Record Fairs, LP prices and lack of CD's in 2023

It's interesting reading these posts about the current record show scene. I used to hit local shows regularly from the early-90's to the mid-10's. I haven't been to any in almost a decade since I cut down on vinyl, buy more CDs and stream a lot of stuff. It seems I used to leave those shows with a pile of LP's and 45's without breaking $20. Then, at the last show I went to (just as the current vinyl revival was gathering steam), the prices on everything seem to really go up.

 

It seems the fairs where you are are very similar to the ones I go to in the UK.

 

It's definitely hit or miss. You might go to one show and walk out with a big stack of records, and you might go to one and leave with one or two. I find the first show each spring is usually better than the rest of the year.

 

Well I don't sell online and most of the others don't either. I don't think that is the problem.

 

Well the show started at 10am, I never see a line to pay a whooping $2 admission and there was no crowd to speak of. It was in a hotel conference room. Having what potential customers want is a guessing game. Honestly for the most part they seem to have very narrow tastes, heavy metal and classic rock mostly. Sometimes, there are some Jazz fans, seldom Americana, folk, World, roots, most of which I have some of but doesn't move. So I have to haul all those classic rock records back and forth just to try and sell a little something.

 

The point is to be there early and be able to get deals on used stuff before the public comes in.

 

I concur that record fairs are on the decline, at least in the non-major cities. I think some fresh blood is needed, here and elsewhere. I always feel like "the kid" at these things (I'm 46). I still attend them, mostly out of habit, but it's gotten so that when I'm flipping through the crates I recognize the same records I flipped through the year before. The problem isn't just a disproportionate focus on classic rock and high prices, but also, in many cases, the lack of updated inventory. If that $40 Camel record hasn't sold in the decade you've been putting it out for sale, maybe it's time to reevaluate?

This tracks with my experience exactly.

 

There were sellers with pretty much all of these, just not many people buying it at the Sunday show I worked. One guy in particular specialized in 90s going forward hip hop and indie. There was a good selection of soul and reggae from several dealers and others with a good bit of punk. I'm thinking the problem is more and more buyers have gotten to where they would rather sit at home and buy online than go out and shop in person.

 

You'd have to use the word 'classic' loosely to describe a lot of the rock records I see at fairs. More like 'Had It's Day Rock'.

 

Well bear in mind that what you like and dislike doesn't always align exactly with what a lot of others might like or dislike. I like to have a good variety of LPs for sale but if I didn't include bands like The Pretenders, Toto, Foreigner and Styx I would end up not selling much of anything some shows.

 

Unfortunately I think this is probably there truest reflection of vinyl today. 95% of the public want they same 95% of albums, and worse yet that 95% represents far less than 5% of the music ever released. So all those commons albums, sold by the millions, “this used to be in $1” albums are still relevant today only problem is most of them have been bought up. So unfortunately that Michael Jackson Thriller isn’t $3 anymore, but you can get his earlier output for reasonable prices, only people aren’t looking for those. Rumours sells for $25 when you used to get it for $5. But you can’t hardly give away Mirage or Kiln Houses. The Who, Stones, Beatles, Doors, they all have tons in their discography that go for under $10-$15, but everyone wants Exile on Main St, The White Album, or LA Woman. They aren’t beating down the door for Black and Blue, Waiting for the Sun. And the reality is most dealers aren’t coming across much of those or any other sought after album with nearly as much regularity as they did 3-5+ years ago. A lot of people are more interested in starting up an eBay or discogs account and trying their luck. Maybe they sell all the good stuff in the first couple months then the rest sits around. Maybe they get hit with a bunch of returns for improperly graded items and decide it’s not worth the hassle. Storage unit buyers, who used to part them out are now trying to squeeze their lemon dry. I think the fact of the matter is a (large) chunk of buyers have very narrow tastes, when prices were cheaper it’s easier to justify tossing in a few extra $2-$5 albums, when those same albums are now $5-$10 it’s a bit less appealing, but if Joe Seller knows he doesn’t have another 5 copies of Mirage in storage, maybe instead moving it for $5 he holds out for a few months to hopefully get $8.

