For those of you who live in the UK the arrival of another HMV sale
presents a familiar dilemma.  Is it going to be one of the incredible ones
we remember with 35 pound operas offered for 10 pounds? Or is it going to
be one where a fifteen pound cd is reduced to thirteen pounds even though
it can be bought elsewhere for ten pounds?

I am pleased to report that the sale which started yesterday has some
excellent bargains in store.  Most notable among these are many of the
Erato Ultima duos series.  There are a lot of excellent titles in this
series including works by Durufle, Rousell, Rautavaara and a host of other
lesser known composers.

When I was trying to run an on-line store I was offered these at 7.50
dealer price.  HMV are selling them for 4.99!!  They have large stocks too.

There is also a number of titles at the Oxford Circus branch at 0.99.
Among the bargains I got here was a double CD of Chopin on Carlton and
Arnold's 9th Symphony on Conifer.

The rest of the stuff consists of the usual dross with the odd opera boxed
set at 5.00.  Worth finding, but you have some digging around in bins to
do.

All in all its worth a vist then.

I would be interested to hear views re customer service at their stores.
I have found it highly variable and particularly poor at the Marble Arch
branch.  Although they state on the back of their receipts that they will
exchange any CD you're not satisfied with, in practice it's not that
simple.  Yesterday I heard the customer in front of me being warned that
he was only expected to take advantage of this offer occasionaly.

I, myself, had a horror experience when I once took back some Naxos stuff
I'd bought by mistake.  I had to get the manager to sort that one out for
me.

Bob Draper
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