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End Of An Era: Columbia House Records/Tapes Shuts Down After 71 Yrs.
It sounded like a great deal: 12 free LPs (later cassettes and then CDs) for a penny. Or some other gimmick that would eventually get you to spend money on albums you didn't really want. If you grew up in the 60s and 70s, or even later, you saw those come-on ads from Columbia House everywhere.
The firm offered impossible prices on the latest hit records and in the case of the ad below, even offered you a free radio with your order. But of course, to get the one penny offer, you had to buy 15 more albums at a ridiculously inflated price.
But all good (and sometimes bad) things come to an end, and now the 71-year-old mail order record seller has finally called it quits, accepting no new orders and going out of business.
"Columbia House traces its origins to 1955, when Columbia Records, then part of CBS, launched the Columbia Record Club as an experimental mail-order service. The goal was to reach rural and suburban customers who lacked easy access to record stores while also competing with other direct-marketing efforts outside the traditional music industry.
Early members received promotional offers that included free or low-cost albums in exchange for committing to purchase a set number of additional titles at regular club prices."
It eventually morphed into selling DVDs and Blu-Rays in much the same way, until the Internet took a bite out of those cheap discs.
Frankly, I have to admit I didn't even know it was still around. But 71 years of mail orders proves they must have been doing something right to last that long.
Its final days for any orders will be September 15th. And then the "House" closes for good.
After 71 Years, Columbia House, The Mail-Order Giant That Defined a Generation Closes for Good
- paterson1
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Re: End Of An Era: Columbia House Records/Tapes Shuts Down After 71 Yrs.
I thought they closed about 40 years ago.
- Paul Jeffries
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Re: End Of An Era: Columbia House Records/Tapes Shuts Down After 71 Yrs.
I believe the Canadian version shut down around 2010. I thought the US version had followed suit a few years later, so I too, was more surprised that they were still around rather than the fact that they were shutting down.
PJ
ClassicHitsOnline.com...The place where all the cool tunes hang out!
- Chrisphen
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Re: End Of An Era: Columbia House Records/Tapes Shuts Down After 71 Yrs.
I had no idea they were still around. Scamtastic! I suppose their overall purpose was to artificially boost sales numbers through negative billing. Something that makes local media professional John Tory excessively moist in his most jowly areas.
I knew it was a popular trick to buy into their initial offer and then dust them off. I never engaged in it, however I do have a few CDs bought used that have the Columbia House mark.
- RadioActive
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Re: End Of An Era: Columbia House Records/Tapes Shuts Down After 71 Yrs.
I'm thinking the fact no one here knew they were still around is the reason they'll soon no longer be around.
Gone the way of the video store and the VCR.
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Thread Starter- Paul Jeffries
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Re: End Of An Era: Columbia House Records/Tapes Shuts Down After 71 Yrs.
Chrisphen wrote:
I had no idea they were still around. Scamtastic! I suppose their overall purpose was to artificially boost sales numbers through negative billing. Something that makes local media professional John Tory excessively moist in his most jowly areas.
I knew it was a popular trick to buy into their initial offer and then dust them off. I never engaged in it, however I do have a few CDs bought used that have the Columbia House mark.
In the pre-internet days before file sharing became a thing, Columbia House along with (the short-lived in Canada) BMG Music Service was one of the best ways to build up your music collection fast, relatively cheaply.
I've heard stories about people opening up memberships under multiple names, including their cat, so apparently the "One membership per household" rule wasn't heavily enforced.
I believe Capitol Records also had a music club going for a short while in the US. I think some of these clubs also gave away free record players to new members in their early days.
PJ
ClassicHitsOnline.com...The place where all the cool tunes hang out!
- Fitz
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Re: End Of An Era: Columbia House Records/Tapes Shuts Down After 71 Yrs.
I believe they were the last outlet to sell pre recorded 8 Tracks and Reel to Reel tapes into the 80's.
Cool Airchecks and More:
- Paul Jeffries
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Re: End Of An Era: Columbia House Records/Tapes Shuts Down After 71 Yrs.
I believe they were the last outlet to sell pre recorded 8 Tracks and Reel to Reel tapes into the 80's.
Columbia House Canada phased out 8-tracks around 1983. I believe Columbia House in the US still had titles in that format as late as 1988. Some of the titles they offered on 8-track weren't even available in that format commercially in record stores, either.
PJ
ClassicHitsOnline.com...The place where all the cool tunes hang out!
- Shorty Wave
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Re: End Of An Era: Columbia House Records/Tapes Shuts Down After 71 Yrs.
Full disclosure, I used Columbia House and BMG to build up my CD library back in the day, as retail CDs were way overpriced and this seemed like a good deal. I used it mostly for back catalogue titles and duplicated titles I had records of, like many did! Glad I still kept my vinyl though as I now appreciate them over my CDs.
- RadioActive
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Re: End Of An Era: Columbia House Records/Tapes Shuts Down After 71 Yrs.
NBC News actually did a story on this during its Tuesday night newscast.
You can watch the video here.
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Thread Starter- darcyh
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Re: End Of An Era: Columbia House Records/Tapes Shuts Down After 71 Yrs.
I was a member / subscriber. They had a 'negative option' where to avoid an automatic shipment of this month's featured record you needed to mail in a card declining it or you would receive and be billed for the record. I eventually fulfilled my purchase obligation and at some point joined again as a new member getting the 12 LP's for a dollar or whatever the deal was.
Given the initial cheap records and meeting your minimum purchase commitment, I calculated it was a reasonable deal and they had a surprisingly good selection of records.
- pinto
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I used it even with the free product I got working in radio. Also used history book of the month club. Must have cost a fortune to ship those heavy hard covers!!
- mace
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Re: End Of An Era: Columbia House Records/Tapes Shuts Down After 71 Yrs.
I recently watched a 1962 Leave It To Beaver episode where Beaver joined a record club similar to Columbia House. Naturally, being a kid he didn't read the fine print and neglected to return the necessary cards. As a result he ended up with a whopping [for 1962] bill of $17 and dear old dad had to come to the rescue.
- Paul Jeffries
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Re: End Of An Era: Columbia House Records/Tapes Shuts Down After 71 Yrs.
I recently watched a 1962 Leave It To Beaver episode where Beaver joined a record club similar to Columbia House. Naturally, being a kid he didn't read the fine print and neglected to return the necessary cards. As a result he ended up with a whopping [for 1962] bill of $17 and dear old dad had to come to the rescue.
That would be around $188 in today's money. 
No doubt The Beav probably got a lecture from dear ol' Dad about responsibility and reading the fine print. Because, you know, Father knows best. (Whoops, wait a minute, that's another show...) 
PJ
ClassicHitsOnline.com...The place where all the cool tunes hang out!