SymX on the Billboard Top 100 - we need your help!

And every store in America is exactly the same, right?

In my area:

Best Buy - No dedicated "Metal" section. Hardly any bands considered real metal.
FYE - An entire section dedicated to "Metal". 3 full bins, as a matter of fact. "Pop/Rock" has a total of 6, for comparison.
Borders - No store in my immediate area. Closest one is 15 miles away.

It's obvious Ken that you have some real issues with FYE. Did you ever think that maybe the store that used to be open where YOU lived sucked, and that not ALL of the FYE stores out there are exactly the same? I can promise you that the FYE in my neck of the woods is the best retail outlet for Metal in this area.
 
Paradise Lost with the Bonus DVD for $12.99. That's getting ripped off?

And in all reality Ken, how many FYE stores have you been to? There's only 1 in my town, and from what I've seen from them they aren't a bad store. Maybe this one is the exception, but it's the only 1 I've been to. For a retail chain store they carry a lot of CD's from bands that most others wouldn't bother with. You can listen to samples of every CD in the store, they leave you alone (at least at the one by me) and their prices are reasonable.

I really don't understand you utter contempt for a lousy CD store. Nobody is forcing you to shop there. Buy your CD's wherever you want to, and let the rest of us determine if it's worthwhile to buy from FYE, ok? You act like they personally insulted you.
 
The two FYEs in my area have a hugh selection of metal discs and the people are all very helpful... They were also promoting Symphony X to me the other day!!

I use entertainment coupons to bring the cost down to around the same as any online stores...

http://www.lasercd.com is one of the best online stores!
 
I'm getting my copy at FYE also but only because thats the best store for music I got while I'm in Texas. Amoeba Music/Records in San Francisco is the best place for music in all of the US if you ask me, I hope everyone of you gets a chance to go there its an awesome place.
 
scanner, you say there's 1 FYE in your town. Perhaps that's the only good one in America. I have been to at least a dozen in different states, and they are all equally atrocious.

And yes, I do feel personally insulted by the way they patronize myself and other potential customers. It disgusts me as much as the media and government do. I really cannot stand when people assume they know what I like, what I think, and or what they can do to manipulate me to their end. Such it is with FYE and their attitude towards customers. Are you aware of their bullshit at concerts for which they are present? Sure, bands are available to autograph items, but you must purchase any items from FYE at the show for it to be autographed, and rest assured they mark prices UP. Anything else is disallowed. That is the kind of policy they have, the kind of attitude they have, and I completely disrespect it.

Contrast that with Ken Golden's lasercd.com, in which orders made overseas were marked in such a way that I did not have to pay import taxes on them, because of his forethought and consideration. And you tell me why I should ever set foot in a place like FYE if not to laugh my ass off. FYE is to music as Hot Topic is to metal or Abercrombie is to surfing. That's the bottom line.
 
Ken,

I never said you didn't have the right to NOT shop at FYE, and I couldn't care less if you think they are the retail outlet of the devil himself. I have no interest in FYE any more than you. I'm just stating that teh store in my town is not like the ones you're describing. Obviously your experience with them is completely different from mine. Granted, I don't frequent the store more than 2 or 3 times a year, and it's usually to just kill time listening to CD samples. However, in the times I've been in this particular store, I've never been approached by a sales associate, not for any reason. And this is not during a busy time either, this is when the store is basically empty. My guess is that the teenagers just don't give a crap about helping me, whatever. I've spent well over an hour in the store just going through random CD's and listening to them without harrassment. And this particular store has a very good Metal section, I can assure you of that. And compared to the offerings of other retail stores around here, they are far above the (retail) competition.

As for concerts and being required to buy CD's and merchandise from them in order to get autographs, I agree, that's shitty. But that's the way with businesses in general. When you go to someone's book signing the store they're in usually requires you to buy the book from them, disallowing outside merchandise. My feeling is, if the store went to the trouble of organizing the event, the least you could do is buy the book from the store AS LONG AS it isn't marked up from their normal cost. I agree that this practice in general sucks, but if you disagree with this then do as you already do, don't buy their shit and don't frequent their store. If everyone followed your example they'd have no choice but to change their ways, but there are still people out there who have no alternative to retail, believe it or not. You, myself, and I would think most others of the younger generations have plenty of options other than retail, so we don't have to be slaves to this BS.

