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

RHANDMJ said:
They are struggling.

Bad executive over-extended and diverted money into a pressing plant venture that a very small company like VMP simply has no business doing.

People were clamoring for new tracks like country and rock, but listening to voices online is not a reliable gauge of market support. Country - particularly old school country - is quite niche to vinyl. Rock was not necessary.

And people complained, and complained, and complained - about anything and everything. Over a year ago I commented that the people demanding repeated replacements on minor or cosmetic issues just drive up costs for everyone else. VMP tried, but now they have come to the end of the line where they just can't sustain that. They can't keep paying for free replacement shipping, no kidding. People are spoiled by Amazon - no problem, restrict buying to Jeff and Lauren. VMP is no Amazon.

I have to admit that I have been swapping for credit more than picking up from any track this year. I have July Joni and Alice, but nothing appeals in August or September on any track. If Q4 is similarly unexciting, I may be out as well.

Too bad. I have to say that VMP has been nothing but first rate to me. I have only received a couple of records that I asked for a replacement, and truth is, neither was a big flaw. Shipping has been perfect. Pressings have been superb. QRP is closed to outside orders, RTI is full up on BN/Universal, Pallas has declined to third rate status, Optimal is pretty full up as well. They could have gone to Memphis or some other shit plant, but they did their best - GZ isn't the worst by far.

There are a fair number of records in my collection from VMP that are absolute all star prized titles, and I am grateful to VMP for doing them. There will aleays be some who don't care for a title, just as I don't care for some. Part of the problem VMP is trying to solve is finding a way to make most people happy with something every month - and that is a tough job.

The 17 people working at VMP must feel pretty low every day with what gets written about them and their co-workers online all the time. It's really sad. Storf's not a guy making $100k a year, he's just a fan working in the biz trying to make a decent living. He's not paid for the personal attacks he gets - over records??

I hope this retrenching is a success. I would be saddened if VMP were to fail, and it would leave quite a hole in my vinyl buying. I wouldn't trade the VMP Roberta Flack, or the VMP Tyner-Trident for a dozen of Chad's Verve, Pablo, Contemporary etc. titles that are safely curated to appeal to a narrow, but solid, audience. At least VMP has balls.
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Amazing post. I agree with pretty much every word.
 
duke86fan said:


if you wanna hear it from the horses mouth instead of me having to explain it with my weird way of speaking (I might have interpreted stuff wrong for example)
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Lots of interesting points here and most make total sense (to me anyway). Im ONLY 45mins in but here are my key points:

Keen to revamp the Swaps into something more interesting, especially for long term members who might have seen the same records months at a time.

Rock tracks are hard to secure. Part of transitioning them to Essentials and removing the dedicated Rock Track allows them flexibility and I guess means they can focus on quality of the albums rather than getting one secured each month.

The more tracks, the more strain on the supply train.

Working on additional member benefits for long term members. "VIP" Set of inventory being an option.

Swap track to allow members to pick up records for the track price without being subbed to the track per say. Some members see the swaps as mini sales and this would allow for that to continue.

More electronic albums and "true" exclusives of jazz records will be possible with the tracks dropping to 3.

Labels tend to want to have their albums in the Essentials (higher numbers) but not the sub-track to it (i.e. Elton John in the Rock track).

Some country records might get dropped as a Swap first exclusive. There are some from the Rounder (?) series which might get dropped as per this idea early next year.

The new Zine has a lot of detail thrown in there. They are aiming to match the quality of the A24 booklets and the size will be "substantial on your shelf".

Classics are always going to be AAA on black vinyl.

Elton John has been a VMP member since 2015 (😲)

Supposedly "Classics" was too open of a term to use for the track and VMP found it difficult to explain what should and shouldn't be put in this track. VMP is going to discuss more internally and might update the name from Jazz, Blues, Funk & Soul.

Finally for this part, I cannot get over how difficult it is to listen to Storf on this episode. I'm sure has a nice guy but every sentenced seemed to be a way for him to brag.
 
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Selaws said:
Lots of interesting points here and most make total sense (to me anyway). Im ONLY 45mins in but here are my key points:

Keen to revamp the Swaps into something more interesting, especially for long term members who might have seen the same records months at a time.

Rock tracks are hard to secure. Part of transitioning them to Essentials and removing the dedicated Rock Track allows them flexibility and I guess means they can focus on quality of the albums rather than getting one secured each month.

The more tracks, the more strain on the supply train.

Working on additional member benefits for long term members. "VIP" Set of inventory being an option.

Swap track to allow members to pick up records for the track price without being subbed to the track per say. Some members see the swaps as mini sales and this would allow for that to continue.

More electronic albums and "true" exclusives of jazz records will be possible with the tracks dropping to 3.

Labels tend to want to have their albums in the Essentials (higher numbers) but not the sub-track to it (i.e. Elton John in the Rock track).

Some country records might get dropped as a Swap first exclusive. There are some from the Rounder (?) series which might get dropped as per this idea early next year.

The new Zine has a lot of detail thrown in there. They are aiming to match the quality of the A24 booklets and the size will be "substantial on your shelf".

