No Two Ways About It: Collecting Records Can Be Expensive!
So let me help you find some deals and save you some money. Whether you are new to collecting records or you are an old, grizzled, seasoned pro, the simple fact is that collecting records can be expensive, and it not getting any cheaper either. Prices are continuing to go up for used records as well as new records. I hope to present here some methods of how to find cheap vinyl records on sale and save money doing it.
Let me help you find some deals.
The Cheapest Places
The three cheapest places you can go to purchase records are not online. Sorry, the real super deals are out in the real world. These require time and determination and often drive around a lot, but this can really pay off if you have a little luck on your side.
There are risks to buying used vinyl, such as quality of playback and condition. But these offer the most potential bang for your buck.
Special Note: When shopping for used vinyl, you should always inspect the record before buying it to check the condition and see if it is the right record in the jacket. I have often forgone this advice and later get home and see I bought a record that was trashed beyond belief or a different record than the cover of the album inside. Oh, the disappointment…so check for condition and make sure the vinyl title matches the album jacket.
Look closely at the record for scuffs, scratches, and mistreatment. Determine after looking at the condition of the record if it is worth your money. It is important to note that how a record looks doesn’t always determine how it plays, so make an educated guess on it whether or not it is worth your money.
Be prepared to see a lot of mistreated vinyl.
Garage Sales
This is the most obvious and every town or city has garage sales throughout the year. It just takes time to stop and get out of your vehicle to shop. You never know if a garage sale has any vinyl records or not, but you have to stop and see. Some of the best deals can be had here, as I have seen quality vinyl being sold for a quarter.
A lot of the time, you will be walking back to your vehicle and thinking to yourself why did I stop here? But be patient and determined because you will find some good deals eventually. Plus, you might find other things you need or want at garage sales; you just never know.
Estate Sales
Not only can you find cheap vinyl at estate sales but you can also find cheap vintage audio equipment as well. Keep an eye out online as well as in your local newspaper and flyers.
Thrift Stores
Almost every city has several thrift stores with discounted used vinyl for sale. Oftentimes these can be had for $1.00 or $2.00. Personally, I have found quite a few expensive rare records at thrift stores for a super cheap price.
Find Online Vinyl For Cheap Prices
Deals can be had online if one knows where to look and puts in the effort. I like to present some of the places where I find vinyl for sale online. There are some great deals to be had online for sure.
Amazon Deals For Records
Amazon has everything, right? They sell a ton of new vinyl, but they also have a lesser-known sub-section called Amazon Warehouse. A place where you can buy slightly damaged vinyl records; either the jacket cover or the actual vinyl media itself is damaged. These usually are returned products but with a little damage to them. These can be a great way to find newer albums cheap, as long as you don’t mind a little minor damage.
Amazon states on its warehouse page: Quality pre-owned, used, and open-box products. Mostly, it can be just a packaging problem with damage to the outer packaging, but it can also be other things as well. Thankfully, every item has a condition categorizing the problem so you can make an informed decision before buying the product.
Personally, I can deal with slightly damaged products, but I want the vinyl to be in almost pristine condition, and the jacket can be thrashed. For me, it’s about the music, as long as it plays with no skips or scratches and minimal pop & clicks I am happy. What are your levels of acceptance for damaged vinyl?
Amazon Prime Membership Benefits
Do you have Amazon Prime? You should! Having an Amazon Prime Membership really pays off as you get free shipping on purchases along with Prime’s streaming service, Amazon Music, and so much more. This really pays off in saving you money in shipping costs.
If you buy a lot from Amazon, you should really consider getting a Prime Membership. They have a 30-day Free Trial Amazon Prime Membership; it’s worth checking out.
How To Use Amazon Warehouse Deals
You can find some great deals here!
Head over to Amazon Warehouse. On the left-hand side, you will see CDs & Vinyl; click that. Scroll down, and again, on the left-hand side, you will see Format. Under the format is a box for Vinyl; check that box, and it will automatically take you to all the discounted vinyl.
Once there, you can search all the vinyl they have on Amazon Warehouse. Once you find something you like, you will see underneath the album More Buying Choices they list a price with how many used offers.
The worst part of buying this way is there is no standard grading method. The items can widely vary, as some items say they are heavily damaged and come with just a slight mark. It can be really a hit-or-miss thing. Thankfully, Amazon’s customer service is great, and you can just return the product with a full refund if you are not fully satisfied with the condition. So, it is worth the gamble.
This is a great method of finding box sets at a substantially reduced price as well.
Also, note you can find other products (not just vinyl records) for discounted prices, and it is a great way to save money on other products you intend to purchase at a discount.
Discogs
Discogs is really a great resource for every vinyl collector, and you should definitely be on there. If you don’t have an account, you need to sign up today. There is a wealth of useful resources to help organize and catalog your collection, and it is an awesome place to buy and sell records.
Once you have created an account, you can start adding it to your Wantlist. This is where you can add any album you want, and Discogs will send you alert messages when that product is for sale. Sometimes you can find really good deals. This might require constant attention to find really good deals from your Wantlist.
Overall, compared to eBay, I find the prices for albums are much cheaper on Discogs. So, I normally do more shopping on Discogs than on eBay.
Reddit is full of amazing resources to find vinyl deals online. My favorite sub-Reddit by far and away is r/VinylDeals. This is where people post vinyl price deals from all over the internet. You can check this daily or hourly to find great deals online.
You might have to scroll for a while to find something you want and need, but there are always deals to be had here.
Specific Labels You Love
Do you love a specific record label? Go to that record label and sign up for their newsletter or to be put on their email list. For me, I really enjoy Blue Note Records due to their music and the quality of their pressing along with being widely considered audiophile pressing. Blue Note routinely has sales and they notify you when those sales occur in your email.
Also, follow them on your favorite social media platforms for sales as well.
Amazon also has many of the Blue Note Classic Series & Blue Note Tone Poet Series for much cheaper sometimes. It’s a great way to get the best price on these audiophile albums.
For a list of audiophile labels, head on over to my post about The Best Audiophile Labels Both Past and present.
Specific Bands You Love
This is another way to find deals on vinyl records, as the band often times posts deals on their records. Just go to their website or social media and follow them or sign up for emails. This will alert you to newly dropped records as well as potential sales.
Do You Have Any Ways To Save On Buying Records
Now that I have divulged my top secrets for finding vinyl deals, I would love to hear how you save money on vinyl. So, let me know in the comments section below.
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