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

[MikeH]

I really think the biggest mistake they made here (and Paul admitted this on Reddit), was hiking it up 50% at once instead of gradually which understandably comes across like greed.

I know many will disagree me but they've clearly been wanting to move to that more audiophile niche space, like Speakers Corner, Analogue Productions, Mofi, etc and this is bringing pricing in line with that. Whether they actually put out a product in line with that quality or worth that money is completely subjective. It's your money for discretionary purchases and you can choose to support the company or not, and support a company like this or not.
I think it's absolutely wild that people spend so much on MMJ releases which, despite amazing quality, I feel are way more overpriced than VMP and are a much shittier company when it comes to gouging customers. But to each their own

Don't get me wrong, the price increase sucks, and they went about it wrong. And I feel bad for those who really enjoyed the service and can't afford it anymore. But at the end of the day, it's just records and if you don't think it's worth it anymore, it's definitely easy to take your money and buy elsewhere. And if that's the case, VMP likely wasn't giving you the albums you really wanted for your collection anyway.

Here's the thing though...all those labels you mention are WAY higher in quality, CS, QC...they exceed VMP in nearly every category of business. They are almost always AAA from master tapes, they are mostly up front about sourcing, process. They know where their records are pressed. They, for the most part, have great packaging, high quality art work, etc. You're comparing apples to oranges, not to mention that now VMP is charging MORE than AP for a single LP for something of inferior quality. I think I can count on one hand the number of VMP releases that have rivaled the sound quality of AP/MoFi from VMP and I was a member for 4 years. There's absolutely no justification for charging $40 for a single LP pressed at GZ.

On top of all of that, if I want an AP, MoFi, etc, I can choose the title I want and feel comfortable spending $40 on. I'm not forced into buying Patrice Rushen for $40+. I know there are swaps, swaps for credit, etc now but A) there's nothing stopping them from just cancelling the swaps for credit option and B) then I also have to have faith that they will release other albums I want but those too will be overpriced.

It seems they want the audiophile money without doing any of the actual steps to get there. Also, their marketing is CRAZY to me. Most "audiophiles" see VMP as an overpriced gimmick because of how they are marketed. When I tell people that Kevin Gray has done work with VMP and that the classics track was mostly AAA, pressed at good plants and actually sounded good, they were really confused by it.

 

[Rowan]

Here's the thing though...all those labels you mention are WAY higher in quality, CS, QC...they exceed VMP in nearly every category of business. They are almost always AAA from master tapes, they are mostly up front about sourcing, process. They know where their records are pressed. They, for the most part, have great packaging, high quality art work, etc. You're comparing apples to oranges, not to mention that now VMP is charging MORE than AP for a single LP for something of inferior quality. I think I can count on one hand the number of VMP releases that have rivaled the sound quality of AP/MoFi from VMP and I was a member for 4 years. There's absolutely no justification for charging $40 for a single LP pressed at GZ.

On top of all of that, if I want an AP, MoFi, etc, I can choose the title I want and feel comfortable spending $40 on. I'm not forced into buying Patrice Rushen for $40+. I know there are swaps, swaps for credit, etc now but A) there's nothing stopping them from just cancelling the swaps for credit option and B) then I also have to have faith that they will release other albums I want but those too will be overpriced.

And we've had this discussion before but firstly if they'd kept a single sub would they ever, ever gave stuck Patrice Rushden in and secondly if theyd stuck it in the store instead would it have sold out.

That record in particular is the one that makes me think they don't have either the quality to cover or resource to source enough really top material to meet their current business model

 

[dhodo]

I know many will disagree me but they've clearly been wanting to move to that more audiophile niche space, like Speakers Corner, Analogue Productions, Mofi, etc and this is bringing pricing in line with that. Whether they actually put out a product in line with that quality or worth that money is completely subjective.

I disagree that it is subjective. The vast majority of non-Classics releases do not meet the objective mastering and pressing standards of any of those companies.

Including Classics, the blurry level tweaked scanned in ringwear covers don't match the quality either.

