How much does a CD cost in the UK?

Subject: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: Dave Swan
Date: 09 May 07 - 11:06 PM

I'm most interested in what folks charge for professionally produced CD's that they sell at gigs and folk venues. Is there a generally agreed upon price?

A couple of years ago we traded CD's with Faith Petric who said "All CD's are fifteen dollars". Although she was joking, she wasn't far off of what many folks charge.

Is there an equivalent going rate on t'other side of the pond?

Thanks,

D

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: Sooz
Date: 10 May 07 - 02:50 AM

Anything from £10 to £15

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: GUEST,Waco Jacko
Date: 10 May 07 - 03:34 AM

£10 seems to be the norm, although the exciting Lincolnshire roots n' roll band "Ploughmens Bunch" (shameless self promotion there!)sell their albums (three so far) at gigs for £7! You can download 4 tracks for free at their myspace.

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: greg stephens
Date: 10 May 07 - 04:07 AM

We sell at £10 at gigs. |Saves any change problem.

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: treewind
Date: 10 May 07 - 04:19 AM

We sell last two for £12 and the older one for £10 because it's a re-pressing and therefore much cheaper to produce. If you buy more than one they all drop to £10. That helps with the change *and* encourages people to buy more!

The "official" going rate for Wild Goose CDs is £13. We used to sell at that price but decided it was a bit steep.

Online sales in the are same prices, post free in the UK.

BTW, everyone's pound signs are displaying as "?" here. The correct way to put a £ symbol in a posting (or in anything HTML) is to type £

Anahata

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 10 May 07 - 04:29 AM

Or GBP is also acceptable I think.

US$15.00 is only GBP 7.50 at the moment.

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: GUEST,wordy
Date: 10 May 07 - 06:30 AM

I sell at £12.

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: Crane Driver
Date: 10 May 07 - 07:08 AM

As a general "rule of thumb", WHATEVER the current exchange rate, you can assume that the UK price of most things is about the same number as the US price, but in pounds not dollars. Thus a pair of jeans costing $40 in the US will be about £40 in the UK. A digital camera costing a US purchaser $75 will set back his British couterpart about £75. Studio time that costs $500 in the US will cost £500 in the UK. CD production costs of $1,000 in the US will set you back £1,000 here. So a CD that would sell for between $10 and $15 in the States will have to be sold for between £10 and £15 in Britain. That's the way it is, I'm afraid.

Some buyers would be wary of CDs costing much less than the accepted norm, fearing that they would be cheaper because of lower quality standards - almost certainly not the case, but perception is very important in selling anything.

Andrew

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 10 May 07 - 08:14 AM

..couple of years ago
my mrs bought a Lindisfarne 'greatest hits' CD
for about £10 or more
from the band's merchandising table
at their gig in our local theatre..

then a few days later she found out it was a budget lable release
that local High Street chainstores were normally selling
at at a usual retail price
of £3.99 or less........


I knew threre was a reason i went off Lindisfarne in the mid 70's...

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: treewind
Date: 10 May 07 - 09:00 AM

That's bad when it's a greatest hits compilation obviously made from older tracks that costs very little to produce.

But do not confuse that with a similar situation that hits back at the performer: if you record with a label that has distribution to the high street shops, you find the supermarket's online stores advertising hugely discounted prices on your current albums. If the performer tried to match those prices, it would take many months to recoup the cost of making the album in the first place, and most folk performers can't afford cash flow risks like that.

Remember too that, in general, buying directly off the artist is the only way that benefits the artist to any useful extent.

Anahata

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: Dave Swan
Date: 10 May 07 - 10:22 AM

Thanks to everybody.

D

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 10 May 07 - 11:07 AM

The price disparity between CDs in the UK and the US makes life interesting for US dealers who try to sell CDs from both sides of the pond. While a few labels---most prominently Topic, Fellside, Fledg'ling and WildGoose--have US distributors, many don't, and the higher price of CDs in the UK combined with high carriage costs (it costs about two US dollars to ship an empty jewel case over) and the weakened dollar tends to price imports out of the US marketplace.

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 10 May 07 - 11:24 AM

" ... Faith Petric who said "All CD's are fifteen dollars". Although she was joking ... "

No doubt I'm a little slow on the uptake - but what was the joke?

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 10 May 07 - 12:11 PM

when I sell one, I'll tell you.

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 10 May 07 - 12:15 PM

No joke. For the past decade or so, a CD sold at a US festival has gone for $15, with very few exceptions.

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: Ebbie
Date: 10 May 07 - 01:02 PM

On occasion I have paid $16.00 for a CD, up from $15.00.

The odd thing is CDs are actually cheaper to make than are cassettes, which normally sold for $10.00.

My question about CD prices in the UK though: A CD going for UK15, for us is actually just about US$30.00; surely allowance is made?

Now I know what Australians visiting the US are talking about!

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: GUEST,Norval
Date: 10 May 07 - 01:11 PM

Crane Driver says a $10 CD in the USA would cost about 10GBP in Britian, which suggests the pound and dollar are of nearly equal value. This is a bit misleading as it takes 2USD to buy 1GBP (approx) at todays exchange rate. This would make the CD twice as expensive in Britian as the USA.
Exchange Rates

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: oggie
Date: 10 May 07 - 01:24 PM

Yup, CDs are more expensive, instruments more expensive, food more expensive etc etc. UK is seen as a high value outlet by many of the multi-nationals (both retail and manufacturing) and priced accordingly.

All the best

Steve

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 10 May 07 - 01:40 PM

I spent Xmas in the USA and I did find it remarkably inexpensive.

Clearly we ought to complain more.

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 10 May 07 - 01:41 PM

..thats why we brits..

especially those of us on very restricted incomes..

are so sick of being constantly ripped off !!!


its often much cheaper to buy guitars / CDs /etc direct from US..

even factoring in the over-extortionate shipping charges & import duty / VAT..

still usually works out at a better price

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 10 May 07 - 01:45 PM

but it really does piss me off..

when some US retailers insist they are not allowed
to sell many popular music gear brands
direct to UK customers..

corporate licensing bollox to keep our domestic prices over inflated as usual

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: GUEST
Date: 10 May 07 - 02:34 PM

Remember, it costs an American act less than half what it costs a UK act to drive to a gig! All a pro's costs are factored in to the price of a cd.

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 10 May 07 - 03:20 PM

well yes, but they haven't got a health service.

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: Rog Peek
Date: 10 May 07 - 03:33 PM

I buy most of my CD's from the US. I find they work out cheaper even with the shipping, and they arrive in 'no time'.

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: GUEST
Date: 10 May 07 - 06:39 PM

exactly drummer, that's another tax cost they don't have to factor in to their cd price!

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: danensis
Date: 11 May 07 - 03:43 PM

What really cheeses me off is when I have to pay over a tenner for a CD which is just a copy of the LP I bought thirty years ago for a couple of quid. The record company must have made their profit on it by now.

John

Subject: RE: How much does a CD cost in the UK?
From: JohnB
Date: 11 May 07 - 08:57 PM

In Canada most big name CD's sell for 20$Can direct from the artist, or at a festival or gig.
Lesser names sometimes have lesser prices, even down to 10$Can.
It makes it tough for UK acts to survive over here.
JohnB