I'm throwing this message out to anyone who buys and sells at Half.com. As a member with over 250 orders with Half.com I was wondering if anyone else is fed up with Half.com's lack of updating their movie database allowing sellers to post movies for sale under the wrong UPC. Members who have bought from Half.com know they can pre-order a title when it becomes available (a cool feature) and have it automatically charged to their account. However, if a seller posts a movie under the wrong UPC, buyers may end up with a movie, cd, book, etc. they didn't want. Case in point: I pre-ordered a copy of "Mission:Impossible" on DVD and ended up with the sequel which I already have. Now I have to wait until I receive the item(anywhere from 2-4 weeks) then waste my time sending it back only to wait 6-8 weeks for a refund. Is it worth it? I'm curious if anyone has experienced this problem. If so, have you e-mailed Half.com about the problem? Maybe if enough Half.com members complaint about this situation they'll do something about it.

I have stopped shopping at half.com because of this. I've ordered two criterions from them, Silence of the Lambs, and 39 Steps. The first was the regular version, and the 2nd was the cheap Laserlight! I ended up paying over retail for 39 Steps. I ended up returning both, but had to wait a loooong time for my card to be credited. In fact, I ended up disputing both charges before the credit was given. Their refund policy states that they will only give you refunds for three items...not at one time, EVER! So I figured it's just not worth the hassle.

Another thing that really bothers me is that you can not ask the seller a question. I don't buy books there because, unless the seller states it in the short description, you never know weather you are getting a book club edition or not.

-Videophile, not a half.com fan.

FILMCZY: I'll second that! Especially about the movie database updating. I heard or read somewhere (probably here) that they were going into some kind of partnership with buy.com, so maybe that's the pronlem. It seems lately that SOME movies are there that are new, but not others. I even wrote Muze, Inc. about it and they said that half.com decides what gets pulled from their (Muze's) updates. half.com said that Muze is in charge of it -- the place is ridiculous!

Oh yeah, read their "Philosophy" and laugh!!

------------------
"When you polish the floor, you have to move the tree!"

Well I for one have had a TON of trouble trying to list stuff there! I've been unloading my VHS library like crazy... HOWEVER almost all of my VHS tapes were widescreen/letterbox presentations (THX certified ALIENS, DIE HARD, etc.) which are versions that are NOWHERE to be found in their database. What I have been trying to do (and have had moderate success with) is list in the description short but crucial details on the film version. For example with SOUND OF MUSIC, I said "Clamshell, Widescreen version, THX cert". That way people know that I'm listing a different version than the old two-tape set from several years back.

As for the immediate purchase option - I have avoided it like the plague! I have half.com email me as soon as something I want comes in so I can survey whether it is the real deal.

Finally, WHAT IS UP WITH SOME OF THIS PRICING!?!?! It seems that small movie retail outlets are lurking all over the place trying to peddle their wares at SCANT discounts to retail. I get all excited to find out a movie I wanted is available at half.com - like RUN, LOLA, RUN - only to learn it is listed at $2 off retail (a better deal can be had and practically ANY online retailer). The over half option is cool (I would have liked to have sold serveral things higher than I was allowed to when half.com first started) but the gouging is ludicrous!

Just MHO...

[This message has been edited by rfduncan (edited November 22, 2000).]

Never use the pre-order option with half.com, it's ridiculous how many sellers list items under the wrong UPC.

As for the over-half option, I've hated ever since they added it. Now, I can't find hardly anything under half price.