So I went to a record store today and...

Mark 1234

AK Subscriber
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I have been to quite a few record stores in many states but have not encountered this before. Today I went to one where most of the records had no prices. I asked what are the prices. I was told it depends on the condition, grade and printing. Sounds reasonable but pretty much every record looked like it came from a thrift store. No protective sleeves and poor cover shape kind of like the dollar bins. Well I picked out 3 and brought them to the counter. The guy then took a quick peek on the first couple inches on one side, pushed it back in the sleeve and and told me a price. $9, 12 & $16. I put two back and stopped looking. Anyone seen stores like this? It was a good size store too.
 
Never seen that before. All the records stores I frequent have the records individually priced, even the ones in the as-is section.
 
I'm pretty wary of shopping where there aren't any prices unless it's a place that just opened up. I don't like to be economically profiled...
That's easy, dress way down, and don't pay as much. :thumbsup:
But seriously I wouldn't buy from a place like that. Even the old hippie that has been running our local used record store for many years prices everything.
 
Definitely not the sort of place I'd buy much vinyl. :no: The owner of the closest used record store to my house uses Discogs to set prices. He doesn't use the average price for sold copies; rather, he opens the list of asking prices on copies currently for sale, and picks a price roughly in the middle. Sometimes the prices are fairly reasonable, but oftentimes not so much. Fortunately, I know the owner pretty well, and I've occasionally been able to convince him that his expectations were off, but it still ends up being an expensive purchase overall. :dunno: At least the condition on said copies are usually damn near pristine, which is what you'd expect for paying "full retail" or more.
-Adam
 
I have been to quite a few record stores in many states but have not encountered this before. Today I went to one where most of the records had no prices. I asked what are the prices. I was told it depends on the condition, grade and printing. Sounds reasonable but pretty much every record looked like it came from a thrift store. No protective sleeves and poor cover shape kind of like the dollar bins. Well I picked out 3 and brought them to the counter. The guy then took a quick peek on the first couple inches on one side, pushed it back in the sleeve and and told me a price. $9, 12 & $16. I put two back and stopped looking. Anyone seen stores like this? It was a good size store too.


Yes, been in one not long ago with even higher pricing.

Thought it is a very bad business model at the time, I was correct.

It went out of business shortly after, his parents were out some money. ;)
 
There is a record store near me that keeps the record itself behind the counter. You bring the jacket to the counter and only then you can inspect. The jacket has the price and condition on it. Probably a smart thing, as it keeps the records clean and safe. It is probably the best run used record store in the area, prices are fair, not cheap, so I have no problem with the way they choose to operate.
As far as the OP, one trip in would most likely be my last.
 
Yes, been in one not long ago with even higher pricing.

Thought it is a very bad business model at the time, I was correct.

It went out of business shortly after, his parents were out some money. ;)
I went to one like the OP mentioned in the Okanagan a few years back. I asked about prices and got told they just come from discogs.
I got a real strong "If you have to ask the price you shouldn't be shopping here" vibe. Pass.
 
I went to one like the OP mentioned in the Okanagan a few years back. I asked about prices and got told they just come from discogs.
I got a real strong "If you have to ask the price you shouldn't be shopping here" vibe. Pass.

There was another recent one at the fringe of the old Vancouver Chinatown, price were in the $45.00 and up region.

Took a loong time in opening but close down pretty fast.

( Should start a thread on your local worthy ones....) :)
 
This is not a criticism, we all free to make a decision on the spot. However, I would have returned them all to the bin, politely commenting that is too dear.
If others do the same he will soon get the message.
 
My store that I have been going to for years, doesn't always have the records priced. In fact I like to grab them as he's going though new arrivals before a sticker gets on them.

Anyway what he does first is go through the records, and makes 4 piles.

Recycle garbage.

Clearance to be sold for .50 cents

Records that are dirty and need a little cleaning or inner sleeve.

To be stickered and put in the new arrivals, no price written on the sticker yet.

Normal prices for the store on most used records are, $2.99, $3.99. $4.99
A few might be $6.99 or $9,00 for something sealed or in demand PF, Zep, Stones early stuff and Beetles.

Then we have higher collectable records and these will be fewer and far between.

At the counter he'll make piles as to what the price is for ringing up, he might say I have to charge you $15 for this or these two will be $25. At that point I can say if I want to buy it. He will have all records on the floor priced by the time it's his day/days off.
 
I guess some don't understand the art of negotiation. I don't have to do it much at my store. But I get offered so many records that most dont see walking in the store. There might be $100, $300, $500 records that get offered to me. That's not a hard price, it's something used and open to a counter offer.
 
Reading some of these post of prices in record store is going to make me bump my prices up more in barter town. :p

I guess I'm lucky my main store has the mind set to move quality volume at low prices. I guess some store think of it the other way around, have records sitting collecting dust and have your customers walking out with one or two records, instead of 60.
 
The one down here is that way too. I took the $65 vg Eat a Peach right back to the shelf. Had it had the price sticker on it, I would have left it there to begin with.
 
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