Once the popular choice with teenagers for listening to music from home, the vinyl record was overtaken in popularity by the CD and then streaming channels such as Spotify. However, since the late noughties, vinyl has experienced a growing resurgence in popularity, partly due to the nostalgia factor and partly because there is something rather authentic about the crackling generated by vinyl playing on a turntable. Add to that the collectability of some of the artwork on the covers of vinyl records, and even on the records themselves, and it begins to make sense why some people are selling their old records.
Sales of vinyl passed a million in 2014 for the first time in eighteen years and figures released by the British Phonographic Industry showed that over 4 million vinyl records were sold in 2017. The majority of these sales were reissues of classic albums, but auction houses have been selling rare vinyl for record breaking amounts. There are many platforms available to the vinyl record seller, each of which present their individual pros and cons. Here, we take a look at some of the things to be considered when selling your records, and what to be aware of.
Online sales & social media platforms
Selling through online sites has risen dramatically in recent years and although your vinyl will reach a wider audience, it may not be the specialist audience your records deserve. Depending on the platform, sellers will be charged a listing fee, as well as a percentage of the final selling price and a further processing fee. These hidden charges will not always be transparent and you will need to do your homework before committing. If your buyer is not in your local area, the cost of packaging your vinyl adequately so that it arrives in the best possible condition, plus insurance to cover against damage in transit, could also prove costly.
Classified Advertisements
There are many classified advertisement websites available to list your items on, and that in itself may present problems, as you will need to research which are the most reliable and reputable sites. Classified ads. also expire quickly and will need to be replaced/reposted on a regular basis. This can be time consuming and, in the event of a site with little traffic, time-wasting. With the often-limited word count available to you with a classified ad., it can be hard to do your vinyl justice and, unless you have the scope to direct the audience to additional information, you run the risk of underselling your records. In amongst competing classifieds, your ad. also runs the risk of being lost in the crowd and, if there are tools available to enhance your listing, these may be expensive.
Car Boot Sales
Car boot sales often generate good footfall, but the majority of buyers will be looking for a basement bargain purchase, and may not be prepared to pay the right price, often bartering sellers down. Collectors do frequent boot sales but are often the early birds looking through boxes as fast as the booters can unload them.
Antique Centres
Antique centres such as Hemswell offer a unique setting for the record collector and is therefore the ideal venue for selling vinyl. At Hemswell, buyers can browse at their leisure and examine the collections closely to view for themselves the condition of the records. As the continuing shift towards vinyl is supported by an ageing population for whom nostalgia is key, these same consumers will have a certain level of disposable income and will be looking for items other than vinyl. By presenting over 40 collectors in one location, we are able to offer a unique shopping collection, enabling our sellers to welcome a host of new, likeminded customers.
The market in nostalgia is a strong one and, just as with books, buyers of vinyl interact differently with physical items from their digital counterparts. So, if you have tried selling vinyl in classified ads or on social media platforms, to no avail, a space in one of our centres can offer guaranteed footfall. As part of the largest antique network in Europe, and with a strong industry reputation, Hemswell attracts vinyl record collectors looking for a venue they can trust when buying or selling. Your vinyl can be presented in the best possible way, while our friendly sales staff are on site to help sell it. As we are situated not far from historic Lincoln, Hemswell is ideally situated to attract visitors from around the world and our customers often spend the entire day with us. Our home delivery service will also ensure your items are packaged and dispatched in the most secure way.