Alternative to Discogs marketplace

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by Giacomo Belbo, May 13, 2018.

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  1. ggergm

    ggergm another spring another baseball season

    Location:
    Minnesota
    I feel the same way about AudiophileUSA, which I misnamed upthread. They, too, charge what a record is worth but you are also sure it's properly graded. Frankly, all of the stores on my list are this way. If I'm looking for a record and find it available from one of them, I stop looking.

    At this point in my record collecting experience I'm not necessarily looking for the cheapest price but an honest deal.. I just looked up my last two purchases from Craig Moerer's Records By Mail. One was a 12" single of The Alarm's "Rain In The Summertime." That was $6. The other was a Japanese first pressing of The Jam's Sound Affects LP. That cost me $15. Shipping was $4 in both cases. Those are totally fair prices.

    I'm glad to see some love in this thread for Musicstack. Dave Stack has done a nice job with the site, making it internationally based with only a third of its sellers in the United States (link). He's the first to admit it's not a high volume sales site (link) but Musicstack also has a level of trustworthiness when it comes to buyer-seller relationships. You just don't find that on Discogs and certainly not Ebay.
     
  2. E-Rock

    E-Rock I Got a Rock

    Location:
    Madison, WI, USA
    Reverb now has a sub-site dedicated to music sales, called Reverb LP.

    Buy & Sell New, Used, and Rare Music | Reverb LP

    For those who may not be aware, Reverb has become the #1 online marketplace for used musical instruments and pro audio equipment over the past few years. I have not yet purchased any vinyl or CDs from Reverb LP, but I certainly would consider it, as I've completed several smooth transactions as both a buyer and seller on the main Reverb site.

    (FWIW, I have noticed that some sellers on Reverb LP appear to also have listings on Discogs.)
     
    Last edited: May 15, 2018
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  3. Trashman

    Trashman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Discogs is good for what it is, but one should always be discriminating when buying and never rely on just one resource. Many listings are overpriced and overgraded. Look for the warning signs in sellers feedback (e.g. any reports of inaccurate grading) and check on their return policies. If in doubt, strike up a conversation with the seller and ask some questions first. Say something like "I'm interested in your listing for this album. I see you've graded it as NM. I'm very picky about album condition, so can you verify that this album is indeed in this condition, with no scratches, scuffs, groove wear, and soiling?" Their response will often help your decision. If their reply is short and uninformative, I would avoid them. If they provide a more detailed explanation of the record's condition, you have more information to go by... even if it's just information on how the seller grades their records.

    When in doubt, just wait for the next listing to come along. Very few records are so rare that you have to settle for the first (or only) copy you find.
     
  4. cwitt1980

    cwitt1980 Senior Member

    Location:
    Carbondale, IL USA
    I agree. If anything on there is NM, I tend to ask questions first. If they have zero description, I'm less inclined to buy from them. So far I haven't had any bad issues except some lady who didn't pack anything between an Easybeats record and where you cut into the box... and Easybeats albums aren't that cheap. I sell on there and honestly, the last thing I want is another place to put stuff up for sale. I think what really needs to happen is Discogs to allow uploaded photos. It's a good platform but if it lacks one major selling tool, it's that!
     
  5. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist

    Jack Wolak's Rare Necessities has been one of my favorite sellers for about 20 years now. Never had an problem with an order and everything they ship is thoroughly inspected and packaged with protection. Some of you may have bought items from them on GEMM when it was still operating.
    Jack Wolak's Rare Necessities
     
    Last edited: May 17, 2018
  6. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    I just got two different NM titles that were total trash on discogs. I have never had such blatantly horrible ratings from eBay.
     
  7. R. Totale

    R. Totale The Voice of Reason

    Neither eBay nor Discogs has ever graded a record. They sell advertising. Blame who they have sold it to, not them.
     
  8. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    Sheesh, you must know what I mean, it was the sellers on discogs that rated them. I'm just wondering how effective the feedback system on discogs actually is. It seems to me people take their ratings more seriously on eBay.
     
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  9. R. Totale

    R. Totale The Voice of Reason

    Discogs and eBay are both open to any seller that will pay them. Send 'em back, you'll get your money back. I stopped trusting star ratings from customers way back when Disney told eBay to just shut theirs off (which they did). Sometimes just looking over their past sales and present stock and how they describe them will tell you something. I'm suspicious of anybody with a random selection of LPs that are all or mostly somehow NM.
     
  10. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    Make that 34, going on 35 ( Todd LP from France coming ).
    .
     
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  11. Giacomo Belbo

    Giacomo Belbo Journalist for Rolling Stone 1976-1979 Thread Starter

    It's total crap, people simple over-rate and then it's s waste of time and money the back and forth. See above some alternatives in terms of professional sellers that are a lot more serious in the way they rate records, I've already moved on.

     
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  12. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    Send em' back to Europe isn't cheap. You are right, I need to use more scrutiny when shopping on discogs.
     
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  13. tensummoner

    tensummoner wish i had a nickle.. thats it just wish i had 1

    Location:
    Ocala, FL
    I may be a "newbie" to discogs but heck man, they bottleneck anyone new from the get go, with that ignore users/sellers with less than rating option. how is anyone supposed to reach that goal if that happens? and 2/3rds don't leave feedback to begin with. been there 3 months and only sold 2 (two) records. so I just like the database.... sort of. lol im not a "flipper" so that really don't hurt me. but I see others struggling crying in text "help out the little guy" in the album descriptions.
    as far as quality goes. hmm ive purchased probably a lil over a dozen from various people and for the most part it has been as they described. but there were 3-4 that weren't... that's on those individuals not the community as a whole..spent time looking to buy a specific original version and get a new/repress. it may not matter in some instances ( except for sound quality of course and collectability) but with the censorship happening it does. example "Good Morning Vietnam soundtrack".. the new versions edit out some of the Robin Williams jokes about the war that is on the original soundtrack.

    but I feel ya, discogs is a salty place, forum wise as well, expect your head to get bitten off by a troll posse. seems like when I do log in its nothing but notices of others trying to beat down the value of what records I do have... yet the marketplace has users with ridiculously inflated prices on CD's. hmm thought this was a place to keep vinyl alive. so as you can tell by my input here its bittersweet for me. I learned a lot there as far as pressings etc goes but felt like they kept me stuffed in a box and fed me fukushima poisoned food.
     
