I wish I could mourn the passing of Columbia House, but all I can muster
is: "Good Riddance." After nearly 10 years of membership and more than
$1,000 in CD purchases (the Kempe Strauss box, several Levine/Met opera
recordings, many Bernstein reissues), I received a letter last year
from a Pam Marshall, ostensibly the Director of Membership, threatening
collection agency action if I didn't pick up the pace of my purchases.

When I tried to call the office in Indiana, no one recognized a Ms.
Marshall; my subsequent e-mail was returned because it contained an
attachment, contrary to their policy.  My snail mail version elicited
a response that my membership had rolled over into a new category that
required four more purchases--but as Jim Tobin noted, I wrote back there
wasn't much left to choose from in the shrunken classical catalogue.
When they started telemarketing, with evening phone calls, I pulled the
plug, and they called off the dogs.

I also gave up my Musical Heritage membership a year ago after repeatedly
receiving their "selection of the month," even though I had used the MHS
website to cancel the automatic mailing.  My note to them elicited a
response along the lines that they could not change their policy and
practices, and were sorry that I couldn't get along with the program.
So I expect their "conversion" of my Columbia House membership to be
dead on arrival at this household.

So I'm down to BMG for club deals for now, and Borders or a mall shop
("Hear This") four towns away for browsing.  Otherwise, it's the web
for purchases, minus the sampling and service we used to enjoy at the
real music stores.  But MHS converts-to-be, caveat emptor when it comes
to their bait-and-switch handling of the monthly specials.  They often
say or offer one thing while doing something else--such as sending you
unrequested releases and follow-up invoices.  Heads-up, unless you enjoy
repacking cardboard boxes, paying for return postage, and schlepping to
the post office to return unordered merchandise.

Dick Claeys