Blind Buying

Even in this era of Netflix, iTunes, and BitTorrent, I have a compulsion to purchase CDs and DVDs without having heard/seen them before. Part of it stems from my desire to own hard copies with the packaging, but mostly, it’s because I can’t say “no” to a good deal. In fact, I rarely pay more than ten dollars for a DVD, with the exception of Criterion releases (for some reason, CDs are still more expensive than DVDs even though they have less content. Perhaps that shall be discussed in a future post). But why do I feel the need to buy something that I can just as easily and cheapily (if that’s a word, and it’s not) get without risk? After all, I have a Netflix account and have obtained music by nefarious means in the past.

Generally, I have an idea of what I’m getting myself in for. I don’t blind buy something that I’ve never heard of or haven’t already developed a reputation in my mind. Occasionally, I let gift-giver assume the risk for me, but given my propensity for buying on whim, that’s a low percentage of the time. Part of it is the excitement of the unknown and discovery. Sure, you can discover something by downloading it, but there is more cache to having the hardcopy. Somehow, it makes you seem like a real fan. I won’t lie, it’s an ego booster if the blind buy turns out to be a winner. Plus, if it is really good, the middleman is eliminated. Really, it’s a time saver. I won’t have to go out to get it, let alone remember to get it.

To put the excitement in other terms, it’s like going to a movie that you know nothing about. You haven’t seen any trailers or advertisements. The plot is a mystery. The only information you have is the title and the genre (or a vague idea of the genre). It’s getting harder to experience this, these days, but it happens. You’re financially invested in something that is a complete mystery. If the film is exceptional, you feel like you’ve won the lottery. That’s what blind buying can be like.

If you know what you like, then it really isn’t all that much of a risk. Of course, there are exceptions. As a horror fan, I know I should like, nay, love the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but I don’t. I actually hate it. A lot. So that’s the risk of the blind buy. Wasting money. I know, it’s a shocking revelation. But this brings me to the real reason I’m discussing blind buys: are we inclined to like something more since we bought it?

Certainly, there is a vested interest in liking it. We want our investment to pay off (and for our pride to not take a hit). I know there are movies I own that I act like I like more than I actually do. Again, some are genre films I’m “supposed” to like which I think I just need to watch again. But others are movies I have no interest in either way after buying them. The feeling is multiplied with the Criterion DVDs because I spent a lot more for them. Yet, I find myself looking for reasons to like the films instead of at the obvious reasons for dismissing them.

There’s another side to the story here. While I may justify my purchases to myself, I am more likely to listen to or watch the CD/DVD (mostly with CDs) again to solidify my opinion. Again, it’s obvious but not often thought about, but you notice more the more you experience something. And usually, especially with music, it grows on me (unless the off-putting element is something big like the singers voice). What starts as trying to rationalize a misguided purchase frequently turns into a valuable discovery that wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t made the initial financial investment.

Then again, maybe I’m still trying to save face.