The issue concerning Oricon and Intl sales.
Soo...hello. Long time no see. It's like 6 a.m here and I barely slept for 4 hours but I'm kinda not tired anymore.
I have no idea how many of you have heard about it (because I still have the feeling that some fans haven't joined Twitter) but a few days ago a fan requested information directly from Oricon asking whether they would count intl sales and the answer was pretty shocking because well, they said they don't.
I know that this always was a highly discussed issue and that lots and lots and lots of people have asked online stores like CdJapan and YesAsia whether intl sales would count and the answer was *always* positive. Even when some fans contacted them a few days ago asking again. It still was fishy, and I really don't like fishy stuff so I contacted them again, this time sending them the official reply from oricon the girl got and asking whether the data they send to Oricon actually contains the information about the stuff being sold internationally or just within Japan.
Here the reply I got: (just click for bigger size)
I think it's needless to say that I'm pissed. Not even because it doesn't count (cause I think it perfectly makes sense. Oricon was *always* a very limted thing, having stores which haven't contributed to Oricon etc.) but I'm pissed because I simply don't trust their 'omg we haven't known'. CdJapan/YesAsia is mostly used by intl fans. Intl fans who would like to support their artists. If they know that their sales don't count in oricon then there is actually no need to buy releases immidiately. You can just wait till you're in Japan...or till someone in Japan buys it for you etc etc,
So of course I might be wrong, but for me it really feels like they perfectly knew it and just had to give in know because lots of people asked them questions.
Of course it also can be that Oricon existing in such a country as Japan with it's super nice attitutde towards oversea countries just doesn't gave a shit to tell that not all their data is being collected...who knows.
Fact is that it doesn't count and we all can shut up about contributing. (my heart kinda aches after Isi having told jp fans that they should shut up because we also buy in oricon stores)
Telling this, I also would like to say that they whole 'OMG their sales would be so much higher!!!!!' is not necessarly true. As much as we love to say that intl fans also buy stuff, all in all we are...just a few people. Intl fandom is not that big to begin with and just s small part of it actually buys stuff...Also please keep in mind that KT (or your own fav. group) is not the only one for whom it doesn't count, so there is no need to say that it's 'unfair'.
If this happened a year ago, or half a year ago, I would be probably running around thinking how we can manage a system where intl fans who are in Japan at the moment could purchase releases for everyone else, but I'm really not as active as I was in fandom before (fandom as in = interacting with fans) so I really...am not up for this. But if you actually still would like your sales to count I would really suggest to search for someone living in Japan. There are enough services/ people who offer this. And our fandom has lots of nice people who are always willing to help.
Other then this...even tho I feel like a bitch (because I *do* understand that now knowing this, fans will buy less...and in the end buying stuff *always* means supporting, no matter whether it counts for oricon or not) I hope people will spread this information (especially in other fandoms, because I can reach a lot of KT fans by posting that on my twitter but well nobody else) because it's just not nice if you don't know the truth...and I would like every fan to have the possibilty to decide for themselves whether they still want to buy every single release or just save money and go to Japan.
I have no idea how many of you have heard about it (because I still have the feeling that some fans haven't joined Twitter) but a few days ago a fan requested information directly from Oricon asking whether they would count intl sales and the answer was pretty shocking because well, they said they don't.
I know that this always was a highly discussed issue and that lots and lots and lots of people have asked online stores like CdJapan and YesAsia whether intl sales would count and the answer was *always* positive. Even when some fans contacted them a few days ago asking again. It still was fishy, and I really don't like fishy stuff so I contacted them again, this time sending them the official reply from oricon the girl got and asking whether the data they send to Oricon actually contains the information about the stuff being sold internationally or just within Japan.
Here the reply I got: (just click for bigger size)
I think it's needless to say that I'm pissed. Not even because it doesn't count (cause I think it perfectly makes sense. Oricon was *always* a very limted thing, having stores which haven't contributed to Oricon etc.) but I'm pissed because I simply don't trust their 'omg we haven't known'. CdJapan/YesAsia is mostly used by intl fans. Intl fans who would like to support their artists. If they know that their sales don't count in oricon then there is actually no need to buy releases immidiately. You can just wait till you're in Japan...or till someone in Japan buys it for you etc etc,
So of course I might be wrong, but for me it really feels like they perfectly knew it and just had to give in know because lots of people asked them questions.
Of course it also can be that Oricon existing in such a country as Japan with it's super nice attitutde towards oversea countries just doesn't gave a shit to tell that not all their data is being collected...who knows.
Fact is that it doesn't count and we all can shut up about contributing. (my heart kinda aches after Isi having told jp fans that they should shut up because we also buy in oricon stores)
Telling this, I also would like to say that they whole 'OMG their sales would be so much higher!!!!!' is not necessarly true. As much as we love to say that intl fans also buy stuff, all in all we are...just a few people. Intl fandom is not that big to begin with and just s small part of it actually buys stuff...Also please keep in mind that KT (or your own fav. group) is not the only one for whom it doesn't count, so there is no need to say that it's 'unfair'.
If this happened a year ago, or half a year ago, I would be probably running around thinking how we can manage a system where intl fans who are in Japan at the moment could purchase releases for everyone else, but I'm really not as active as I was in fandom before (fandom as in = interacting with fans) so I really...am not up for this. But if you actually still would like your sales to count I would really suggest to search for someone living in Japan. There are enough services/ people who offer this. And our fandom has lots of nice people who are always willing to help.
Other then this...even tho I feel like a bitch (because I *do* understand that now knowing this, fans will buy less...and in the end buying stuff *always* means supporting, no matter whether it counts for oricon or not) I hope people will spread this information (especially in other fandoms, because I can reach a lot of KT fans by posting that on my twitter but well nobody else) because it's just not nice if you don't know the truth...and I would like every fan to have the possibilty to decide for themselves whether they still want to buy every single release or just save money and go to Japan.