Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?

Subject: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: GUEST,Timothy Cameron
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 04:24 PM

Hi gang! Happy Ether! I'm in the market for a distributor for my little indie CD, but there are dozens of distributors out there that I've come across, and no doubt hundreds more. So I'm putting it out there for you Mudcatters: Who would you recommend ? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. And now if you'll excuse me I have another chocolate bunny to attend to...

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Sorcha
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 04:28 PM

Ha ha!! I get to say it first!! CAMSCO or Folk Legacy!! Dick Greenhaus for the first, Sandy Paton for the second. Both Mudcatters!!! (plug o matic!)

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 06:00 PM

Jed Marum and I (I hope I can speak for him!) both use cdbaby.com. I have been more than happy with their services. Check out their website.

All the best.

Seamus

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: JedMarum
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 06:58 PM

Yes - for on-lin sales/distribution I suggest you try CDbaby.com. Find their musicians services link and check out what they are offering - tell Seammus and Jed sent you! ;-)

You'll find they've done a great job organizing quick,e asy services for you, the seller, and they have an attractive site for customers. They offer a wide range of music, and seem to be doing very well. I think they'll be a good one.

I would also consider using amazon.com's advantage program. They are also pretty easy to get signed up and working. They also have many many customers purchasing form theiur site. They wil cost you and your customer a bit a bit more - but I believe they have the farthest reach.

Both wesite offer really sound marketing advice, and I hope you take th etime to look at it - and decide what fits for you.

Finally, I suggest you send a copy, or two to Max at the Mudcat radio show. Give him a call during their Wed night show, and ask if he'll play a cut or two. At least some of the Mudcat regs can hear your music, and maybe they'll have more ideas.

Best of luck!

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: GUEST,Timothy Cameron
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 10:50 PM

Once again the 'Catters come through!! Thanks everybody!!

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Paul G.
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 10:58 PM

We have used CDstreet.com and are quite please with them. Very good service. They also offer a gig sales kit for credit card sales that has been amazing for us. check 'em out.

I have also used folkweb, but am less than pleased with them...

Paul

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 12:22 AM

I can't speak for Camsco, but while we at Folk-Legacy try to help a few of our friends market their CDs, we are a retail outlet for them, not a distributor. The job of a real distributor is to get your CDs into retail shops around the country. They have to buy your CD at a lower rate than a retailer in order to make any profit on the transaction. Most distributors are reluctant to take on an individual with only one or two CDs to offer.

I wish you luck with your venture. Jed has done remarkably well with his independent release (in spite of the nasty jibe that appeared the other day in another thread). I've been in this "business" for almost forty years, and believe me, anyone who can sell more than 1000 copies of a single CD in six months or so is doing something right! I'd take his advice, if I were you.

Sandy

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: GUEST,Timothy Cameron
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 07:27 PM

Duly noted. Thanks Sandy...

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 11:38 PM

Tim, do you subscribe to the Folk Dj lists and to maplepost?

Rick

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Matt_R
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 11:40 PM

FOOD!

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: hesperis
Date: 21 May 01 - 02:02 AM

Rick - what are those?

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 22 May 01 - 12:23 AM

I don't do Maplepost, but FOLKDJ-L is an e-mail listserv to which a number of so-called "folk" and bluegrass DJs post their playlists. It lets you know what kind of "folk" music they tend to play and provides addresses to which you can send promotional copies of your CDs, hoping for airplay. Mike Yuhas is the listMom, and Penn State provides the server (the list was started by Tina Hay, DJ at Penn State). I read the posted playlists every day, figuring it's part of my job. Mike Yuhas maintains a web site about it, but I don't have the URL. Try getting it through Google. Or send a note requesting information to [e-mail].

Okay, Rick, you're next re: Maplepost.

Sandy

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 22 May 01 - 12:40 AM

Maplepost keeps us up to date on what's going on in Canadian folky circles. I'm not sure how to send you there (wouldn't know how to join or leave....I left that to Heather) but if you contact Gene Wilburn, truly one of the best friends Canadian folk music has ever had, he'll steer you in the right direction. I think this will reach him.

