beware of Audiophile Imports

[CJ Shearn]

About a month ago I preordered Pat Metheny's Speaking of Now DVD which is currently Japan only from this store, for which I heard has all the Metheny imports on DVD as well as other Japanese fusion imports. My order was not moving when the disc became available, AI had numerous "delays" with the shipment and the finally when it became in stock, zero movement on my order, no charge on my acct. no confirmation via email or email stating any delays. About a week ago I contacted Mark Tessier the shop owner to see what was going on, he could not check on my order and referred me to their warehouse. I called their warehouse, spoke to the owner Mike about the fact I received no indications at all my order shipped, he replied that he had my order (this was on tuesday) in front of him and that he just had to pull "More Travels" and that my order would be shipped and would receive by friday June 27th at the latest. Come friday no charges, no package from the post...... the only other time I've received complete bullshit from a store regarding an order was when I ordered some Blakey from fye (then twec.com) whereas my order showed no progress for days, and after calling was assured it was on it's way..... the order was then inexplicably cancelled then several weeks later it was sent (this wasn't a backorder either) I called AI again friday morning and Mark would have the warehouse call me but I've already emailed requesting my order be cancelled.... Apparently they are having problems with personnel, but I'd rather not have my order processed as I feel like I might be getting jipped. funnily enough, a guy from the Metheny yahoo board and the Garage at the PMG site ordered the SoN DVD as well and encountered the same crap as I did. Something's not right, and I have placed an order with CD Japan for the same 2 DVD's. CD Japan I have heard a lot of good things about and my suitemate has received a few orders from them in superb fashion. Anyway, avoid Audiophile Imports. if anyone has had consistent service with them, please post.

[STAX]

About 4 years ago they special ordered a CD from Japan for me. It took about 6 months but I did get the cd. I thought 6 months was unreasonable after I found out I could have gotten the same cd from Towers in about 2 weeks.

[Use3D]

Looks like you're in for a ride CJ

[CJ Shearn]

yep Use3D....... well, I had emailed cancelling my order last night cuz nothing was going on. Mark called me this morning saying the order shipped friday thatI'd have it by tonight or monday..... pretty much that call, because the confirmation was very strong, I thought my email message would just be disregarded. he emailed a few hours later saying he cancelled it for me. I replied and said since he called as courtesy to tell me that it shipped that I thought the email could just be disregarded, and that I was looking forward to receiving it..... they only ship monday-friday and not weekends so if something comes monday (which I think it will) I will be happy, my acct has been charged and everything and in my reply I asked if he did stop the order how could the funds be reapplied either through these guys or not, I will have those DVD's, oh yes, I will have those DVD's, to put it in a Wayne Campbell fashion . Mark Tessier and very cooperative throughout this whole ordeal so I might give him the benefit of the doubt and that some strange fluke happened. my first order with them went smooth, of course mebbe the fact it was a Polish CD the availability was much greater than that of Japanese product.

[CJ Shearn]

well, it's not that bad. my items will arrive, the president of the company sent me a really nice email

Dear CJ, I'm very sorry for the late shipping on your PMG DVD's. The order

was processed late on Friday & was picked up by the USPS on

Saturday. Since the order was late going out, I shipped it via priority

mail instead of first class. The USPS did mention that you should get the

package on Monday, however since priority mail is not a guaranteed service,

it could take another day or Tuesday before you receive it. As

I would like to keep you as a AI customer in the future & for the

delay with this shipment, please call me at the warehouse to discuss this

matter further. I would like to send you a special recording (PM) to make

up for the late shipping of your order. My number is (410) 628-7601/7602.

Sincerely, Mike Kermisch/President AI

[STAX]

I'm glad that you received satisfaction with your order. I never ordered from them again.

[CJ Shearn]

well, at least it'll be here tommorrow I'm pretty sure but I probably won't be ordering from them again either although the apology was nice. If DVDUniverse was importing what I ordered "Speaking of Now: Live in Japan" and "More Travels" I would get it from them, they have been great for the year I've been using them. The only import Metheny DVD they carry is "Secret Story Live", a great show, which I will be upgrading soon as well. A friend of mine dubbed me a VHS copy, great music.. killer "How Insensitive" on there.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

This is sad to hear. I have used AI many times in the past and they have never let me down. In fact, the LPs I have received from them were packaged for shipment about the best I have ever seen. They were not late and their prices have been pretty fair... where else can you get an oop Mosaic box for under $30 per CD?

Anyway, I hope their slippage is temporary. I had planned to use them in the future.

Later,

Kevin