Vinyl Me Please (store, exclusives, swaps, etc)

[Rowan]

i dont care if my orders will be on backorder for months at a time unless VMP does a full on perfect 3 album streak i am going to only use monthly and only subscribe for a single record

I've been comparing to some other clubs for internationals. These the ones I've looked at.

- Third Man Records (which I subscribe to for the Tidal discount as much as anything) $85/ £65 per quarter but gets you a big bundle of stuff and premium Tidal for £5 a month. So $340/258 a year gets you 4 records and £318 a year gets you 4 records and Tidal HIFI (which would normally be £240 on its own).

- Magnolia - $45 per month, $132 every three months or $516 every 12 months which is £34/ £33/ £32 a record respectively. You get a record and a print

- Secretly Society - $90 (£68 at the current ER) for three months, $170 (£129) for 6 months or $300 (£228) for 12 months which in sterling is £22/ £21/ £19 a month equivalent respectively

- Wax Buyers Club 120 euros (£116) for 4 months or 374 Euros (£337) for 12 months so in sterling your looking at either £30 a month or £28 a month

For an international sub the yearly discounted VMP rate is decent when compared to the others (apart from Secretly is a nuts deal and TMR is more than just the vinyl) but their monthly has completely fucked a goat now. And once their new pricing kicks in post discount the rest is pretty knackered too.

Just for comparison the international discounted ('one time offer') prices and new standards are

$52 for (£39) one month/ $149 (£113) for 3 months/ $279 (£212) for 6 months and $499 (£380) for 12 months which would work out (in sterling) at £39/ £38/£35 and £32 (ish) per record

At the discounted rates (which you only get one shot at they are

$52 (£39) for one month/ $112 (£85) for 3 months/ $209 (£159)for 6 months and $374 (£284) for 12 months which would work out at £39, £28, £26 and £24 (ish) a record respectively.

 

[Bluecloud777]

Out of the loop what's the BVSC problem?

They apparently sold a lot more Buena Vistas than they've expected and have asked people who have picked this record as their main track to change it to swap credit and have added 20 % value to that credit.

 

[Rip_City]

What's your top 3 albums of the 2010's?

1) Julia Holter - Loud City Song
2) Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly
3) Grimes - Visions

Perhaps unconventional choices, but they are the ones that have impacted me most.

 

[Murfocakes]

I've been comparing to some other clubs for internationals. These the ones I've looked at.

- Third Man Records (which I subscribe to for the Tidal discount as much as anything) $85/ £65 per quarter but gets you a big bundle of stuff and premium Tidal for £5 a month. So $340/258 a year gets you 4 records and £318 a year gets you 4 records and Tidal HIFI (which would normally be £240 on its own).

- Magnolia - $45 per month, $132 every three months or $516 every 12 months which is £34/ £33/ £32 a record respectively. You get a record and a print

- Secretly Society - $90 (£68 at the current ER) for three months, $170 (£129) for 6 months or $300 (£228) for 12 months which in sterling is £22/ £21/ £19 a month equivalent respectively

- Wax Buyers Club 120 euros (£116) for 4 months or 374 Euros (£337) for 12 months so in sterling your looking at either £30 a month or £28 a month

For an international sub the yearly discounted VMP rate is decent when compared to the others (apart from Secretly is a nuts deal and TMR is more than just the vinyl) but their monthly has completely fucked a goat now. And once their new pricing kicks in post discount the rest is pretty knackered too.

Just for comparison the international discounted ('one time offer') prices and new standards are

$52 for (£39) one month/ $149 (£113) for 3 months/ $279 (£212) for 6 months and $499 (£380) for 12 months which would work out (in sterling) at £39/ £38/£35 and £32 (ish) per record

At the discounted rates (which you only get one shot at they are

$52 (£39) for one month/ $112 (£85) for 3 months/ $209 (£159)for 6 months and $374 (£284) for 12 months which would work out at £39, £28, £26 and £24 (ish) a record respectively.

This is a push to get people to sign up for annual subscription but they must recognise that with people departing the service it might not last a year. This feels like one final cash grab. I thought they were in money trouble before Christmas but this action has made it very clear.

They apparently sold a lot more Buena Vistas than they've expected and have asked people who have picked this record as their main track to change it to swap credit and have added 20 % value to that credit.

And that 20% is worth nothing with the 50% price increases. They knew this was happening too when they offered it. If you accepted the 20% ‘offer’ you should email in and ask for a proper refund rather than credit

 

[NathanRicaud]

1) Julia Holter - Loud City Song
2) Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly
3) Grimes - Visions

Perhaps unconventional choices, but they are the ones that have impacted me most.

I absolutely love this list! This is a very arty/hip, tasteful, left-field, inner city indie, adventurous person kind of list! I am absolutely in love with list!

This is the most good-looking list yet! If I was to want to date a top 3 decade list, this would be it!

 

[Skalap]

Kamasi Washington's The Epic should be in everyone's list

 

[NathanRicaud]

Kamasi Washington's The Epic should be in everyone's list

It’s not on anyone’s list so far except mine!

