A Fairly Decent Site for Corny Compilation CDs That Take Forever to Arrive
Music Space
When Christmastime rolled around, my older son knew just what to get his brother. A certain CD he has wanted for a long time. A CD that wasn't sold anywhere I usually shop (My older son had tossed me the cash and said, "Get it for me").
I finally found the "As Seen on TV" CD on Music Space Online Store.
I ordered it and it eventually came but I am not impressed with the site and probably won't shop there again.
What the Site Sells
Mostly "As Seen on TV" or compilation CDs (Like mega hits of the 80's or country compilations) from 1980's to the present and some DVDs but only a limited amount of kind of weird stuff, not movies.
Navigation and Ordering
The site is simple with tabs and category links to ease you through the pages. There is a keyword search box as well where you can search by title, artist, or song.
Descriptions are good with a full track listing for every CD and several sound clips for most selections. Prices are premium but this is stuff you can't usually just walk into a store and pick up.
If you want something, click to add it to your cart. Several suggestions will appear under the item you are looking at which can be clicked on or ignored.
There isn't a ton of variety so browsing is simple and the search box is quite intuitive.
When you are finished shopping, you will head to the checkout. Before you can get there, you will have to supply your email address and choose a password or, if you a returning customer, just input your email and the password you chose when signing up.
Then you do the usual filling in of your personal details.
You will be reminded in red letters that shipping is free if you buy two or more items. I hated that because I didn't want two items but I didn't want to pay shipping.
I ended up finding a funky little keychain to buy to avoid shipping costs which would have been a tad higher than the cost of the keychain.
Pay with a major credit card or enter your checking routing and account number to pay by electronic check and you're done! You will receive an email confirming your purchase. And a letter confirming the first confirmation. And a shipping letter (with no tracking number).
Then you will never hear another word from the site until you have totally forgotten you ordered from there. A package will arrive whenever it feels like it, in my case about six weeks after I ordered.
My Experience
OK, so my 16-year-old son wanted the Goin' South CD. Don't ask, I don't know why. My older kid couldn't find it so he tossed me the cash and asked me to.
I found it one site but it was out of stock and then I found it at Music Space. It was darn expensive but I wasn't paying for it and apparently my son really wanted it.
I added it to my cart and was boldly reminded that shipping was free for two or more items and searched for something, anything I wanted to add.
There wasn't anything. I am not a big fan of compilation CDs and the prices were just too high to buy one for a few songs I liked. My older son shudders at the thought of buying CDs because he downloads (legally) music to his iPod and has no use for them so, I ended up finding a goofy $4.00 keychain which, it turns out, was only a buck less than standard shipping but still. It was something compared to nothing.
I had to pay sales tax on my purchase which I hated.
I was offered gift wrapping for around $5.00 which I declined and had no trouble with the checkout process.
I received an automated confirmation letter saying that my order was received.
Five days later, I received a letter saying the order was confirmed.
Two more days later, I received an email saying the order was shipped and would arrive in 7-14 days BUT could take up to four weeks.
Already a week had passed since I ordered and even another week was stretching how long it should take to receive a product. But what could I do?
Christmas came and went and we got nothing from the site
I wrote the site asking when I could expect my order but they didn't respond. I called their 800 number but they were closed both times I tried although they say on their site that they are open for business calls from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. EST Monday through Friday.
I ordered in November so there was no Christmas crunch that I can imagine happening at that point. I mean, how many people flock to websites for compilation as seen on TV CDs for Christmas gifts in November?
Eventually, nearly six weeks from the date I ordered and five weeks from when it was supposedly shipped, the order arrived.
It was packaged simply in a padded envelope and showed no signs of having been misrouted. It was just incredibly slow service on the part of the site.
The CD itself was fine as was the goofy keychain no one wanted.
I don't think I will be going back to that site again. For one, they are costly and for another, they are so slow! They don't answer their phones and the one email I sent went unanswered as well. I really didn't think we would ever see that order.
Everyday my older son would ask if the CD came and everyday my younger one would ask if his gift was here yet and everyday I had to say no. For six long weeks.
There is just no excuse for that. The slow shipping, not the constant inquiring which was also nerve wracking.
Shipping and Reruns
Shipping in the US is free when you purchase two or more items.
If buying just one, it's $4.99 for standard shipping and there are a number of more expensive expedited shipping methods. You can also opt for expedited shipping for orders that would be shipped free for the same cost as orders that wouldn't be shipped free.
Surprisingly, you can return any item within 30 days for a refund (minus any shipping costs). That is unusual for a CD site since people can rip and burn a CD then return it but their FAQs say nothing about the item having to be unopened to get a refund.
Sales tax is charged in New York (of course) and Michigan only.
Conclusion
I suppose this is a decent niche site for buying all those CDs you see advertised on TV late at night but dang, they take forever to ship! If I ever had to shop at Music Space again, I would choose a more expensive, faster shipping method because my order was sent standard media mail and it was a very long wait.
Of course, I can't imagine having such a burning desire for a compilation CD that I couldn't wait six weeks to get one but still. I think that is just a ridiculously long wait.
The site is simple to navigate and has a good returns policy and does have hard to find CDs.
I want to rate very low because of all the waiting I did but I will go with 3 stars. If you really need a compilation CD that you can't find in a regular music store or online elsewhere, you probably will find it at Music Space for a steep price and a long wait. But you will eventually have that CD in your eager little hands and be rocking out to all those songs you know and love on one CD digitally remastered just for you!
Recommended:
Not unless it's your only alternative
