[Groop]CD Clubs - OT

Ruben Arellano ruben@oanet.com
Wed, 03 Jan 2001 21:50:24 -0800


My first post of the year, and it's off topic....

I have to come to the defense of the CD Clubs.  I find they work really 
well, and here's my technique for getting lots of CDs for cheap cheap cheap.

1) Sign up for the best offer you see --  I don't recommend selecting 
from the package they send, just go to the club's website and browse 
their full catalogue on-line.

2)Don't take the introductory "buy one now at 70% off" or whatever.

3)You have to stay on top of the mailouts.  The clubs I've worked with 
(BMG, Columbia House, CDHQ) give you lots of time to respond, and you 
can even do it on-line.  I've only gotten an unwanted CD a couple of 
times over many years of this (always due to my error).

4)To fullfill your contractual agreements (anywhere from 1 to 4 CDs or 
so, depending on the club), wait for one of their "Buy 1, get 2 free" or 
even "Buy 1, get 1 free" or whatever gets you more value for your single 
purchase.

5)When you've fullfilled your contract, either quit immediately, or for 
more value, take advantage of their "sign up a friend and get 3 free 
CDs" offer, but make that 'friend' another family member, spouse, 
roommate, or even your pet.  Then assume the identiy of the new name, 
and get more and more CDs for cheap. 

An illustration of how well this works is with CDHQ:
-get 12 CDs for the price of 1 (your contractual purchase)
-when you buy the 1, do the "buy 1, get 2 free"
-when you've fullfilled your contract, sign up your spouse and get 3 for 
free.

In the end, you get 17 CDs for the price of 1 (about $15), and even with 
~$3 shipping on each CD, it ends up being a really good deal.

In my opinion, the clubs make the majority of their money by keeping 
customers on past their contractual obligation, and by people just 
accepting the CD they get when they don't send back the mailing. 

The only downside to this technique is you eventually milk their 
catalogue for everything you're interested in.  Over the years, I've 
gone through about 8 or 9 sign-ups with various clubs. 

There are also some websites that track the best deals that various 
clubs offer, and explain the aforementioned process perhaps more 
eloquently than I have.

For more info, please e-mail me privately.

Cheapie Groopie,
Ruben.

Iain Bryan wrote:

> BMG is not a bad club at all.  You get 12 CD's and you pay for one.  When all is
> said and done, you end up paying less than 30 dollars.
> 
> The key is you need to be on top of it.
> 
> I recommend you do the initial order, get your cd's, when you get the order,
> order the 1 CD that you have to get, once you get that, get your last 3 cd's,
> then cancel.
> 
> I think i've joined and cancelled 3 or 4 times.
> 
> iain
> 
> 
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