Tír Na HiFi

Just a simple question really.

I have approx 25 single/ double disks and 10 box sets on 'price-watch' in my Amazon wish lists, some of which have been there since the spring.

now, is it me, or have the prices been gradually rising over the past year? I keep waiting for prices on certain items to drop, but they rarely seem to do these days. oh sure, there are always bargains to be had if you cast your searches wide enough, but not on the items I have in my sights, to build the collection I want...

... and maybe, there's the rub. when I started off with hardly any music, bargains were easier to come by, but as I have become more discerning in my purchases, bargains are harder to come by. So, is this the reason, or does the 2nd hand CD market offer fewer bargains than it used to?

hmmm.....

I think that the second hand market is still vibrant but the prices definitely have gone up. This particularly applies to non UK residents as shipping costs have become really expensive. There is a problem with the Amazon sellers who are complaining that even though the postage costs have risen significantly over the past two years Amazon have not increased their allowance to the sellers so the sellers have upped their prices in most cases to compensate for this. There are some sellers that I used buy from who will not do international shipping anymore as a result of this.

^^ thanks for your thoughts Fergus... I tend to agree with you, and hadn't really thought about the impact of postage increases on the price of a disk.

have you changed your purchasing patterns in light of this? do you now buy more from dealers than enthusiasts selling their 2nd hand disks individually?

Jared wrote:^^ thanks for your thoughts Fergus... I tend to agree with you, and hadn't really thought about the impact of postage increases on the price of a disk.

have you changed your purchasing patterns in light of this? do you now buy more from dealers than enthusiasts selling their 2nd hand disks individually?

Living on this side of the Irish Sea my first point of reference is who will actually ship to me Jared. Although there are still quite a few who do this their number has diminished. Those enthusiasts have eventually caught on to the issues that we have discussed and tend to do "Domestic" shipping only.

Anyway, my buying has significantly reduced over the last few two months; not as a result of this I might add rather that I have virtually wiped out a Wish List that I had been assiduously working on for over a year. I now have the basis of the collection that I want and so I am somewhat consolidating.

fergus wrote: I now have the basis of the collection that I want and so I am somewhat consolidating.

that's interesting, as Sean was saying something very similar. I think I'm one step behind you, in that my purchases are now far more targeted to specific works and recordings which I know will fill gaps in my collection. New purchases are fewer, but more clearly thought through.

I had wondered why the New Purchases thread had gone so quiet! lol.

Jared wrote: I think I'm one step behind you, in that my purchases are now far more targeted to specific works and recordings which I know will fill gaps in my collection. New purchases are fewer, but more clearly thought through.

That is a natural development and, in fact, a good place to be in. One has to think more about what one will buy and one's focus. as you say, becomes much more targeted.

My question to myself is do I actually kill off the Wish List in one short burst or do I linger a while over it to savour it more LOL!!!

fergus wrote:My question to myself is do I actually kill off the Wish List in one short burst or do I linger a while over it to savour it more LOL!!!

The latter Fergus because, human nature being what it is, you'll always be able to add things to your wish-list. Having a wish-list of approx 25 items tends to stop me adding further.

That said, the list of 25 has just been reduced to 21, as I have made 4 more purchases this morning.. two of the items have been on the list for over a year, which is ridiculous. I will post in the other thread.

Jared wrote:

fergus wrote:My question to myself is do I actually kill off the Wish List in one short burst or do I linger a while over it to savour it more LOL!!!

The latter Fergus because, human nature being what it is, you'll always be able to add things to your wish-list. Having a wish-list of approx 25 items tends to stop me adding further.

That said, the list of 25 has just been reduced to 21, as I have made 4 more purchases this morning.. two of the items have been on the list for over a year, which is ridiculous. I will post in the other thread.

I recall that at one particular point Jared there were 743 items on my Wish List!!! I did not buy them all needless to say but I did purchase a good number of them. The list is now down to about the same proportions as your own at this stage and I am mindful to keep in that region!

fergus wrote:I recall that at one particular point Jared there were 743 items on my Wish List!!!

that is frankly quite scandalous... lol

I marked my 'return' to CM with an indulgent purchase of the Pletnev LvB cycle (I will NEVER have enough...), but, really, I do have enough and I am not looking to indulge much more except when new releases come out which tickle my fancy