I've been buying and selling records online for a couple years. I'm a very small-time seller and basically just use eBay and Reddit r/vinylcollectors as a way of honing my collection. Up until recently I was able to move records pretty quickly, and things would rarely sit there for more than a few days or a week at most. But over the past month or two it feels like things have slowed down quite a bit. The records I have on eBay Buy It Now are getting fewer views, watchers, and sales than similar stuff was getting a few months back. My Reddit posts are getting similarly low engagement and sales. Almost everything I sell is classic rock/pop/jazz titles priced between $15-$25, and that hasn't changed. I have 100% positive feedback on eBay, I usually accept reasonable offers, and I send out a lot of discount offers to people who do watch my items. Obviously inflation could be one culprit, but in observing eBay auctions and sales in general, it doesn't seem like prices are stagnating overall. Has anyone else felt a downturn like this, or have any thoughts on what's going on?
Typically over the years I've noticed this market down turn during the Summer months. The COVID years were an exception with a lot of people stuck at home. Usually it perks back up in September.
Interesting. I wasn't really selling pre-COVID so it would make sense why I hadn't noticed a summer downturn the past 2 years.
Summer is brutal on eBay. Empty used divider cards of Nicks/Fleetwood Mac/Duran/Madonna etc. on & on is what I see in stores.
Not sure, but I've got some records listed here recently and am surprised there are no takers. Zero interest it seems.
I still buy the same no matter what time of year, but I'm not normal. Cost of living right now will have an effect, limiting a lot of buyers. Summer time people go on vacations so their priorities changes.
Summers have always been the dead zone for media sales IMO. It'll pick back up in mid to late September when Fall sets in and the kids are back in school.
I wonder if this is good news for me as a record buyer? On one hand less competition is always better, but if sellers are also shifting down for the summer, it might be a wash.
Yeah me neither. But if fewer people are out there bidding on auctions or quickly snatching up what gets put on Buy It Now or Discogs, that's a good thing for individual buyers (assuming other factors remain constant).
Summer dead zone because of people doing other things, other hobbies, at home to listen to records less, etc. Also less money to spend on unnecessary things lately. Gas is finally coming down a bit where I live, but cost of living in general is still just going up and up and up but the wages stay the same year after year. The fun money runs awfully thin for a lot of folks. It’s a great time to be a buyer though, lots of records I’ve picked up lately for less than I expected to pay.
As already mentioned, in summer people are wanting to get out and away from their screens. Bad covid summer was an exception to that rule. Sellers will often respond by not listing their best stuff for sale during those months on eBay where bidding is needed to fetch the higher prices. Discogs is fine to list those more desirable items (during a slow period) because asking prices are set. During slow times I still get spurts of sales. I will have none for a 4 or 6 day period and then a person comes along and grabs 7 or 8 items at once to save on shipping. Then one more sale of a big-ticket item, and it all evens out. I opened a new Discogs store with stock from a couple of friends who asked me to sell their collections for them with a 50/50 split. It's mostly all audiophile gold and SACD discs. Tons of still sealed items included. Many items are listed where I am the only seller with a sealed new copy. Sales have been steady, but not as strong as I expected. I think it's just the summer slowdown, and higher-priced items do find their buyers but it takes a bit longer. I'll have a strong Oct. - Jan. sales period.
Current atmosphere worked to my advantage a week ago. I'd been lusting after a cB 2 X 45 of Aqualung, oterwise known as a UHQR, but all were priced over $300.00, some well over, making it out of reach for me. A week ago I woke up to a sealed copy in our classifieds for $275.00 that included Priority shipping ! It had been there since 8 pm the night before ?!?!?!?! When it arrived in perfect condition less than 48 hours later, I expressed my shock to my closest friend here who pointed out how offerings just sort of sit there now, as compared to back in 2010 when both of us learned to claim an item fast, or be SOL !!!!
I would say so. So many stores like Wal-Mart - Target are selling the old titles on new vinyl many times colored vinyl.
Yeah, but that's been going on for a while and I'm talking more about a slowdown over the past month or two. As others have said, I think it probably has to do with the normal seasonal cycle returning after a few years of COVID weirdness.
Yeah that was my first thought. With inflation and all the economic uncertainty right now, things like records--which are, frankly, luxury items for the most part--would probably take a hit. But others have made the case that this is just the normal seasonal downturn as travel and outdoor activities take priority. I guess we'll have to see if things pick up in a couple months.
I've had excellent luck selling on these SH forms....decent in focus pics, priced to sell and short descriptions. eBay is dead in the Summer...great time to buy...tough to sell. I think the key to selling is listing items that you as a collector would want....just sold Kraftwerk, Stooges and Trapeze on here....all went within an hour or two
Yup, take your minty Streisand Superman and Neil Diamond Serenade albums and list them here. You'll be shocked at the response.
It is having an impact on sales. Prices, as we all know, are heading north fast, and when you have to choose, paying north of $20 for a used lp gets to be something you can put on hold. But prices on used stuff that is a tuff dig will keep going up. The inflation is not transitory.
It comes down to the title and pressing and especially condition. If one finds the right album at a cost that seems really good, you'd better grab it now or ne sorry later. Every few years I stumble on a really great album at a great price. I grab it, and never see that deal again on that condition. Record collecting is a sport one needs to how much to pay, what is good enough condition, and how often an LP comes around. Then you'll know if a bargain is found or not. It is certianly not as fun as it used to be, but I still enjoy it sometimes. Late Sept. we will see things get exciting for sellers again.
