ha yeah, this is the first I've heard of that one. I'd assume by the name that its people who are actually PAID to record shop. Sounds fresh as hell, how do I get this job?
I'd put record shoppers into 5 genre and style spanning categories:
Hustlers:[/b] Dudes who are always trying to skim dollars off their total. Either use overt methods like, "There's a mark on the cover will you take 5 for it?" or subtle methods such as, "Hey I know my total is $32 but I only have a 20 on me. Is that cool, or like... I can maybe go find an ATM...". Generally tend to be more collector oriented, but not always. Max $$$ for 1 record: $20-25
Dude, I am the least haggling individual you'll ever meet, and even I do that. There's a subtle give and take between buyer and seller (especially when you have a $50 - $150 stack of vinyl in your hands) in which it is expected for a certain amount of low level "negotian" to occur.
I dunno, stores with astronomical prices are one story. But if I walk into a shop that I know prices fairly and pick out $200 in records, I sort of expect to pay it. If they knock some dough off for me great. Maybe I'll grab a few more, maybe I'll order an extra beer at lunch.
I don't "low level negotiating" necessarily accounts for hustlerism. That being said, there certainly are dudes who give off seriously bad vibrations and actively try to game you with every single piece.
I used to spend 10.000$ a year, up to 30.000$ a year between 1991 and 2000. After the year 2000, i started to back up my collection on external HDs. WAV Only. Rappers sowly but surely stopped shopping beats with samples. I bought a Motif, a Triton and a Phantom. Needless to say, the money dedicated to records is now spent on electronic devices. I still have like 2000 records, including some i didnt even listen to yet. Oh yea i lost 3000+ in a flood in 2003. Some pieces. Lots of OGs. I never recovered. A la Q-Tip...
Now i'm really enjoying Strutters weekly finds and such related things. Sometimes i find myself looking at the pics posted just to see the ones i had...
PS: I live ooff of music and music only since 1997. Still going strong.
i still buy a lot of records. i never post on the find threads because i never have pictures or remember what the hell i bought. i buy shit still to make beats from and i dj so much i have no time for making beats....... sigh...
I agree with Johnny about trying to give locals first crack at the raers and how hard it is when you get the really reaer stuff. As far as my customer base goes it's very mixed: 1) Beat diggers/producers - still get a lot of these especially since I don't have much competition in this category here in DC. 2) DJ's, although Microwave has killed my 12" hip-hop and house sales. I still sell some but its not the guaranteed sales it was a few years back. 3) Collectors. Here in DC I sell a lot of jazz and soul. Punk, hardcore and reggae do well also. 4) Kids (15-22) starting collections. Get them all the time. I love turning on newbies to Badfinger, Cymande and the like. 5) Tourists. Its funny how the locals rarely touch the over $25 records but the out of towners always go for them. Maybe its the vacation mind-set or the fact that I'm cheaper than shops in NYC, Chicago or SF.
Overall sales are steady. I stopped selling CDs (other than some local stuff and a few mixes) over two years ago.
I never thought of that (not selling CDs). I hated when CDs took over the record stores. Thats so cool that they will have come and gone, and the records will still be out there. Maybe a great renaissance in record stores?
I never thought of that (not selling CDs). I hated when CDs took over the record stores. Thats so cool that they will have come and gone, and the records will still be out there. Maybe a great renaissance in record stores?
One crusty DC dealer dude with long fingernails once told me "I got into this business to sell RECORDS, not CDs." That said, he still has a lot of CDs for sale.
One crusty DC dealer dude with long fingernails once told me "I got into this business to sell RECORDS, not CDs." That said, he still has a lot of CDs for sale.
Comments
ha yeah, this is the first I've heard of that one. I'd assume by the name that its people who are actually PAID to record shop. Sounds fresh as hell, how do I get this job?
I dunno, stores with astronomical prices are one story. But if I walk into a shop that I know prices fairly and pick out $200 in records, I sort of expect to pay it. If they knock some dough off for me great. Maybe I'll grab a few more, maybe I'll order an extra beer at lunch.
I don't "low level negotiating" necessarily accounts for hustlerism. That being said, there certainly are dudes who give off seriously bad vibrations and actively try to game you with every single piece.
Now i'm really enjoying Strutters weekly finds and such related things. Sometimes i find myself looking at the pics posted just to see the ones i had...
PS: I live ooff of music and music only since 1997. Still going strong.
As far as my customer base goes it's very mixed:
1) Beat diggers/producers - still get a lot of these especially since I don't have much competition in this category here in DC.
2) DJ's, although Microwave has killed my 12" hip-hop and house sales. I still sell some but its not the guaranteed sales it was a few years back.
3) Collectors. Here in DC I sell a lot of jazz and soul. Punk, hardcore and reggae do well also.
4) Kids (15-22) starting collections. Get them all the time. I love turning on newbies to Badfinger, Cymande and the like.
5) Tourists. Its funny how the locals rarely touch the over $25 records but the out of towners always go for them. Maybe its the vacation mind-set or the fact that I'm cheaper than shops in NYC, Chicago or SF.
Overall sales are steady. I stopped selling CDs (other than some local stuff and a few mixes) over two years ago.
One crusty DC dealer dude with long fingernails once told me "I got into this business to sell RECORDS, not CDs." That said, he still has a lot of CDs for sale.