How In The Fuck Did "Columbia House" Ever Make Money Off 8 CDs for a Penny?
- Thread starter Lucky7s
- Start date
They probably sold your info.I know I wasn't the only mufukka that would order 8 CDs multiple times and never pay that membership fee.
I used to tape a penny onto the damn mail-in card back when they used to send out cassette tapes...
man I use to scramble my name and address up just a little
Peace,
I used to do that shit repeatedly when I was about 13 years old. All those cats got from me was two or three cents.
I used to do that shit repeatedly when I was about 13 years old. All those cats got from me was two or three cents.
IIRC, they were banking on you liking the service, and after that, the albums were regular priced. Also, once you opted in, you had to jump through hoops to cancel, or they'd keep billing you. I got turned on to some great music through a friend of mine who tried this out. He said that out of the 8 albums you requested, they'd send you about 2 of them, and the rest were what they wanted you to have. Subsequently, he was giving me shit he didn't want.
Peace,
I used to do that shit repeatedly when I was about 13 years old. All those cats got from me was two or three cents.
Peace,
They sent every "for a penny" album that you selected. Every month after that, they'd automatically send you a 'If You Like That You'll Love This' album at regular price. Shit, Columbia House introduced me to Earl Klugh.
They sent every "for a penny" album that you selected. Every month after that, they'd automatically send you a 'If You Like That You'll Love This' album at regular price. Shit, Columbia House introduced me to Earl Klugh.
That's not true
I used to do that shit all the time with Columbia House and BMG. They sent you the eight, then did the random once a month thing.
The ones they sold actually were a lot cheaper than Best Buy, because of shipping. They came out to like $20, unless you go their specials for $7.99.
I used so many fake names they stopped sending them to me. Every new address, time to mail Columbia House.
That's not true
I used to do that shit all the time with Columbia House and BMG. They sent you the eight, then did the random once a month thing.
The ones they sold actually were a lot cheaper than Best Buy, because of shipping. They came out to like $20, unless you go their specials for $7.99.
I used so many fake names they stopped sending them to me. Every new address, time to mail Columbia House.
I can only go by what he told me. All I know is every other week or so, dude was giving me brand new cassettes. Yes, this was in the late 70's/early 80's.
Naw they were legit, you got the albums you selected. I did it twice when I was about 12. I knew legally they could not do shit to me so I did not care.
I know they were legit. As for the other stuff, he was a kid too, so maybe he was just telling me that as a reason for him not wanting what they sent him.
I think his mom was letting him do it (use the service).
Ah BINGO! ah YEAH...
I don't know if it was BMG or Columbia House. But they put that shit on my uncle credit report, that dude owe them $1200.00! They just kept sending him Cds. So he finally sent a cd back one day mark return to sender also he wrote deceased on the box. And they stop sending them, but one day years later he see a delique on his credit report...... BTW I switch my name so many time 
I was to young for them to even send me cd's
I was to young for them to even send me cd's 
I remember I got my first snoop dogg and salt en pepper cd's like that. Never even face them the penny.
Forgot about this.
Shit columbia house was the reason I bought this
No anti-skip son
LOL, I bought this too, just for these CDs!!!
I remember also that they absolutely had to make money off of the shipping as well, I remember that they used to ship stuff 4th class but charge 1st class prices.
I remember when I went to the post office to send a large package one day and it cost less to send this large package than what they used to charge for a few CDs, that's when I realized what they were doing.
Shit columbia house was the reason I bought this
No anti-skip son
damn my first cd player too ,, same model,, Yep-I used to work there back in the day-BMG. Fresh outta highschool.
The penny thing was the hook. They over priced a little on the shipping. Then you had to also pay regular price on a monthly basis as part of the agreement. But they also would send out a CD that they thought you would like or if I remember correctly was the monthly choice. If you didnt want it, send it back. Not too many folks did that so they would bill for it the following month. Cancelling w/ them?? FORGET ABOUT IT! I remember talking to plenty angry folks because they were still getting items and billed for them....
The penny thing was the hook. They over priced a little on the shipping. Then you had to also pay regular price on a monthly basis as part of the agreement. But they also would send out a CD that they thought you would like or if I remember correctly was the monthly choice. If you didnt want it, send it back. Not too many folks did that so they would bill for it the following month. Cancelling w/ them?? FORGET ABOUT IT! I remember talking to plenty angry folks because they were still getting items and billed for them....
