Why can't you sell your C.D.'s in Record Stores?

[capnkid]

Why couldn't some one press off a couple hundred C.D.'s and take 10 each to different stores and offer Half of the profit to the store?

[grn]

it's called consignment, you can, at independent stores and at barnes&noble

[Blue Bear Sound]

Except for the "Local Artist" bin buried somewhere at the back of the store, you have ZERO chance of getting shelf space at major CD outlets. Shelf space is controlled ENTIRELY by the distribution network of the Majors and is very expensive.... so unless you got a few hundred thousand dollars lying around that you're not using at the moment, fogedabowdit......

[NickSpringfield]

I've done it with my last release at a chain of independant stores called Joe Nardone's Gallery of Sound in the northeastern PA area. They only wanted $3 per cd sold. I got my own little slot in the Rap/Hip-Hop Section too. They have like 11 stores or something, but I only put it in 3 of them, I think. Never sold a single one though. We sold every copy out of the trunk.

Getting them in the stores wasn't a problem for us (for major stores, yes, it's more difficult). Promotion was the pain in the ass. Besides flyering up the entire city, we didn't really do anything. I was younger then, and once I release my next album, I'll be doing things way different.

-Springfield

[LfO]

Originally Posted by grn

it's called consignment, you can, at ... barnes&noble

!!!
Barnes & Noble, huh? How do you get this set up? Ask for the manager of the music area?

[leddy]

Simply getting your CD in the bins won't sell it. If you have a following and folks are going in the stores and asking for your CD, they'll carry it. Without airplay, media coverage and high-profile shows you would be wasting your time trying to get in the bins, for the most part.

[bileshake]

I 've played this game for ten years and before I realized there's a simple theory to follow.

Don't put your album in stores if you don't play in that area / and most importantly... don't tour if you don't have an album to sell.
That kinda nails the whole process right in the bud.

Set up a geographical area that you plan to play in, say three cities an hour a part, have your Cd ready, put it in the stores in those towns. Hammer these towns with shows and promote them like hell. Show you can take over in your area and someone else will eventually offer to handle bigger distrubution tasks with the big record stores as things progress.

There is a company called indiepool here in Ontario Canada that lets you choose which stores across canada you want your album in and they handle all of the consignment tracking B.S. and only charge you about a 1$ a CD. ( this could be inflated now like everything with a $ behind it) Details might have changed but these guys are pretty cool, if consignment is dead they're right on top of the next serious market. (ie itunes!)

[XLR]

I've had consignment CD's in Tower Records, the Wherehouse, Borders, various guitar shops and independent record stores. My experience was that if the CDs just go in a bin, they'll only sell if someone comes in looking specifically for it. At a couple Tower locations, for the several weeks it was in their listening station I could barely keep them stocked. After that, all sales were from my own promo and performing activities. The Wherehouse location I used was very supportive... they let me put up a 10-CD display on their main register sales counter, and they played the CD frequently in the store. My contact there said that the labels pay big bucks to rent floor and counter space from the retailer to compete for the customer's eye.

So unless a retailer provides something like a listening station, in-store play, or display space, their only value as I can see it is in the professional image it may add to have a CD in the store, rather than just selling it yourself.

Tim

[TimOBrien]

The local Barnes&Noble and FYE music stores have their "local band" sections prominently displayed in the main aisle.... although this might vary from manager to manager.

Sure couldn't hurt to stop in, talk nice and respectful to them and ask politely!!!

[BabyGrand06]

So unless a retailer provides something like a listening station, in-store play, or display space, their only value as I can see it is in the professional image it may add to have a CD in the store, rather than just selling it yourself.

Tim[/QUOTE]

You got it right! --Also, pinpointing a geographical location to tour and doing enough promoting to get peaple to the shows is a numbers game in itself. Of the (x) percent who show up, getting those same peaple to take a seperate trip on a diffrent day to a diffrent location to spend more money, days after the show, seems a bit excessive when you could sell the cd right there, while they're hot for it. (and perhaps a bit tipsy!)

[XLR]

Originally Posted by TimOBrien

The local Barnes&Noble and FYE music stores have their "local band" sections prominently displayed in the main aisle.... although this might vary from manager to manager.

Sure couldn't hurt to stop in, talk nice and respectful to them and ask politely!!!

Agreed. The impression you make is as important to selling as how the music sounds.

Here was my approach:
1. Call store to ask if they sell CD's on consignment for local musicians. If so, get the name of the person responsible for consignemnts - IME it was usually the buyer for your particular genre of music (even though they're consigning, not buying it).
2. Call the buyer. Say you’re a local musician, interested in consigning a CD with them, and would like to drop off a CD for them to consider.
3. Send the CD w/cover letter
4. Call the buyer a couple days later to make sure they got it.
5. If they like it, think it's marketable, and think that you'll be easy to work with they'll consign with you. Go in to sign the consignment agreement and deliver the CDs

Tim

[XLR]

You got it right! --Also, pinpointing a geographical location to tour and doing enough promoting to get peaple to the shows is a numbers game in itself. Of the (x) percent who show up, getting those same peaple to take a seperate trip on a diffrent day to a diffrent location to spend more money, days after the show, seems a bit excessive when you could sell the cd right there, while they're hot for it.

Yeah, definitely best to sell at the performance. But having the CD in stores also allows for secondary word of mouth sales... somebody hears from a friend who got a CD at a show that it's good and being sold at Store X. And Store X will likely be interested in putting up posters of the performer and announcements of their local gigs. So the two things can feed each other.

Tim

[BabyGrand06]

Good Point, Its defenetley worth doing. I agree that it certainly helps the professional image, and to make a few sales, well what could be better?
It would also work well in conjuntion with a wisley planned radio campaign;30 second spots on local radio as well as local cable tv spots. They have a way of raising awarness pretty quick, that is...if you can afford the extra few grand a month in advertising. But even without those mediums, raising awareness is still relatively acheivable as long as there is consistent networking taking place.

[easychair]

As a side note, if you consign, have your discs shrink-wrapped. It may be obvious to some but it wasn't to me.

[XLR]

Originally Posted by easychair

As a side note, if you consign, have your discs shrink-wrapped. It may be obvious to some but it wasn't to me.

I always remove the polywrap on CD's going out in promo packs and replace with a small stick-on label tab to hold it closed that has printed on it "Complimentary copy - polywrap removed for your convenience." Also, on all "comps" to stores it's good to hole-punch the corner of the jewel case insert. Standard thing to prevent that unit from being later put in the "return" bin and being charged back to you, since many stores have liberal return policies. And yeah, it happens.

I agree that CDs in a retail store should be wrapped. And IMO, real CDs only. I wouldn’t approach a store buyer with a CDR.

Tim