So it looks like you and me are a match Skalap! 🗝

 

[Skalap]

It’s not on anyone’s list so far except mine!

So it looks like you and me are a match Skalap! 🗝

You don't like The National and you don't like Country music. How can we be a match?

 

[Kyuuji]

Signing up for a year feels like a bitter pill even with those discounted rates. Swaps will be a bunch of records that used to be available for either £10 or £20 cheaper (depending on if you swap an add on or your main) so I'm not sure how I'm supposed to find those appetising and add-on tracks that seem interesting bump to £30 a choice. This is alongside a general raise in store prices too, so buying fewer records and add-ons to make use of that ""free"" shipping.

If it was just the base track or the add-ons hiking then perhaps could see an argument to be made but they've really managed to uproot most of what made the proposition both attractive and valuable in the first place.

 

[NathanRicaud]

You don't like The National and you don't like Country music. How can we be a match?

Ohhh I forgot about that!

Very well then!

 

[Selaws]

Signing up for a year feels like a bitter pill even with those discounted rates. Swaps will be a bunch of records that used to be either £10 or £20 cheaper (depending on if you swap an add on or your main) so I'm not sure how I'm supposed to find those appetising and add-on tracks that seem interesting bump to £30 a pack. This is alongside a general raise in store prices too, so buying fewer records to make use of that ""free"" shipping.

If it was just the base track or the add-ons hiking then perhaps could see an argument to be made but they've really managed to uproot most of what made the proposition both attractive and valuable in the first place.

Out of interest @Kyuuji are you being offered a discounted rate on your account? The reason I am asking is because I believe you are a relatively new customer? I haven't had anything to offer up a discount even after being with them for several years. I would be intrigued to do the maths on a discounted yearly rate compared with what I am currently paying.

 

[Kyuuji]

Out of interest @Kyuuji are you being offered a discounted rate on your account? The reason I am asking is because I believe you are a relatively new customer? I haven't had anything to offer up a discount even after being with them for several years. I would be intrigued to do the maths on a discounted yearly rate compared with what I am currently paying.

I haven't yet but believe I read that you're supposed to receive the offer on the final month of your subscription (mine is due to renew end of September, and the other October).

The post by @Rowan has a breakdown of the new rates (discount and non discount) in GBP at the top of the page if it helps.

It's so counter intuitive though. Free shipping was a large boon but records being hiked in price means a double whammy of ordering less (and paying more) while also getting less use of that original delivery perk as a result. So they not only raised prices but the knock on effect is diminishing the only other incentive people had lol

Totally bizarre and jumping in blind for a year feels like a large gamble knowing their issues to date and with the prices of buying additional records in mind.

Interested to know your thoughts!

 

[Bluecloud777]

I had been a member from November 2017 till May 2019 and again since March this year. I had the email, but no mentioning of any discounted prices. My membership is still up until end of August, so it could have to do with this. However, I think it's not a good idea by VMP to send out these price increase and add-on increase emails without at least offering discounts to long term members.

I certainly wouldn't go for a year. Too dangerous. I'm not sure if monthly subscriptions will still be available. If I really wanted a certain RotM I would just do monthly. The worst is that add-ons have become so expensive, it takes away the best part of the membership in my opinion.

 

[Rowan]

Signing up for a year feels like a bitter pill even with those discounted rates. Swaps will be a bunch of records that used to be available for either £10 or £20 cheaper (depending on if you swap an add on or your main) so I'm not sure how I'm supposed to find those appetising and add-on tracks that seem interesting bump to £30 a choice. This is alongside a general raise in store prices too, so buying fewer records and add-ons to make use of that ""free"" shipping.

If it was just the base track or the add-ons hiking then perhaps could see an argument to be made but they've really managed to uproot most of what made the proposition both attractive and valuable in the first place.

It's kinda where VMP was when I started with it 5 ish years ago though. Im pretty sure that swaps weren't vast at the time (mainly because they had less exclusives other than the RoMs) and the cost was ball park £25 ish for the sole sub. Most the store was curated picks at decent prices and they were churning out stuff like Ben Webster's Soulville (possibly still my fave all time RoM) Big Bill Bronzy, Wells Fargo, lesser known Weezer and Wilco albums... It was cool. The community was cool, the customer service was always a bit ropey but they got there in the end (as my pile of Carseat Headrest C/D sides show) Indie Me Please.

I think one of its staff basically didn't like the direction the company was about to take and buggered off. Then the forums went, and then it quickly became Vader Me Please. All in 5 years. Crazy

 

[Joe Mac]

I had been a member from November 2017 till May 2019 and again since March this year. I had the email, but no mentioning of any discounted prices. My membership is still up until end of August, so it could have to do with this. However, I think it's not a good idea by VMP to send out these price increase and add-on increase emails without at least offering discounts to long term members.