[e-mail]

Rick

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: hesperis
Date: 22 May 01 - 04:35 PM

Thanks, guys!

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: DebC
Date: 22 May 01 - 04:50 PM

For the Folk DJ-l website, Click here

Cheers, Debra

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: hesperis
Date: 27 Mar 05 - 08:53 PM

CDstreet seems to be having problems paying it's artists now, from what I hear on the indiegrrl list.

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Bugsy
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 09:37 PM

Bloody SPAM again!

On the subject of distributors, Just remember that whoever you go with, you will sell the majority of your CDs at Gigs.

Don't expect any indi to make you rich!


CHeers


Bugsy
(Ex Indi distrubutor)

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Bugsy
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 09:49 PM

The first part of the last post was because a SPAMMER posted before me. However a helpful "Joe Clone" has removed it.

THank you Joe.

Bugsy

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 10:21 PM

How does CD Baby rate against the old MP3.com site?

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: pdq
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 10:50 PM

A serious answer to the origional question is: KOCH Entertainment Distribution, 22 Harbor Park Drive, Port Washington, NY 11050 ...

            www.kochdistribution.com/

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: dwditty
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 09:29 AM

CDBaby is fantastic at what it does....it provides a very affordable ($35 one time set up plus $4per disc sold) place for independent (and not so independent if you take the time to look) artists to sell their cd's. With well over 100,000 it is rare (but it happens-people can search by genre, location, etc) that someone just stumbles across your cd and buys it. What it does do is provide a place for people who have seen/heard you to go and buy the cd. For example, if you appear on radio (indie radio stations love in-studio music), they can give out your cdbaby page as a place for potential buyers to check you out. Remember, though, CD Baby does not actually promote your music over any others.

In addition to being an on-line retail outlet for CD's, CD Baby provides digital distribution (as long as you own the songs) and offers tons of advice for the indie musician. It is my opinion that Derek Sivers has done more for the indie musician than any other single person.

Recommended!

dw

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Deskjet
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 05:30 PM

Here here dwditty

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 05:59 PM

Thanx dwditty: I may put a compilation in there and see how it goes. Back in the early MP3 days, I did okay but never could understand the various financial discrepancies.

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Amos
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 06:11 PM

I'd try calling Dick Greenhaus and asking him.


A

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 07:43 PM

The world is changing faster than you old "Folkers" care to admit.

Let go of the ego trip.

For a taste of the new world please try:
Independent - Do It Yourself

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 07:46 PM

Um ... WHY, exactly?

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: GUEST,...
Date: 07 Feb 07 - 07:02 PM

Because I am your mother and I said so

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Feb 07 - 06:18 PM

Actually, CDBaby isn't a distributor at all--it's a retailer. Distributors sell to retailers, retailers sell to customers. A distributor's raison d'etre is to premit retailers to purchase CDs published by many different publishers from a single source, avoiding a multitude of one- and two-CD orders.

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 08 Feb 07 - 09:06 PM

So we're agreed then. CD Baby is a "Distributor" Thank you guest.

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 09 Feb 07 - 08:19 PM

Jim Lad-
Huh? CDBaby doesn't distribute. From my (CAMSCO Music's) viewpoint, that's too bad--if they did I could carry many recordings that, at present, are unavailable to me.

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 09 Feb 07 - 09:09 PM

Sorry: I thought, from what I read on their site, that they warehouse and will distribute when/if that becomes viable to them.
So, I'm wrong, right?

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 09 Feb 07 - 09:19 PM

Dick: Just wondering - but can you not simply contact any of those artists whose CDs, listed with CDbaby, you are interested in? Most of the artists have an e-mail address listed on their page. I imagine most would respond eagerly. Or would it all be too much bother?

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Feb 07 - 09:55 PM

too much brother ... don't bother me.

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 10 Feb 07 - 03:04 AM

Here are just a couple of quotes, from the CD Baby site, which misled me a little...
Your CD will be available to over 2400 traditional retail CD stores in the USA. You get paid full retail price for these sales.

