Buy Vinyl Records online!
Shopping vinyl records online these days is easier and safer than ever. Online vinyl record stores and marketplaces are many and remarkable.
In this post I will answer the question “where to buy vinyl records online?” and propose the largest, most historic, and most promising places where the largest quantities of vinyl records are available and sold online.
I’ve been buying vinyl records since 1985 and started buying online from the early ’00s from a marketplace that no longer exists: gemm.com Some of you reading this post will remember it. It was a marketplace that had everything even vinyl records in large quantities.
I have purchased thousands of vinyl records from hundreds of online records stores and the places I suggest are tested and used not only by me but by millions of users from all over the world.
In recent years I have been buying records online only from the VINYLOM marketplace. (Υou’ll understand why.)
I’ll start this post first with the music marketplaces from the oldest to the newest, then I’ll mention the big marketplaces that someone can find vinyl records online, and then I’ll suggest some excellent online record stores.
MUSIC MARKETPLACES
Musicstack
Musicstack was one of the first places to buy vinyl records. Maybe the first one.
According to their description: Since 1997 MusicStack has helped hundreds of thousands of collectors add hard to find records, rare LPs, and out-of-print CDs to their collections. Music collectors have come to know, love, and trust us.
Many of our customers have been with us for years, some even decades. when you search MusicStack you are not just searching one record store, instead you are searching over 1000 online record stores and looking through the inventory of millions of vinyl records and compact discs online.
With so many record stores and vinyl record albums located in one place you will easily be able to find all the hard to find vinyl, rare LP records and out-of-print 45 RPM singles that have been eluding you for years.
CDandLP
According to their description: «In 2001, at the dawn of the Internet era, two vinyl record addicts decided to create a website that would connect international buyers and sellers of new and used records and CDs.
CDandLP was born. It quickly became one of the first online marketplaces dedicated to music. The platform available for private and professional sellers grew up non-stop because of the collectors’ interest.
At CDandLP every collector can buy records online from many records sellers worldwide.
Discogs
According to the Wikipedia description: Discogs (short for discographies) is a website and crowdsourced database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases.
The site was created to become the largest online database of electronic music. It is located in Portland, Oregon, United States, and is currently the largest music marketplace in which one can find vinyl records for sale online.
Vinylom
Vinylom is my “child” that I’m quite proud of. It started in 2018 as a side project and today it is a vinyl marketplace with hundreds of thousands of vinyl records for sale which has specialized in Metal and Hard Rock and Rock music (but there are available for sale, vinyl records of all kinds) and grows day by day.
If you are buying vinyl records online, at Vinylom Marketplace right now you can find vinyl records from hundreds of online record Sellers from all over the world and the numbers grow as we speak.
In Vinylom, someone can buy vinyl records that do not exist for sale in any other online places.
If you want to learn more about Vinylom and me, please enter here.
MARKETPLACES
eBay
ebay is also an online place from which I have purchased hundreds of vinyl records.
According to Wikipedia’s description, eBay Inc. is an American multinational e-commerce corporation based in San Jose, California, that facilitates consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its website.
The company manages the eBay website, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a wide variety of goods and services worldwide.
Amazon
Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer and is rapidly growing its footprint in other areas such as physical retail stores, subscription services, and web services. On Amazon, there are online vinyl shops from which one can shop vinyl online.
Bandcamp
Bandcamp’s mission is to create the best possible service for artists and labels to share and earn money from their music, and for fans to discover and enjoy it.
In bandcamp many bands have their vinyl records for sale.
Craigslist
According to their Wikipedia description: Craigslist (stylized as craigslist) is an American classified advertisements website with sections devoted to jobs, housing, for sale, items wanted, services, community service, gigs, reviews, and discussion forums.
Craig Newmark started the service in 1995 as an email distribution list to friends, featuring local events in the San Francisco Bay Area. It became a web-based service in 1996 and expanded into other categories. It started expanding to other U.S. and Canadian cities in 2000, and now covers 70 countries.
In Graiglist one can buy vinyl records online mainly in lots.
FACEBOOK GROUPS
Vinyl Trade Center
There are many FB groups that one can find vinyl records online. I will recommend Vinyl Trade Center which is powered by Vinylom
There one can find thousands of vinyl records online from thousands of sellers from all over the world.
ONLINE RECORD SHOPS & LABELS
No Remorse
NO REMORSE is a Heavy Metal Store and record label opened to cover a market segment, which had not been developed.
The successful discovery of rare discs and special editions, both from commercial bands and from the underground, helped to gain a respectable name not only in Greece but also in many European countries. The success of the music store led to the creation of a department, from which he can re-release albums of the past in special editions with extra material.
Vinylmonster
Vinylmonster is a record store and record label specializing in Alternative rock, Metal, Stoner, Post Rock, and other similar subgenres.
Check out the Vinylmonster’s catalog and I’m sure you will find great albums and rare gems.