Regardless, I don't think Ive ever encoutered a situation with any retailer like the one you're describing. Are you sure you weren't on the lot of "FYE Used Car Emporium"? :) Because that's the only place I've ever encoutered overzealous salespeople. Never in a retail store. And I've never had anyone try to sell me a CD from some random artist when they had no idea what my listening preferences were. That just sounds like insanity on the part of the sales clerk.

Anyway, I'm buying my copy tonight from FYE or Best Buy because I want it tonight. Also, I'm trying to support Jax's request to help get the guys some Billboard notification. I don't think it means anything from a sales perspective, but I'm sure ti would make the guys feel good, and I'm willing to buy from a retail outlet to accomplish that. For all the years of enoyment they've given me with their music, I can give a little back beyond just buying the CD.
 
See the 'it's release day' thread for info on which purchases will count toward getting the band on the Billboard Top 100..
 
Any thoughts that Kenneth R. gets exactly what he deserves at these FYEs?

Look at the way he acts out here... It's no surprise that he gets treated as poorly as he treats others....
 
I just picked up the normal digipak from Best Buy...it was the last one they had...SCORE! :) Hopefully they got quite a few in...and actually, it was the only Symph X album they had, so maybe their others are selling well too.
 
In fairness to Ken, he's got strong opinions, but so do most people here. And while I've taken issue with some of his comments, I don't necessarily think he treats anyone in an abusive manner. A little condescension, sure, but I also think the anonimity of the internet is condusive to that sort of thing. I've been guilty of it myself from time to time. However, I don't know if you can necessarily draw the conclusion that he's deserving of bad service from his statements of animosity towards FYE. All I know is that my experience is nothing like he's experienced. I don't know how our experiences could be so much different, but we are talking about people (inasmuch as the sales clerks) at different stores, in different states, etc.

I bought the new CD at FYE last night. So far it's incredible, but I digress. I went into the store and there was literally 1 guy working there who was out on the floor. He was assisting another customer when I came in. I found the CD ($14.99 including the bonus DVD; $14.99 w/no DVD at Best Buy) and went to the counter unharrassed. The minute I got there the sales guy asked the customer he was with to excuse him for a minute, he came over, completed the transaction and was extremely friendly. I would rate my sales experience last night as perfect. The guy did everything I wanted him to do and nothing I didn't. He was friendly and fast. This is the same experience I've always had at FYE (as limited as they are), so all I can say is that in MY experience, FYE is a decent store to buy CD's at if you want a decent metal selection and are willing to pay retail store prices. Obviously, Ken has had some horrible experiences. I can't personally see what FYE could have done to deserve his contempt, but I'm not him and I wasn't there. Neither was anyone else on this board (I'm assuming). So while I disagree with Ken's opinion on FYE, it is HIS opinion and he's entitled to it.
 
oh, observant is something I am.

I may be going out for a while to enjoy the weather, mountain climbing most likely. Later on perhaps, or in the next few days (since I will be busy tomorrow), I may give a more detailed account for why I justify my distaste for FYE. It may spill into my distaste for other retail outlets.
 
Ken,

You don't owe anyone a justification for your feelings. We all understand you mildly dislike FYE. ;)

Honestly though, your feelings are irrelevant to anyone else, because everyone is going to act on their own experience. I've never had a bad experience with FYE, hence I'll continue to go there for CD's when I want them immediately. I always buy over the internet when I can wait, but they are the best source I've found for CD's on the spot. You feel differently, and that's fine. My only contention with anything you said to the contrary is that you said it in a bit of a condescending manner, thereby giving the impression that you knew better than all the rest of us. I know where you're coming from, because I can get the same way at times. But the point is that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and with that, you don't have to offer any evidence to justify your feelings towards FYE. I'm ok with the fact that you utterly despise them. But I've got a different opinion and that's the one that matters to me. I don't think anyone would argue with that position, or any position for that matter, as long as it wasn't derived out of ignorance. That's when I get fired up and start lecturing, because I have contempt for people who blindly accept the words of others, as I know you do as well.
 
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