Buying CD's, ripping them, then returning them

[Andy008]

Is there anything to stop me buying CD's, ripping the tracks, then returning them to HMV for a refund?

[kempie]

Yes, removal of the CD from its packaging without breaking the cellophane is quite difficult.

[Quizmonster]

Honesty? Conscience?

[stevie21]

Legally, HMV do not need to take the CD back unless it's faulty.
In reality, it's likely they will if they can resell it.

Incidentally, if you unhinge the CD case:
http://tinypic.com/286plc
then the security sticker that holds the CD closed remains intact.

Tomorrow's lesson : "shoplifting".

[MORELLO]

Getting the CD out the cellophane and replacing it is quite easy if your careful, and have patience. We used to do it with ciggies when we were kids, replacing them with the correct weight with lead fishing weights, glued to the inside of the box. We'd take them back and say our Dad said we had got him the wrong ones - exchange - 40 for the price of 20. Different shop each time, and people were less suspicious back then.

[andy hughes]

HMV may exercvise their Customer Goodwill up to a point, but there is a limit to the number of times you can return 'unwanted gift' / 'duplicate purcahse' and so on before they rumble what's going on. If you want to 'borrow' and burn, wait 'til your library gets the albums you want. Of course, this is illegal, and I shall deny having given you that advice,

[rojash]

Well said, Quizmonster - exactly the reply I was about to post.

[JOEYSHABADO]

rofl at some of the posts on this thread.

[galltin]

What does ripping mean?

[magicdice]

most CD places are wise to this sort of thing now, so they'll take your address every time they issue a refund. also, if you're returning something you've bought as part of an exchange or have bought with vouchers they're inclined to be suspicious.

stevie21 that's a great tip, i used to do that when i was buying CDs of bands who had been recommended to me but i hadn't actually heard before - if you don't like, pop it shut & return it. if you do, copy & pop it shut & return it... only on occasion, though, honest!

[milly143]

I don't mean to sound rude but - don't be so tight!

[stevie21]

Well said milly143!
Why go to all the trouble of buying the CD and copying it when you can just download it? Free and much less effort!

On a serious note, I do agree with milly.. Just buy the CD and keep it.

[galltin]

Yes , but what's ripping?!

[magicdice]

ripping is essentially copying to disc or putting on to your pc, okay?

[galltin]

Right magicdice, so a more up to date version of buying an L.P., taping it and then taking it back to the shop and getting your money back then ?

[magicdice]

yeah, basically.

we just like to pretend it's way cooler & more hi-tech than that.

[paula.e]

Get them from your local library, from your friends anywhere who cares rip away!!!! But of course i would never do it myself.

[sp1814]

You might want to check out a couple of really cheap and totally legal mp3 sites. I use www.mp3search.ru and www.allofmp3.com.

You can preview individual tracks and just buy the ones you like. www.mp3search.ru charge ten cents per track.

You can't really argue with that?

(By the way, it might sound like I'm on a commission, but honest - I'm not!)

[magicdice]

many bands actually host mp3s on their site (think rachel stamp, death cab for cutie, straylight run) although i think these are just to hook us in so we go to all their gigs & buy their albums regardless... not that i'm complaining

anyway, i'm still making back-up copies of my friends' CDs & keeping them safe for them in my CD-player. after all, what are friends for!

[stevie21]

magicdice, in the UK those backups are still illegal. Sorry to be pedantic!

[magicdice]

oops... i guess i'll have to come up with a more plausible excuse then!