eBay Boiler #2 - How To Ship Big Crap Around The World

This problem has taken me about three years to wrestle into a series of solutions. It's been like trying to pin down a WWE Diva, but . . . well, not as fun.

In my myopic and narcissistic opinion, an act of supreme schizophrenia was committed when the USPS eliminated surface mail for international shipments. It denied three important economic realities. American basements, garages and barns overflow with great crap, the world loves our crap, and shit you can sell that you don't have to pay to produce serves as a terrific stimulant, especially if you're selling it and shipping it to someone else's country.

I used to be able to supply record stores around the world with small shipments of 100-200 records and the shipping cost was about sixty cents per record. Now, its more than quadrupled since I have only the option of sending by airmail. Shipments took about six weeks, and stores placed constant and loyal orders with me. Then, three years ago orders dried up.

But demand didn't.

With hours of phone calls, and knowledge exchanged with other dealers, I've developed a decent, if inconvenient, system of first, qualifying the customer, finding a shipper, and delivering the inventory to the shipper.

First, the inventory being shipped needs to weigh more than 400lbs. That is a fairly universal minimum. Second you need to work out your logistics. Shipping by mail to the East Coast for processing to Europe, can sometimes, but not always, save over shipping from the West Coast, even if you're in California.

More on this in the next post . . .

Vinyl Record Talk - 8pm ET / 5pm PT Today

Today's Vinyl Record Talk Radio Show will be a repeat. We'll be back on July 13, 2010 with an all new episode featuring Greg Pennell who is Discographer for Vanguard Records. Greg will tell us all about the label's history, the birth of the 60's Folk scene and Folk icons Jerry Jeff Walker and Richard and Mimi Farina, just to name a few. Check out Greg's site http://www.nebula5.org/farina/

eBay Boiler #1 - For Use In Easing The Moods Of Grumpy Europeans

I've decided to share my wisdom. And I am pretty good at this. For three years I've been compiling the most useful of my responses to customer problems.

You're free to use these "boiler plates", and customize them to your own needs.

For the first eBay Boiler, here is my response to a problem that has become more common since the Iceland volcano began delaying flights to and within Europe. About a third of the records I sell ship to Europe, so these customers are very important. Mail delivery within Europe is erratic anyway, and the volcano disruptions have made delays common.

So below is a response to polite, and not so polite, inqueries from Europe about a customer's order.

-------- begin boiler plate -----------

Hi,

Thanks for the heads up. I shipped on the [date shipped}.
Mailings to Europe seem to be taking about two
weeks or more lately & the USPS website used to claim
delivery in 7-9 days. I noticed the
USPS website changed arrival time to "varies".
It should arrive end of this week hopefully.

Thanks for your patience,

[signature]

-------- end boiler plate --------------

More on why this boiler plate works on Vinyl Record Talk, Tuesday 8:00PM Eastern / 5:00PM Pacific on Radio Dentata.

Vinyl Records Top 5 eBay Sales Week Ending 06/19/2010

78 RPM records topping the eBay Top 5 list for the second week!! And we'll play Kid Brown's "Bo-lita" on this week's VRT

1. 78 - Kid Brown and his Blue Band "Bo-lita" / "Saturday Night Hymn" Black Patti - $4,483.00

2. LP - The Beatles "Please Please Me" Parlophone UK Gold Black label 1st Stereo - $4,108.76

3. LP - The Rolling Stones promotional album Decca UK Pressing - $3,199.47

4. 78 - Big Memphis Marainey "Baby, No, No!" / "Call Me Anything, But Call Me" Sun 184 - $3,056.00

5. LP - Music Emporium self titled Sentinel - $3,050.00

More on this week's top 5 on Vinyl Record Talk, Tuesday 8:00PM Eastern / 5:00PM Pacific on Radio Dentata.

Vinyl Record Talk - 8pm ET / 5pm PT Today - PRESS THE PLAY BUTTON

Tune into encore shows this Sunday, and be back same time next week when our guest will be Rock n Roll Guru, Joe Heuer.

New Vinyl Record Talk Tuesday 5pm ET / 8pm PT

Joe Heuer, the Rock n Roll Guru joins us to deliver his unique humour and life philosophy. We get into lots of good ol' Classic Rock, plus vinyl records as investment in the news, and as always, the eBay Top 5 record sales.

Vinyl Records Top 5 eBay Sales Week Ending 06/12/2010

Rare Beatles Y&T (not butcher) on this week's Top 5, and a rare Blues 78 tops the list.

