Comments on: Brick-and-Mortar Vs. Online

By: rl1856

rl1856 — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 15:49:00 +0000

One of the collector’s ongoing dilemmas… Paying a fair price vs paying a bargain price. I have paid both “fair” and “bargain” prices for LPs. We love bargains and coast from the adrenaline rush for a long time after, then enjoy reliving the score when we play the LP. $250 for a clean white label Brilliant Corners ? I would not have hesitated- then I would have cleaned it, and listed it online for FMV, then netted a nice profit that I would have used to purchase additional LP. Everyone wins….the local store, the eventual new owner, and you. I have done this many times in the past. I will go into a shop and look at the wall display(s) of valuable LPs. I have a good intuitive feel for what is fair and what is overpriced. I consult online databases when in doubt. I have purchased from the “wall” as part of larger purchases. My motivation is either I want the LP or it is underpriced (cf: Brilliant Corners offered at $250). Invariably the owner offers me a discount because I am purchasing a valuable LP along with other items. I go home and enjoy the high cost purchase, or sell it immediately to offset the total cost of my purchase (paying -$0- net is a great feeling !). I have done this at shows- buying underpriced LPs from one vendor and selling or trading to another vendor at the same show so I end up with additional cash to spend, or I received LPs I wanted in exchange. Prices are Prices, but in the current environment prices do not exist in a vacuum. It is what you do with the price that matters. Looked at another way- if YOU sell and try for at least FMV how can you begrudge someone else for trying to do the same thing ?

Al touched on the issue of record stores popping up everywhere due to the collecting trend driving increased demand for LPs. What does that mean ? More demand means more competition to acquire LPs either individually or in bulk. Competition drives up prices in general, so it should not surprise anyone that stores are trying to get as much as they can. A store is a business (not withstanding stores that just have to break even because the owner has other sources of income), and a business has to make money to survive.

About 15yrs ago I had a nice conversation with the owner of a prominent NYC record store. We discussed pricing and demand trends. He pointed out that he puts valuable LPs in the store for about 7 days, then if not sold, it is posted on line. Why ? A valuable LP pays the bills. A valuable LP that is on display will be handled, and examined by multiple people. Every time the LP is touched there is the potential for damage, and the longer the LP is on display the more it is subjected to incremental deterioration- literally causing the value to decline. OTOH- selling online means the seller receives FMV, and has money in hand within 7 days, with minimal effort. If you question someone’s asking price, you also have to consider their motivation for selling.

By: maarten kools

maarten kools — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 18:17:02 +0000

i only buy in stores cause i like to go thru physical records, and find something i didn’t expect. On the web you can find anything you want, there is no pleasure for me.. and because nice albums are rare to find in Amsterdam (there are 6-7 good shops for jazz to find) i also can controle my limited budget. I have a hole in my hand the size of Kentucky and would spent my rent and food if i would go on ebay.
Here in amsterdam i have the idea that for the last 2-3 years the shops went towards the top ‘discogs prices’, they
where usually a bit under it. The shops also have the same prices, so there is no real competition. (There was one who was always just a bit cheaper, but he got his well deserved pension last september).
It is not so much the top prices the shops nowadays ask that makes me cranky, it is more the idea about their mark up from their acquisition price. They normally give you as seller 25-30 % of the price they will fetch for it in there store.
But in the end it’s very simple; If somebody buys the record, the price wasn’t too high

By: Justin

Justin — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 17:24:51 +0000

Assuming all three are in good shape, couldn’t Al have bought that $250 Brilliant Corners and recouped his cost selling the two blue label copies? Seems like if you place rigid rules on what a record should cost you miss out on opportunities like this.

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 12:15:00 +0000

Did a little research and answered my own question. I obviously need to do a little more studying!!!!

