sold for $12.00. Now, I realize that we're only talking about $3 here, which isn't going to shake the world, but this litany of things happening that say loud and clear "we only care about squeezing every dime we can out of you and really have no regard for the fan experience" is beginning to wear really, really thin.

Ahh, competition. It always pays to shop around, be that a storefront or online. When looking for savings (even $3), I always factor in tax and shipping for the total cost. I don't feel committed to any manufacturer/producer enough to pay prices inflated above what competition in the market provides at "their" storefront. Not anything new, just sayin.....

It's not really even an issue of shopping around. It's about JB's outfit (Margaritaville) preselling the item for $14.98 to get folks to buy early, and then rewarding them by lowering the price through the same outlet (Margaritaville).

It's not about the $3. I can afford the $3. It's about whether or not you are going to show your fans respect. Lately it seems that there's always an angle that you have to be watching out for, and it's tiresome to constantly be reminded that I've viewed not as a valuable part of the fanbase (who has spent a god awful amount of cash), but as an ATM machine.

i think that the bigger insult is that you still haven't gotten it yet. i've always thought that if you pre-order something directly from the source, you should get it BEFORE it makes it to store shelves. but i have learned that is usually not the case, and i don't pre-order (unless the item is likely to sell out) for that reason.

i don't think i would have expected a price break from m'ville, but i agree that you should have gotten some benefit from preordering...

Did you miss the fine print? It's a $3 charge for convenience & parking.

Staredge wrote:Did you miss the fine print? It's a $3 charge for convenience & parking.

I don't care who you are...that was funny. Thanks.

"Phony outrage" in general is getting old.
Walmart hatred is much to do about nothin' imo.
I'll have to hit Wally World later and pick it up.

sonofabeach wrote:"Phony outrage" in general is getting old.
Walmart hatred is much to do about nothin' imo.
I'll have to hit Wally World later and pick it up.

Excuse me?

I never used the word outrage. And I think to point blank call someone phony is a bit, well, rude.

I also never said I hate Walmart. I simply said I don't shop there. Never said why, and you didn't ask before you decided to be a dork about it.

Really, dude. Lay off the self-righteousness.

sonofabeach wrote:"Phony outrage" in general is getting old.
Walmart hatred is much to do about nothin' imo.
I'll have to hit Wally World later and pick it up.

Gotta say, I tend to agree with you, but the guy does have a bit of a reason to be a little ticked off given that he doesn't have his CD and (if) the price dropped from the M'Ville website.

But all in all, I wouldn't get too worked up about it.

Actually, thinking deeper about it.....it's your fault, not Margaritaville's.

Don't hate me yet. You bought it from Margaritaville. Walmart is offering it cheaper. Margaritaville doesn't set the retail price, the store does. Walmart paid a wholesale price for it, and is free to charge whatever they wish for it. They chose to sell it for less than Margaritaville.

Staredge wrote:Actually, thinking deeper about it.....it's your fault, not Margaritaville's.

Don't hate me yet. You bought it from Margaritaville. Walmart is offering it cheaper. Margaritaville doesn't set the retail price, the store does. Walmart paid a wholesale price for it, and is free to charge whatever they wish for it. They chose to sell it for less than Margaritaville.

I'm not miffed about the difference in price. I'd gladly pay $14.98 rather than fighting the WM world for $12.00. I'm miffed because they sold it at pre-order for $14.98, and now have it (the day it released) on the M'ville website for $12.00. I just think that the right thing to do is sell it to the pre-order folks at the same price that you sell it on the release date. In short, you are penalized for pre-ordering, which is absurd. I've honestly never seen a retailer who doesn't do that.

oceanstate wrote:

Staredge wrote:Actually, thinking deeper about it.....it's your fault, not Margaritaville's.

Don't hate me yet. You bought it from Margaritaville. Walmart is offering it cheaper. Margaritaville doesn't set the retail price, the store does. Walmart paid a wholesale price for it, and is free to charge whatever they wish for it. They chose to sell it for less than Margaritaville.

I'm not miffed about the difference in price. I'd gladly pay $14.98 rather than fighting the WM world for $12.00. I'm miffed because they sold it at pre-order for $14.98, and now have it (the day it released) on the M'ville website for $12.00. I just think that the right thing to do is sell it to the pre-order folks at the same price that you sell it on the release date. In short, you are penalized for pre-ordering, which is absurd. I've honestly never seen a retailer who doesn't do that.

I'd be annoyed at this too and feel your pain. Not that's its really relevant to your problem but my 17 yearold son will pre-order an Xbox game so he has it "incase they run out". I've never understood the whole pre-sale/pre-order for merchandise that will be restocked on the self by weeks end.

oceanstate wrote:

Staredge wrote:Actually, thinking deeper about it.....it's your fault, not Margaritaville's.

Don't hate me yet. You bought it from Margaritaville. Walmart is offering it cheaper. Margaritaville doesn't set the retail price, the store does. Walmart paid a wholesale price for it, and is free to charge whatever they wish for it. They chose to sell it for less than Margaritaville.

I'm not miffed about the difference in price. I'd gladly pay $14.98 rather than fighting the WM world for $12.00. I'm miffed because they sold it at pre-order for $14.98, and now have it (the day it released) on the M'ville website for $12.00. I just think that the right thing to do is sell it to the pre-order folks at the same price that you sell it on the release date. In short, you are penalized for pre-ordering, which is absurd. I've honestly never seen a retailer who doesn't do that.

Think of yourself as an "early-adopter"...

yeah. weak joke, but I also agree with you that the M'ville site shouldn't be hosing fans (because your average shopper isn't going directly to M'ville.com to buy the album, they'll go to Wal*mart and Bestbuy to get it) for giving them the benefit of good first-week sales figures. (I doubt they are going to report the sales next week or the week after)

My fault...I missed that part. In that case, I think I'd be cancelling my pre-order and re-ordering. I'd definitely call & raise hell. You have a right to be angry.

RinglingRingling wrote:

oceanstate wrote:

Staredge wrote:Actually, thinking deeper about it.....it's your fault, not Margaritaville's.

Don't hate me yet. You bought it from Margaritaville. Walmart is offering it cheaper. Margaritaville doesn't set the retail price, the store does. Walmart paid a wholesale price for it, and is free to charge whatever they wish for it. They chose to sell it for less than Margaritaville.

I'm not miffed about the difference in price. I'd gladly pay $14.98 rather than fighting the WM world for $12.00. I'm miffed because they sold it at pre-order for $14.98, and now have it (the day it released) on the M'ville website for $12.00. I just think that the right thing to do is sell it to the pre-order folks at the same price that you sell it on the release date. In short, you are penalized for pre-ordering, which is absurd. I've honestly never seen a retailer who doesn't do that.

Think of yourself as an "early-adopter"...

yeah. weak joke, but I also agree with you that the M'ville site shouldn't be hosing fans (because your average shopper isn't going directly to M'ville.com to buy the album, they'll go to Wal*mart and Bestbuy to get it) for giving them the benefit of good first-week sales figures. (I doubt they are going to report the sales next week or the week after)

The Buffett empire hosing people? OMG say it isn't so!!