RECORD LABELS’ ONLINE STORES
Many Major Record Labels have their own online stores in which they sell their releases. Some vinyl versions are sold exclusively in the shops of record labels. Keep an eye out!
Century Media (Metal)
Spinefarm Records (Metal)
Peaceville (Metal)
In the above websites, you will find all the vinyl records that you are looking for.
One of these will be for you the best place to find your vinyl records online.
Enjoy the digging!
Are vinyl records a good investment?
Many people wondering if it’s worth investing in vinyl records. My answer is that a vinyl record is an object worth collecting for an investment purpose. Vinyl stayed alive mainly because it is a collector’s item and its value is not lost but increases over time.
But you must know a few key things before start investing.
In this post, I will tell you the negatives and the positives of investing in vinyl records. Where and how to find records. Which records and genres on vinyl are in high demand, in which places you’ll get information. I ‘ll tell you how you will get organized and What’s the first thing you have to do.
But first, we have to answer the question, “What is Investing?
According to Investopedia: “Investing is the act of allocating resources, usually money, with the expectation of generating an income or profit. You can invest in endeavors, such as using money to start a business, or in assets, in hopes of reselling it later at a higher price.”
To be a vinyl record investor, you don’t have to wear a suit. You can have long hair, wear band T-shirts, and look to invest in metal records. But Don’t just think about the money value of records and forget the music and the vinyl record experience. It is a trap that you can easily fall into, but I will tell you in a while how to avoid it.
Some music lovers disagree with the collectors-investors mentality and practics and cannot understand the logic of buying records for profit. But here I have to say that the role of collectors is excellent. They keep some vinyl records intact over time.
Without them, there’d be nothing left—no original copy in Mint condition 50 or 60 years after its release.
negatives / positives
What are the Positives and What are the Negatives of investing in vinyl records.
Positives:
- Records end especially these in Sealed and MINT condition do not lose their value.
- It’s easy to figure out which records will increase their value and build a profitable collection.
- Their financial performance is excellent. With relatively little attention from you, any new vinyl record you invest in can at least double its value within five years.
- you can find expensive used vinyl records very cheaply. I will tell you how
- If you like music and vinyl records, it’s going to be a very, very pleasant trip.
Negatives:
- The best deals should be offline, but don’t worry, I’ll tell you how.
- vinyl records need storage space. Big collection, big storage space
- Attention needs to be paid to storage. For example, don’t store records near the floor. (floods also happen on the 3rd floor).
- Also, protect them from moisture. It’s crucial. If the space is humid, get a dehumidifier.
How do I get organized – what’s the first thing I have to do?
Let’s go now and see what the first thing you have to do is.
Make a plan of how much money you want to earn and how long. This will help you get a picture of where you are and where you want to go.
How quickly you get to where you want to is up to what records you’re going to invest iN.
Of course how much you’re going to buy them PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE. I’ll tell you about that in a minute.
Have recorded in an excel file, all the vinyl records you buy in one column, what price you purchased them in another, and how much they cost in a third column. Check the prices once a year to see how much is their value. The demand for some records is going up very quickly so you have to be informed.
What you need to know.
Not all vinyl records have the same demand. I’ll tell you which records are in need so you can buy the most lucrative ones. Invest mainly in sealed records or those that are in Mint Condition. They’re the most in-demand of all. But there may be exceptions to this rule. If, for example, a record was printed in 50 copies in 1980, it may be impossible to find a copy in Mint condition. So you can buy a vinyl copy in VG+ condition.
The price will be just as great. You don’t have to be in a hurry. Get informed, get ready, and wait for the right time. Collecting records is a marathon and the ideal will be to enjoy the process. It’s necessary to love music and vinyl. This will help you do the extra mile you will need, with pleasure. It’s essential to keep in touch with music in general and not just be a collector.
How to find and buy used vinyl records for profit
Find collectors from your area and community and organize your network. That’s why you have to socialize, visit record stores, record fairs and where there are people who deal with vinyl. Hang out with collectors and people who listen to the same music as you. At some point, you’ll find out someone’s selling something you’re interested in.
Keep track of ad sites in your city where some people sell things. You’ll find some people who sell records. Also make it known that you are buying vinyl records. Print and distribute flyers or put stickers were allowed and where there is traffic. Put ads in the local press or on the Internet. Become inventive and think outside the box
For example, ask people to keep an eye out for vinyl records and offer them a fee if they find vinyl records for you. You should also be active outside your city. You’ll have to make some trips. When you build your network, this will be very easy. The best source of records are Individuals who no longer want, and they give their collections or some part of it.
Forgotten Treasures are hidden in basements!
Here there is the best chance of buying diamonds for very little money. Some old collectors no longer deal with vinyl records. Most people don’t give them expensive so that you can find sought-after and collectible records. If it’s a bulk sale, among the collectible records, you’ll also get records that aren’t very valuable, but if the overall value of the collection is excellent, buy it. But always ask the seller if he sells individual pieces.