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 01:55:48 +0000

Is this aforementioned $250 white label ‘Brilliant Corners” the Fantasy pressing? As you all might guess, I have one from who knows where but am a long time jazz fan so was happy to find it whenever it was( back in the early 90’s??) However, now, with a garage partially filled with record crates (!) and the occasional responder to my Craigslist and Marketplace ads stopping in, I hope to have time soon to map out these stores in the Berkshires. As far as local stores in the area, I picked up a first press (near mint, to me) of ‘Way out West’ for $80 when a local store that had changed hands several within a 10 -15 year or so period finally shut their doors (Jim’s Records->Pauls->Sound Cat->Juke) As an aside, I bought a copy of ‘White Man in Hammersmith Palais”back in the late 70s and later got Robyn Hitchcock to sign a copy of ‘Element of Light” while he was perusing the bootlegs at rear of the store at Jim’s.

By: Adamski

Adamski — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 19:47:18 +0000

Totally agree with you Al
I’ll pay decent money for a record in a store but I’m willing to pay what I think it’s worth to me.

The retail store buyer I assume buys it for as small amount as he can negotiate. That price for me has nothing to do with discogs bench marks.
When I see discogs prices in stores I simply don’t purchase. Where’s the rush !? Where’s the buzz?!
Oh those pre internet days ! Gosh we had fun

By: Bernie

Bernie — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 07:48:40 +0000

i love my neighbourhood record stores. Browsing them is part of my life. I have 19(!) recors stores between my house and my work adress. Hit each one once a month I think. I understand what everyone is saying about pricing. BUT. The worst thing with buying expensive records is grading. Thats much easier in a store, you can see it , you can play it, you can probably return it. If the store prices slightly below discogs, I am still happy. They have to make a business. They dont drive sports cars. Ive they have a nice attitude / nice store, I try and support them

By: Collin

Collin — Sat, 12 Nov 2022 22:13:36 +0000

I often pay a higher price in my local stores than I would on ebay or discogs. For me it is worth a bit extra to have a ongoing relation with the owners, (well, some of them..) First of all there is no risk involved since you always can return stuff easily if there are any issues. You sometimes also get the chance to see stuff before it goes out in the store or online (the price is certainly not lower but the possibility to have a first-hand look should not be underestimated). It used to be easier to do bargains since knowledge in jazz was low among the dealers with their main interest in King Crimson/Pretty Things/Stones etc. but you had to go there all the time since the good (underpriced) stuff never was there for a long time. Now when I have a not very high but at least steady income I prefer a good selection before the chance of a bargain. The time when I could drop by the record stores and check the new arrivals every day is gone and as long as the seller don´t aim for a premium price based on a uncritical Popsike search I am happy with that.

By: austingonzo

austingonzo — Sat, 12 Nov 2022 01:34:17 +0000

First, the short answer: I never enjoy paying retail for anything. It’s just the way I’m wired. As a result, I own 1,000+ records – many of which I paid $3 for – that most serious collectors would toss into the garbage. My approach is the same, irrespective of physical or virtual marketplace.

I have had a strikingly similar experience to yours on a couple of occasions – including today. A local record store I frequent had a new addition to their wall display today: an original stereo Waltz For Debby. I asked to take a look, as I couldn’t read the price. Clipped lower right corner (cutout), vinyl had been cleaned well, had a few scuffs on one side and a faint scratch across the entirety of the other side. It might “tic”, or not. Labels showed spindle wear. Vinyl had some “collapsed bubble” spots on both sides. Undoubtedly first stereo press. The store was asking $250. Do I think it was fairly priced? Probably. Certainly not too far off market. Would I pay? Not in a million years.

Instead, I bought a $3 Buddy Tate on Felsted, and a $3 John Graas on Decca. They’ll go into the ultrasonic cleaner, get new inner and outer sleeves; and I’ll listen through the inevitable crackle.

Have I been fortunate to take advantage of pricing errors before while digging the bins? Absolutely. Will I forgo 100 $3 records to buy one for $300? Not at this stage of my collecting journey.

By: billsf

billsf — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 23:22:48 +0000

I think most of the relevant comments have been made, but I think the reason that many stores do not display rare records anymore is that their customers will be angry and disappointed if they price them at “market” value. The owner needs to get good prices on rare one of a kind items. My guess is that that store won’t see another copy of a white label Brilliant Corners for many years. Remember, a store owner must put cornflakes on the table and, if it’s an independent shop, probably makes less than a lot of it’s customers.