Easy way to find that hard to get import.

I was reading about Rachmaninov, and the article mentioned his piano trio and further mentioned the best recording in the opinion of the writer was by the Beaux Arts Trio.

Search, Amazon.Com, CDNOW.Com, FYE.Com, TowerRecords.com, and so on. Nothing at all; not even a mention of it being out of stock. Does it even really exist?

A Google search finds a link that reveals that this recording was never released in North America; it is only available in Europe.

Now there are places that will try to get you imports. This means paying a premium and waiting months or longer to get the recording, if at all.

A few days later I was surfing the TowerRecords.COM website and I remembered my visit to the big Tower Records at Picadilly Circus in London. Just for fun at the address bar at the top of the web browser I backed up over the ".COM" and changed it to ".CO.UK". I was instantly transported to the Tower Records UK website.

A quick search revealed that they had the Rachmaninov/Beaux Arts CD in stock, as well as a CD of Ravel/Chausson Trios that was also never released in North America.

I choose them and click "Add to cart". It asks me for my login name or to sign up. I decided to just type in the same Login I use for the USA website., It not only finds my US account information, it converted the price total to US dollars and automatically chooses International Air Mail for shipping method ($10 for up to 3 single CDs). 24 hours later I get an E-Mail telling me my order has been shipped.

I am surprised Tower has never advertised they will do this. I wonder what other companys will do the same?? I am one happy camper.