Does the sale still count, or is it discounted? (Random I know, but something I've often wondered!)

Good question! I'd be interested to hear the answer.

me too!

I've always wondered tbh. :)

I believe it counts as a return for shipment purposes. If it's bought then it obviously counts as a sale, were it to be returned the followed week then it would offset any sale of that CD in that week. That's how it operates to the best of my knowledge.

I doubt that returns are subtracted from the sales figures for chart purposes, unless the sale and refund happen at the same terminal on the same day and can be clearly identified as being the same person (same card details etc). Certainly I don't think that returns in a later week count as a minus on that weeks tally. If you could concieveably return a download or get a refund on one then the rules there may be different.

As far as I am aware it would be deducted from overall sales. However, there would be no retrospective adjustment to the chart. The only adjustments would be to total sales.

As far as I am aware it would be deducted from overall sales. However, there would be no retrospective adjustment to the chart. The only adjustments would be to total sales.

This is also my understanding.

I notice sometimes in MW reports, they might give how much an album sold that week and it's total, and do the same the next week but the figures don't add up with last week's data. I've always assumed that's because copies have been returned and they've been deducted from the total sales.

On a similar note - I understand that CDs bought on Amazon.co.uk and shipped abroad don't count towards the UK charts - but where do they count? Are they only among the total copies sold or will this fraction of sales stay in the void forevz?

On a similar note - I understand that CDs bought on Amazon.co.uk and shipped abroad don't count towards the UK charts - but where do they count? Are they only among the total copies sold or will this fraction of sales stay in the void forevz?

 

THAT'S where all the sales for the latest Saturdays album went. :P

 

On a serious note, that's an interesting question there, one I'd love to know the answer to aswell. :)

I believe it counts as a return for shipment purposes. If it's bought then it obviously counts as a sale, were it to be returned the followed week then it would offset any sale of that CD in that week. That's how it operates to the best of my knowledge.

 

So does that mean that, in theory, if an album didn't sell any copies one week but 10 people brought it back for a refund, it could actually have negative sales for that week?! I know it would probably never happen in reality but it could in theory?

So does that mean that, in theory, if an album didn't sell any copies one week but 10 people brought it back for a refund, it could actually have negative sales for that week?! I know it would probably never happen in reality but it could in theory?

Common consensus is that it will be deducted from the overall sales though obviously the point at which it gets deducted (unless it gets deleated it won;t have a "final" total) is still up for question, so in theory the week that that happens then yes it could have negative sales.

If often wondered if the cumulitive sales stated by TOCC ever include sales from shops which dont report sales for the charts (a lot of indie shops), and if this explains why the totals given by TOCC and Music Week dont always match sales figures released by labels, etc. (apart from the obvious reason of sales embellisment). And what about when shops sell import albums instead of the UK pressing (parrallell importing, which was much more prevalent in the 90s before UK labels started pressing discs with UK-only bonus tracks). Are those figures included in either the charts or cumulitive totals?