webstore for artists and labels to sell their cds in

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Jan 28, 2003
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#1
Yo, im opening up a new webstore and need to get thru to all artists who want to sell their shit in it. I dunno but if i post this message in all the regional forums would it be considered spam?

I need exposure but dont wanna piss of anyone. Below is the mail im sending out to artists and labels.




E-Mail: [email protected]
Introduction
There is many talented artists/labels out there, unfortunately it’s hard to reach out to potential customers as it takes a lot of money to let people know about your products. This is about to change, we will offer a inexpensive way to reach out. For a small sum you will be able to catalogue your products at the “Urban Distro” store. We will advertise on sites, in magazines and showcase your products. It’s not too good to be true but too good to miss out on.


How it works
Any artist or label interested in selling their products here pay an initial, one-time fee for every product (20$) they want to have catalogued at “Urban Distro” for sale. The sum they will pay goes into our pr & advertising budget. We operate on a “united we are strong” principle.

Urban Distro will need a certain amount of copies of the products that we are going to sell, on commission. And 1 copy we keep for pr and administrational needs.You set the price you want to charge, we take out ours and what is left is your profit.

Payments will be made after the 10 cd´s are sold, then you send 10 more and after those are sold we pay you and so it goes on till you’re out of stock or don’t want to sell any more copies here.

What you sign up for
It´s real simple, “Urban Distro” is not a label or management team, we are a webstore and the only thing you sign up for is selling your product at our store.

We make no claims what-so-ever, you could sell your product anywhere else, sign up whit any company of any nature you want. That is not our business.

Of course you could withdraw your product at anytime. We will delete it from our catalogue and send you back our remaining copies, at your expense. We will send nothing back before we have received proper payment for return shipping.

What can you sell
Even though “Urban Distro” has specialized itself on CD´s you could sell pretty much anything related to Rap or Hiphop that is legally possible to sell. Pressed cd´s is as welcome as cd-r´s (even though u have to state what is what).

We do not believe in censorship and wont enforce it as long as everything is within the “freedom of speech” laws”.

The only exception is products of an obvious racist nature, no exceptions are made and we do not care who hates or is getting hated on, that sort of stuff is not welcome here. If you have any questions on this matter, please mail us and we will answer you.

Why us?
Why should you sell your product at “Urban Distro”, there are other sites that has been around longer, are more established etc…. Well, first and most because we here at “Urban Distro” knows our products (as an example, i bet may of you artists received a mail from me telling about this store) and their target audience.

The founder, Christoffer Lyrhed has been a fan of the genre since the late 80ies, he knows about it, how to and where to market it. He is motivated to promote it beyond financial reasons and got a lot of love for Rap/Hip-hop music. We believe your music will find it’s way to customers other stores will never ever reach.

Second, help and support people in your subculture first, before you invest in companies who only care about money. If “Urban Distro” will grow we will invest back in the culture.

This operation is run on 50% love for the culture and 50% financial motives. “Urban Distro” don’t shy away from that we want to earn money (for us and our artists), the more the better but not if it will be generated by screwing over the culture behind the music.

Currently there are some minor things to fix before the store is 100% up and configured but you could always go to http://www.urbandistro.com to check it out.
 

tadou

Sicc OG
Apr 25, 2002
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www.Tadou.com
#3
Here's another idea: go to the bank and get a $5,000 loan. Then go around and buy yourself some albums in bulk. Most artists are real cool and will hook up 10 cds for under $50 (some, $35 or less). That means you could easily end up with over 100-120 albums to start. -- Open the store, sell a good number of units, get some charts made up.....THEN ask people to pay you money to sell product.

Your idea sounds like a good plan as well, but thats fucked up you're making people sell on consignment, PLUS taking out money from each sale, PLUS charging an up-front fee.
 
Jan 28, 2003
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#4
bla

Well, CDbaby does this and charge more for cataloguing and does not pay back anything to the culture, advertise in the rap magazines or anything to promote rap/hiphop.

My plans is to invest all of the money i recieve back from the one time fee in ads in the press, that will showcase tite new talent that would not be able to afford magazine ads themselfes.

And what´s so bad whit consignment, lets say one charge 15$ a cd in my store, then that artists get 10$ on each cd, thats hella good pay-off.

Hopefully other labels and artists will find my deal interesting, if not too bad. I at least tried to do something for the culture i love and have been a fan of for so long (okay, making a few $ on my own is a motivation too).
 

tadou

Sicc OG
Apr 25, 2002
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#5
No matter how you look at it, $15 will always be a shitty price for an album, especially an indie one without videos or radio play to show for it. $8-10 will always be the most reasonable price, and your best way to get to that price is buying stuff up-front.

Anyhow...you should AT LEAST include return shipping in the $20 fee you're charging.
 
Jan 28, 2003
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#6
bla

well, the artist or label themselfes set the price for their products 15$ was just an example.

Im taking an concept proven succsesfull for other indie artists in other genres and aplied it whitin the Rap/hiphop genre, hopefully it will work.

Everyone are to benefit from this, the artists, fans and me :D
 
Jan 28, 2003
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#8
I see, let´s be inspired by the competition not intimidated. Btw, i have decided to only charge 3$ comission on each sale and everyone who mention the Siccnes board will only be charged 15$ a product the first month.

To all artists, why not support both Tadou and Urban Distro? ;D
 

tadou

Sicc OG
Apr 25, 2002
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#9
Not really, Bane. I've bought everything in cash, dont owe nobody NOTHING, and can set WHATEVER price i want to. My toes are just fine...or i would be calling what dude he's doing a sham, not giving dude ADVICE.

@krikon
Now, that sounds more reasonable already...but i'd still try to cap artists/labels CD's at $10 or 11, if possible. Its the Wherehouses & Sam Goodies that are suffering these days, NOT the Wal-Marts, Targets and Best Buys...ya dig? With low enough prices, you might even bring back experimentation...

One thing is for sure, make sure you stick around these parts. There is some hot NW music coming out and lots of past albums you might try and add to the catalog......Good luck!
 
Apr 25, 2002
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www.evilwayz.com
#10
well...........the idea is a start, but you should probally forget about chargin folkz anything other than a commision untill you've proven that you can really move thier unitz.........cuz i dont know many indie artistz that would give you $20, wit no gaurentee that your even gonna sell one unit.........get a track record first........charge em a $2 commision on each sale and keep the prices of the cd's under $12 (all the major labled music is now under $12 to 9)
 
Jan 28, 2003
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#11
bla

What i will probably do is having the 15$ permanent but i aint got the money to buy up a stock that may not be sold. Did that once in Sweden and will not do the same misstake.

I gon try it like this and see if it works, and if not too bad. Whitout a one time fee my whole idea falls and whitout alot of advertising i doubt something like this would work.

Time and the artists responces will decide what will happen, 15¤ realy is not alot, u dont get something for nothing nowadays.
 
Jan 28, 2003
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#12
bla

Okay, just to get shit going i will waive even the 15$ one time fee the first month, after that it will be permanently 15$

I rather close the whole shit down than to give in on the 3$ comission though, that still stands.

So all artists, it is FREEEEE the first month and the stuff u submit then will never be subject to any onetime fees.
 

tadou

Sicc OG
Apr 25, 2002
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#15
Glad you found the info useful.....make sure you stick around and add some of this NW heat not only to your store, but to your own collection. You won't be disappointed (Nutz 1)