Re: Apollo 13 Promo on EBAY (lengthy)

Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2003 17:48:41 -0400
Newsgroups: rec.music.movies
Size: 5,078 bytes

> > I'd search for Williams and promo. It'll probably pull up a load
of other
> > stuff ("promos" of The Witches of Eastwick or "this is not a promo
or
> > cut-out copy of Presumed Innocent"), but it would narrow it down a
lot.
>
> Thanks. That was useful.
Joseph:
I emailed you my own detailed way of doing these specific eBay
searches, but maybe you didn't receive my message? Just in case you
didn't, and/or just in case others are also curious about this matter,
here are my own eBay search tips and suggestions (copied directly from
my original email message to you) --
First of all, as you noted, a typical search of "a i" in the general
eBay search field will net you something like 3,000 results!
Obviously, as you also surmised, one has to "narrow" this eBay search
to CDs ONLY, and better yet, to CDs that are JUST in the handy
"soundtrack" sub-section. Therefore, go here:
http://listings.ebay.com/pool3/plistings/list/all/category43660/index.
html?from=R11
If this link doesn't work, then just start at the eBay home page, go
to the comprehensive list of categories visible on the left-hand side,
and select the "Music" sub-category under "Entertainment" (this is a
very recent change in eBay's categories; why eBay didn't leave "Music"
as one of their MAIN categories is beyond me, but hey, what can ya
do). From the resulting massive list, you can directly click on
"Soundtracks, Theatre". (You can even go one step further and pick
"Film" as a sub-sub-SUB category, but that should not be necessary.)
Now you wanna do a direct search for that particular soundtrack CD.
Even from the larger "Soundtracks" category, a simple "a i" search
SHOULD bring up the Williams score in question ONLY. I tried it just
now myself, and found three such examples, and nothing else. (BUT! --
be sure to 'tick' the "Only in Soundtracks, Theatre" button under the
search field!)
The funny thing with all three of these current eBay item examples is
that the seller (it's the same person who has separately posted all
three of these CDs) used ONLY the 'short-form' ("A I") name for the
movie / score title. A search using the FULL title of "Artificial
Intelligence" presently yields *NO* current auctions, even though we
already KNOW that there ARE at least three such auctions out there
(that, to me, is the seller's big posting error... he or she is NOT
going to get as many search 'hits' as they would probably like).
Another tip... please do NOT be FOOLED by mere Oscar promo "Artificial
Intelligence" soundtrack CDs which are (otherwise) identical to the
'regular' album you can find in the stores (albeit with a somewhat
different cover).
One such eBay auction just concluded TODAY, in fact... here's the
direct link to it --
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1058&item=25414
86563
Now, as you may notice, this particular eBay seller never actually
SAID they were offering the ultra-rare two-CD "A.I." promo set. The
top bidder (who beat three others for this item) apparently just
figured (or they really hoped!) that this was in fact the coveted
version, and paid accordingly ($51!). My educated guess is that this
is in fact just the single-disc promo edition, and that the buyer is
gonna be mighty disappointed!
As for an "automated" search, these are indeed not only possible but
fairly easy to do, too. Once you have done the "a i" search in
"Soundtracks" as described above, you should ALSO then have a direct
"Save This Search" link available (over on the right-hand side of the
search result page itself). This will take you directly to your VERY
OWN "My Favorite Searches" page, which you can update as you see fit,
as often as you like. When eBay's computer finds your specific new
items up for bids, you will be informed by email. I believe you can
maintain up to four or five such searches on your own "My eBay" page
(I usually have the "max" number going at any one time, often for
soundtracks like "Come See The Paradise," which I actually won a copy
of earlier today!). These searches sure save you spending the time
looking for these particular items on a daily basis! You should even
create TWO such saved searches, one for simply "a i" and the other for
"artificial" (both in "Soundtracks").
The only problem with these special auto-searches is if the eBay
seller happens to include a "Buy It Now" option with their item, a
sharp eBay bidder doing a manual search might end that auction BEFORE
the eBay search computer is even able to notify you (by email) that
this item is available. But with something like the "A.I." promo CD,
it is unlikely that any "Buy It Now" price would be used by the seller
anyway (or if one IS there, it would probably include a very high
amount indeed).
Anyway, I trust this has been of some help to you! (I know what it is
like to get frustrated by eBay searches!) Please do not hesitate to
write to me if you require any additional clarification on these
instructions. Good luck, and if you ever DO win a copy of that fabled
CD, be sure to let me know! Bye for now.
Con