As I mentioned yesterday, I did it, but it was back in the very early 90's. I was living way out in the country (my job was was about a half-hour drive). So it was the easiest way to buy CD's. A friend had told me that if you paid off (Or 'bought off') the contract quickly, then told them to never send you the monthly 'choices', that you'd get a lower price than you'd find in the stores.
Turns out, he was right!
So while the ones you had to buy to fulfill your obligation (it was 12 for a penny when I did it) were a higher price, when you averaged it all out, it was still a good deal.
I was a member for years, until everything they'd offered that I was interested in, I'd bought. And I'd bought a lot. So it could be a good deal, as long as you paid attention and shopped carefully (and told them NOT to EVER send out their 'monthly suggested CD's').
This. I did the minimum to pay the obligation and then bought the sale stuff. They had some good sales. My uncle Frank's (dad's bestie) son had a side hustle at the Air Force Academy ordering from Columbia for the other cadets. This was back in the days of the albums.
I not only did, at the time I sent in that penny, the deal was 12 albums for a penny. I joined the Columbia Record and Tape Club as it was called in those years, fulfilled my membership obligation, quit, and re-joined at least five times between about 1980 and 1996. At one time I had a huge collection of jazz, prog rock, and classic rock I had built using that club as the mechanism. It was a huge boon to the kid who lived an hour from any record store or later the college/grad student who had low funds.
I never did send in a penny after being burnt by the Franklin Mint, which should've bern named after PT Barnum, for his quote, "there's a [sucker] born every minute." 🤦♂️
I did, but don't recall how many more albums I ordered after the initial obligation. It was easier than driving 90 minutes into St. Louis, but money was tight.
I did it. But the selections at least in my day were terrible. Does anybody remember the old Plaza House collections that were advertised on late night TV on the non network stations.
Almost every Squid I knew did that.. Book of the Month Club too. Then it was the Amway Pyramid scheme zealots. "Hey, whattya gonna do after you get out of the Navy?"
And don't forget the giant billboards outside the Navy bases that said "Yamaha (or name your favorite rice rocket bike) "Easy financing, E-1 and up". Lotsa safety standdowns and lost shipmates.
Anyone remember the Science Fiction Book Club? Is that still a thing? When the ex and I were overseas we didn't have to hit the deadline to refuse the selection of the month once I explained in writing that we were overseas and snail mail was going to suck. We could just order what we wanted to.
I didn't do the Columbia House music club, but I did take advantage of the Columbia House DVD club they started in the late 1990s. It was eleven DVDs for $1.00 then three more at regular club prices over the next 12 months. We did this for a couple of years until Walmart began offering their $5 bin. I filled out my John Wayne collection before opting out. It was a convoluted process as far as I remember, but they did...finally...accept my opt out and stop sending me offers. All in all, given the prices at the time, I think it was a pretty good deal. You just had to stay on top of mailing back the reply cards.
As I mentioned yesterday, I did it, but it was back in the very early 90's. I was living way out in the country (my job was was about a half-hour drive). So it was the easiest way to buy CD's. A friend had told me that if you paid off (Or 'bought off') the contract quickly, then told them to never send you the monthly 'choices', that you'd get a lower price than you'd find in the stores.
Turns out, he was right!
So while the ones you had to buy to fulfill your obligation (it was 12 for a penny when I did it) were a higher price, when you averaged it all out, it was still a good deal.
I was a member for years, until everything they'd offered that I was interested in, I'd bought. And I'd bought a lot. So it could be a good deal, as long as you paid attention and shopped carefully (and told them NOT to EVER send out their 'monthly suggested CD's').
Thanks, John!
This. I did the minimum to pay the obligation and then bought the sale stuff. They had some good sales. My uncle Frank's (dad's bestie) son had a side hustle at the Air Force Academy ordering from Columbia for the other cadets. This was back in the days of the albums.
The first contract I ever signed was when I was 17. Cost me nothing. 30 days later in boot camp THEY PAID ME $75 in cash. Total win.
I still have some (most?) of those initial LPs.
I not only did, at the time I sent in that penny, the deal was 12 albums for a penny. I joined the Columbia Record and Tape Club as it was called in those years, fulfilled my membership obligation, quit, and re-joined at least five times between about 1980 and 1996. At one time I had a huge collection of jazz, prog rock, and classic rock I had built using that club as the mechanism. It was a huge boon to the kid who lived an hour from any record store or later the college/grad student who had low funds.
I never did send in a penny after being burnt by the Franklin Mint, which should've bern named after PT Barnum, for his quote, "there's a [sucker] born every minute." 🤦♂️
I did, but don't recall how many more albums I ordered after the initial obligation. It was easier than driving 90 minutes into St. Louis, but money was tight.
I did it. But the selections at least in my day were terrible. Does anybody remember the old Plaza House collections that were advertised on late night TV on the non network stations.
Almost every Squid I knew did that.. Book of the Month Club too. Then it was the Amway Pyramid scheme zealots. "Hey, whattya gonna do after you get out of the Navy?"
And don't forget the giant billboards outside the Navy bases that said "Yamaha (or name your favorite rice rocket bike) "Easy financing, E-1 and up". Lotsa safety standdowns and lost shipmates.
Anyone remember the Science Fiction Book Club? Is that still a thing? When the ex and I were overseas we didn't have to hit the deadline to refuse the selection of the month once I explained in writing that we were overseas and snail mail was going to suck. We could just order what we wanted to.
I didn't do the Columbia House music club, but I did take advantage of the Columbia House DVD club they started in the late 1990s. It was eleven DVDs for $1.00 then three more at regular club prices over the next 12 months. We did this for a couple of years until Walmart began offering their $5 bin. I filled out my John Wayne collection before opting out. It was a convoluted process as far as I remember, but they did...finally...accept my opt out and stop sending me offers. All in all, given the prices at the time, I think it was a pretty good deal. You just had to stay on top of mailing back the reply cards.