Second hand vinyl - are prices for classic rock going up, down or flatlining?

Most of those albums are $10-$12 or less in the Chicago and suburban record stores. Depending on condition, some copies even end up in the dollar bin. I would hate to see what really rare or collectable vinyl would be going for in the stores you visit. Better off buying new vinyl pressings than used copies at those prices.

 

What has caused this doubling twice in 20 years? Rent? labor? product? That really sounds like an exaggeration.

 

Well I can't say for every town but I'd wager rent increases are on the top of the "reasons why" list. Availability of product also comes into play, although that will be variable as well. But I think it really comes down to rent increases for the most part.

 

And some stores keep prices higher and thus their inventory stagnant. So they make their money on on fewer sales. Other stores keep their prices in the $5 to $12 range and make more sales to make the same profit. Those stores tend to have a changing inventory. Two different business models I suppose. I would think the 2nd would be the wiser in the long run.

 

That is why the best record stores tend to be in building basements, alley way entrances, shared space buildings or otherwise somewhat off the beaten path. A record store in a shopping center or main street prime location is a good indication that you better be ready to pay prices like some have mentioned earlier. Also record stores in the smaller towns where rents are lower and booths in antique shops are good options for finding reasonably priced stuff.

 

It's the only method most secondhand sellers use now, especially for records of which they have no knowledge. Bad news for me as it erased lot of mistakes people used to make. ("There's a bunch of records here in Italian which I don't speak from bands I don't know on some label I've never heard of called Cramps, hell, put 'em out at $3 and see if anyone bites") It actually can be useful, especially if you just look at the sold copies and see where they actually sold. Let's say every copy ever sold of some particular record was sold in Europe, where it went for the equivalent of $5, and there are currently 50 copies available there starting around $5 and 4 available in the US staring at $18. I'd be considering that if you were in the US and wanted that record it would cost you the lower price there plus $20 for postage.

 

Hopefully they consider how much demand there is for a record as well. For instance there is a particular country artist I collect and his albums are listed for $50 or more. Copies are few and far between but they are out there. One hasn't sold on Discogs in several years. I'm not going to pay that for it. I'll keep on the lookout and find it in the wild somewhere or wait until they drop their price to something more reasonable. I'd probably bit for half their price. Given the fact that record stores are offering their albums to a much smaller pool of buyers they are either going to tie up space in their shop with some expensive records for very long periods of time and might never sell or they are going to price lower that the internet price in the hope that it would move more quickly.

 

Most shops just let the price speak for itself. I've got a few local shops that do give a grade with a sticky note on the cover (almost always under-graded) and another shop I rarely go to that actually writes descriptions on the price tag, usually trying to justify why the price is so high for that particularly beat-up piece of junk. ie: "Deep scratch on side 2 but still plays fine!!! You never see this one in this great of shape!!!!"

The best shops know when something belongs in the dollar bin, regardless of the title.

 

Well hopefully the best shops don't put trashed records anywhere in their shops, including the dollar bins. The dollar bins should be for thinning out the stock, not selling poor condition albums.

 

Very hit or miss on the soul.

I’ve sold some for a lot while some I couldn’t move for a dollar. Can you post some titles specifically ?

 

I like when I find rare albums in the dollar bin even if the condition is G-ish. Agree though Poor condition (cracked, too warped to play) should not be sold

 

That is very rarely the case in the record stores I've been to, most of the time it's trashed commons or thrift store artists they never should have purchased to begin with. All the best stuff I've found in the dollar bins is usually from large collections that they bought and end up rejecting most of them because of minor condition flaws, many times just for the cover or because the record looked unclean. I once got a VG+ mono 'Bookends' from the dollar bins because it had a 1" seam split and some ring wear! (Or maybe they just didn't realize mono was a thing with that otherwise very common album.)

 

I normally ask about the $1 bin and then of course check visually. I'm sure it varies from shop to shop. The better ones don't try to sell trashed records. They put as you noted albums that have jacket damage or visual scuffs on the vinyl. Those little scuffs normally don't create noise but turn off buyers. They also put out records that have been in the inventory for a long time. When they buy collections from individuals they of course want to only purchase the more valuable records, but often will take the whole collection to get those prime records. Thus they end up with some great albums in very playable condition. PPL Bustin' Out, and Peter Frampton Comes Alive great albums that were in a bunch of people's collections. But if that shop has 5 copies at any one time chances are the three with more ring wear or a split seam are going to find their way into the $1 bin.