More on this week's top 5 on Vinyl Record Talk, Tuesday 8:00PM Eastern / 5:00PM Pacific on Radio Dentata.

1. 78 - Fury Lewis "Judge Harsh Blues" / "I Will Turn Your Money Green" Victor - $4,500.00

2. LP - Beatles "Yesterday And Today" Red Capitol Label - $4,000.00

3. 45 - The Thought Criminals "Hilton Bomber / I Won't Pay" / "Fun / O. Bleak T.V." - $2,929.74

4. LP - Tinkerbells "Fairydust" Decca UK Pressing - $2,910.40

5. LP - Tina Brooks "True Blues" Blue Note 4041 Original Pressing - $2,800.00

Rock and Roll Guru, Joe Heuer, On Next Week's VRT, 8pm ET / 5pm PT Radio Dentata

No, his hand isn't out 'cause he's asking for a miracle ticket. Joe Heuer is the author of three books, including The Rock 'n Roll Guide to Customer Loyalty. He'll join us on Vinyl Record Talk next Tuesday to share his insights on how to build a loyal tribe that will love you and promote you to the world.

He'll share how rock n' roll transformed his own life and career . . . and he'll even help Norm with his "Basil Fawlty" moods.

Vinyl Record Talk - 8pm ET / 5pm PT Today - PRESS THE PLAY BUTTON

Tune into encore shows this Sunday, and be back same time next week when our guest will be Rock n Roll Guru, Joe Heuer.

New Vinyl Record Talk Tuesday 8pm ET / 5pm PT

Just Jane and Norm, and lots of music this week. We'll have info about exciting guests in the coming weeks, and vinyl records have beat CD's again in the news.

Plus, also in the news, the results of the Australian Beatle poster auction that you might have heard about in the mainstream news.

We're playing hits and obscurities from the Kinks, Small Faces, Jorma and a few Northern rarities.

It's Gotta Go . . . . . Lots and Lots of Record Lots

Comes a time when I feel I'm falling down the rabbit hole. One thing about dealing in (not necessarily with) the past, in a shamelessly profit-driven manner, is that decades all start to gel together in a Doctor Whooey sort of way. How many copies of "Poontwangie" does the world want? I won't speculate on the Rick Astley 45's.

So I've found as an emotional and financial coping mechanism, every now and then, I have to clear it all out, and get some new-past in here. The present isn't anything anyone wants. And the future is for those with more bullshit on hand than I.

I have close to 20,000 records I'm clearing out this week. Been using them too long, have taken what I need from them, and need room for something I haven't seen before (or not as often). Most, but not all, of it is up on eBay. So if you're one of the dealers I know on Facebook or Twitter, the basics are that the 45's here are all straight forward $2-$9 Rock, R&B and Country. The LP's are mostly sealed obscure R&B, Disco and Rock from the seventies that all came from one distributor, and for most of them he was the only distributor of those titles. Get bidding. Or call me, email me, send pigeons.

Vinyl Records Top 5 eBay Sales Week Ending 06/05/2010

Only one Blueberry Pancake? I want a stack! All LP's this week and an exotics and gods sandwich.

More on this week's top 5 on Vinyl Record Talk, Tuesday 8:00PM Eastern / 5:00PM Pacific on Radio Dentata.

1. LP - Fresh Blueberry Pancake "Heavy" Private Press Psych - $7,000.00

2. LP - Hank Mobley "with Donald Byrd and Lee Morgan" Blue Note 1540 - 5,101.00

3. LP - The Beatles & Frank Ifield "On Stage" VeeJay Portrait Jacket - $2,800.00

4. LP - Velvet Underground & Nico self titled Mono Promo yellow label - $2,600.00

5. LP - John Heartsman And Circles "Music Of My Heart" Private - $2,550.00

Vinyl Records Top 5 eBay Sales Week Ending 05/29/2010

1. 45 - Elvis Presley "That's All Right" / "Blue Moon Of Kentucky" Sun 209 - $10,987.00

2. LP - Georges Enesco Bach Sonatas Continental - $5,500.00

3. 45 - The Lonesome Drifter "Eager Boy" / "Tear Drop Alley" K - $5,100.69

4. 78 - Charly Jordan "Keep It Clean No 2" / "You Run And Tell Your Daddy" Vocalion - $4,749.99

5. LP - Johanna Martzy "Bach: The unaccompanied Violin Sonatas" Columbia Box set UK - $3,173.45

More on this week's top 5 on Vinyl Record Talk, Tuesday 8:00PM Eastern / 5:00PM Pacific on Radio Dentata.