amazon.com does it all for you

[dobro]

This looks too good to be true, but check it out. I can't see anything wrong with it. Drstawl, are you listening?
http://www.amazon.com/advantage

Feedback, one and all...

[Emeric]

Looks pretty groovy there Dobro. Like the concept of them selling your cd's and not a botched mp3 converted one.

What's is there take %, I read through it quickly.

[Emeric]

BTW, did you order up your free copy of "making a great master"? I did, nothing to lose, except probably some new mail spam.

[dobro]

Near as I can tell, it's free - no take for Amazon. I don't get it. What do they get out of this? Just increased web traffic? I think I'll email them and ask some pointed questions.

[This message has been edited by dobro (edited 06-20-2000).]

[dobro]

Okay, it's not free - here's their take:

"For music CDs, we will pay you 45% of the suggested retail price you selected. For
example, if your selected selling price is:

$8.99, we pay you $4.05
$10.99, we pay you $4.95
$12.99, we pay you $5.85
$14.99, we pay you $6.75
$16.99, we pay you $7.65
$20.99, we pay you $9.45"

This is way more than you'd get from a record company. The only pisser for me is that you have to be in North America to do it. Perhaps a move is in the offing...

I also like how pro your CD has to look and be before they'll move it for you - bar code, shrink-wrapped, printed on the spine etc. Here's what they say: "Each title, whether book, CD, video, or DVD, must also satisfy Amazon.com's suitability standards. These standards currently relate to quality, value, subject matter, production standards, and compliance with intellectual property laws."

In other words, if they take your CD, it isn't going to be advertized with a lot of no-hopers.

There's this too, which adds to the reality factor:

"If we find that there is insufficient customer demand for your title, we may choose to no longer hold copies in inventory. In such a case, we'll return all copies to you. You will pay all charges (including packaging, insurance, and freight) incurred to ship copies from the Amazon.com Advantage distribution center to your location. Although the title will no longer be part of the Amazon.com Advantage program, we would be happy to discuss other ways that we might sell the title."

In other words, if you can make it work, it's galaxies better than mp3.com, although you could use mp3.com as a way to make more people aware of your music.

[Buck62]

Because we duplicated over 1,000 cd's with Oasis, we received a years worth of distribution through "The Orchard".
Our cd's will be available through Borders Books and Music online, camelotmusic.com, and amazon.com... and they only take 33 percent.
We're also donating a dollar per cd to charity, so the better percentage rate really helps.

[gordone]

You may also want to look into http://www.cdbaby.com I don't remember the cut they take, but it seemed more geared towards DIY'ers...Alot of "homemade" recordings if I remember correctly. I almost sent my "demo" CD there, but I settled on setting up my own website.
Good luck all!

[This message has been edited by gordone (edited 06-21-2000).]

[David Hooper]

CD Baby is the best choice for indies. Amazon is fine, but it's easy to get lost in their huge selection.

People go to CD Baby looking for indie music and they only have about 2500 titles, so you're in a lot better shape to have somebody take a chance on you there.

If course, if you're actively promoting your product, you can send people anywhere.

dave @ kathode ray
www.indiebiz.com

Email biz101@kathoderaymusic.com for a free music promotion course.

[Emeric]

Seeing this post revived reminded me - I got my free "making a great master" booklet. It's about 20 pages of stuff everyone has already read, they don't discuss mastering at all. Took about 3 minutes to read and a second to trash. Don't order it - waste of paper as well as trees.

[bball jones]

Dobro,
I totally agree with you in using mp3.com solely as a promotion site - I usually post the dregs there - just enough to let people know I am still alive.
Emeric,
you got a witness here. DAM cd's make for fine coasters.
Buck 62,
The Oasis sounds like a great deal, but - - - I don't need a thousand of the mo fo's right now either.

Right now I am concentrating on a somewhat extensive local "push". I will do everything
from writing the music to licking the stamps on the padded cd mailers. I intend to hit very local clubs, bars, cafes and a few select radio stations. Hell, if I can get 20 out that would be a great accomplishment.