If he doesn’t sell individual pieces and YOU HAVE TO buy the entire collection, you’ll have many RECORDS that won’t have much value. So here you have to do this: Keep those who have collectible and investment VALUE.
Also, keep as many records as you like musically and that you will listen to for your pleasure. Just because you’re a vinyl record investor doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy music from vinyl records. The rest of the records you don’t want, make them a lot and give them online. One Tip here is to sell them in genre lots. pop, rock etc. This way they will be sold more quickly and at a more profit.
Except for former collectors, look for used vinyl records at charity shops, thrive stores, junk shops, and car-boot sales. There is an excellent chance to find a treasure for a couple of bucks or pounds.
If you are looking for vinyl records regularly in the above stores, As a serious collector, give a card to the store owner and tell him when something is interesting, get you a phone before selling it. But first, you must have made some purchases from the store and shown that you are a valued customer.
A little thing here is that if the shopkeeper alerts you but finally you don’t get anything, give him a small amount of money for his trouble.
When he has new vinyl records, you must be the first in his mind. Spend a little money, and they will come back to you in multiple.
New releases and collectible records
Buy New releases from well-known bands. That’s a safe investment option. The big bands have a large audience and usually, their releases are relatively limited.
One huge thing is this. If the album is good, it’s going to be in demand in the future. Also, chase limited editions of a new album in vinyl. Usually, these versions, for example, 100 copies of red vinyl from a big metal band that has also released a regular black vinyl version, will increase its price much faster. It is a good thing to keep such versions sealed and buy more than one copy.
Also, if you’re buying new records, you’ll have to keep track of what’s about to be released. If, for example, you will collect vinyl records from metal bands, you have to keep track of all the metal record companies, their upcoming releases, and also keep an eye on all the bands’ websites. In this case, maybe you should also do preorders where possible. New releases raise their prices a little more slowly, but it’s a sure investment.
Again, the Tip here is to track very popular bands, and keep the records sealed.
I strongly recommend to buy these releases from local record stores. You will save some money from shipping costs, and you will also support your local economy and the independent record stores, which is very important. Buy also new vinyl record releases from up-and-coming bands.
In the future, they may gain a great deal of value. But here, you need to be informed and very careful. In the future, I will make a video about this topic, so subscribe to the channel and hit the notification bell to notify when the video is up.
Also, look to buy well-known collectible and expensive vinyl records at the lowest possible price. If you see the charts, I ve made for some records in this channel and the courses of their prices over the last 15 years, you will understand why. These records will increase their value in the future.
For example, If you find someone selling a Burzum copy at a reasonable price, buy it. In the future, it will get even more value. Usually, some collectors sell some expensive pieces of their collection for quick cash. Grab the opportunity and try to negotiate a lower price. It’s legitimate, but don’t overdo it. If the price is reasonable a 10% below the asking price is OK. Usually, you will find these bargains offline, so be alert.
Which records and genres are in demand
The genres and the records most in demand are 60’s Psychedelic Rock, Progressive Rock, Funk, Early Punk & Hardcore, Metal, Early Country, Pre-80’s Jazz, Classic Hip Hop, Electronic Music, Ethnic Music, Experimental Music.
Beatles records are also in high demand, and some rare vinyl soundtracks, 45 Singles, Coloured Vinyl Records, Picture Discs, Japanese Records & Import Records.
Japanese records have an excellent reputation for sound quality, which is why they are in high demand. Also in demand are versions or records that have outstanding sound quality. Also, as I said before, limited releases of new albums from influential metal bands, for example, are in high demand.
Signed albums by great artists are of great value. If you are wondering, Reissues don’t cost much, but if this is the first reissue of a scarce record, its price may be high due to high demand. Also, if some reissues have a perfect sound, they are more in demand and therefore price. It would be nice if you like a certain kind of music, I’d suggest you focus on it for starters. Then expand your interest in other species. It’ll be easier for you since the amount of information you have to manage is enormous.
Where I get informed about vinyl records prices?
What interests you as a collector and investor is to know how much a record costs and its price path in recent years if it’s an old release.
Vinylom’s Metal Blog
In the metal blog of vinylom, I present versions of rare metal records, information, prices, prices of reissues, and everything you need to know.
In a post, someone can read the most critical information to understand a record’s value and be informed about the prices. You will find the link in the description box below
Vinylom’s Youtube Channel
If you don’t like to read blog posts but watch videos, this is the channel that you have to watch and subscribe to. You will find everything you need to know about the History, the prices of rare metal records, and more on this channel on this channel.
In the future, I will also talk about many crucial and collectible non-metal records. The content of this channel will help you to achieve your investment goals and make money. How much money you earn depends on you and only. I’m just here to help you achieve this goal.