Edit:sorry, not trying to pile on @MikeH beat me to it and said it better!

 

[MikeH]

@wynn72 I also agree with you on Music Matters being mostly overpriced and being a company that has really shitty practices. I have purchased all of 1 album through them directly, which was one of the SRX albums. Any other MMs I have purchased used from my local or on discogs for around $40-$50 a piece which I think is fair for the fantastic quality. They are another example though of a company who has raised prices drastically based on second-hand sale prices.

 

[dhodo]

@wynn72 I also agree with you on Music Matters being mostly overpriced and being a company that has really shitty practices. I have purchased all of 1 album through them directly, which was one of the SRX albums. Any other MMs I have purchased used from my local or on discogs for around $40-$50 a piece which I think is fair for the fantastic quality. They are another example though of a company who has raised prices drastically based on second-hand sale prices.

Yep, to beat a dead horse, MM is absolutely not worth what they currently charge, outside of the fact that they have manufactured scarcity and somehow have exclusive rights to those titles for now. They were an excellent product at a steep but not crazy price before they went above $45.

 

[hatfieldpdx]

The more I think about the numbers, the more I think that VMP is just actively trying to lower their subscriber base. Hike prices up 40%...if you lose a bunch of members, you could still be hitting the same numbers you're hitting in gross sales while also lowering your production and inventory costs (less members = less ROTMs pressed = less copies of Patrice Rushen sitting on the shelves). Less members theoretically means less CS issues to deal with. Everything becomes simpler. It's a crazy business idea though IMO...to actively piss off your customers and hope that enough won't be mad (or won't notice) and will stick around blindly.

edit: jinx @Bluecloud777

I fully agree, but the crazy thing is, they still haven't addressed their foundational issues. So while some of the headaches might lessen a bit, people are now going to be paying a premium for products that will almost certainly still a) arrive late, b) have spotty quality control, and c) feature "curation" that may or may not be in alignment with how you would ideally like to spend your $. And while customer service wait times should get shorter, issues will almost certainly still be addressed via VMP's random (and maddening) form of triage. Unless they can simultaneously tighten up their business model - which they have promised and failed to deliver on multiple times - hard to imagine those who stay feeling good about the return on their investment.

 

[Joe Mac]

I really think the biggest mistake they made here (and Paul admitted this on Reddit), was hiking it up 50% at once instead of gradually which understandably comes across like greed.

I know many will disagree me but they've clearly been wanting to move to that more audiophile niche space, like Speakers Corner, Analogue Productions, Mofi, etc and this is bringing pricing in line with that. Whether they actually put out a product in line with that quality or worth that money is completely subjective. It's your money for discretionary purchases and you can choose to support the company or not, and support a company like this or not.
I think it's absolutely wild that people spend so much on MMJ releases which, despite amazing quality, I feel are way more overpriced than VMP and are a much shittier company when it comes to gouging customers. But to each their own

Don't get me wrong, the price increase sucks, and they went about it wrong. And I feel bad for those who really enjoyed the service and can't afford it anymore. But at the end of the day, it's just records and if you don't think it's worth it anymore, it's definitely easy to take your money and buy elsewhere. And if that's the case, VMP likely wasn't giving you the albums you really wanted for your collection anyway.

Wanting to? The might actually show that by releasing that quality of record, even just once. The AAA classics are a big step up for them but still they aren’t close to being at the level of the $40 1LP mofi and so to ask $52 for them is insane

 

[Joe Mac]

I think I prefer that they just ripped the band-aid off instead of going up few bucks every few month. Hopefully this is as high as they go for a few years.

So you’d rather pay more money over the same period of time? That’s fucking weird!

 

[Rahawk2]

I remember working for a company that had a pie chart in 4 quadrants

Customers High Maintenance/High Spender
Customers High Maintenance/Low Spender
Customers Low Maintenance/High Spender
Customers Low Maintenance/Low Spender

We were told to do our best to eliminate the Customers that were High Maintenance/Low Spenders and focus on the higher spenders I feel VMP trying a similar approach. For the record that company ended up going out of business.

