Be Careful When Buying Vinyl Records Online

Millions of people are no longer buying music through the traditional format of compact disc. However, those same people that have stopped spending money on the piece of plastic that ruled the 90s, are now purchasing vinyl records online. If you’re one of those people, you should be very careful. The last thing you want to do is spend a lot of money on these items and then have something that you can’t play or that is not what you thought it was. There are some pointers that you should stick to when you’re moving forward. The following are a few tips and tricks that I have picked up from buying a lot of music online. I have spent over 17 years purchasing records from mail order catalogs, 800 numbers, and a lot more. Today, I end up buying in bulk on ebay, or through many other places on the web.

The Conditions Vary Wildly

When you are purchasing used items, be very careful about the grading. There are several scammers out there that will tell you something is perfect, or plays well and when you get it home and onto your player, you will hear a lot of scratches, pops, and hisses and will be awful. You could even clean it and still have problems. It’s with that in mind that you should read about conditions that each seller has, and even ask questions. If they have a high res image that they can take, ask for it. Do not buy anything without doing some research into what their specific grading system is. Buying vinyl records online is fun, but you absolutely need to be wary of this.

Overpricing Runs Rampant

One of the issues that I have found on the web is in regards to the pricing. I have found that a lot of different stores, and even auction websites overprice their items. You have to be careful when paying for a record that someone is double charging, or triple pricing the cost. There are a lot of different websites that you can cross reference to make sure that you are not getting something that is not rare. Sometimes people put up “rare” in their listings and it’s not really true. Do not pay more than what you can find something at new or NM.

180 Gram Releases Work Great

Some people want the original releases and first pressings. That’s good, I won’t knock that. However, if you find that there is a 180-gram release that is new, and available from stores, go for it. You’ll find that these heavier vinyl pressings will sound better, and will last you longer. You will not mess this up fast, and you will find that they weigh a lot more. Sometimes bands will even include download codes, compact discs, and in some rare cases they will add cassette tapes too. Watch out for these releases and purchase them before they run out of inventory.

The Japanese Factor

If you find a Japanese import of any record, buy it. While buying vinyl records online, you will find out that the imported records from Asia, specifically Japan are 180 Gram every single time. That’s right, they will be heavier, sound better, and may even cost less than the USA release. Buy these imports with care as you will have to get them shipped from far away, and that could be detrimental if your mail man hates you.