Riff Rant: Record Store Day & The Great eBay Debate

Does selling Record Store Day releases online for inflated prices make you a bad person?

This is a question I’ve been asking myself since returning to the home front following a successful spin through a couple of independent shops on Saturday. Sure, my Visa bill took a beating, but to sit by my turntable that day with exclusive, limited edition releases from Ramones, Joy Division, Motörhead, David Bowie, and others felt like quite the accomplishment. So much so, I’m struggling to tear off the shrink wrap, somehow thinking that’ll kill the buzz.

Others out there are not tearing off the shrink wrap either, but for a drastically different reason: to make a fast buck off of those not lucky enough to bring home their most desired RSD14 releases.

Admittedly, it didn’t take long for me to look at my stack and wonder what had already made it to eBay. Subsequently, it didn’t take long after that to realize that eBay had quickly become infiltrated with RSD14 releases and a substantial number of anxious bidders. There are too many examples to list, so let’s just say that pricy inflation wasn’t limited to but a few offerings.

One of my initial thoughts was: “Damn, I should’ve bought that Pixies album when I had the chance. It’s now going for $100+ online!” When I was in the store that morning (before any eBay influence) my thought was: “That’s cool, but I’m really not that into The Pixies to drop $35 on their 12”. I’ll leave it for a fan.” It is funny how fast a mind can shift.

The capitalist and consumer in me understands where these re-sellers are coming from. Supply and demand is a business concept that’ll never die, and if Collector Frank opted to leave an album on the shelf for Joe Pixies Fan, there’s a good chance that Opportunist Bob would’ve swooped in knowing just how insanely devoted Pixies peeps really are. They would, and are, paying out of their noses for this RSD14 release. Turning around something like that online for a respectable profit couldn’t be easier.

The other perspective from that side of the fence is that RSD14 prices are generally inflated as is, so all is fair game. Did I hate myself more than just a little bit for spending over $20 on a four-song Ramones 10”? Of course I did. But, I like myself for knowing that it’ll remain in my collection for years to come and I won’t ever have to think about paying triple, maybe even five-times that price down the road when past regrets resurface.

As a collector, part of me finds this re-selling practice disheartening, as those who partake are essentially taking advantage of desperate music fans who couldn’t get to the right store, at the right time, for the right release.

That said, can I say with 100% certainty that I would never partake in such a practice? I’d like to say yes, but I can’t. Situations change and opportunities arise. Would I go into a shop with sticky fingers and purchase one copy of absolutely every RSD release so that I can build a stupidly profitable eBay store? Absolutely not. That is where the spirit gets killed. Like anything else in life, moderation is key.

Let’s face it: this isn’t a new concept. This isn’t the first time someone has bought a rare piece of merchandise and sold it off for a giant profit. The only difference is that there is way more transparency in the digital age: we can now see when 50 Pixies RSD releases get placed on eBay and have insane price tags attached to them.

I know many fans, artists and analysts would love for RSD to be this day of musical purity where everyone plays by the rules and everyone is afforded the opportunity to leave a store with something cool. But that’s not how it works. It’s a fun day, but it can also be cutthroat. What you have to do is determine what you want from it, and go from there.

And really, no matter where you buy, inflated prices will forever be a part of this day – that’s how limited edition things are rarely sold cheaply. Consider it a happy hazard and police yourself accordingly.

-Adam Grant

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