BTS Album Purchasing Guide (US Edition)

Bangtanpedia

Jun 23

Written By Katie

We’re often asked where the “best” place to buy BTS albums is. Realistically, there is no ‘right’ answer! There are a variety of factors to consider, and ultimately you’ll need to choose which retailer checks the most important boxes for you.

Below are some factors to consider when choosing where to buy a BTS album. For this example, we’ll use pricing for the most recent solo album, MUSE by Jimin of BTS. Although the price of each new album varies, the price differences between retailers should be directionally similar.

Things to Consider:

Charts: Which music chart(s) does this purchase count towards?
Album Cost: How much is the actual album? (Note: as of publishing, several retailers are running pre-orders with slightly discounted prices. This article uses the standard album pricing, excluding any temporary discounts.)
Shipping Cost: How much does the shipping cost? Are there any ways to get free shipping?
Total Cost: What is the total cost?
Shipping Time: When will you receive the album in relation to the album release date?
Version Choice: If there are multiple versions, does the retailer let you choose which version to purchase, or do you receive a random version?
Exclusive Versions: Are there any exclusive versions sold by this retailer? Typically these include different or extra items, such as photocards, that are not available anywhere else.
Extra Benefits: Are there any incidental benefits to purchasing from this retailer?

I don’t want to read the article, where’s the cheat sheet?

Who ships BTS albums fastest? Target/Walmart
Who has BTS albums at the best price? Walmart (Target/B&N are 2 cents more)
Which BTS album retailers have unique benefits? Weverse Global
Which BTS album retailers reflect on US charts like Billboard? Weverse US, BTS Official US, Target, Walmart, B&N
Which BTS album retailers reflect on Korean charts like Hanteo/Gaon? Weverse Global

Weverse US

Charts: Billboard US
Album Cost: $23.90
Shipping Cost: $16.16
Total Cost: $40.06
Shipping Time: Preorders typically ship on or after release date, plus 2-6 business days to arrive. See product page to confirm shipping timeframes.
Version Choice: Yes.
Exclusive Versions: Yes. There are often Weverse US exclusives available in addition to the standard versions. There are also “Weverse Albums” versions, which are a hybrid digital/physical product. See below for more info.
Extra Benefits: No.

Weverse Global

Charts: Korean/Hanteo/Gaon/Billboard Global 200
Album Cost: $16.23
Shipping Cost: $22.74 (DHL, there is a similarly priced Fedex option)
Total Cost: $38.97
Shipping Time: Preorders typically ship on or after release date, plus 5-8 business days to arrive. See product page to confirm shipping timeframes.
Version Choice: No.
Exclusive Versions: No. The only versions available on Weverse and not elsewhere are the “Weverse Albums” versions, which are a hybrid digital/physical product. (More info on Weverse Albums below.) There are exclusive bundles, however the cost savings on these is minimal (~70 cents for MUSE).
Extra Benefits: Yes. Purchasing through the Weverse official shop may allow you to enter future raffles through Weverse. These extra benefits typically do not apply to Weverse Albums (digital code versions).

BTS Official US

Charts: Billboard US
Album Cost: $24.98
Shipping Cost: $8.45 (incl. local sales tax, will vary between states)
Total Cost: $33.43
Shipping Time: Unclear when they ship in relation to release date, FAQ says up to 10 days shipping time.
Version Choice: Yes. Can choose which album version you’d like if there are multiples.
Exclusive Versions: Yes. This is the only store where you can purchase physical single CDs in the US. There are also store-exclusive album versions.
Extra Benefits: No.

Target

Charts: Billboard US
Album Cost: $24.99
Shipping Cost: $5.99 (free shipping with order subtotals $35+)
Total Cost: $30.98 (plus applicable local sales tax)
Shipping Time: Usually arrives on or about release date
Version Choice: No.
Exclusive Versions: Yes. Target only sells their exclusive versions.
Extra Benefits: No.
Other: May be able to purchase in-store to eliminate shipping costs. Price and availability vary per store.

Walmart

Charts: Billboard US
Album Cost: $23.97
Shipping Cost: $6.99 (free shipping with order subtotals $35+)
Total Cost: $30.96 (plus applicable local sales tax)
Shipping Time: Usually arrives on or about release date
Version Choice: Yes.
Exclusive Versions: Yes. Walmart only sells their exclusive versions.
Extra Benefits: No.
Other: May be able to purchase in-store to eliminate shipping costs. Price and availability vary per store.

Barnes & Noble

Charts: Billboard US
Album Cost: $24.99
Shipping Cost: $5.99 (free shipping with order subtotals $40+)
Total Cost: $30.98 (plus applicable local sales tax)
Shipping Time: Ships on release date, plus 3-6 business days to arrive
Version Choice: Yes.
Exclusive Versions: Yes. Barnes & Noble sells both standard and B&N exclusive versions.
Extra Benefits: No.
Other: Typically slower to release for preorder on their website than Target/Walmart. Can also purchase in-store at some locations to save on shipping costs. Price and availability vary per store.

Note About Other Online Stores

Check their websites for more information. There is usually a message indicating which chart(s) the purchase will be reflected on. For example, COKODIVE states any purchases made on their site will be reflected on the Hanteo (Korean) charts. We do not recommend purchasing albums from Amazon unless the listing states “Sold & Shipped by Amazon”. Albums from other Amazon sellers are often opened and have inclusions removed.

What are the different versions and what do they include?

This is a good question, and it can be a little hard to figure out! It varies by album release. Here's a breakdown of what we’ve typically seen with the BTS solo albums so far. Again, we’re using the most recent release, MUSE by Jimin of BTS, for this example.

Standard: Basic album package sold on Weverse. There are typically 2-3 versions with different inclusions (photocards, posters, etc.) For MUSE, there are 2 versions: Blooming and Serenade.
Weverse Albums: Hybrid version that has some inclusions like photocards, but no physical CD. Includes a digital code to download music to a Weverse app on your mobile device. Typically only 1 version per album release.
Weverse US Exclusive: Basic album package with some Weverse US exclusive inclusions (photocards, etc.). Typically available in 2-3 versions that align with the standard versions. For MUSE, there are 2 versions: Blooming and Serenade.
Other Store Exclusives (BTS Official, Target, Walmart, B&N, etc.): Same as above… the basic album package with slightly different inclusions than other stores. Typically available in 2-3 versions. For MUSE, there are 2 versions: Blooming and Serenade.

There should be an image on the purchase page that shows exactly what each version includes, see examples below. Sometimes the inclusions are blurred out to avoid spoiling the content, but there should be a written list of the items included. Here is an example from MUSE: