Vinyl Me, Please - Discussion Thread [Record of the Month Subscription]

[dan8885]

Vinyl Me, Please is a 'Record of the Month' subscription service based in the US.
They offer monthly subscription plans (Annual, 3-month and month-to-month) and if you join, this is what you'll get:

Additional service to your Membership:

Music discovery + vinyl deals in our Member's Only Store

• Build your collection with additional curated records
• Limited-edition exclusive store pressings
• Purchase VMP Archive LPs
• Free shipping for U.S. domestic orders

The Standard: The VMP weekly digest

• Playlists, exclusive downloads & vinyl releases
• Hi-fi gear reviews & discounts, how-to guides
• Profiles & reviews of leading vinyl lifestyle brands

Prices:

US Domestic:
Annual - $23 / mo (Billed $284 annually)
3-month - $25 / mo (Billed $75 every 3 months)
Month-to-month - $27 / mo

International:
Annual - $33 / mo (Billed $399 annually)
3-month - $36 / mo (Billed $108 every 3 months)
Month-to-month - $42 / mo

For more information & to join: http://vinylmeplease.com/how-it-works/

 

[dan8885]

Vinyl me, Please - March 2016: Låpsley - 'Long Way Home'



Vinyl me, Please - April 2016: Fugees- 'The Score - 20th anniversary'



Upcoming Vinyl me, Please - May 2016: Weezer - Pinkerton

 

[dan8885]

I found out about them with the Fugees release. I'll hunt this down if I subscribe or not! Beautiful edition and a record I listen uncountable times to growing up!

I asked them some days ago if they ship 'custom friendly' but got no response yet. Maybe some ninjas here know!?

What I also like is their 'SWAP' offer. You'll receive with your subscription 'SWAP' points. You can use these to swap the actual Record of the month if you don't like it to a previous one you may missed or to a record from their membership store. So in the end you'll definitely get a record you're at least interested in. Fair enough!

Any experience ninjas?
@spass @wongsifu @Spike Anderson @C2V3N @Travis Bickle @comICS-soon @Flloydo @Tacozilla

 

[spass]

Never heard of them. That is actually pretty cool! Thanks Daniel, will might sign up at some point but not this month, lol!

And that Fugees album! No words needed.
I still have my CD I bought at release when I worked in a record shop.

 

[dan8885]

Never heard of them. That is actually pretty cool! Thanks Daniel, will might sign up at some point but not this month, lol!

And that Fugees album! No words needed.
I still have my CD I bought at release when I worked in a record shop.

I'm thinking about joining for a 3-month subscription but would swap Weezer to Fugees. 40 USD shipped is fair!
But I would only join if the international shipping is 'custom friendly'

Any experience ninjas!?
@Slinchafi @paulboland @digitalbabe @oceanicon @raspor @gizmo83 @Sixteenvolt420

 

[spass]

Agreed. It's vital that they're custom friendly, especially since this is a monthly thing.

 

[Flloydo]

I found out about them with the Fugees release. I'll hunt this down if I subscribe or not! Beautiful edition and a record I listen uncountable times to growing up!

I asked them some days ago if they ship 'custom friendly' but got no response yet. Maybe some ninjas here know!?

What I also like is their 'SWAP' offer. You'll receive with your subscription 'SWAP' points. You can use these to swap the actual Record of the month if you don't like it to a previous one you may missed or to a record from their membership store. So in the end you'll definitely get a record you're at least interested in. Fair enough!

Any experience ninjas?
@spass @wongsifu @Spike Anderson @C2V3N @Travis Bickle @comICS-soon @Flloydo @Tacozilla

Also never heard of them mate but i like the idea of being able to swap if you don't like it

Same, the score was a big part of my youth and still to this day. Love that album.

 

[dan8885]

Agreed. It's vital that they're custom friendly, especially since this is a monthly thing.

Also never heard of them mate but i like the idea of being able to swap if you don't like it

Same, the score was a big part of my youth and still to this day. Love that album.

Yeah, the SWAP idea is cool. You'll not end up with something you completely dislike!

Fugees is on Discogs but prices are going up. It was 25 EUR+shipping from the US two days ago. Cheapest now is 33 EUR...
https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/8379739?ev=rb

 

[Tacozilla]

Interesting, I think I remember hearing things about this recently. If they are customs friendly then even better. I'm more into movie soundtracks on Vinyl, but I will keep an eye out to see what kinda stuff they offer in the future

 

[Noodles]

Never heard of these until Dan told me on Instagram, but I like the sound of it and would also definitely be interested in that Fugees one... I was actually just listening to The Score last week for the first time in forever and forgot how great the album was!

