Record Store Day...What nonsense!

I can't tell if they are flippers or not, but I can tell that they are mostly not people who support record stores year around...until recently I lived in a mid-sized town and knew all the record store regulars -- I'd see them at stores, I'd see them at live shows, I'd see them at record fairs and flea markets, etc. Yet I'd see very few of those people in line on Record Store Day. It was largely unfamiliar dad-bros (so many baseball caps and branded hoodies!) who were calling stores on their iPhones about specific exclusives while in line at another store. Whether or not they were flippers is hard to determine, but they were clearly amateurs...and I wouldn't see them the rest of the year.

I wish there was a way for RSD to turn these folks who put so much time and effort into waiting in line on one day into people who support their local shops more regularly...then we could dial back this silliness...

 

I'm probably one of those "dad-bros" because I'm new to vinyl but it's because when my father passed away in Sept 2017 I acquire my grandparents old record stereo consol from my parents garage then restored it and started collecting vinyl. I'm new to the collecting due to that but I did buy a ton over the last year & a half from these two local stores to get my collection up. So wasn't isolated purchases. Hard to tell nowadays with all the online buying. I bought a lot of my Beatles and classic rock rares mostly on Ebay. I spent enough locally though that I'll admit the one store made a specific order for me & had it there waiting on RSD when he opened.

Some good news though from the Garcia Family Provisions on Electric on the Eel

"Thanks to everyone who picked up a copy of Electric on the Eel: August 10th, 1991 at Record Store Day! We’re sorry there weren’t more to go around but we’re truly blown away by all the excitement.
If you missed out, we have good news! We’re putting the wheels in motion on a new pressing to be made available ASAP. The new pressing will be on blue 180gram vinyl with the updated cover art shown here. Stay tuned for more info!"

So don't overpay on Ebay or discogs. Release is coming! Neither of my local stores got it in that I went to but I found it out of the blue on Amazon yesterday for $63 with a delayed shipping date. I may have gotten lucky with an extra one in storage somewhere but more than likely I'll probably get a Sorry It's out of stock on that date haha Was worth a shot though. At least I know to wait now if not.

 

That's the point of RSD, isn't it?

 

Exactly: It's the goal. But according to my friends who own and/or manage record stores, the RSD model as it currently stands does not work. It's a one-time sales bump (two-time if you count Black Friday) that comes at a great expense to stores.

 

Well the week(s) after RSD, I find myself going to other stores that I don't frequently shop at, and that's when I pick up left over RSD stock along with used items.

So I for one visit stores outside of my weekly rounds. I'd say that is a good thing for them

 

It's horrible that they are forced to participate.

 

It's so easy to be snarky and sarcastic when your bottom line isn't at stake, isn't it?

...several stores I love don't participate, or participate minimally. They move the focus from the exclusives to store-wide sales, in-store gigs, used rarities, free food/beer, etc. Those tend to be the stores with the more vibrant, loyal community of shoppers. They are also very small shops with a more focused, specialized inventory.

Friends of mine who run mid-sized, more general stores feel a lot of pressure to participate. If everything works out -- if all the exclusives they order come in, if they are able to afford the labor hours to inventory and price everything, if people show up, if the exclusives (which are non-returnable) sell through, etc. -- they can make a profit. So, for a store barely getting by, it's worth a shot. Also, the sort of once-a-year customers who are really into RSD are incredibly obnoxious: They call weeks ahead of time asking about exclusives, they get belligerent and unpleasant when things sell out or don't arrive, etc. Stores with precarious finances don't want to risk alienating potential customers...even though these folks likely do next to nothing to support them the rest of the year.

The decision to participate or not is a tough one for a small business. I can see both sides. I invite you to try to do the same.

 

Yes. I very well may drive 15 miles out of my way tomorrow just to pick up the limited Kenny Wayne Shepherd release because I know this particular store has it. How often do I make this trip? Not often, unless it’s April or November. They’re a RSD participant. They win I win.

 

If they lose money, they don't participate. If the overall system is so flawed and if enough back out, then things change. Otherwise, they don't. It's not easy to run a small business, I get it, and I support my local one. I was the first imbecile in line the past three years I've participated. But they are the business owner, they need to decide. Things aren't going to change because you are virtue-signalling. Just saying.

 

That's how consumerism now works in the west. Physical stores make their money from Black Friday to Christmas. The rest of the year is loss making.

 

True...the ones I talk to say they make just enough money to make it worthwhile. But it's a short-term solution: The event doesn't create enough regular customers to allow them to do without it. It's tough...

 

And yet here we are:

2019 Record Store Day Yields Historic Week for Vinyl Album Sales

 

I'm glad I've managed to purchase the both Floyd mono RSD releases — considering how far from any RSD stores in the world I live. You can’t even imagine how far it is — it's so far it's almost close!) )

 

The way I figure it, people who get up at 4am to wait in line in the rain to buy a couple of records are gluttons for punishment in the first place. I mean, I'm not for stores skirting the rules but don't really feel sorry for anyone in this scenario either. It's essentially OCD at its finest.

Otherwise, RSD is fine, I suppose. I even went to my local store that day. I showed up around noon and purchased a couple of used albums that were discounted 20% for RSD. Barely even looked at the official RSD releases.

It's nice seeing the store with lots of customers. A lot of times I'm there, I'm the only one shopping. It's obvious a lot of RSD shoppers don't set foot in a record store outside of those two days a year.

 

Local store says he's not making enough on the RSD releases to pay for the time spent organising it.

 

Then he needs to bail on it.

 

What they fail to take into account is the effect on sales for rest of the year. People overspend on RSD and will buy less vinyl in following months. Also a lot of RSD business is just collectors and flippers buying on that day. Not a sustainable model for a year round business.

 

I think there's more to it than that. A store owner also has to consider the end result of not participating at all, which might be worse than not making enough on that one day. Not participating may alienate enough customers to cost the store more in the long run.

 

I disagree that most RSD shoppers don’t visit record stores throughout the year. I think most do but not in weekly geek fashion like some of us and not all at once.

I see new faces at the Seattle stores every single time I visit them.

 

My decision would be that stores should play by the rules, of course. But I'm not going to get all worked up one way or the other.

It's okay, I have my own OCD thing going with records. I travel two hours each way to attend record shows six times a year, even arriving early enough to pay for early admission. I don't have to wait in line but it's still a variation of the same thing.

 

I'm not sure that I'd say "most" either. "A lot" is more vague, which is why I used it.

On another note, Seattle seems like record store heaven, if you live in a mostly rural area, like I do. I visited three stores when I was there a couple of years ago and realize that it was the tip of the iceberg.

 

How about them 3 Inch singles?!

 

I suppose it's for those that don't buy much physical music and think it's a big deal. I buy new albums, about 4-6 a month, and RSD has never excited me.

 

Yeah, he said he could get a customer surge on the other stock just by putting on a good sale and a band but he had got some requests for RSD stock.
It's only been 2 years of doing RSD so it's still a new assessment. I expect he'll give it some thought either way next time.