Jump in CD prices?

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by Dillydipper, Nov 30, 2019.

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  1. Dillydipper

    Dillydipper Space-Age luddite Thread Starter

    Location:
    Central PA
    Maybe it's just my taste (which I didn't really think there must have been much of a market for), but I got a splash of sticker shock this week.

    I hadn't gone music shopping online for awhile, and had been making a list of stuff to finally get around to getting next time I wanted to binge. The other night I started going over the list, to find to my surprise just how wild prices have gotten. There doesn't seem to be any correlation between stock and popularity and recent release dates, and, well, ANYthing. I just kept bouncing back and forth between Amazon and Discogs, and stuff I would have expected to find for around seven dollars, seems to be four times that, used.

    Now, I'm not a mainstream kind of guy, and I don't suppose you are either.

    Anybody else here noticing you're just as likely to find CD's going for many times what you would have expected to be list prices lately, on non-deluxe, midline artist selections these days?
     
    ispace and Crimson Witch like this.
  2. Dave S

    Dave S Forum Resident

    Discogs and Amazon aren't the only places to shop.

    It also depends on what you want. A non mainstream release from the last 10 years that has gone OOP can be very hard to find used because there aren't many copies. Even something like The Complete Studio Albums by ZZ Top is expensive used. It is like vinyl from the 1990s. For older CDs, it really depends on the artist and title. There are plenty of CDs from the 1990s that can be found in every thrift store. On the other hand, there are some releases from the 1990s that I've never seen in any used bin.
     
    Fishoutofwater likes this.
  3. telliott

    telliott Senior Member

    Maybe because CDs are a niche item now.
     
  4. Exile On My Street

    Exile On My Street Senior Member

    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    I've noticed that Amazon has been charging a few bucks more, sometimes as much as $5 more for new CDs. I can't speak for used as that depends on many factors but try bullmoose.com or importscds.com to compare.
     
  5. John B Good

    John B Good Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    NS, Canada
    Up in Canada there are some amazing asks. I can go to the US Amazon site and find much cheaper prices even with the shipping and exchange rate.

    And for recent cds I wouldn't be surprised if the disappearance of competition is allowing Amazon to reap monopoly-like benefits.
     
  6. Crimson Witch

    Crimson Witch Roll across the floor thru the hole & out the door

    Location:
    Lower Michigan
    People ask what they hope to get, based on availability. These days production runs are smaller quantities and therefore go out of print quicker. It is not unusual to find titles that were first released as recently as two years ago now out-of-print. If shoppers online want something badly enough they will pay these exorbitant prices and that sets the standard. Sellers watch their competiton closely, as the market goes.

    Still, it doesn't mean every seller will necessarily follow in step. I recently got a new, factory-cellophane sealed copy of a long out-of-print title for 22 dollars while other sellers had mint but opened copies on offer for around 130 dollars. Its arbitrary in a way, so prices will fluctuate for some titles while others will only climb if it looks like a title will never again get a new reissue, for whatever reasons. Sometimes one just gets lucky.
     
    Chazzbo13 likes this.
  7. sunking101

    sunking101 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Yorkshire, England
    I've never bought into CD prices falling. Maybe they did/have for old scratched remasters and pop cr@p that nobody wants but new stuff? Boxsets? Deluxe editions? Anniversary specials? Not to mention original 80s masters? I've never paid more for music in all my days, CDs or vinyl.
     
  8. Dave S

    Dave S Forum Resident

    Depends on how many copies were sold in the first place. Boxsets are limited because they are priced to sell to collectors. Deluxe editions on the other hand were less expensive, bought by the masses and some have been in print for a long time. Original 80s CDs may or may not be easily found cheap. Many people think they are quite rare because they were expensive at the time, but the number produced even in the early days can be higher than today's CDs. It's down to supply and demand. And a bit of luck on occasions.
     
    BigDanT likes this.
  9. Dondy

    Dondy Forumaniac

    I noticed that OOP DVDs are often suprisingly (insolently?) high-priced.
     
    SeanRichard likes this.
  10. ABBDutchFan

    ABBDutchFan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Netherlands
    It's also recommended to compare different Amazon sites. Price differences between Amazon UK, USA and Germany can be huge. Sometimes much cheaper on the UK site and another item is much cheaper on the German site. Items are also very often much cheaper on Amazon marketplace.

    Also check out: CD Baby, Deep Discount and Dodax. The latter has world wide free shipping!
     
    SOONERFAN likes this.
  11. jimac51

    jimac51 A mythical beast.

