Post by InvisibleWolfMan on Mar 6, 2008 23:03:23 GMT 2
Hello fellow dwellers!
I was looking at the local paper where I live in Finland a few hours ago and I was pleasantly surprised to notice an article about the local music shop dealer (you know...the one who ISN'T affiliated with some wretched chain). While reading the article, the owner and his employees brought up several interesting facts that the music industry would tell you isn't true in the day and age of the "Big Bad .MP3" ;
1) CDs aren't dead. That's right, they are selling at a steady and consistent rate which allows the shop to not only keep various albums in stock (and we're not talking just the run-of-the-hype-mill stuff) but the bread on their tables and roofs over their heads as well.
2) Last year was a banner sales year. Yep, they sold BOAT LOADS of CDs. And this is a store that is the size of perhaps my living room and kitchen put together. And folks...that ain't that big.
3) Almost 90% of their sales were not discounted albums. Nope. They were the pricey NEW RELEASES.
4) The diversity in their music selection has helped keep the sales steady. Just think back to the old days where your head would spin from the various artists available and the clerk would have to act as your Exorcist just to expel those "play it safe" demons and get you a band you could actually listen to from start to finish. Who needs 300 copies of the latest CRAZY FROG album when you can actually purchase and continually listen to one copy of Yello's FLAG? Not I, says the cat....
5) .MP3's have been helpful! Now that most of you have stopped suffering from your "Sanford & Son"-esqe heart attacks (I'm looking at you, RIAA 
) this is true because the .mp3s that some of the more youthful consumers have downloaded (I doubt they asked if it was legal or not...and we all can make educated guesses how much more one side tips than the other) have ACTUALLY helped them make a decision to buy an older album by artists such as Marvin Gaye, Fleetwood Mac, AC/DC, Prince, Cindy Lauper, Sex Pistols, etc., etc..... Otherwise, they might just go for whatever is the "flavor of the day." And we know those are the first ones in the bargain bin, eh Sony? 
;D
6) They take time and care to help their customer to GET WHAT THEY WANT! Big surprise there, but making a customer HAPPY by ordering that impossible-to-find-at-Wal-Mart such as....let's say....Prince's FOR YOU...will mean that the customer will come back and purchase again. Most likely, they'll even purchase 2 or 3 items MORE at some point. Just because they feel satisfied they could get what they want. Try that at your meglameglohypersupercostsaver79storesand20mallsinonegaintwarehouse where Avril Lavigne and Britney Spears take up 45% shelf space alone and you'll see what I mean.
Folks, it's simple; support your local music dealer. No more mega chain purchases. No more ebay UNLESS it's totally OOP and there's no other way. Order some long-lost albums at your local music dealer and pay a little more. Purchase an album or two more every now and then on top of that long-lost album order and say THANKS. Keep the little shop in business and it just might let the music industry know that the consumers care....and they care enough to buy from the very best.
I was looking at the local paper where I live in Finland a few hours ago and I was pleasantly surprised to notice an article about the local music shop dealer (you know...the one who ISN'T affiliated with some wretched chain). While reading the article, the owner and his employees brought up several interesting facts that the music industry would tell you isn't true in the day and age of the "Big Bad .MP3" ;
1) CDs aren't dead. That's right, they are selling at a steady and consistent rate which allows the shop to not only keep various albums in stock (and we're not talking just the run-of-the-hype-mill stuff) but the bread on their tables and roofs over their heads as well.
2) Last year was a banner sales year. Yep, they sold BOAT LOADS of CDs. And this is a store that is the size of perhaps my living room and kitchen put together. And folks...that ain't that big.
3) Almost 90% of their sales were not discounted albums. Nope. They were the pricey NEW RELEASES.
4) The diversity in their music selection has helped keep the sales steady. Just think back to the old days where your head would spin from the various artists available and the clerk would have to act as your Exorcist just to expel those "play it safe" demons and get you a band you could actually listen to from start to finish. Who needs 300 copies of the latest CRAZY FROG album when you can actually purchase and continually listen to one copy of Yello's FLAG? Not I, says the cat....
5) .MP3's have been helpful!
Now that most of you have stopped suffering from your "Sanford & Son"-esqe heart attacks (I'm looking at you, RIAA 
) this is true because the .mp3s that some of the more youthful consumers have downloaded (I doubt they asked if it was legal or not...and we all can make educated guesses how much more one side tips than the other) have ACTUALLY helped them make a decision to buy an older album by artists such as Marvin Gaye, Fleetwood Mac, AC/DC, Prince, Cindy Lauper, Sex Pistols, etc., etc..... Otherwise, they might just go for whatever is the "flavor of the day." And we know those are the first ones in the bargain bin, eh Sony? 
;D6) They take time and care to help their customer to GET WHAT THEY WANT!
Big surprise there, but making a customer HAPPY by ordering that impossible-to-find-at-Wal-Mart such as....let's say....Prince's FOR YOU...will mean that the customer will come back and purchase again. Most likely, they'll even purchase 2 or 3 items MORE at some point. Just because they feel satisfied they could get what they want. Try that at your meglameglohypersupercostsaver79storesand20mallsinonegaintwarehouse where Avril Lavigne and Britney Spears take up 45% shelf space alone and you'll see what I mean.Folks, it's simple; support your local music dealer. No more mega chain purchases. No more ebay UNLESS it's totally OOP and there's no other way. Order some long-lost albums at your local music dealer and pay a little more. Purchase an album or two more every now and then on top of that long-lost album order and say THANKS. Keep the little shop in business and it just might let the music industry know that the consumers care....and they care enough to buy from the very best.
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