starting an online record store....

How do i go about purchasing cd's at a wholesale cost? do i contact record companies? anything would help!

 

starting an online music store without even knowing where you're going to get your music sounds a bit ambitious.

might be wise to start off on a smaller scale or at least develop some sort of unique business plan & set of strategies before you dive head first into all this.

 

which is why im trying to find out how to go about getting the cd's at a whole sale cost. do you have that answer to that question?

 

I think the only way would be to affiliate with some of the larger online music stores.

 

You could try to get in contact with record companies, but asides from you getting them at wholesale price, you'd have to pay them royalties.

 

I would walk into your local record store. Virgin, HMV whatever and ask the manager simple but it will work. I do it all the time when I want to find out where to get products.

You could also ring the record label and ask for the distributor in your area. They usually have a sales team and end up ringing you to get an account. You will usually have to have a incorporated business though, as they won't deal with an individual.

 

You need to get them from a distributor. Most of the majors have special deals with the large chains, so you won't be able to complete on price, but some of the indie distributors are still open to mom and pops.

Google "record distributor".

 

You could always try starting out by selling used CDs. Put a classified ad in the paper saying you're buying CD collections. A lot of people are putting their collections on their PC and iPod, then throwing away the CD's. Say you'll pay cash and make pick-ups.

 

cool they all sound like great ideas. I perosnally like everything. mainly metal,punk, industrial and so on. I like alot of shit that most stores do not have. I would sell basically alot of the normal cd's as well.

I tried contacting a punk record label and there was no response. I just need someone whos not a stuck up asshole record company guy to tell me how i get the cd at a good selling price.

 

Seriously dude, your prolly gonna get that alot if your just a one man shop with an online store. Their only interested in dealing with big volume sellers. That's why in my previous post I mentioned affiliating with other companies.

 

yeah i know thats the tough part. i need to find out how to get past that.

thanks

 

LOL I deal with labels like that all the time, some big, some very small. They're really not that bad. Quite simply, you need to give them a reason to want to talk to you. What on earth are you actually going to do to benefit them? They surely don't care if a small site is selling their stuff, because they're making a fortune w/ their current distribution outlets. They don't care what your ambitions are.

My suggestion: work with independent artists. Look at sites like www.cdbaby.com and www.smartpunk.com. Look at their business models. Find a way to improve upon them. When you build enough of a following with unsigned artists, getting the indie labels to notice you won't be as difficult. I honestly think you'd make more money this way too, and have less of a volume of inventory to deal with shipping and storing. Better yet, choose a specific niche. I had a link exchange request recently from a site doing this in India or someplace. They focused on rare, independent CDs from all over the world ... a lot of ethnic work on there. It had a nice design (can't remember the site off the top of my head), and I remember seeing it and thinking "wow. This is really a great site, and not like all the other ones wanting indie artists to sell through them." They hit a good niche. That's the key to almost any business.

Jenn

 

you should have a marketing plan before starting a business online, gain infos and checking your competitors strategies may help to expand you business... and it's better be legitamate to gain the trust of your client or else they will get you real bad...