 

I'm not and I don't like the assumption you've made. I'm not thick, thank you, and have the intelligence to know it's not about what I buy and like. I've been buying records for 40+ years and know what people generally buy. It isn't Styx and Nazareth unless it's cheap. I haven't missed a local record fair since 1990. Of course they'll sell the occasional album but these are artists that sold a load at the time and there isn't anywhere near that interest now or since. The records are very common and the prices I very often see on them doesn't reflect that. I've sold a Styx album this week. It doesn't mean I'll be able to sell it again and again, even cheap. They aren't popular in the UK and never really were. Rock is a great seller. Had It's Day Rock is not shifting everywhere. I am thinking from a UK perspective of course, but there will be similar things going on in the US with perhaps different artists. The Pretenders are a good seller here. I actually like a lot of the rooted in the 70's rock bands. Not Styx though. No way!

The thing is these common albums were always good cheap box finds for people starting or a curiosity purchase. They're now often priced at around £20 with them appearing at every fair unsold for ages.

I deliberately didn't name bands but I didn't have Foreigner and Toto in mind. I know that stuff is appealing to younger buyers over the last few years.

 

Don't forget Boston. Ha.
That first album is pretty great no matter how one wants to label it though.
My neighbor just gave me about 100 albums or so. Born in the USA or whatever you call it is in there.
Not a Bruce fan and I wouldn't even know who to give it to. To clean to toss and I don't sell. I guess sooner or later I'll come across someone to give it to.
I have this happen often I keep and upgrade were applicable and give away the rest. I swear everyone of my daughters friends that wanted them got a full clean Fleetwood Mac run the Nicks years. Ha.

 

I certainly had no intention to offend. I'm simply saying that for all the desire we (you, I and others reading this) have for sellers and buyers to exchange rare records at reasonable prices there are any number of difficulties involved. If I'm going to spend time preparing to go to a record show, load heavy boxes 4 times, get up early and drive an hour one way, and spend 6 or 7 hours at a table I sure want to have the records people want. And I certainly want to price them so that they will sell.

 

I’ve found myself buying less because the sellers have the same old stuff, but it’s only the same old stuff because I’ve already bought it.
Sixes and sevens, six of one and half a dozen of the other.

 

I Have 8 boxes of records that I sell at a show. Each box holds 65 records, so 520 records. If I sell 50 records at a show then I replace them with more records. Assuming I don't replace with duplicates and I go to 4 shows a year, then it will be almost 3 years (11 shows) before what I bring to shows is completely different. And if I was selling at least 50 records per show I would be jumping for joy!

 

No worries! I don't know what got into me there. I can be a strange character at times! My apologies.

I can imagine it's difficult for dealers to get good collections nowadays.

 

That's brutal. It's tough when you have a bad show as a seller. All that work for little reward

It sounds like the actual shows location, or rep, is a problem. Maybe you can branch out and check out some other shows that aren't too far. You can have the best stuff in the world but if the show isn't well attended it won't matter.

 

I'd say a good chunk of the buyers we had at our stall this past weekend asked us if we had a store or sold elsewhere. If we did, they'd be coming to see us. I know a couple of local shops who did shows in the past because 1) they made a lot of money and 2) it promoted their store.

Also, being a seller myself now, I see how many deals are made before the doors open. It can be lucrative for shops to set up. Tables aren't the expensive so they can likely cover their costs or consider it an investment towards obtaining product.

 

Maybe you sellers need to look for another show. That sounds like good quality product. Unless the prices were too high, stuff like that should sell. My guess is, wrong crowd/area for it.

 

I thought the first Boston album was one of those like Bat Out Of Hell, Van Halen and Rumours, it just sells and sells and has since it was released.

 

It certainly runs hot and cold, This particular show is a part of a circuit that runs in the Southeast US, four shows a year in a half dozen or so cities and has been running for a couple of decades at least. A few sellers run the whole circuit but most only do the one or two stops close to them. And Raleigh is a major metropolitan area with lots of people with high incomes. There are a couple of other shows within reasonable driving distance but there is always a waiting list to get in. I don't think they do any better though. It's just a bad stretch we're going through and I needed to vent a little.

 

Half of the records I sold Sunday were to other sellers, one that didn't have a table this time and was just out looking for stuff to resell. In turn I bought 19 records with about half of them intending to clean, place in new sleeves and planning to place them at the vintage shop where I have a table.

 

When half your sales are to other sellers, better recheck your prices. You have to be in with the dealers to find anything great.....always has been that way.

 

Not in this case. It is more a product of so few people at the show. One guy bought the Judas Priest for his own collection, not to resale. It was a $25 to $35 record so if he were to resale it wouldn't be much of a markup. The other bought six records for $36 that he will probably put out at his vintage shop table for $10. I bought some records from a seller that just needed to clear out some records, paid between $1 and $3 for them and I'll take to my vintage shop table and sell for $4 or $8.