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How do Gold and Platinum certifications work?
Gold and Platinum certifications are based on the number of CD shipped by the record label to retail stores and other sales outlets. The amount shipped is based on what the stores order and thus, what the stores think they can sell. So, for the most part, it is assumed that once the CDs are shipped, they will eventually be sold.
The Soundscan sales numbers we see each Wednesday represent actual retail sales to customers.
Since shipments includes actually sales to date plus the CDs that stores have on their shelves for future sales, the number of CDs shipped will always be a higher number than actual sales represented by the Soundscan sales numbers. This is why Some Hearts went 3x Platinum (3 million CDs shipped) while the Soundscan sales numbers showed around 2.5 million CDs sold. And for the same reason, Some Hearts will go 4x Platinum before the Soundscan sales number reaches 4 million.
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