The Vinyl Record Valuation Dilemma: A Guide to Efficient Selling

Before you spend hundreds of hours entering a vinyl collection into a database, read this - please!

In the world of vinyl record collecting, one common issue that many sellers face is the time-consuming process of cataloging their vinyl collections. This task, while seemingly necessary, often leads to wasted hours with little to no payoff. This is especially true when the entire collection turns out to be of little value. At We Buy Records we’ve identified this problem and have come up with solutions to make the vinyl selling process more efficient for you.

The Problem

Many sellers, particularly those with older collections, have a habit of entering hundreds, sometimes thousands, of records into databases before reaching out to potential buyers. This process can take hundreds of hours, and doesn’t help much, if at all, in valuation or selling of the records. All those hours spent cataloging could have been saved if they had contacted a buyer first.

The Solution

At We Buy Records, we believe in saving both the seller’s and buyer’s time, especially now when it has never been easier to find vinyl buyers. Here are some solutions we’ve developed to streamline the selling process:

1. Educate Our Sellers

An informed seller is an efficient seller. We’ve created guides and videos explaining why it’s beneficial for sellers to contact us before cataloging their entire collection. These resources will inform you on which genres of music will have value and which will not. They will also alert you to condition problems that render your collection with little or no value.

2. Preliminary Assessment Service

To save sellers from the tedious task of cataloging their entire collection, we offer a preliminary assessment service. Sellers can provide us with a small sample of their collection, and we’ll give them an idea of its potential value. This way, they can decide whether it’s worth their time to catalog the entire collection.

3. Online Form

We’ve also developed an online form where sellers can list a few 45 rpm records from their collection. Based on this sample, we can give a rough estimate of the collection’s value. This not only saves time but also makes the process more convenient for the sellers.

4. Community Engagement

Engaging with the community is another way we spread the word about our services. Through social media, blogs, and local events, we share our knowledge and services, helping sellers understand the benefits of contacting us first.

Conclusion

The goal of these solutions is to save both the seller and buyer time and effort, while ensuring that valuable collections are properly recognized and valued. So, before you start cataloging your vinyl record collection, remember to reach out to Brian and Andy at We Buy Records. We’re here to make the selling process as efficient and rewarding as possible.