Your thoughts on selling


Hey, all.

I've got tons of vinyl that I never listen to.  I've sold in the past, but it was always a pain to grade as I never play-graded, but just visually graded prior to selling.  But...vinyl being vinyl, some records that looked pristine apparently was noisy once received and played by the buyer, which caused me to refund the buyer (both the cost of the record and shipping) putting me on the negative side of the dollar equation.  I also always told the buyer to keep the record.

So I'm considering doing this:  Sell the record but only ask for shipping cost and have the buyer decide what the value of the record is, with one caveat that shipping costs will not be refunded.  

Granted, some buyers will take advantage and say the Mo-Fi I shipped them was only worth 50 cents.  But I think for the most part folks will pay a realistic amount.

Am I being naive or could this actually work?  And by "work" I mean most folks paying a fair amount for said record?

Thanks,

Mamoru

128x128audiodwebe

That’s a terrible idea on how to sell vinyl. I sold all my vinyl and everything analog a couple years ago. It was very easy. I went out and looked on a couple websites for the range of prices people were asking for each piece. Then, I would only sell in lots of 10 or more. I initially asked for a decent price for all of them, but selling them in bundles, I made over $1000 more than as a whole. Nobody asked for a refund or credit.

But if he is running a charity deal, then just giving them to some local young hipsters would be cheaper than scammers asking for refunds on everything including shipping.

or selling them to a local store that peddles LPs.

I just went through this process in selling my collection. I hadn’t been playing my records and wasn’t going to move them again. I looked at trying to sell them like you are considering but ultimately decided that was way too much work and brain damage. I sold them to a record store (1000 plus) for 7k win win they picked up and I was finished

done haven’t looked back

 

I think it is a bad idea and inviting more work for yourself. These days even a local record store will cull through and pick what they can resell. That is what happened to me at 3 different stores. I am 67 been collecting since I was 15. Rock and jazz, with a focus on guitar. Lots of ECM and instrumental music that fits no category. So I started culling my collection and started selling as a vendor at record shows. Not play graded at all, but if I knew an lp had an issue, I would not sell it. Never sold something I would not keep myself. Did 4 shows in and out-of-state. Lots of fun. I want my lps to be appreciated by music lovers, and not sitting in some storage for a relative that knows not what they got. Another show coming up in the fall. Price em slightly below Discogs median, box em’ up, and sign up for a vinyl convention. That right there is plenty of work. Plus the decision to buy or not buy is totally up to the face-to-face buyer. I would never do play grade, package and sell. The transaction even then is not complete as it can come back if your VG+ is a buyer’s VG-! I also give customers my card with my email so they can contact me for a full refund if not satisfied.

I don't think this is a good idea. You're assuming MOST people are honest and will do the right thing.  If you are willing to take the risks then I say fine, however it's not something I would do.

I’ve yet to cull my collection.  Not sure of the numbers, but I’ve got 24 IKEA Lack slots filled with audiophile, imports and WLPs, 30 IKEA Lack of domestic vinyl and 20 1x1.5 feet small boxes filled with vinyl.  How many thousands that ends up being, I haven’t a clue.  The collection is not catalogued as there were way too many to do that with.  I’ve probably gotten rid of about 30 boxes or so over the last 15 years.  

I’ve tried selling to a record store in the past but if I took a box in I’d literally get $.05 to $.10 per record.  If I took in four or five records, they’d give me a buck or two each.  I think they figure if you’re bringing in boxes at a time you’re just trying to dump the vinyl and they pay you accordingly.

If I go through with this, I’d have my teen son do all the listing and pay him 10% or so of the profits.  He’s not employed so it might be a way for him to earn a few dollars.

I’d like to reduce the number of records I have in my collection to a reasonable number, which for me I’m leaning toward less than 500 for now and reduce those numbers even further at some point in the future to my favorite 100 or so.  

I bought many thousands in the late 90’s/early 00’s while recruiting in the Los Angeles area.  Back then, the selections were still pretty good and prices were ok.  I was there for three years and from year one to year three, I noticed the selections available (all used vinyl, BTW) were diminishing and prices were starting to go up.  I have no idea what used records in record stores go for nowadays as I’ve not bought used vinyl in many years.  

Back then, I thought I’d have the time to listen to all the records once I retired.  But now that I’m closer to retirement age, I’m thinking I don’t want to spend my days listening to that many records.  Weird how that happened.  

Plus, and most importantly for me, is the fact that although I have a pretty nice rig (VPI Aries extended with AR PH3SE) I’ve listened to, like, only a few records this year.  I’m 99.9% streaming.  So nice rig and lots of great records that goes pretty much unplayed.  Hence, my thoughts of getting rid of them.

Thanks all for your thoughts and suggestions.