 

[radiodead]

Also they should have announced this before swaps closed because I would have for sure actually used my subs this month to buy 2 more records at $23. $46 they’ll never get.

 

[wynn72]

Here's the thing though...all those labels you mention are WAY higher in quality, CS, QC...they exceed VMP in nearly every category of business. They are almost always AAA from master tapes, they are mostly up front about sourcing, process. They know where their records are pressed. They, for the most part, have great packaging, high quality art work, etc. You're comparing apples to oranges, not to mention that now VMP is charging MORE than AP for a single LP for something of inferior quality. I think I can count on one hand the number of VMP releases that have rivaled the sound quality of AP/MoFi from VMP and I was a member for 4 years. There's absolutely no justification for charging $40 for a single LP pressed at GZ.

On top of all of that, if I want an AP, MoFi, etc, I can choose the title I want and feel comfortable spending $40 on. I'm not forced into buying Patrice Rushen for $40+. I know there are swaps, swaps for credit, etc now but A) there's nothing stopping them from just cancelling the swaps for credit option and B) then I also have to have faith that they will release other albums I want but those too will be overpriced.

It seems they want the audiophile money without doing any of the actual steps to get there. Also, their marketing is CRAZY to me. Most "audiophiles" see VMP as an overpriced gimmick because of how they are marketed. When I tell people that Kevin Gray has done work with VMP and that the classics track was mostly AAA, pressed at good plants and actually sounded good, they were really confused by it.

I don’t disagree with most of what youre saying but I do think it’s subjective whether it’s worth it. Do all of the titles match the Quality and Curation of those other labels? Of course not. But you’ll find stinkers in those audiophile labels as well.

The big difference is the subscription aspect which locks you in as opposed to picking and choosing. But people want audiophile and out of print titles as well as prices to be affordable, its hard to do both consistently on a monthly basis.

But to each their own, its just records. I used to get outraged and stressed every month because of their BS shipping but Ive let it go, and enjoyed it alot more while realizing the delays dont bother me as long as I end up getting all Ive ordered (which luckily I have for awhile now).
And Im staying on board. For at least Classics (and the potential Vinyl Me Pardner). The extra cash is still worth it to me for how much I enjoy that track

If it’s not worth it to you, I get it. Unsub and tell VMP to fuck off and exactly why they are losing you and leave it at that. Some people are taking this a bit too personally and that stress is not worth it for a hobby

 

[Rahawk2]

So you’d rather pay more money over the same period of time? That’s fucking weird!

I mean they offered a 299 plan for the year which is less then I pay now a month. But yeah it's weird I guess but I'd rather know the prices before hand so I can budget accordingly. I would be annoyed if they went up a few dollars every month

 

[Joe Mac]

I mean they offered a 299 plan for the year which is less then I pay now a month. But yeah it's weird I guess but I'd rather know the prices before hand so I can budget accordingly. I would be annoyed if they went up a few dollars every month

that’s not really properly incremental either though. Incrementally is keeping an eye on your costs and having sensible price reviews every 6-12 month. It’s not have one off 50% jumps to cover your inability to get your fucking logistics sorted out. This is paying for the QC errors, poor packaging practices and the gross wastage causes by forgetting how to bundle shipments. This is not a rise based on the product itself because it quite simply isn’t worth close to that money.

 

[wynn72]

Wanting to? The might actually show that by releasing that quality of record, even just once. The AAA classics are a big step up for them but still they aren’t close to being at the level of the $40 1LP mofi and so to ask $52 for them is insane

Its $40 for me if I stay on a 3 month and honestly Ill probably go to a 1 year with $33 for 1 add on. Thats worth it for me at the quality its at.
If you think thats absurd that’s fine. Its my money.

 

[MikeH]

I think I prefer that they just ripped the band-aid off instead of going up few bucks every few month. Hopefully this is as high as they go for a few years.