: "widely known among musicians and fans as one of the best distribution options for independent musicians, with a lot of credibility in the indie community for their honesty and integrity."

This is totally non-exclusive. We don't own the rights to you, and don't want to. We're not a record label. We're just sales and distribution. You're the boss.

I don't think it's deliberate on their part. I'm just easily misled.

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 02:12 AM

dwditty: So, I followed through on CD Baby as per your "Recommended!" stamp of approval and it's up today. Will be interesting to see how it goes. Anyone here had much luck with them?

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Deskjet
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 03:40 AM

You made the right move Jim Lad.
CDbaby has enabled me to sell right around the world - impossible only a few short years ago.
http://cdbaby.com/cd/bdevereux

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 04:12 AM

I'm listening to you as I write.

"We get about 75 new albums a DAY coming in here now, (about 30,000 total), and yours is one of the best I've ever heard."
Derek Sivers, President Cdbaby.....

That's quite the recommendation, Brendan. Album sounds great too!
So, It's working for you?

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Deskjet
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 04:20 AM

It's just such a great idea, really well run.
If someone in the back-of-beyond wants to buy your album, they can ; and it's a thrill when they do!
Good luck Jim Lad (Post your link to Cdbaby)

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 12:22 PM

Just to clarify--

In the music industry parlance, a distributor is a person or organization that purchases recorded material from several sources, and sells to retailers, who pay a modest upcharge for the ability to place a single large order (consisting of several different titles) rather than having to contact individual publishers (or artists) with a lage number of very small orders.
   CDBaby isn't really a distributor, in that sense: they don't provide a discount from retail prices unless the artist/publisher specifically provides such a discount.
    The advantage of CDBaby to the artist is obvious--it provides exposure and a place for customers to order CDs that would otherwise be unavailable. Its disadvantage to the artist is that it effectively closes off all other avenues of retail sale.

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 01:49 PM

dick greenhaus: Thanks for that. You did a good job of explaining it earlier also.
I recently put up a new web-site having received a steady flow of E-mails from past audiences most of whom wanted replacement CDs. The web-site was just a way to keep in touch and all music downloads are free. However, many still insisted on buying the albums. I'm really just trying to keep the customers satisfied rather than find new ones. From my tracker, I can see between 5 & 10 first time visitors, each day who have searched for me by name. This doesn't include those who have "Linked" in and are mostly folks who have seen me play.
I know those numbers aren't "Astronomical" to the privileged few but I am extremely flattered by them and feel very blessed.
So, I know from what you told me earlier that they're not a distributor and not what Timothy Cameron was looking for but am hoping that they will provide the answer to my problem (then maybe I can take the PayPal buttons off my page)
I'm not sure though, just how much help they would be for those wishing to use CD Baby as their chief marketing tool. Unless people are actually looking for you then they will most likely never stumble across your album in such a huge warehouse.
Thanks again for helping out with this.
I'm wondering what Timothy Cameron has settled on. Would be nice if he could update use, down the road.
Cheers
Jim

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 02:29 PM

"Its disadvantage to the artist is that it effectively closes off all other avenues of retail sale."

Why? CDbaby does not require or even ask artists to deal only with them; far from it ... And if an artist has an opportunity to make an exclusive deal to his advantage with a distributor and/or retailer, then he can simply cancel his arrangement with CDbaby, without penalty. Dick, am I missing something here?

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 03:00 PM

Ah Meself! Making it through the wintry weather I hope. Yes, you're missing a couple of things but at the end of the day "he can simply cancel his arrangement with CDbaby, without penalty" as you so aptly put it. One example would be the bar code they offer. It's an excellent deal but actually belongs to them in a roundabout way.
If you were to use that bar code on your album and then place it in a store, they can trace that and would be entitled to a small percentage. Same goes for their "card swiper". They take a percentage of the sale. Still a fair deal though.

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: GUEST,Deskjet
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 03:37 PM

There's nothing exclusive about Cdbaby. I have a distributor for my album. Also, the barcode I set up with the album was accepted by Cdbaby also. Where's the problem?

