SOUNDSCAN
AS A FORMER SOUNDSCAN/BILLBOARD DJ AND NOW OWNER OF A SOUNDSCAN STORE-WHILE THERE WERE SOME BENEFITS AS FAR AS FREE GOODS , THE PROBLEM IS NOWADAYS THEY DON'T ALWAYS SELL THRU EVEN AT SALE PRICES. BY THE WAY SOUNDSCAN SERVES AS EGO GRATIFICATION FOR THE INDUSTRY AND ITS EXECUTIVES-THAT'S ALL. SINCE ALL PRODUCT LEAVES FROM A WHAREHOUSE OWNED BY THE COMPANIES I CAN ASSURE YOU THEY KNOW HOW MANY WERE PRESSED AND SHIPPED , WHAT SOLD AND WHAT WAS RETURNED. BY THE WAY IN CASE SOME OF YOU DID NOT KNOW WHEN A RELEASE IS CERTIFIED GOLD, PLATINUM ETC., THAT ONLY MEANS THAT THAT AMOUNT WAS SHIPPED , NOT NECESSARILY SOLD-SO IT DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT RETURNS.THERE IS NO REASON WHY A WELL ORGANIZED INDIE LABEL CANNOT TRACK AND MAINTAIN ACCURATE FIGURES AS TO HOW MANY PIECES THEY HAVE SOLD.SOUNDSCAN FIGURES ARE WHAT INDUSTRY EXECS HANG THERE HATS ON AS FAR AS PROMOTIONS BUDGETS FOR NEW RELEASES AND IT EVEN CAN DETERMINE WHAT KIND OF BONUS HE OR SHE MIGHT GET AT THE END OF THE YEAR,OR ENABLE THEM TO KEEP THEIR JOB A LITTLE LONGER.