EMI Cheapskates

[andsome]

A CD that I had ordered for my Son in Law for Christmas arrived yesterday. It is the latest by Kate Bush, called Aerial. I am absolutely disgusted by the presentation of this CD. It does not have a hard CD case, but is presented in a cardboard sleeve wrapped in shrink film. I have never seen anything like it before. I have telephoned EMI and was told that they have received a lot of complaints. I was asked to telephone back after 10 am and speak to the Communications Officer. I will certainly be doing so. How the hell do they expect people to react when they receive a gift like this? I sincerely hope that this is not a foretaste of things to come on the CD and DVD front. It's penny pinching of the worst kind, especially when you consider the cost of C D's in the UK.

[-pops-]

I was told a few months ago that the cost of a CD style "jewel case" is less than the fold out card sleeves (the book type ones) that are being used for CDs now.

There is a reason for using them though. A card sleeve is much more robust when going through the post so packaging and postal charges are less.

It doesn't alter the fact, though, that card sleeves most definitely look really naff and penny pinching.

[catgate]

How the hell do they expect people to react when they receive a gift like this?

I do not suppose they care. They have sold the product, and that's all that matters to most marketing men, whose own, butterfly like, career is more important than company image or customer satisfaction.

[andsome]

How the hell do they expect people to react when they receive a gift like this?

I do not suppose they care. They have sold the product, and that's all that matters to most marketing men, whose own, butterfly like, career is more important than company image or customer satisfaction.

Very true I'm afraid. Regarding pops point about robustness in the post. I have bought several Cd's over the years by post and have NEVER been sent one in a cardboard sleeve. I took delivery of another ordered at the same time a few days ago, and that one was in a proper hard case.

When I called back to EMI after 10 am, I was put through to a recorded message, and asked to leave my message. I phoned again and asked to speak to a person, and was told that this was not possible. I have since then sent them an e-mail. I have received an auto acknowledgement, but so far the e-mail has not been read. I know this because I use MS Tag.

[r4may]

As long as they sell them they don't care.

Looks like their Customer Relations is non existant. So maybe Customers should go elsewhere if they can.

[andsome]

Still no one has bothered to read my e-mail :harhar:

[deuces wild]

Why not just buy a plastic case for it if that is important to you? You seem to be wasting more time and effort on this than it is worth.

[catgate]

Looks like their Customer Relations is non existant.

I have found that trying to contact, and obtain satisfaction from, virtually any company's Customer Relations department is as productive as trying to poke smoke up a cat's a*se with a pin. I suspect the real purpose of these departments is for the benefit of protecting the company from the consumer, by gentle stroking, if you can get through to them. These days I always go straight to the top, and take up my complaint with the Managing Director or CEO or what ever title he bears. The man's name can usually be found on the company's web site. I know from practical experience that most MDs are told only what it is expedient for them to hear, and as a result they all forget what the real world, down at the pointed end, is like. It is surprising how quickly they usually get things moving once they are given the facts in a polite friendly manner.

(Of course if the Customer Relations department is outsourced to somewhere where English is a foreign language then it is the only route!)

Why not just buy a plastic case for it if that is important to you? You seem to be wasting more time and effort on this than it is worth.

Of course! Why not?

[andsome]

Why not just buy a plastic case for it if that is important to you? You seem to be wasting more time and effort on this than it is worth.

I have plenty of cases, but that is not the point. As I said the C.D's, (there are two in the set}, are in a cardboard folder. Without cutting away the plastic film to look, I cannot see that it will be possible to make a professional look of it all by cutting the cardboard to the correct size to fit a case. As I said this is a gift for someone, and should when given look at its best. The whole point of the thread is to draw peoples attention to the penny pinching attitude of EMI in presenting a brand new product in this way. This is NOT what should be expected of a so called reputable company. Would you expect to buy a brand new car and have it sent out dirty? Would you expect to buy a computer and have to scrape round and find a case to fit the inards? If this is to be the future for C.D's then the manufacturers can hardly grumble if people borrow C.D's from the local library and copy them can they? I don't know the average price of a CD in the US at present, but it is certain to be a whole lot cheaper that in rip off Britain.

[deuces wild]

I have plenty of cases, but that is not the point. As I said the C.D's, (there are two in the set}, are in a cardboard folder. Without cutting away the plastic film to look, I cannot see that it will be possible to make a professional look of it all by cutting the cardboard to the correct size to fit a case. As I said this is a gift for someone, and should when given look at its best. The whole point of the thread is to draw peoples attention to the penny pinching attitude of EMI in presenting a brand new product in this way. This is NOT what should be expected of a so called reputable company. Would you expect to buy a brand new car and have it sent out dirty? Would you expect to buy a computer and have to scrape round and find a case to fit the inards? If this is to be the future for C.D's then the manufacturers can hardly grumble if people borrow C.D's from the local library and copy them can they? I don't know the average price of a CD in the US at present, but it is certain to be a whole lot cheaper that in rip off Britain.

Are the CD's defective or dirty? Was the cardboard folder a professionally prepared folder or just a piece of plain old cardboard.