The way they went about it is the worst and most unprofessional thing I have seen in some time from a company like them. They are crazy to do it at this time when there have been so many issues plaguing the company. They have used the "we're just a small company trying to figure it all out" excuse for 7+ years now. You can't start charging $40+ for a single LP pressed at GZ, not respond to customers for weeks, allow flippers to get your product and sell hundreds of copies of it, have a non-functioning website, press dollar-bin items and expect people to trust you when you say we'll use the 40% price increase to keep the quality up.

 

[Joe Mac]

Its $40 for me if I stay on a 3 month and honestly Ill probably go to a 1 year with $33 for 1 add on. Thats worth it for me at the quality its at.
If you think thats absurd that’s fine. Its my money.

It is your money and it’s your call. You only have to justify it to yourself. It doesn’t justify it to others or make it comparatively worth that. $33 without shipping would be fair with less of a commitment for me, as an international I used to pay $36 a month on the 3 month plan. Given the quality of their curation the $33 would personally really bite on the weak months. $52 for one month and $49.66 for 3 for me would be unsustainable even if I loved everything about them, especially as the $10 rise in add ons has taken the goodness out of the shipping benefit.

 

[Indymisanthrope]

They are crazy to do it at this time when there have been so many issues plaguing the company.

...and the country. In the month when UI benefits got cut for the millions who are out of work, when the moratoriums on evictions are expiring, when GDP has cratered in general, when a second & more severe shutdown appears at times to be inevitable and/or imminent...

Maybe they're at a point financially where they had no choice (I'm a little curious why a company that has no physical retail or on-premises production requires a quarter mil in PPP loans), but the timing is a bad look both internally and externally.

 

[Rahawk2]

Its $40 for me if I stay on a 3 month and honestly Ill probably go to a 1 year with $33 for 1 add on. Thats worth it for me at the quality its at.
If you think thats absurd that’s fine. Its my money.

Is everyone not getting this offer?

As a loyal member, you will receive special one-time discount if you upgrade to a multi-month term. Once your plan renews, you will receive an email confirming your discounted price.

• 33 month term: New member price $119, your renewal price $89.25
• 66 month term: New member price $219, your renewal price $164.25
• 1212 month term: New member price $399, your renewal price $299.25

This is a limited-time offer and subject to change for future renewals. 1 Month term will renew at $43 (no special offer).

 

[Joe Mac]

Is everyone not getting this offer?

As a loyal member, you will receive special one-time discount if you upgrade to a multi-month term. Once your plan renews, you will receive an email confirming your discounted price.

• 33 month term: New member price $119, your renewal price $89.25
• 66 month term: New member price $219, your renewal price $164.25
• 1212 month term: New member price $399, your renewal price $299.25

This is a limited-time offer and subject to change for future renewals. 1 Month term will renew at $43 (no special offer).

They’re giving you 1001 years for $299.25? That might just about be worth it!

 

[wynn72]

The way they went about it is the worst and most unprofessional thing I have seen in some time from a company like them. They are crazy to do it at this time when there have been so many issues plaguing the company. They have used the "we're just a small company trying to figure it all out" excuse for 7+ years now. You can't start charging $40+ for a single LP pressed at GZ, not respond to customers for weeks, allow flippers to get your product and sell hundreds of copies of it, have a non-functioning website, press dollar-bin items and expect people to trust you when you say we'll use the 40% price increase to keep the quality up.

Is everyone not getting this offer?

As a loyal member, you will receive special one-time discount if you upgrade to a multi-month term. Once your plan renews, you will receive an email confirming your discounted price.

• 33 month term: New member price $119, your renewal price $89.25
• 66 month term: New member price $219, your renewal price $164.25
• 1212 month term: New member price $399, your renewal price $299.25

This is a limited-time offer and subject to change for future renewals. 1 Month term will renew at $43 (no special offer).

They are apparently but it only goes out before renewal, so Im up for renewal 9/30 and should see it next month. $300 for 12 months is a pretty good deal for me.