 

if a store , sells anything moderately decent ( bands like Boston , The Cars , etc ) in VG++ condition or better , for less then $10-12 , they are just plain stupid. They deserve to go out of business. You are in business to make as much $$ as possible. As I mentioned before i work in the record industry (for the labels) indirectly, and there are days that involve me visiting 10-15-even 20 stores. But i have to have this conversation with so many store owners , and it blows my mind. Once they listen 100% of them come back to me , and Thank me..In 2019 there is no good reason to give vinyl away..the time to capitalize is now, make your money now , while you can ...this can all end again in a few years

 

Somebody needs to wake up , makes no sense to give your product away.

 

I have to disagree. First what the heck is VG++? VG+ by definition is a flawless playback, no surface noise, no pop, no crackle. How exactly do you improve on that? The only way is for it to look like it has never been touched and that is covered by NM. Second what good is a Boston album listed at $12 if no one buys it? Especially if you have 5 copies of the same album sitting there. The demand at that price just isn't there. Remember the used record shops are competing with flea market sellers, consignment shop booths, record shows and the internet. It is all relative to what they are paying for the product in the first place. You know good and darn well they aren't buying common records like Boston for more than a dollar, more likely half that. Of course prices are going to be higher at a brick and mortar shop compared to a flea market seller or consignment booth seller but even then $10 to $12 is high relative to cost and demand. Price a high demand album for $15 and you have a good chance that the buyer of that album picks up that common album like Boston if it is listed at $5. They just spent $20. Price it at $12 and that customer is going to pass on it. The difference in spending $15 and $20 not that big a deal, but the difference in spending $15 and $27 is huge. They have to move product and people that buy records figure out quickly which shops are going for the fast dollar and which ones are going for the steady dollar. I'm just sayin'

 

truthfully
we are on totally opposite sides

a 1st Boston lp (any of the 70s/80s pressings) well sell in a couple of days at $20-$30
in 95% of the stores i deal with
if in vg++ or better

vg++ is used , everywhere today , as a grade
at least 80% of the stores i visit

and 99% of the stores I service , grade the used inventory

North Carolina seems to be very backwards , from what you are posting

it seems like they are on, another planet

 

A planet where you can still get good records for under five bucks. I'm itching to get back there myself.

 

true, i would buy it and flip it (after keeping what i needed) in a NY minute...

 

I watch a lot of Ebay auctions and I just see prices going up and up.

 

Well, bless your heart. Come have some barbeque and sweet tea before you do.

 

Backwards?????
You do realize that a new reissue of Boston's first album is $19.59 with free shipping from Amazon and if you order it now it will be at your doorstep Tuesday. If the cover doesn't have to be pristine you can get a first pressing VG+/VG from Discogs for $7.00 plus shipping. $11 plus shipping for a VG+/VG+. Heck I've got one that is border line VG+ at my consignment shop table for $4. Give me a couple of weeks and I'll pick one up for $1 to $3. Anyone paying $20-$30 for a used copy of that or any other similar common album has more money than sense.

 

hush puppies too.

 

like i stated , it just seems like we are on 2 different planets
i just Facebook messaged a friend , who has one the largest USED stores in the NE/Mid Atlantic area
asked him , what would he pay for the 1st Boston lp in VG++ to nm (vinyl and jacket)

he stated he pays anywhere from $5 to $8 ( $10-$12 in trade)

sells them for $20 to $30
it will sell in a week
(tops)


ps People want the original pressings
he can sell a used VG++/NM (original press) Thriller for $45 to $50 In about 1 hour (seriously, that is all it will take, to sell)
the new re-issue sells about once every 2 weeks and is only $20

 

Yes, they do. And those people are subsidizing the stuff I want to buy, which is why the stuff I want to buy is still marked between five and ten bucks and the stores I want to buy it from are still open.

So hush before you ruin it for everybody!