What is the best place to buy CDs online

Asks jasmine

A. There are literally thousands of CD vendors operating on the Internet, so unless some sites come recommended it's really potluck. You can choose from a high street name, a dedicated Internet vendor of CDs, a specialist e.g. specifically in country music CDs etc. the list is endless.

Some of the best operating within the UK are included in the following list - and by best we mean reasonably priced, wide selection of titles, special offers, large stock of titles and fast and cheap delivery charges.

101CD

This is a cheap and cheerful site offering discounted CDs. Delivery is 1 to start off with and then an additional 25p for every CD thereafter and any CDs you order are delivered within two days if they are in stock.

CD Shop

This is another good site offering special offers on chart CDs; it has the added bonus of free delivery.

CD Wow

Free delivery is the name of the game here too and it has a wide selection of titles in stock - great for last minute Christmas presents.

HMV

This is the online version of the high street shop - prices are the same the only advantage of shopping online is that you don't have to carry them home.

Amazon

Best known for selling discounted books online, it also does a very neat line in CDs - usually at knock down prices too. If you can afford to wait, Amazon can also order you in hard to find gems.

Woolworths

The delivery charge here is quite hefty - 1.50 for one CD, and a standard 2.95 for more than one no matter how many you order at one time. It has a good range of chart music, but not a good stop if you're after rarer stuff.

Tower Records

Online version of the shop with the same name - with a huge selection of titles in every genre which more than makes up for its hefty - at 2.10 per CD - delivery charge.

CD Zone

Another good site that sells discounted titles and delivers them very swiftly too - they are usually dispatched the next day.

Tesco

Tesco has been the unexpected champion of e-commerce and Internet shopping in the UK over the last two years- and it doesn't let itself down on CDs - they are cheap and there are stocked up in bulk, on chart music anyway.

Q. Where would I look if I was after rarer material or a specialist vendor

A. You can't guarantee that specialist sites will be based in the UK, but that only makes a difference if you need the CD you have ordered in a hurry as it may take a couple of days longer to reach you than you'd normally expect from some of the more popular sites. Some of the best include:

The Herb Garden: has a huge selection of CDs, specialising in music from the 70s onwards - so if you want to convert some of your old LPs onto CD this is the site for you, it has a great punk and new wave section.

CD Express: specialises in 70s rock.

EIL.Com: is a British company that sells CDs (and vinyl) online, but it does not stock all the material itself, instead its catalogue is an amalgam of different sources and sellers - which makes it easy to find any rarities you might be after. Its site is very sophisticated and easy to navigate - and is also available in French, German and Japanese versions for overseas buyers.

Disque: This is another British company - it's a record store in London - that has branched out to sell CDs and vinyl records online. It sells old and new releases and you can have its mailing list customised to suit your preferences - just tell Disque what you're looking for and they will let you know as soon as they find out any information on it for you.

Metal Nation: specialises in heavy metal.

Moodie Music: specialises in dub and reggae.

Second Sounds: is a great site to check out if you're after second hand material in good condition.

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By Karen Anderson