Many CD's are now coming in cardboard holder/folders, but they have all the graphics and verbiage one would expect to find in a plastic case.

Unless the CD's were dirty or defective, or if they were wrapped in ordinary cardboard I would let it go as it would not be such a big deal to me.

There are much bigger fish to fry and battles to fight.

Just my 2 cents. :smile:

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

I personally much prefer the new thin cardboard cases. It may look less as a present, but it has at least two advantages over the "jewel" cases

1. I order most of the CDs from Amazon. More than half of the boxes are broken when they arrive (not the box itself, but the "crown" in the center that holds the CD).
   
2. When you have thousands of CDs, these boxes take up A LOT of space.
   

I think the best solution would be to give customers a choice. Books are manufactured as two types - hard and soft cover. The music industry could introduce the same concept. Better than constantly whining about their shrinking profits!

[andsome]

Too many industries these days seem to want to give less value for money, and then complain when customers don't buy. The only C.D's that I have seen in cardboard sleeves instead of proper cases are free ones, as in this weeks Radio Times. To me it is a matter of a slip in presentation.

[catgate]

Too many industries these days seem to want to give less value for money,

This is not new. It has been going on, in an organised way for thirty years or more, in virtually all industries. I suppose it has always occured to a small extent, but the big, organised, systematic approach was imported from America in the early 60s. The main effect of this "Cost Reduction" or "Value Engfineering", as they like to call it, is in putting people out of work. Most of the people sitting in groups round tables in offices, debating these projects, have never thought that all cost is "labour", and whatever cost reduction they achieve someone somewhere will lose their livlihood. The coal in the ground is free, the oil in the ground is free, as is the iron ore, the trees, etc. The cost is in the labour of mining the coal, pumping the oil, growing and felling the trees and converting these things into machines and products various. It is all a recipe for economic disaster, as we are rapidly finding out. However, before the final curtain, there are people getting rewarded for their efforts in this field. Very sad.

[Thos]

This is not new. It has been going on, in an organised way for thirty years or more, in virtually all industries. I suppose it has always occured to a small extent, but the big, organised, systematic approach was imported from America in the early 60s. The main effect of this "Cost Reduction" or "Value Engfineering", as they like to call it, is in putting people out of work. Most of the people sitting in groups round tables in offices, debating these projects, have never thought that all cost is "labour", and whatever cost reduction they achieve someone somewhere will lose their livlihood. The coal in the ground is free, the oil in the ground is free, as is the iron ore, the trees, etc. The cost is in the labour of mining the coal, pumping the oil, growing and felling the trees and converting these things into machines and products various. It is all a recipe for economic disaster, as we are rapidly finding out. However, before the final curtain, there are people getting rewarded for their efforts in this field. Very sad.

You are absolutely right.

Thos.

[Belatucadrus]

In most cases however the cardboard case is supposed to be "a deluxe" variation on a theme, usually only used at the launch of the CD. Give it a few weeks and you'll find the stock will revert to the bog standard jewel case.

[Tankus]

heh..... couple more years ...and no Cd's anyways ... I'm now totally digital ... even got rid of my hifi yonks ago

[andsome]

Their personal service is rubbish. The haven't even OPENED the e-mail yet, never mind answer it.

[scuzzman]

Keep in mind andsome that MS Tag will only tell you that they opened the emial if the person receiving it can receive HTML email (it uses HTML tags to fulfill its purpose). I don't use HTML email, as it can be insecure (I don't even allow the use of images...). Thus, if you sent me an email with that program, it wouldn't tell you if I opened it. A majority of companies use this more secure approach of not accepting HTML email.

[andsome]

Thanks for that info. That still means that their service is crap, either they haven't even opened the e-mail yet, or if they have the can't be bothered to answer. Either way it's bad.

[deuces wild]

What do you really expect them to do? Is this worth the aggravation you are putting yourself through andsome?

Sometimes it is best to let things go and move on. :smile:

[andsome]

What do you really expect them to do? Is this worth the aggravation you are putting yourself through andsome?

Sometimes it is best to let things go and move on. :smile:

I have strong principles, and believe that too many company's are giving less and less value for money if they can get away with it. I won't let it go until I get a reply. I believe that a customer deserves that at least. We had a small business ourselves once, and would NEVER treat customers in such a cavalier fashion.

[Tony]

I totally agree with you andsome, keep going, at least until you get a reply to your mail explaining the reason for the cardboard sleve.

If that is thier policy now, so be it, you know not to shop there again.

Tony

[andsome]

I have sent the e-mail again, and will continue to do so.

[deuces wild]

Any word from them yet?

[andsome]

After several e-mails and a couple more phone calls, the Chairmans secretary phoned me. She was absolutely full of crap about how EMI were trying to make a contribution toward saving the planet, by cutting down on the amount of plastic being used. she claimed that she absolutely loved the design of the packing, as did everyone else at EMI. After a few more words I told her that I was obviously wasting my time and hers, and I terminated the call. I felt better for having made my feelings known.