Vinyl Buying Strategies
Adapting your vinyl buying strategy to each type of store is fundamental if you want to build a successful collection over time
Do you visit a Starbucks with the same mindset as you would a quirky café in a quiet part of town?
In both cases, you can get your coffee needs satiated, but one can offer what the other lacks.
The strengths of one are the weaknesses of the other. Just like record stores.
The same, but different
Some stores only sell new or newly-issued vinyl, whereas others specialise in second-hand records with an occasional (and often curated) selection of new vinyl.
Knowing what, and how, to buy in each type of store is very often what sets the pros apart from the rest.
Today I’ll focus on mainstream chains and show you how you can get the best deals.
The basics
The records you will find in these stores are newly-issued and still in shrink (i.e. factory sealed).
By and large, prices hover around USD 20-25 (or equivalent in local currency) for a standard LP, and USD 35-50 for a double LP.
Special offers, such as 3-for-2, or buy 4 and get the cheapest for free, are common.
The audience
For many, these stores are the gateway to the vinyl world. It’s also where most non-collectors purchase gifts for the vinyl lover in their lives.
As these stores cater to a mainstream audience, nothing is ever too cheap or too expensive. This may seem like a disadvantage, but I’ll show you how you can make this work in your favour.
Why I (sometimes) visit these stores
Long-time readers will know I tend to favour original pressings over reissues.
Why do I still buy new vinyl every now and then, and why at a mainstream retail chain? Surely I can get better prices online, you might think.
Well, it’s not that simple.
Rarity potential
With certain exceptions, you won’t find anything too rare in these stores. Too rare at the time of purchase, that is.
When visiting family in Geneva (Switzerland), I often pop into the Fnac store in the centre of town (your typical Barnes & Noble in the US, HMV in the UK, or Saturn in Germany).
A couple of years ago, I found this pressing of Madonna’s Ray of Light at USD 30. A new copy would now cost me USD 166 including shipping.
A similar example, from Barnes & Noble in the US: I paid USD 25 for this pressing of Mariah’s Caution in 2018. If you were to buy a new copy today, you’d be looking at USD 175 (and this is before shipping).
Spotting good deals
But what if you’re an alt-rock fan?
I recently found this pressing of Jeff Buckley’s Grace at USD 25 at the Geneva store above.
I only had 15 minutes to browse and pay. This was my reasoning:
This album has been on my wantlist for years. I never, or very rarely, come across it.
It was originally released in 1994, when vinyl was scarce. Coupled with the album’s cultural significance, I suspected an original pressing would cost much more than I’d be ready to pay.
It’s a record I want to keep in my collection and listen to occasionally. It’s not one I’d necessarily want to resell or buy multiple variants of.
I didn’t have time to check prices online, but my instinct was right: an original pressing in Good Plus condition (and without cover) would set you back USD 152 before shipping. Sorry, Jeff. That’s a no.
And what if I had gone online to buy the 2015 reissue I found in store? I’d be looking at USD 47 including shipping. That’s a saving of USD 22 (with which, I don’t need to tell you, I could buy another record).
Counterintuitive approach
In that same store, on that very same day, there were two records I, admittedly, wanted more than Grace: The Swing by INXS, and Gary Moore’s Still Got the Blues.
But they were, of course, reissues. I have original pressings of Kick and After Hours. Original pressings of 80’s and early 90’s records sound way better than most reissues.
Plus, I know I can get those superior earlier pressings in Very Good or even Near Mint condition for USD 15 each (or less).
Guess what I’m about to do with those USD 22 I saved…
Bottom line
Retail chains are great for:
some new releases (when stock is high);
reissues of 1990s or early noughties records (whose original counterparts will sell at a premium); and
exclusive/limited editions.
What’s your strategy when buying new vinyl at mainstream retail chains? See you in the comments.
Thanks for reading/listening. Happy spinning!
Like you, I prefer originals. But there are a few exceptional reissue labels that are blowing it out of the water with sound, art, mastering, vinyl pressing, and excellent quality control. They also tend to be on the pricier side.
Regarding original '90s LPs, the 90s was such a good decade for music, so the demand is definitely there. On the whole (sound-wise), however, I have found a lot of original '90s pressings, especially early and mid-90s, not particularly brilliant. In many cases, the CD is preferable to the LP. CD was king then, and vinyl was an afterthought or pressed for DJs.
The need to improve on the original's mediocre sound, limited pressing quantities, and today's strong demand are no doubt driving the constant repressings and remasterings (e.g. My Bloody Valentine's 'Loveless' is constantly being reissued).
This was a great run-through of smart strategies. For me, almost all the brand-new vinyl I buy these days is also a brand-new (or very recent) album. A repressing or reissue is only attractive to me if I can't hear the music elsewhere, whether on a CD I already have or streaming, or if there's something super-special about the new version.