I actually work in one of those "High Fidelity"-style record stores. In Chicago, no less. We have certainly taken a hit in sales over the last few years, but it has more to do with large chain stores undercutting us than file swapping or piracy. Note that our sales "took a hit" and didn't drop off completely. When the market changes, we adapt, and this is how:
Knowledge Base - simply put, the people who work at my store love music. We were the dorks in junior high school who would harangue our parents for change to go buy a used Misfits tape, dig through their old Motown vinyl, and get into heated lunchroom debates about whether Question Mark and the Mysterians were more proto-punk or proto-glam. The down side to this is that we don't get laid much. The up side is that we tend to have an easy time helping people find what they need, and making suggestions based on what they like. Repeat customers account for at least 3/4 of our business.
Format - We carrry vinyl, cassette tapes and VHS as well as CDs, SACDs, DVDs...heck - we still have a small laserdisk selection. We sell both new and used. And, believe it or not, the new and used vinyl has been our life vest. Vinyl simply sounds better than digital formats to a good number of people. We sell used CDs for around 40-50% of their list prices and guarantee them the same as we guarantee new CDs.
Inventory - Over time, we have gutted most of our major-label ordering. We keep older titles that consistently sell (The Cure's "Boys Don't Cry", Coltrane's "A Love Supreme", etc.) and do paper-thin new-release orders. For the most part we now order most of our new stock through indie lables or indie distributers. We tend to sell a lot of underground dance and hip hop as well as indie rock. Major-label-oriented giant one-stops do not. Translation: we have that obscure 12" by that band your parents hate and Best Buy doesn't.
We're still struggling, but we're going to be around for some time yet, and doing enough business to make it worthwile.
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We can't anymore.
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- Knowledge Base - simply put, the people who work at my store love music. We were the dorks in junior high school who would harangue our parents for change to go buy a used Misfits tape, dig through their old Motown vinyl, and get into heated lunchroom debates about whether Question Mark and the Mysterians were more proto-punk or proto-glam. The down side to this is that we don't get laid much. The up side is that we tend to have an easy time helping people find what they need, and making suggestions based on what they like. Repeat customers account for at least 3/4 of our business.
- Format - We carrry vinyl, cassette tapes and VHS as well as CDs, SACDs, DVDs...heck - we still have a small laserdisk selection. We sell both new and used. And, believe it or not, the new and used vinyl has been our life vest. Vinyl simply sounds better than digital formats to a good number of people. We sell used CDs for around 40-50% of their list prices and guarantee them the same as we guarantee new CDs.
- Inventory - Over time, we have gutted most of our major-label ordering. We keep older titles that consistently sell (The Cure's "Boys Don't Cry", Coltrane's "A Love Supreme", etc.) and do paper-thin new-release orders. For the most part we now order most of our new stock through indie lables or indie distributers. We tend to sell a lot of underground dance and hip hop as well as indie rock. Major-label-oriented giant one-stops do not. Translation: we have that obscure 12" by that band your parents hate and Best Buy doesn't.
We're still struggling, but we're going to be around for some time yet, and doing enough business to make it worthwile.Labels
Afterhours
Cajual
Glasgow Underground
Guidance
Nervous
Crydamore
Artists
A:xus
Armand Van Helden
Cajmere/Green Velvet
Glen Underground
Fiat Lux
Frankie Knuckles
Lego
Little Louie Vega
Danny Tenaglia
Moodyman
I also recommend the following electronic artists:
(!!!)
Carl Craig/Innerzone Orchestra
Caural
Chemical Brothers
Daft Punk
DJ Shadow
Herbalizer
Kraftwerk
Luke Vibert/Wagon Christ
Mr. Scruff
Orbital
Orb
Tortise
That should get ya started...