Also, if you noticed, most of the cd's/lp you got had a hole in the upper corner. That means they were either part of the 10% -15% that record company doesn't pay the artist for anyway, or the other part that they company considered "free goods". believe me, they made money of this.
I did it twice.
The first time I managed to cancel, the second time, they kept sending me bullshit I never heard of, so I decided to say fuck you and ignored them. Eventually I crammed all them bullshits in a box and sent em back.
I did it twice.
The first time I managed to cancel, the second time, they kept sending me bullshit I never heard of, so I decided to say fuck you and ignored them. Eventually I crammed all them bullshits in a box and sent em back.
i used to tear them a new one all the time!!!!!!!!!!! never paid them a dime!!!!
never paid them a dime!!!!
i just saw this on another site right after leaving this thread.
I know I wasn't the only mufukka that would order 8 CDs multiple times and never pay that membership fee.
I used to tape a penny onto the damn mail-in card back when they used to send out cassette tapes...
They made back their money by OVERcharging for the CDs, albums and tapes you had to pay full price for in order to fulfill your membership. You had to pay $8.99-13.99 back in the days when they sold for $3.99-5.99 retail.
I mastered this scam back in college (mid 90s)
I never really "scammed" them but figured out how to get max out the system
Using 3-4 variations of my name I would run accounts back to back until i met the agreement then close the account and open a new one.
The trick was getting the right offer to start with then buy the one at regular price then close the account after meeting the requirements.
BMG was good about putting ads in various magazines.....but there was this one ad they had that was usually 11 for 1 0r 2 in the Sunday paper or mail or whatever verses the 8 or 9 for one I would see in popular magazines. I would use the 11 cd ads because it provided the most free cds overall.
Kept a log book so I didnt get account confused and to make sure those damn cards were returned on time.
Shit worked very well.
Went from about 10 to 300 cds in no time. All legit and most cost me shipping. When you do the numbers I was getting 11 cd for about $50-60 when retail price for that same amount was +$150
Only bad this was that some artist did not have their stuff with BMG...and some with neither.
The postal people at school had to ask me if i was scamming them cause I was always at the window getting packages. They were cool once I told them I was paying it all and had papers to prove it.
Also, BMG was making their own copies of the cd's. If you look at the back of them near the bar code it would say "mfd for bmg direct" verses a store bought cd
I never really "scammed" them but figured out how to get max out the system
Using 3-4 variations of my name I would run accounts back to back until i met the agreement then close the account and open a new one.
The trick was getting the right offer to start with then buy the one at regular price then close the account after meeting the requirements.
BMG was good about putting ads in various magazines.....but there was this one ad they had that was usually 11 for 1 0r 2 in the Sunday paper or mail or whatever verses the 8 or 9 for one I would see in popular magazines. I would use the 11 cd ads because it provided the most free cds overall.
Kept a log book so I didnt get account confused and to make sure those damn cards were returned on time.
Shit worked very well.
Went from about 10 to 300 cds in no time. All legit and most cost me shipping. When you do the numbers I was getting 11 cd for about $50-60 when retail price for that same amount was +$150
Only bad this was that some artist did not have their stuff with BMG...and some with neither.
The postal people at school had to ask me if i was scamming them cause I was always at the window getting packages. They were cool once I told them I was paying it all and had papers to prove it.
Also, BMG was making their own copies of the cd's. If you look at the back of them near the bar code it would say "mfd for bmg direct" verses a store bought cd
Shit columbia house was the reason I bought this
No anti-skip son
Ohhh, the memories.
Shit columbia house was the reason I bought this
No anti-skip son
I still have mine.
Good luck trying to get it to work. Mine used to skip like crazy while driving. Couldn't bump my DMX album with that POS.
did it too
I don't know if it was BMG or Columbia House. But they put that shit on my uncle credit report, that dude owe them $1200.00! They just kept sending him Cds. So he finally sent a cd back one day mark return to sender also he wrote deceased on the box. And they stop sending them, but one day years later he see a delique on his credit report...... BTW I switch my name so many time
shit i remember back in the day i'd order the cd's open the box....record them on tape and send them shits back in the same box......those were dem broke days......lol
I did this when I was younger...mama didn't have no CD player yet.
