Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site alice.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!alice!rab
From: rab@alice.UUCP (Rick Becker)
Newsgroups: net.music.classical
Subject: Re: record society info needed
Message-ID: <3270@alice.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 13-Jan-85 12:52:07 EST
Article-I.D.: alice.3270
Posted: Sun Jan 13 12:52:07 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 14-Jan-85 03:44:51 EST
References: <240@pyuxt.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Labs, Murray Hill
Lines: 27

> I recently received some junk mail through the post which invites me
> to join the International Preview Society - a record purchasing discount
> club.  The introductory is the set of nine Beethoven symphonies
> on Deutsche Gramaphon, by the Vienna Phil under Karl Bohm.  At 9.98 for
> the whole lot, and no obligation to make any other purchases other than
> membership of the society, it seems to be too good to be true. And, you
> get the Violin Concerto (Karajan/Ferras) also Deutsche Gramaphon for free.
> 
> What is the catch, I ask?  Does anyone know what the membership fees of this
> society are?  I would hate to order the records on ten days approval and
> then have to send them back after finding the dues are $200 or some such
> nonsense.  Are these recordings good? New? Digital or analogue? Deleted
> catalogue material? Or what?  Does anyone out there in netland have any
> experience (good or bad) of The International Preview Society?

My wife was a member of the International Preview Society record club.
There is no catch -- you pay your $9.98 and get a nice set of records.
(In fact, if you get a member to sign you up, you each get a set of
records).  There are two reasons she is no longer a member:
1) The prices were basically the same as list price in record stores
except when they had sales about twice a year;
2) They tended to get orders confused.  Nothing malicious, just confused.
Things always got straightened out after a letter or two.  However the hassle
of paper mail communication finally caused her to drop her membership.
-- 

    Rick Becker  alice!rab  research!rab