vinyl subscription services: "a Netflix for physical records" (e.g., VNYL and Vinyl Me, Please)

I can't see this being an option for 99% of the people on this forum but it could have some success with the hipsters and younger generation. I would hate to receive a popular album after a couple years of world travel.

 

It would be similar to taking records out of the library, a prickly exercise more often then not. I can't imagine paying money to wait for an album to be delivered and then see I'm down line and it has already had a couple of incidents with prior users. I don't really like others handling my records I can't imagine getting an album, listening for a week or two then sending it back.

 

Surely shipping costs would kill this idea dead.

 

After reading a dozen or so "best of 2014" lists I'm convinced there's no way in Hell I want anyone else choosing what they think I'll like.

 

Maybe someone should start a company who offers you 10 LPs for 1 cent if you but 12 more for full price plus shipping and handling over the next 12 months

 

This can't work.

Vinyl is fragile and is not suited to a mass rental model.

You don't get to pick titles only moods?? I expect they will stock a lot of whatever they can get cheaply and/or whatever the labels give them kickbacks to stock.

I wonder how quickly they will turn around returns and if they will cap monthly returns. Shipping an LP back will cost, minimum about $2.50. Times three (if not shipped together) that's $7.50 for each group of 3. $15 rental fee per month won't cover that very long.

And let's not forget that the whole point of vinyl--especially if you are only going to listen to it and not own it--will be superior sound quality to CD. As soon as these records start to get damaged through rentals that's going to evaporate very quickly.

On the whole, it sounds like a TERRIBLE business model.

In fact, it sounds like what it probably is: Some guys looking for an angle that incorporates a sales market that's getting a lot of buzz (vinyl).

But the reason that we didn't have Netflix like businesses in the '70s and '80s is that analog formats don't lend themselves well to that kind of approach. They still don't. Netflix reflected a new world order based on the relative stability and compact nature of the delivery format (DVD originally).

"A Netflix for vinyl records" is a 2 second soundclip that will get you 5 minutes in front of some VCs or press in Rolling Stone. But it's not the description of a viable business.

 

Perhaps this is where all the unsold copies of "No Jacket Required" ended up.

 

Well, we had video stores in the 80s. But I agree, we didn't have an mail order video rental business. The reason being shipping costs. Shipping a DVD is a lot cheaper than a vinyl record.

 

In Ireland we had guys in vans who used to drop by our houses renting movies, next best thing, assume you had the same?

 

If you actually visit VNYL and read their pitch - it's a record club. You can keep the "surprise" records they pick and send you, or return them. There's no "renting" involved at all, as far as I can see.

 

No, you had to go to your local video store, which were kinda everywhere. Maybe Blockbuster delivered.

 

I looked at the VYNL website a couple of weeks ago, and I don't know how they're going to pull this off but it doesn't say "rental" anywhere. Basically the idea is, you pay the membership fee, they send you records, you send back the ones you don't like. I can't see what the monthly fee is, but I doubt it's $7.99. I doubt that they're just going to send around a bunch of scratched-up records. Maybe they'll play-test and pass on the ones that are still NM, or maybe all the records you get are sealed. Who knows what happens to the ones that are sent back, it's not explained. But again, I rather doubt this is going to be a traditional rental service were you get items that have been through 200 peoples' hands already.

 

Where's Roddy Doyle when you need him?

 

TBH the lads only rented out 2nd or 3rd generation copies! But back then times were simpler, jumpers for goal posts etc.

 

Vinyl Me, Please shouldn't be lumped in with VNYL.

VMP creates limited edition pressings of a selected album each month and sends them to subscribers. No returns, no renting. Much closer to the Third Man Vault or Light In The Attic's subscription service than the old Columbia House/BMG record clubs.

 

We had one of them once. Didn't lend itself to the analog format. They would do better when DVDs came out. You should see the CD selection at my local car boot.

 

How does Vinyl Me 'create' these pressings? Are they a label or are they associated with one? Do they get a license to press the albums? Do they press their own? Are they pressing music from multiple labels or just one?

 

yes, they're licensed, they contract to press their own, though some of their editions may be part of the labels' run, just done in a specific color or packaging, and they do multiple labels.

 

http://vinylmeplease.com/faq/

 

Thanks. I did not see any of my questions there.

 

Is this thread a big joke ?

 

I probably wouldn't ever rent vinyl from a mail service, so don't think I'm sticking up for the cause, but...

Do you think they would have some type of "rental care form" or what have you?

So like if you scratch the record, or send it back in noticeably worse condition (disc only, for arguments sake) you would have to pay a fee?

I feel like that would at least be an improvement over our generalized assumed business model.

 

I take it this is only available in US?

 

did anyone else notice in the faqs it doesn't sound like VMP accepts returns if you don't like or own the album. That would suck because some of the records they have chosen I do not like and I know it would piss off some members here because many don't even have a dedicated master, I have that Diarrhea Planet album and it stands out as one of the worst sounding lps in my collection it is so muddy and brickwalled