  14. R. Totale

    R. Totale The Voice of Reason

    Have you asked about it? From the other way (US seller to Euro buyer) it's the seller's responsibility to pay to get the rejected goods back if she wants them, if paid with Paypal.
     
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  15. Giacomo Belbo

    Giacomo Belbo Journalist for Rolling Stone 1976-1979 Thread Starter

    Not really, Paypal doesn't refund shipping unfortunately (I had a recent case).

     
  16. Rentz

    Rentz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Texas
    I’ve had luck with discogs only trusting 100% positive sellers that were recommended to me
    Just made my first purchases via reverb and I like the layout a lot better and I think they have an option to upload actual photos not just stock pictures
     
  17. eddiel

    eddiel Senior Member

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    This is why I've pretty much stopped buying from outside the US or Canada. It's far too risky. I only make a few very calculated exceptions with sellers I have a history with. But I find that most of what I want is available from US sellers and it helps that I'm not looking for many non-US or Canadian pressings these days. But even if I was, I'd be very wary of buying because should something go wrong, it's an expensive postage costs I'd be looking at that Paypal will not cover 100% of.
     
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  18. mickster

    mickster Forum Resident

    Location:
    boonton, NJ, USA
    I'm a seller on Discogs and at record shows...if I clean a record for sale and it's got issues like the ones in the picture above it goes into my $1 bins at shows or I just throw it away.
     
  19. Mr. LP Collector

    Mr. LP Collector Forum Resident

    MYKE is right, it's been years since I've sold at the Austin Record show but Craig would usually show up where I was set up and buy in quantity. Good guy! He's been at this for decades. He's based out of Portland, Oregon. He knows album condition, original labels, and AFAIC he was always good to deal with.

    I'm 99% sure he attends the Portland and Eugene shows to buy, not sure if he travels to Seattle though!
     
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  20. matthew2600

    matthew2600 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    This weekend went through 50,000 records alongside a huge discogs seller. I see a fairly cool psych record so pick it up, I look at condition and am immediately like "ehhh, that's too bad" and promptly put it back because they want $3 for a pretty horrible condition vinyl. That album is now $30 on discogs though if you want it. He's 100% feedback and maybe someone will accept it as strong VG but I'm sure this is what the OP is talking about and I'm guessing there's a lot of discogs buyers who buy $30 VG records without complaint.

    I think the OP has a point and all of us talking about it should just start a proper online music marketplace, it doesn't sound like rocket science to build a site that does these things right.
     
  21. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist

    Definitely. The grading system on Discogs seems to be too lenient and vague, which has resulted in so many inconsistencies. It would be nice if sellers could abide by either a more strict grading system or perhaps very detailed grading descriptions.
     
  22. Mr. LP Collector

    Mr. LP Collector Forum Resident

    Yes! Unless that lp is in perfect condition visually, list your flaws.

    Covers-- writing on label, split seam in upper right hand corner, slight spine damage, ring wear not only on front but also the back cover.

    The record? Writing on the label, sticker stain damage on the label, surface marks, scratches.

    There is an old saying--"Honesty is the best policy." AFAIC that still goes in 2018, for me it does anyway.

    I've known several collectors who gave up on the hobby because of dishonest business practices.
     
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  23. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialist™

    Location:
    B.C.
    Perhaps I am not understanding. If a seller sells an LP as being in M- condition and it has any of the flaws listed above why would negative feedback be removed as long as the buyer attempts to resolve the issue by returning the LP? The seller would be obligated under Paypal's policy to pay for the return under the "not as in described condition" policy. As long as the negative feedback post this attempt is just the facts without emotional interjection I don't understand why it would or should be. :confused:
    :sweating:I'm sure glad I only sell CD's where grading is so much simpler.
     
  24. Mr. LP Collector

    Mr. LP Collector Forum Resident

    I am not commenting about negative feedback and certainly not commenting about Paypals policy. I am replying to melstaplers above quote regarding grading records correctly. And he is on point.

    This has been a problem with record collectors long before there was such a thing as e-bay, paypal, or for that matter, the internet. Goldmine Magazine was the "go-to" for mail order business for either set sale or auction regarding the music collecting hobby, and they started up their magazine over four decades ago and are still in business to this day. Grading records and the subjective call of condition of record covers and the records themselves has always been a problem. Regarding the comment of "dishonest business practices", I shouldn't have mentioned that in the context of Paypal and Discogs. But the hobby has had problems with dishonesty that goes a damn site more than misgrading an item for auction.

    Like using a shrink wrapping machine a high end 50's rock album and stuffing a high end 50's or 60's rock album in a mint cover with a record that might pass for VG. Or maybe just G condition. Then there is the issue of counterfeit 45's and it doesn't get any uglier than the Cadillac of 45 collecting--that would Sun Records. This is what I mean by dishonesty. A good story online that is worth your time is a business called rarerecords.net. Type in counterfeit records and pirate pressings.
     
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2018
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  25. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialist™

    Location:
    B.C.
    Thanks, it makes much more sense now and you are correct. Dishonesty is disgusting and no way to keep a business in the game for any duration of time.
     
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