Why are Amazon's Ultimatum prices so dang expensive?

I was fooling around on Amazon this PM looking for other stuff and on a whim figured I'd see what Ultimatum CDs they had. They seem to have all of your stuff in stock but I thought it was very odd that LEX METALIS is priced @ $22.49 and INTO THE PIT goes for $23.98. These aren't prices from a "zShops" dealer either, they seem to be the going rate from Amazon itself.

Both titles are listed as "IMPORT" which I also found kind of weird, since last I checked, Retroactive was a U.S. based label.

They have several of your other CDs (SYMPHONIC EXTREMITIES, PERILOUS TIMES) and they're all priced normally ($13.98 or thereabouts) so why the discrepancy?

I know there are more than enough places where I can find both INTO THE PIT and LEX far cheaper than that, so I am merely curious.

Here's the Amazon link for INTO THE PIT:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WMEH0A/ref=s9_simh_gw_p15_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1H1RC6DCEFDGEB5R4SFW&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

And for LEX METALIS:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002F2XCCE/ref=s9_simh_gw_p15_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1H1RC6DCEFDGEB5R4SFW&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Amazon is kinda weird that way. It's not just Ultimatum, but other bands too.

It seems to be the more 'indie' bands for some reason.

My guess is that they don't have a direct 'distribution' deal, which would explain the 'import' status.


I could be wrong though.

Another good reason to buy directly from the band!

Metallic Blaze wrote:

Amazon is kinda weird that way. It's not just Ultimatum, but other bands too.

It seems to be the more 'indie' bands for some reason.

My guess is that they don't have a direct 'distribution' deal, which would explain the 'import' status.


I could be wrong though.

We have a European distribution company, thus the "import" tag. However, there are a ton of sellers on Amazon selling our CDs for better prices.

ult

Metallic Blaze wrote:

My guess is that they don't have a direct 'distribution' deal, which would explain the 'import' status.


I could be wrong though.

Kinda like back in the day when I had to go looking for Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer, etc. in the "IMPORT" section of the record store, even though the labels they were on (MegaForce, Metal Blade, Combat, etc.) were all based in the U.S....never understood that either.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Metallic Blaze wrote:

My guess is that they don't have a direct 'distribution' deal, which would explain the 'import' status.


I could be wrong though.

Kinda like back in the day when I had to go looking for Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer, etc. in the "IMPORT" section of the record store, even though the labels they were on (MegaForce, Metal Blade, Combat, etc.) were all based in the U.S....never understood that either.

Yup, it's all to do with distribution. We have good distribution in Europe and practically no distribution in the U.S., even though our label in is the U.S.

Back when we were on Rowe Productions we had good distribution in the U.S., but it was a little jacked up. We were a metal band, but since we were being distributed by Diamante, who technically area "gospel music distributor", our CD would end up in the Gospel section of the chain stores. It was really weird to be sitting on the shelf with The Winans and Sandi Patti instead of in the rock section. LOL!

ultmetal wrote:

Yup, it's all to do with distribution. We have good distribution in Europe and practically no distribution in the U.S., even though our label in is the U.S.

Back when we were on Rowe Productions we had good distribution in the U.S., but it was a little jacked up. We were a metal band, but since we were being distributed by Diamante, who technically area "gospel music distributor", our CD would end up in the Gospel section of the chain stores. It was really weird to be sitting on the shelf with The Winans and Sandi Patti instead of in the rock section. LOL!

Maybe THAT'S why I can never find Ultimatum in "real" record stores -- I'm looking in the wrong aisle!

Yes, we're probably buried behind some black gospel choir or something. LOL!

Actually, you won't find our CDs in most stores right now, unless it's one of the independent stores that are carrying Retroactive products. The Christian chain Mardel's carry all our CDs. However, for the most part, Retroactive's U.S. distribution isn't great, especially in this economy. We are thankful that places like Century Media, TheEndRecords, CDBaby, Amazon, etc. are carrying the CDs. It seems that's where most people are buying music now anyhow.

ultmetal wrote:

Yes, we're probably buried behind some black gospel choir or something. LOL!.

Actually, I remember skimming thru the "Christian" section in a Sam Goody or similar store years ago and finding CDs by the thrash/speed Deliverance filed in the same section as a Southern Gospel choir with the same name. I thought that was kinda funny.

Quote :

Actually, you won't find our CDs in most stores right now, unless it's one of the independent stores that are carrying Retroactive products. The Christian chain Mardel's carry all our CDs. However, for the most part, Retroactive's U.S. distribution isn't great, especially in this economy. We are thankful that places like Century Media, TheEndRecords, CDBaby, Amazon, etc. are carrying the CDs. It seems that's where most people are buying music now anyhow

There's only one Christian book/music store in my area (I forget the name of it but it's not a Mardel's) that I used to stop in at from time to time, and their CD department has always been a vast wasteland. The only cool disc I ever found there was a copy of Bride's SNAKES IN THE PLAYGROUND (in the bargain bin, no less) and that was years ago.

I usually get them from CD baby because of that -- my friend Jeff (Darkstar Records) scored distribution with Sony for his label. Three of the bands that I mention on here are from that label too. I noticed this with Grave Robber Inner Sanctum (Ultimatum label mates) and I would go for the used CD list and they have it the price they have on CD Baby.com.

You're carried on The End Records, nice. I got all my Bombworks Records CDs from CDBaby.com (the counterpart for writers is Lulu.com or CreateSpace.com, I prefer working with lulu.com because we get more money for our books if they are 190-240 pages.)

I found the Metal Blade versions of Tourniquet's albums in a secular bookstore years ago -- I am trying to seek out the Metal Blade version of Psycho Surgery and I have the Metal Blade Records verison of Generation: Brutal Reality. I didn't pick up Ultimatum until recently and Into The Pit grew on me a lot -- it grew on me enough to do a novella that shares a title with the last song on the CD.

CDBaby.com -- carries Darkstar Records (based in Illinois) and you can get their CDs in Best Buy. The other label from Illinois is Rotting Corpse Records (they're responsible for URN and Ezurate. You won't like this band Scott because they are very blasphemous live. They pull out the upside down crosses on stage, but they're not like their European counterparts that use dead animals on stage.)

CD's on Lulu.com aren't professional quality and they don't press their CD labels, they're like A CD-R or something of that nature. The use of trade paperbacks are very good if you have the right tools for the job.

I am trying to convince Ray and the guys of Sacred Warrior to go with CDBaby.com with their new material. John of Empyrean Sky has his own recording studio and imprint where he puts out his band's albums (and these are the most professional CDs ever done for a demo or an album.)

I tell bands that working with CDBaby.com is in many ways like Lulu.com for us. Lulu.com doesn't have the flesh and blood bookstore distribution so we're on our own in terms of promoting projects as either editors, publishers, or writers. We got Amazon.com, Books-A-Million.com, and BN.com for the distribution so when we do signings, we have to depend on night clubs for it to happen.

I've been noticing CD prices going through the roof lately all over the place.

ultmetal wrote:

Yes, we're probably buried behind some black gospel choir or something. LOL!

Actually, you won't find our CDs in most stores right now, unless it's one of the independent stores that are carrying Retroactive products. The Christian chain Mardel's carry all our CDs. However, for the most part, Retroactive's U.S. distribution isn't great, especially in this economy. We are thankful that places like Century Media, TheEndRecords, CDBaby, Amazon, etc. are carrying the CDs. It seems that's where most people are buying music now anyhow.

You'll be happy to know that Vintage Vinly in NJ has them Not sure what the price is but I don't think it was anything rediculous. I would have bought them but I have them all.