Selling CDs on consignment??

[mjr]

Curious...

Would music stores sell a CD on consignment? For instance, if I walk into XYZ music store and say to them, "Here are X CDs of mine. I'd like to put them on your shelf. I'll pay you Y% (let's say 25%) of the sales of the CD."

So I put 50 of my CDs in XYZ music store for $10.

XYZ music store sells all of them (for simplicity's sake) = $500 (no tax, simplicity's sake)

XYZ music store gets $125, I get $375.

The $125 that XYZ music store makes would basically be "free" money, since they didn't order the CDs.

Does anyone think any music store would do this?

If not, could I just put a few songs on a demo CD and ask them if I can just leave them for anyone that wants one, maybe with a sign that says "Free Demo CD!" or something?

 

[ssscientist]

You will find a 'consignment disc' section at some independent record stores, but it would take a superior individual to be willing to spend an afternoon taking disc after disc to the listening post in search of a good one.

The consignment section is --- and has been for a lot of years now --- a bad place to put your music.

The free demo thing is a better idea, but be aware that it's a fair bet that only one or two out of fifty will reach your target audience. Anyone will pick up something that's free because that's exactly what it's worth to them --- nothing.


.

 

[mjr]

You will find a 'consignment disc' section at some independent record stores, but it would take a superior individual to be willing to spend an afternoon taking disc after disc to the listening post in search of a good one.

The consignment section is --- and has been for a lot of years now --- a bad place to put your music.

The free demo thing is a better idea, but be aware that it's a fair bet that only one or two out of fifty will reach your target audience. Anyone will pick up something that's free because that's exactly what it's worth to them --- nothing.


.

That's true. But if I'm doing the "free" thing to get my name out, and I specify the type of music, that may narrow down who actually takes the CD.

So if I put a pile of, say, 20 CDs on the counter, and put a sign that says "Free Country Music Demo CD" or something like that, it may only attract country music fans.

And like you said...if they take it, and don't like it, no money lost. They can do whatever they want with the CD...it was free (to them, anyway!).

 

[leavings]

Most independent stores will sell on consignment, especially the albums of local artists. Some of them may even buy your CD outright (for four to six bucks); I think the best means of getting your CD into stores depends on your objective.

If your goal is exposure, then I suggest another strategy (that I believe I first heard on this board). Take a few CDs to your local record store and talk to the owners, tell them what your music is about and give them an open one to listen to and/or play in the store. On top of that, give them a few discs to sell at whatever price they want along with a good-looking display so that they don't have to think or put effort into placing them. This gives them great incentive to try and move your album because whatever they sell it for is pure profit. Tell them that if they go through the first couple, you would love to sell them some more (either outright or on consignment), and exchange contact info. Some stores probably won't sell them, but some will. It's a great way to get your CD into people's hands without making it seem cheap or valueless.

If your goal is to make money off of your album, then you're fisting the wrong hole (as it were). Unless you're already fairly popular, the volume of discs you'll move through local stores in a month will be peanuts compared to what you sell at a single decent show. That's not to say it isn't worth doing, just that you're not going to get much dough from it.

That's my word,
Peter

 

[wargasms]

Consignment is a great arrangement. espeicially if youre doing your part and promoting yourself .....

i am going to make sure our cds are stocked strategically in different areas around town so that those i am passing flyers to or who have heard me or heard of my music can conviently go to a local store to purchase the cd..


of course CDs will rarely sell themselves...but if you are actually doing some ground work, consignment arrangements are great

 

[DavidK]

If your goal is to make money off of your album, then you're fisting the wrong hole (as it were). Unless you're already fairly popular, the volume of discs you'll move through local stores in a month will be peanuts compared to what you sell at a single decent show. That's not to say it isn't worth doing, just that you're not going to get much dough from it.

That's my word,
Peter

Perhaps, but the old cliche is true: You get fans one sale at a time. Some people never go to shows and wont buy a CD online, but if you can direct them to a store and they see the CD they MAY buy it.

 

[Bondo]

Most locals seem to want to do it in the two to four dollar commission range on a ten dollar disc. That is my experience, though we havent been super successful with that.

 

[wargasms]

also its good for visibility...if it is in the local artists section, people who support locals of your genre might check you out..


just having your product on the shelf is good for convenience of supporters, and to establish yourself as an artist in your community...

its about 6 stores in my city with consignment arrangements

Papa Jazz
Manifest
Sounds Familiar -2 locations
Uptown Sounds
and Big Apple Music

each accepts i think 10 CD's at a time (some have said 11 so that they can play your CD in the store while shoppers browse for music.)

all of them only get 3-4 dollars off of every CD sale.

 

[mjr]

also its good for visibility...if it is in the local artists section, people who support locals of your genre might check you out..


just having your product on the shelf is good for convenience of supporters, and to establish yourself as an artist in your community...

its about 6 stores in my city with consignment arrangements

Papa Jazz
Manifest
Sounds Familiar -2 locations
Uptown Sounds
and Big Apple Music

each accepts i think 10 CD's at a time (some have said 11 so that they can play your CD in the store while shoppers browse for music.)

all of them only get 3-4 dollars off of every CD sale.

That's something like what I'm looking for, except they don't have to play it in the stores.

 

[RAK]

That's sort of how the record labels do it with stores like Target or Wal-Mart. They just rent out the space from Target or Walmart, and then do whatever they want with it.