    Location:
    Allentown,pa.
    Uhh,no. Used stuff around here at the local indi,just got a kick of lots of CDs for a buck. In fact he has gutted his fifty cent vinyl for a roomful(8,000) of CDs. Also a new batch of CDs priced $3 that will go to a buck after a few weeks. Some better titles,including a huge stash of ECM(I think they are on consignment) for five bucks.
    What your post needs is eliminating the word "seems" and replacing it with,you know,some facts. That ongoing "CDs wil rise in value" thread ,always good for a chuckle,will probably rear its ugly head. This is a golden era for used CDs,'cause so many folks are ditching whole collections(hence,the store going this way). Ten bucks in that store sometimes bring 20 CDs,as multiple CD sets are priced as a single CD. Examples include Essential Tony Bennett,a load of Rosemary Clooney material(her Concord stuff is best by my ears),Essential O'Jays(priced $5 but discounted at register),John Coltrane's Bethlehem material;single CDs include Lena Horne & Gabor Szabo on Gryphon/Audiofidelity,Lena Horne's Merry From Lena(Razor & Tie-Hoffman),Hank Jones & Tommy Flanagan-I'm All Smiles,Art Farmer,The Time & The Place(Mosaic Select),Errol Garner,Easy To Love,(Emarcy) and I'm headed over there later today.
     
    craig4755 likes this.
  12. Gaslight

    Gaslight ⎧⚍⎫⚑

    Location:
    Northeast USA
    I've noticed a slight uptick in Amazon CD prices, over the last few years (new CD's / new releases, not talking about reissues and box sets etc).

    Again nothing scientific here on my part. Just that a CD that would normally be seen at ~$11 I'm seeing at closer to $13 now.
     
  13. Dillydipper

    Dillydipper Space-Age luddite Thread Starter

    Location:
    Central PA
    Well, considering this is my observation from actual event, maybe I should just replace that with, "seems to me", or more accurately, "seems to a person with this personal experience who is not looking for condescension and a scolding for not living in Allentown". :shrug:

    My sincere apologies for not having your list.
     
  14. Chee

    Chee Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denver
    Ever hear of thrift stores or record conventions? They are buried in $2 and under CD's.
     
  15. Dave S

    Dave S Forum Resident

    Yes, but how many of those CDs are high on anyone's wish list. I can go into a store with 1000s of CDs. I may walk out with a dozen or none.
     
    Eigenvector likes this.
  16. BillWojo

    BillWojo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Burlington, NJ
    Thrift stores and CD's? Best bet is to hit it often. At my local GoodWill they bring carts out with fresh goods and I head there first. Any CD's that show up may not have been picked over at all. It's timing and hitting the stores any time your in the area is the key to success.

    BillWojo
     
    Dave S likes this.
  17. Dillydipper

    Dillydipper Space-Age luddite Thread Starter

    Location:
    Central PA
    Wait, so, you're saying...I can get both that Chumbawumba AND the "Barbie Girl" album? :goodie: Well, problem solved! :pineapple: :cheers: :wiggle: Who knows, maybe a little left over for some Bro Country compilations...maybe even that NOW That's What I Call Music Vol. 273: Stuff Only People Who Would Buy A 'NOW That's What I Call Music' Compilation, Would Call Music!


    Honest to gosh, people, most of my list has never seen an American thrift store or a record convention...
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2019
    Jimi Bat and Dale A B like this.
  18. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialist™

    Location:
    B.C.
    :winkgrin: PC me, I can hook you up with the Aqua Aquarium album to get your Barbie Girl fix.
     
  19. Chee

    Chee Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denver
    Mountains of CD's at thrifts. Record shows are great. I think they'll come back.
     
  20. The problem with Amazon and Discogs is they are opportunistic rather than real world. They’ve got you if you don’t have local options. And no doubt they can reinforce an inflated value feedback loop.
     
  21. jimac51

    jimac51 A mythical beast.

    Location:
    Allentown,pa.
    So the mountains of stuff folks getting rid of means there will be a comeback? Pure logic.
    And around here,the "record show" may be losing steam as the mastermind behind the quarterly events just pared things down to three,eliminating this month's show. Now,selling second hand stuff during gift season may seem counterproductive, but in years past, this time meant bonus and overtime,bringing a little more walking around money to spend for themselves. Record Store Day Black Friday is not aimed for giving to others,yet it seems to be doing OK.
     
  22. Dave S

    Dave S Forum Resident

    RSD is just another retail event jumping on Black Friday. It's mostly new products.

    As for the mountains of CDs: most are just junk that will never come back. There are plenty of junk LPs, which any visit to a thrift will reveal. I don't know if the US is very different, but here in the UK you have to go regular to find anything worthwhile.
     
  23. Chee

    Chee Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denver
    Down the road CD's will come back, records did. Common LP's were $1-$2 everywhere in the mid 90's. Record shows had Police, Eagles by the table full. I'm old school, Rockages Convention in NYC in the 70's. Beatlefest 1974 NYC. The U.K. scene for vinyl is pretty bad. I'd run out of money and brought over trade in Nottinghill in 1993in one day. Records And Tape Traders? I hear the shows are duffers and high prices. It is amazing how cheap used CD's are at record shows. Not junk. In L.A. nobody cares so the Buena Park Record Show is incredible for great titles cheap.
     
  24. Dillydipper

    Dillydipper Space-Age luddite Thread Starter

    Location:
    Central PA
    How are people's luck finding good used prices on artists who market through their own stores, self-distribute or otherwise don't rely on the standard artist/media corporate relationship?
     
  25. Dave S

    Dave S Forum Resident

    Scorched Earth Policy - Keep Away From The Wires
    I picked this release up from an used shop many years ago for £6.99. Thank goodness I did. Sadly, the shop has closed and there aren't many outlets for this type of music.

    ps I heard the guy's basement flooded and the recordings might have been lost.
     
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