Amazon AU price watch thread...

When you list something on eBay, for vinyl records the category choice given is limited to either NEW or USED. But then further into the item specifics you can put the actual grading in. Many don't bother of course. Or as you've said simply leave the default 'Used' in the item description. Very annoying. They probably don't sell many either.

 

I notice this with eBay as well. Where in the past I would have dozens of views per item, these days at best it's only a handful.
So either the buyers have become more discerning and shop elsewhere, the market has become saturated with records, or indeed eBay is hiding my listings from search results, instead putting up "sponsored" items first.
I think it's a combination.
I personally have certainly become more discerning as to where I buy my records from and how many I buy. I have pretty much run out of room to store them, so either some go to make room for new stuff, or I can't buy any more.
I have also pretty much stopped buying records on eBay, so I'm not surprised others have stopped buying from me.

 

I always thought it would be great to have an Australian CD/ record swap website. No money changes hands, members would list the records/ CDs they want to swap and try to come up with a deal with someone who has something they want. Like eBay, members would build up positive feedback so members would trust each other.

 

I did a record fair once in Sydney. It was fun but more so just to chat with fellow musos. I think I spent any profit on more records!! I also did a Sunday Market in Sydney, round about 2005-7 just before vinyl really became trendy. Most of my stuff was hard to get US imports I'd bought wholesale from an American distributor called SuperD. I also used a Sydney based distributor for certain EMI stuff like Radiohead. I hardly sold anything at that market as I was more of an expensive curiosity. If I did that now I'd be totally cleaned out by the hipsters!!! I was ahead of the times. Fortunately at that time eBay worked for me and it paid off.

 

I'm surprised there isn't a Facebook group like that. It would probably work OK.

 

I am off to Melbourne this weekend for my first visit EVER! After having lived in Sydney for almost 40 years I thought it was about time , any recommendations for good second hand record shops to visit?

 

Exactly. Here's two examples....the Elton John one just sold after getting zero views...even though you would expect it to have enough searchable views. Only when I paid the "promote your item" fee did I suddenly get hits. But still only one watcher and one bid. I ended up pretty much giving it away!



This is a current Dylan listing... again with enough searchable words to get hits and so far 1 view after 4 days listed and no watchers. I didn't pay the 'promotion' fee so it probably ends up hidden from most searches. Its all a bit pointless!!!

 

A few listed here...

https://manofmany.com/entertainment/music/best-record-stores-melbourne

 

When I lived in Melbourne , I would sell at a record fair roughly once a year, it was always great fun for the first three or four hours, I would then get bored, discount everything by 50% and go home. Like you, most of the profits were spent at other record stalls!

It did turn me off record want lists, of which I was a guilty culprit. I lost count of record collector geeks giving me a long greasy , well thumbed list and asking - "Got any of these mate"

It all became too trainspotterish for me - after one fair , I tore up my wants list and swore I would never write another.

 

very handy imarcq, there is a few here I didn't know about

 

Ha! Yes it's definitely anorak territory. I think the various lockdowns killed them off for a bit but I assume they are all up and running again now?

 

Elton John - The Lockdown Sessions 2LP $41 - it's $75+ from other Amazon sellers.

https://amzn.asia/d/ex4sk2n

 

Have you got a permit to enter Melbourne?

 

Camberwell trash and treasure market on a Sunday used to good for CDs and records, but you had to get there early, not sure what it is like post Covid.

 

Genius + Soul = Jazz (Verve Acoustic Sounds Series) $44....other sellers $70+

https://amzn.asia/d/bZyfto0

 

Footscray records is worth a visit, only a one-minute walk from the Footscray station. Greville Records in a Melbourne institution, much like Phantom records used to be in Sydney, easy to get to from the Prahran station. Basement Discs, mentioned in the list sent by imarcq, has closed down. Sadly there is nothing at all in the CBD now except for JB

 

@Mylene will be along shortly to give you the low down. She knows her stuff.

 

This listing shows after searching for "Bob Dylan Another Side Of LP".
It's the 11th one down so not too deep.
I really think that buyers have gone elsewhere and have become more discerning. Ebay fee structure makes it really hard for sellers to make a profit, so prices have to be set accordingly. I think eBay takes like 15% of the final fee and shipping. For sellers that include shipping in item price (I think you have to do that to qualify for eBay Plus), the profit margin is very low.

I also think I'm not alone in my storage issue. Unless you want your whole house flooded by records, and you confine your collection to one room, there's only so much anyone can fit.

 

This has turned me completely off selling on eBay again

 

Box Hill record fair is on on Sunday. There's a Crate Diggers on Saturday at the Northcote Social Club but the last couple have been pretty average. Goldmine (two shops) is also worth looking at for second hand stuff.

If you're looking for rare stuff check out Vicious Sloth in Malvern. There's lots of random shops around Brunswick including op shops that are worth going into every couple of days. Also Heartland in North Melbourne has all the boxsets you never see outside Amazon anymore.

 

More hit and miss but when when it's good it's great. All the dealers should be at the record fair on Sunday so there should good stuff there that the dealers can't touch.

 

I think Play is still in an arcade at the Parliament House end of of Bourke St, they've got incredible cds but pretty expensive.

 

I agree Aussie Pressing, storage is an issue, I think today's younger record collector would prefer to have a select number of records, (couple of hundred?) that look good in their apartment, rather than the older style of collector (me) that has 1000's of records scattered throughout the house, garage and shed!

 

Thanks for checking that. I'm sure you are correct. Many of my friends buy from Discogs although it's a bit more fiddling around for setting postage. I have noticed that often in Discogs listings "Not available in Australia". That might suggest more sales opportunities here. Discogs charge less than the 12% eBay charge...and maybe not on the shipping as well? I reduced my collection before returning to Australia but I'll need to be more ruthless, as I'm house hunting to buy a property and most in my price range don't have much storage potential...unless I literally want to live in a record shop atmosphere!

 

Yes we are Generation Hording Disorder!