I certainly wouldn't go for a year. Too dangerous. I'm not sure if monthly subscriptions will still be available. If I really wanted a certain RotM I would just do monthly. The worst is that add-ons have become so expensive, it takes away the best part of the membership in my opinion.

Supposedly they are sending the offer out as your due for renewal. As you are this month you should already have yours according to them on socials.

Monthly is back = $52 There doesn’t appear to be an existing subs discount at all on that tier.

I’m a little salty that it’s happening as they release the first essentials in 10 months that I actually want, I might have gone to $40 or an old price 3 month for a good copy of that spiritualized record, but maybe that’s a good omen that I wasn’t supposed to buy it from them and that there’s a good non plain wider pressing coming down the line.

 

[Selaws]

I haven't yet but believe I read that you're supposed to receive the offer on the final month of your subscription (mine is due to renew end of September, and the other October).

The post by @Rowan has a breakdown of the new rates (discount and non discount) in GBP at the top of the page if it helps.

It's so counter intuitive though. Free shipping was a large boon but records being hiked in price means a double whammy of ordering less (and paying more) while also getting less use of that original delivery perk as a result. So they not only raised prices but the knock on effect is diminishing the only other incentive people had lol

Totally bizarre and jumping in blind for a year feels like a large gamble knowing their issues to date and with the prices of buying additional records in mind.

Interested to know your thoughts!

Ah cheers for that, my sub comes to an end at the end of next month so by the end out august I should have something.

Ok, where do I stand on all this? I've been an advocate for VMP since the beginning. I'm sure you have also found that in the UK record prices are almost always more than those in the US (it might just be a quid here and there, but still more). Being able to obtain records, including standard releases in the past, at cheaper rates than here before you even take into account shipping was a huge 'win' for me for several years. I have certainly made use of that, including buying a pair of Kanto YU6 speakers from them for less than I could find them here in the UK (plus a discount code on top), in the colour I wanted (which wasn't available here) and with free shipping. While I haven't always been a fan of the curation, I have genuinely widened my tastes because of the club which was one of the key aims I was hoping for at the beginning. In the beginning, they really did feel like a club and the forum became a massive massive part of that for me. When they shut it down I too was sickened and pissed off at VMP, and the reason I stayed was that their releases are usually good, good prices, CS always fixes issues (warps/bends ect) and I never joined for the forum anyway as I didn't know it existed.

As soon as the prices become unreasonable (ie more than it would cost for a similar product over here) then it's just not worth subscribing any more. They really have shot themselves in the foot as I cant see how the extra money coming in from existing subscribers will balance out the revenue lost from everyone leaving. If I was offered up a rate that was similar to what I am paying now I would likely stay. As much as we all like to slag them off I do think their packages are good (although curation has dropped in my opinion). I will have to see, in all likelihood I will be looking at a significant price hike and cancel for good.

 

[MovinShadow]

UK customer here. The add on tracks and free shipping were where it was at for me. If the bridge discount is a thing for me when it comes to renewal time, I’ll probably go for it (I do 3 months currently). But, I’ll probably drop the add ons. To be honest, was it all a bit too cheap at times? I know I certainly got my money’s worth and more probably. I’ll miss that good deal for sure- it was excellent value while it lasted!

 

[Joe Mac]

They really have shot themselves in the foot as I cant see how the extra money coming in from existing subscribers will balance out the revenue lost from everyone leaving.

My cynicism says that a 50% increase allows you to lose 1/3 customers, maintain revenue and have lesser production costs. Add to the fact that it’s made international subs all but unsustainable and you can add in likely saved postal costs too.

 

[Bluecloud777]

Supposedly they are sending the offer out as your due for renewal. As you are this month you should already have yours according to them on socials.

Monthly is back = $52 There doesn’t appear to be an existing subs discount at all on that tier.

I’m a little salty that it’s happening as they release the first essentials in 10 months that I actually want, I might have gone to $40 or an old price 3 month for a good copy of that spiritualized record, but maybe that’s a good omen that I wasn’t supposed to buy it from them and that there’s a good non plain wider pressing coming down the line.

Yes the monthly subscription of $52 sounds very crazy for a non- audiophile record. There are so many places where even limited colored vinyl can be bought for a lot less. And I don't feel good in supporting them anymore. I can't understand how they think it'll work to increase both the subscription fee and the add-on tracks (and probably they will also increase the price of store items soon)? It really sounds to me like they are in desperate need of cash coming in, and that's why I'm doubtful they're still around in one year. It even feels a bit like an act of self destruction to me.

I will try to pick up that Spiritualized as my last record from them. I'm sure that there will be a good non plain version coming up later anyway. Fingers crossed you get it elswhere.

 

[NathanRicaud]

My cynicism says that a 50% increase allows you to lose 1/3 customers, maintain revenue and have less production costs. Add to the fact that it’s made international subs all but unsustainable and you can add in likely saved postal costs too.

I think VMP are going to lose more than 50% of it's customers by the start of October! I think more than 15,000 current subscribers will leave! The price jump with little explanation and just all the communication issues they've had, like its too much money they're asking.