Amazon.com getting paid off by Sony?

 

Bronze Member
Username: Donaldekelly

Washington, DC

Post Number: 28
Registered: Jul-04
Ever look for a DVD-audio disc on amazon.com? I have looked for about 10 of them that I saw reviewed elsewhere. Unless I have the UPC code I cannot find them. Everything else on the site is set up very well. SACDs are not that hard to find.

Makes me wonder if Sony has anything to do with this unusual incompetence. I thought it was worth bringing up.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Donaldekelly

Washington, DC Usa

Post Number: 29
Registered: Jul-04
When searching for dvd audio - only one comes up:

Brazilian Jazz (DVD Audio) [DTS SURROUND SOUND] (Audio CD) ~ Various Artists

When searching for dvd-a hundreds come up but as I read down the list none were dvd-a. They were all bonus dvds as far as I read.

I looked for:
------------
-Abbado Beethoven symphonien / symphonies dvd-a
-Naxos Four Seasons DVD-a
-Yes - Fragile dvd-a
-R.E.M. Automatic For the People dvd-a
-Bartoli The Vivaldi Album dvd-a
-Flaming Lips Yoshimi.. dvd-a (listed as a bonus dvd)
-and a few others I have forgotten now

I even just put in the name of the artist and album and looked through all the results. No dice! They are all there if you know the upc code! So they were listed with no search tags?? That is absurdly stupid.

When I have put in new listings on Amazon cause they didn't have a listing for the cd I had - they asked me to fill in terms that would help people search for the cd.

There was some talk of Best Buy not carrying dvd-a discs as well. Coincidence?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Donaldekelly

Washington, DC Usa

Post Number: 30
Registered: Jul-04
Clarifications:

I have no information that anyone is paying anyone else not to promote anything. I am just baffled and more than that frustrated that it is so hard to find DVD-As on Amazon.

I like Amazon. I spend half my internet time on Amazon.com. They have the best selection and information and prices I have seen anywhere. And decent service, and a money back guarantee that works.

And I like Sony. I like SACD a bit better than DVD-As so far (mostly because the format of the dvd-audio discs I have bought have not been my favorites: opera and orchestral music). I like Sony camcorders, Clies, and they did come up with the compact disc and SACD.

So, I am not accusing Amazon or Sony of anything. I just wish Amazon made it easier.

Also, after further research - Best Buy seems to be an equal opportunity non-promoter. Some BBuys have equal amounts of both formats, some have little of either, some have improving selections. Probably depends on what is selling. One store had more DVD-A titles than SACD titles. I like Best Buy too by the way.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Donaldekelly

Washington, DC Usa

Post Number: 31
Registered: Jul-04
Hmm - just searched Amazon on dvd audio again and 6 titles came up on the first page. Maybe my problem was searching in music category.

And there is a dvd audio section http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/574074

Maybe they just haven't put much work into listing the dvd-audio titles cause they haven't really sold well yet.
 

Gold Member
Username: John_a

Post Number: 1733
Registered: Dec-03
Donald,

I had the same experience with Amazon. My wife likes Amazon and ordered a DVD-A in April; still no disc, no order status, no apology. Amazon's service used to be excellent.

One problem with DVD-A is which category to look in, for discs, on web sites. Even the HMV shop gives you a front-page choice between "Music" and "DVD". By "Music" they mean "CD and SACD"; by "DVD" they mean "movies". Even "Music DVD" (DVD-V with musical content) is difficult to locate. DVD-A seems to be in no category they can imagine. I think you have to go to more specialist web sites and retailers. Naxos itself www.naxos.com makes life easier by linking to regional distributors and dealers. There is a thread here "Discoveries" under "Music" where people have successfully bought some of the titles you mention.
 

Silver Member
Username: Ghiacabriolet

NC

Post Number: 213
Registered: Apr-04
You are right about the difficulties searching for SACD/DVD-A's from Amazon. That's probably why I have yet to buy any from them. So far, just regular cd's and books.

Acoustic Sounds has one of the better sorting/search functions based on media format as well as musical genres, etc.

Best Buy where I live does carry DVD-A's - but not nearly as many as SACD. This may possibly be due to the difference in the number of titles available as well. Even wtih the stock they do have, it is pretty limited. I purchase either there or at Manifest if I want "instant gratification." Otherwise, I've purchased online from Tower Records as well as directly from the San Francisco Symphony.
 

Gold Member
Username: John_a

Post Number: 1743
Registered: Dec-03
Ghia,

Thanks for the Acoustic Sounds link. Excellent. Apart from everything else, I have not seen such new vinyl catalogue in years.
 

Silver Member
Username: Ghiacabriolet

NC

Post Number: 216
Registered: Apr-04
You're welcome. I'm glad you like the link. Long live the LP, eh? :-) Did you browse the list of "preowned lp's"? Wow, some of the prices! CSNY's "Deja Vu" (MOFI release) for $200? Of course, it looks like there are still some $2 bargains available too. I'm kicking myself now for unloading about 1,000 albums fifteen years ago after I got tired of packing them up everytime I had to move.
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