Classics are always going to be AAA on black vinyl.

Elton John has been a VMP since 2015 (😲)

Supposedly "Classics" was too open of a term to use for the track and VMP found it difficult to explain what should and shouldn't be put in this track. VMP is going to discuss more internally and might update the name from Jazz, Blues, Funk & Soul.

Finally for this part, I cannot get over how difficult it is to listen to Storf on this episode. I'm sure has a nice guy but every sentenced seemed to be a way for him to brag.
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Thank you for your sacrifice of listening to this for me.
 
Selaws said:
Lots of interesting points here and most make total sense (to me anyway). Im ONLY 45mins in but here are my key points:

Keen to revamp the Swaps into something more interesting, especially for long term members who might have seen the same records months at a time.

Rock tracks are hard to secure. Part of transitioning them to Essentials and removing the dedicated Rock Track allows them flexibility and I guess means they can focus on quality of the albums rather than getting one secured each month.

The more tracks, the more strain on the supply train.

Working on additional member benefits for long term members. "VIP" Set of inventory being an option.

Swap track to allow members to pick up records for the track price without being subbed to the track per say. Some members see the swaps as mini sales and this would allow for that to continue.

More electronic albums and "true" exclusives of jazz records will be possible with the tracks dropping to 3.

Labels tend to want to have their albums in the Essentials (higher numbers) but not the sub-track to it (i.e. Elton John in the Rock track).

Some country records might get dropped as a Swap first exclusive. There are some from the Rounder (?) series which might get dropped as per this idea early next year.

The new Zine has a lot of detail thrown in there. They are aiming to match the quality of the A24 booklets and the size will be "substantial on your shelf".

Classics are always going to be AAA on black vinyl.

Elton John has been a VMP since 2015 (😲)

Supposedly "Classics" was too open of a term to use for the track and VMP found it difficult to explain what should and shouldn't be put in this track. VMP is going to discuss more internally and might update the name from Jazz, Blues, Funk & Soul.

Finally for this part, I cannot get over how difficult it is to listen to Storf on this episode. I'm sure has a nice guy but every sentenced seemed to be a way for him to brag.
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These all make sense. I think the booklet is just pointless. They keep struggling to make it work but I think it will get tossed aside soon enough.

Fun fact, Elton John owns a horse farm near me. I have seen him having a beer a couple of times at a craft brewery that I go to
 
Selaws said:
Lots of interesting points here and most make total sense (to me anyway). Im ONLY 45mins in but here are my key points:

Keen to revamp the Swaps into something more interesting, especially for long term members who might have seen the same records months at a time.

Rock tracks are hard to secure. Part of transitioning them to Essentials and removing the dedicated Rock Track allows them flexibility and I guess means they can focus on quality of the albums rather than getting one secured each month.

The more tracks, the more strain on the supply train.

Working on additional member benefits for long term members. "VIP" Set of inventory being an option.

Swap track to allow members to pick up records for the track price without being subbed to the track per say. Some members see the swaps as mini sales and this would allow for that to continue.

More electronic albums and "true" exclusives of jazz records will be possible with the tracks dropping to 3.

Labels tend to want to have their albums in the Essentials (higher numbers) but not the sub-track to it (i.e. Elton John in the Rock track).

Some country records might get dropped as a Swap first exclusive. There are some from the Rounder (?) series which might get dropped as per this idea early next year.

The new Zine has a lot of detail thrown in there. They are aiming to match the quality of the A24 booklets and the size will be "substantial on your shelf".

Classics are always going to be AAA on black vinyl.

Elton John has been a VMP since 2015 (😲)

Supposedly "Classics" was too open of a term to use for the track and VMP found it difficult to explain what should and shouldn't be put in this track. VMP is going to discuss more internally and might update the name from Jazz, Blues, Funk & Soul.

Finally for this part, I cannot get over how difficult it is to listen to Storf on this episode. I'm sure has a nice guy but every sentenced seemed to be a way for him to brag.
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What does the Elton John sentence mean?
 
Murfocakes said:
www.vinylmeplease.com

Stakes is High

The final gem in the VMP x De La Soul Infinity Gauntlet, this edition of ‘Stakes Is High’ is on exclusive color vinyl, and is strictly limited to 1500 units. The album that cemented De La as probably the only rap group with four absolutely perfect albums to start their career, we're excited to...
www.vinylmeplease.com www.vinylmeplease.com
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So like a year later… here’s galaxy vinyl of the standard edition With the regular VMP mark up. lol
 
Murfocakes said:
www.vinylmeplease.com

Stakes is High

The final gem in the VMP x De La Soul Infinity Gauntlet, this edition of ‘Stakes Is High’ is on exclusive color vinyl, and is strictly limited to 1500 units. The album that cemented De La as probably the only rap group with four absolutely perfect albums to start their career, we're excited to...
www.vinylmeplease.com www.vinylmeplease.com
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FITTY-FIVE GODDAMN DOLLARS!?!!

Nah, man I am good with my Black pressing for $19.99.
 
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