The glitch allowed anyone to peruse Tower Records' Web site to view its database of customer orders dating from 1996 through this week, including home and e-mail addresses, phone numbers and what music or video products were purchased. More than 3 million such records were exposed.

"It was a technical error, and when we discovered it we were fairly horrified and we fixed it in a matter of hours," a Tower representative said on Thursday. No credit card numbers appear to have been revealed, the company said.

Stephanie Wilbanks of Jonesboro, Ark., had her personal information exposed after she ordered a CD as a gift from Tower Records this week.

"I'm shocked and disappointed," Wilbanks said. "I will no longer do online business with Tower Records."

But another affected customer, Ivor Colwill of Haywards Heath, England, said he wasn't as concerned.

"I doubt it'll affect my shopping at Tower," Colwill said. "I honestly can't think of another site that covers so many of my musical needs in one spot or with the same quality of service. At worst, I'll telephone my orders to them."

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