Vinyl for Sale

Curious about unlocking the true value of your collection? I sat down with two experienced sellers, and their conclusions were mind-blowing

Photo by Mike Petrucci on Unsplash

Your records are assets. Selling them can give you an additional income stream and connect you with like-minded individuals around the world.

Many sellers try, and fail, to the make the most of this exciting yet admittedly challenging venture. But don’t take my word for it…

Hear it from the experts

Brad Kyle

from Musicstack’s favourite corner

Front Row & Backstage

sold —from the comfort of his home in Texas to happy customers around the globe— his astonishing collection of over 2,000 records. An incredible feat, if you ask me!

LA native

Kadrian Alvarenga

from the wonderful First Pressing is the proud owner of Latin Gold Records, specialising in Latin music at accessible prices, plus a curated selection of world, funk, soul, jazz, rock and more. And the packaging is lush, guys!

Needless to say, you’re in good hands.

Sourcing

Procuring the records is the first big conondrum.

Brad’s formative years (‘60s) were synonymous with the promotional records his father, who worked in radio ad sales, would bring home.

After graduating high school in 1973, Brad continued collecting promos throughout his 4 years in radio and 6 years in retail records.

When not working (or taking pictures with the Ramones), he would occasionally trade at record fairs in the late-’70s and early-’80s.

Like Brad, only a few decades later, Kadrian’s own personal collection was also his initial source of inventory.

And he also went crate-digging: Facebook Marketplace, garage sales, thrift shops, record stores… everywhere.

His top tip for procuring records? Ask family and friends, especially older generations. Chances are they have stacks of records they want to get rid of. Plus, it’s a great way to bond with them as you explore their collections.

The “why”

Some sellers need the money and/or the space. Others see it as a long-term venture.

For Brad, decades of hauling around his 2,000 LPs and hundreds of singles every time he moved got tiresome. This liability started to outweigh the pride of ownership and the joy of spinning.

Most of his records were rare collectibles, which command a premium on the secondary market. Selling them online to eager collectors around the world was a no brainer.

Photo by Anson Wilson on Unsplash

For Kadrian, selling records was the realisation of a long-term project. An opportunity to take his passion to the next level.

Setting up a store (with a distinctive brand identity and ethos) was the ideal platform to make his vision happen.

Notice how they devised different strategies to achieve their respective goals. Know why you sell… and act accordingly.

Don’t sell in bulk

If, like Brad, you want to sell your entire collection, take the time to list (and sell) your records individually, like he did, which brings me to my next point…

Be specific

Keep accurate and complete notes on each variant you own. On Discogs you can filter by format, country, and year, for example.

Collectors are obsessive folk. Ensure your buyers know exactly what they’re getting.

Track ‘em all

The above is also true for your expenses. Kadrian strongly recommends tracking everything: from your mileage to pick up or deliver, through marketing goodies, to shipping material. This will help you define your ideal profit margin.

Photo by Mirta Fratnik on Unsplash

TLC

Proper storage, adequate cleaning, and stylus maintenance will go a long way in ensuring your collection holds value over time. Look after your records as if they weren’t yours.

Easy with the grading

Grade conservatively and avoid “Mint” gradings unless the record is still factory sealed. You don’t want to deal with unhappy customers. Underpromise and overdeliver.

Know your audience… and yourself

As 90% of Brad’s records were white label promos, he wisely gravitated towards the online auction arena, where market demand rules.

Early on in his journey, he noticed well over half of his sales were to overseas buyers, particularly Japan, where pragmatism and reliability are important cultural tenets.

He sold his entire collection on eBay at the turn of the century. Excellent timing, as records were at their scarcest point.

Photo by Aitziber Ruiz de Eguino on Unsplash

Kadrian wanted to dive deeper into his passion, build connections within the record vendor community, and bring people joy through records… just like records keep bringing him joy every day.

Notice how Brad lived (not just existed) through the famous “golden era” we, younger collectors, so passionately covet. He experienced in the flesh what we rhapsodise about.

Kadrian, on the other side of lockdown, craves meaningful exchanges through records, and wants to bring the human element to a frenzied post-vinyl-revival world.

Where are you in your vinyl journey? What can, or should, your customers expect from you?

Money matters

Kadrian did not mince his words:

“If you are looking to get rich selling records, you may have chosen the wrong business venture. At the end of the day, selling records comes down to two things: passion and the customer”.

Be ready to make sacrifices. Success won’t come overnight.

However, with patience and determination, some gains are possible, especially if you have rare collectibles.

A Japanese buyer eager to get a copy of Alan Gordon’s The Extragordonary Band (1976) gave Brad his top record price, at $500.00 (currently listed on Discogs at $799.00 on the low end).

Brad suspects this one (from Discogs) might have been the one he sold, given the similar ring wear and the sometimes-tell-tale punch hole in the upper right-hand corner.

If you’re considering selling (or auctioning) all or part of your collection, do your homework. And follow your instinct:

“Another bidder had tried to tempt me with $300.00 if I ended the auction early… Thankfully, I waited out the end of the auction!”

Customer experience

For Kadrian, wrapping and packaging are opportunities to elevate the customer experience. As well as using quality LP mailers and corrugated boards, he includes a sticker, postcard, catalog card with a personal thank you note, and wraps it all in gold tissue paper.

“I want you to feel like you are receiving Latin Gold and get excited. Buying records should be an experience you love”.

If you’re shipping overseas, Brad recommends getting an exact shipping price by having the unsealed (but ready-to-go) package, with the buyer’s full address, weighed at your post office beforehand.

This way, you don’t have to guess, or short-change either yourself or your buyer… or needlessly over-charge your buyer!

Customer service: it’s all in the detail.

Lessons on time… and timing

Brad sold his records fairly full time for about 5 or six years, while also substitute teaching, and helping his mother bring her 4-decade-old entertainment booking agency into the computer age.

Selling an entire collection comes with sacrifices. But can you put a price on your freedom? Or on your ability to help loved ones?

Notice how the flexibility of the job allowed him to take care of other projects. His records gave him joy at the best possible time, flexibility when he needed it most, and connected him with the world:

“After just a couple years, I felt you could name a country on the planet, and it would be one I’d already sold to!”

Kadrian told me his biggest lesson is also one of his biggest regrets: not starting sooner.

He had this record store idea nearly ten years ago, but was too afraid to make the jump. He kept convincing himself he wasn’t ready.

“I’m learning from this and working to never let it happen again. Learn from me: don’t wait on your dreams. Do it now.”

Thank you, Brad and Kadrian, for your invaluable contributions and generosity.

Happy spinning… and selling!