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 03:38 PM

Nice sunny day here today - and not TOO cold, for a change ... Anyway - re: the bar code. That could be the case if they give you the bar code, no doubt - I already had a bar code on my CD before I made any arrangements with them. The other question is if they actually would do that - no doubt it's in black-and-white somewhere on their website ...

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: JedMarum
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 03:47 PM

I love CDBaby. They've been really great to deal with - very customer service oriented. They offer excellent services to artists at a very reasonable price. They are good folks to deal with, if you have questions or problems ... they've thought their service offerings through, FROM THE ARTIST perspective.

I buy most of my UPC codes through them (very low cost) and I process my CC transactions through them (again very low cost). I can take my UPC code wherever I go - no strings attached ... and I can actually sell what I like through the CC service. I do buy some UPC codes through my manufacturer, though.

I have NOT priced much for dealers at CD Baby, because I'd rather do wholesale directly, and the little bit I'd get through CDBaby is not worth the effort. They do sell some through their retailers (Walmart, Tower Records, others) but very little. That may be quite different for other artists, though.

The biggest surprise for me has been MP3 sales. They've been good and they are growing through no effort on my part. I wish I knew how to make it happen, I'd work even harder at it - but I'm happy where I am, for now. This may be a place where I compete with myself - I have a few sites where I allow free downloading of my MP3s. I am not sure if this helps (by advertizing) or hurts by encouraging people to get for free what I sell elsewhere.

My relations wth CDBaby started out good - and has just gotten better over the few years I've been with them. I've dropped Amazon.

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 04:01 PM

Yeah! I think the point is that there is no problem, Deskjet. I'll be interested to see if they actually bring more visitors to my page. I doubt that they will and will hold off on linking to them unless they sell more than I do. Re-downloads. The whole idea of giving it away was to save me from mailing out albums. (most of them had bought in the past anyway) Unfortunately it has had the opposite effect. So, No Jed. I don't think it hurts, one little bit.

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: GUEST,SOUND BARRIER
Date: 23 May 07 - 10:40 PM

The problem, as in any BUSINESS is that it is run by supply and demand. Any distributer will distribute what the stores, etc. want.
The big guys have the clout I.E. advertising dollars, owning radio stations, etc. The indie has to get noticed thru all the b.s. from the big guys. I say let all the indie guys get together in a particular genre and form our own market. There's a ton of us out there and if we all got together we might be bigger than the big guys that won't give us a shot. If everyone got together, chipped in some money we could, believe it or not, buy or start our own radio stations, magazines, distributers, etc. Many bands/artists make it that aren't that good. Heck, you don't even have to be that good, just offer a sound that people want AND CAN HEAR somewhere.
If you think I'm nuts, fine. If you have any interest in pursuing this concept email me at [e-mail] and put as the subject " indie group growth ".
Who's willing to get aggressive and chip in - we need everyone!
Thanks.
a friend

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: erosconpollo
Date: 24 May 07 - 10:25 AM

A new-ish alternative for we really small-timers is Print On Demand CDs, via places like Lulu and Cafe Press. They burn, print, package and send 'em out as the orders come in. Naturally, the prices need to be a bit higher and they are CDRs; on the other hand, there's no setup fee. Since I sell teeshirts and such through Cafe Press already, I may just give it a try.

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 24 May 07 - 10:32 AM

If you're an artist selling CDs through CDBaby, you can certainly also do direct sales. The problem faced by retailers (like me) is that it's an onerous task to contact individual artists (or individual labels) with the kind of small orders that make up the bulk of their business. A distributor, who generally carries many different labels, can deal with a single order made up of several small orders; a retailer dealing with such a distributor can purchase at wholesale rates withut the need of overstocking any one particular CD.

Subject: RE: Help: Recommend Indie CD Distributor?
From: GUEST,Timothy Cameron
Date: 24 Sep 08 - 12:04 AM

Hi all, I thought I'd drop in for the first time in ages and let you know that I've been with CD Baby for four years now and they've been great. I opted in for digital distribution and now sell a five or six MP3s a week all over the world, especially Germany it seems. Thanks to all the Mudcatters who recommended CD Baby, lo those many years ago.