@dan8885 @spass @Tacozilla

As for international shipping... I found some info on Twitter (see here - you can expand each tweet to see their full convo). Most say they've never had to pay customs, but I did see one guy say he got stung once and mentioned it to VMP who then sent future deliveries as 'gift' to avoid it happening again.

 

[dan8885]

Never heard of these until Dan told me on Instagram, but I like the sound of it and would also definitely be interested in that Fugees one... I was actually just listening to The Score last week for the first time in forever and forgot how great the album was!

@dan8885 @spass @Tacozilla

As for international shipping... I found some info on Twitter (see here - you can expand each tweet to see their full convo). Most say they've never had to pay customs, but I did see one guy say he got stung once and mentioned it to VMP who then sent future deliveries as 'gift' to avoid it happening again.

Thank you! Sounds more like a hit or miss then definite 'custom friendly' shipping. Problem is that gift don't work over here. Customs know no company sends gift on a regular. So 'gifts' are going pretty much every time under control

With custom tax it would be 48 $ for me. For a record like Fugees it would still be okay. But I would not want to pay that for the March and May release.

 

[Noodles]

Thank you! Sounds more like a hit or miss then definite 'custom friendly' shipping. Problem is that gift don't work over here. Customs know no company sends gift on a regular. So 'gifts' are going pretty much every time under control

With custom tax it would be 48 $ for me. For a record like Fugees it would still be okay. But I would not want to pay that for the March and May release.

That's what I always thought too - marking as 'gift' screams customs avoidance, so they're more likely to check it, but most seem to think it does help, so I'm unsure now. Whenever I order from abroad I often ask them to do the opposite... mark as 'merchandise'. In my experience, it's the value they put on the box which makes the difference of whether you get hit with customs or not. Many retailers don't like to lie about the value though for obvious reasons... it can get them in trouble.

 

[Spike Anderson]

I've never done a vinyl subscription, but i heard about vinyl me, please before. A few of their monthly releases were indeed pretty interesting and others not.
The international shipping rate usually holds me back from such things.

 

[dan8885]

I've never done a vinyl subscription, but i heard about vinyl me, please before. A few of their monthly releases were indeed pretty interesting and others not.
The international shipping rate usually holds me back from such things.

Do you know if they ship 'custom friendly' ?

 

[Spike Anderson]

@dan8885
I really don't know sorry.

 

[dan8885]

I've received a response from VMP regarding 'custom friendly' shipping:

"Unfortunately, those customs charges will be there with any of our packages, as it goes by weight of the package! But, we just lowered the international subscription price, so take a look and see if it might make things a little easier on you! Let me know your thoughts! All the best!"

New international prices are now:

Annual - $33 / mo (Billed $399 annually)
3-month - $36 / mo (Billed $108 every 3 months)
Month-to-month - $42 / mo

Previously:

Annual - $38 / mo (Billed $450 annually)
3-month - $40 / mo (Billed $120 every 3 months)
Month-to-month - $44 / mo

@Noodles @spass @Flloydo

 

[Sixteenvolt420]

I have no experience with them.

 

[dan8885]

I've decided to pass on some upcoming Steelbooks and joined VMP for a 3-month subscription. I've received 1 Swap with this and used it to swap Weezer - Pinkerton to Fugees - The Score.

I'm now able to see the Member Store. There are these categories:

'VMP Archive' - the last 15 VMP releases for 27 USD each

'Store exclusives' - there are 7 releases from 19 USD to 29 USD. Mostly limited to 400 - 700 copies. All colored. Records like Dexter Gordon - Body & Soul, Sia - Colour the small one, Beverly - The Blue Swell and Nothing - Tired of tomorrow, and more...

'Box Sets' - currently just two. 'Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker' and 'Smashing Pumpkins - Aeroplan Fly High 5LP'

'Curated Ones' - there are 15 records, mixed genres from Mewithoutyou to Ravi Shankar, 13 USD - 24 USD

There's also 'Merchandise' with Tshirts and stuff and a 'Sale' Category what's empty at the moment.

They quote me a shipping of 8 USD for one record (to Germany). But I'm pretty sure they include your order to your monthly VMP. Fair price for shipping.

@Noodles @spass @Flloydo @Spike Anderson @Tacozilla @C.C. 95

 

[spass]

Thanks for the info Daniel.

How much is the SP Aeroplane boxset? I bought this a couple of months ago and it's a sweet release.

 

[dan8885]

Thanks for the info Daniel.

How much is the SP Aeroplane boxset? I bought this a couple of months ago and it's a sweet release.

90 USD is SP. Fair or to much?