Record Store Hot Take: Comparison shopping on your phone is okay, actually

Why am I ranting?

Happy Record Store Day to all those who celebrate. May the odds be ever in your favour. I have big travel plans this year and I can’t derail those by spending my money on records here, when I could be saving that money to go record shopping abroad. Fingers crossed I find what I’m looking for on another continent.

Anyway here’s a blog post where I share a hot take that will probably get me crucified, but I don’t care because this is my blog where I share what’s on my mind. I don’t kiss ass on this blog. If something’s good, I’ll praise it. If something’s bad, I’ll call it out. You don’t have to agree with me. In fact, I encourage disagreement as long as it’s polite. I always encourage people to think for themselves.

What inspired me to write this blog post was looking around for used bookstores in the city I live in and there was one I’d often pass by that always looked closed and you had to knock and be allowed in by the owner, but the window display looked intriguing because of the antique books. I always found those types of businesses where the hours are “whenever I feel like it” weird. Don’t you want people to come into your shop? Perhaps it’s owned by a retiree who runs it as a hobby and the shopfront is rent controlled and it’s cheap because he’s been there forever or he owns the shopfront? When I saw the reviews, I was turned off completely because the owner has ridiculous rules like you can’t use your phone at all and you can’t so much as touch the books or look inside them and is overall rude to customers. I don’t care how good your products are, if you’re rude or overly uptight with rules, you’re not getting my business. Poor customer service/experience is my #1 turnoff at a shop. I’ll put back everything and leave. If I’ve already bought something, that’s the last time I will come into your shop.

To Comparison Shop or Not To Comparison Shop?

One of my favourite things to do while travelling or even at home is hit the record stores, the vintage shops, and the used bookstores. And then afterwards I go to a cafe or a boba shop and get something to drink because I need a caffeine or a sugar fix. For me, it’s like a treasure hunt and that’s what makes going to brick and mortar shops special. It’s not just about the stuff you buy, it’s an experience! The way that Disney adults love going to Disneyland, that’s how I feel at vintage shops, record stores, and markets with small businesses. I love the spontaneity of it. I love being able to see the merchandise in person and deciding if I really like it or not. How many times have you bought something online based on how it looks on the mannequin or hanger and when you get it, you’re disappointed because it looks awful on you? Try before you buy often encourages me to buy! Especially when you have helpful, friendly shop assistants who do their best to sell it to you. I like that a lot of record stores have stations where you can try before you buy. I like not having to worry about shipping costs or waiting for my item to arrive – I can take it home and enjoy it straight away. I love the rush I get when looking for treasure and when I finally find that treasure and at a good price to boot! I love coming home with multiple shopping bags full of rad stuff. When I go to markets and shops, I am keen to drop some cold hard cash on some classic rock and vintage stuff, and antiques. “Take my money!” If my bank did a Spotify Wrapped, I would be embarrassed at how much money I’ve spent on clothes and classic rock related stuff like books and records.

But first I wanna know if I’m really getting value for money. I think that’s something a lot of people are feeling these days, especially in this perpetual recession/depression. Even the middle class are feeling the squeeze! It’s natural to want to get the best deal possible. I’m not a billionaire so I gotta account for every bit of money I spend and I’m sure you feel that way too. I’ve learnt from my mum early on to always comparison shop and look for bargains. Why pay more? Be an informed, smart shopper and I’m not just talking about pricing. That’s what I believe in and that’s why I talk about all the places to buy my book and even did a little comparison shop for you guys in a blog post to help you get the best deal on Crime of the Century. What other author does that? I’m on the consumer’s side and I always try to think like a consumer when I write reviews. For an influencer, it’s easy to promote things they get for free because the price doesn’t factor in for them at all.

For the consumer, it’s easy to sympathise with this point, but not so much if you’re on the other side, a proprietor of a record store. They need to make money to keep the record store alive and in business and I sympathise with that, especially the small and independent shops. There’s conflicting interests. There are many shop owners and assistants that will side eye you for being on your phone and checking Discogs, eBay, and Amazon.

Yeah, I’m guilty of comparison shopping in record stores, vintage shops, charity shops, and bookstores. I’ve been foolish enough before to overpay for certain things and I feel like Boo Boo The Fool. Like The Who once sang, “won’t get fooled again!” So I will often check my phone to see what the going rate for whatever I’m looking for is. Record shops, vintage shops, and the like definitely use the internet to their advantage, why can’t I? Comparison shopping for groceries, cars, furniture, electronics, and travel is acceptable. Why not for clothes, books, and music? It’s foolish not to shop around. The shops certainly don’t price things willy-nilly or based on the positions of the stars and the planets.

Googling is not just for comparison shopping! Or responding to objections from record store owners and workers:

“But Angie, these are just a bunch of cheapskate customers”

Of course everyone wants to get the best deal they can and save a few quid here and there – it all adds up, but when I comparison shop I, and many others, do take into consideration shipping costs, waiting times, not being able to look at the item for sale, having to trust the seller is honest in their product description, and other hidden/opportunity costs that one may not think about. There’s a lot of cost/benefit analysis that goes into it. I like buying things in a shop and knowing that I can enjoy them straight away, I know what the condition is, don’t have to pay for shipping, and that I supported a small business. At some point though, if the used record is £10 or $10 or less, I don’t sweat it and I don’t bother comparison shopping. I’m not going to stress myself out over minute amounts of money, not worth it. Too much faff!

Sometimes the cheapest option isn’t the best option and consumers know that. I know I feel good supporting local businesses and I don’t mind paying a little bit more for that since it’s important to have vibrant communities and third places and a record store is to an extent, a gathering place for the music community because they often host album signings, meet & greets, and gigs. Without these venues, we wouldn’t have a scene.

“But Angie I’m a record store! Not a showroom!”

People are gonna comparison shop anyway, phone or no phone. How do you think people used to comparison shop or do research in the past? With a handy dandy notebook and pen. Nowadays it’s just easier to use notes app or take pictures with your camera. Are you really gonna stop someone from taking notes in your shop? Sometimes I take pictures or a note of records I might want to listen to later and “try before I buy”. If I’m not able to comparison shop while I’m there, you might lose a sale that day because I’m gonna have to go home and think about it and I may not come back to the shop the following day. I also run the risk of that item being sold, so that’s something I need to consider too, and I don’t want to feel like I’m under pressure to buy something. When I walk away, I have time to think and put the purchase on ice, once again, a potential lost sale.

“But Angie, I’m a small business!”

I know that a small business can never compete with Amazon or a big box store, especially when it comes to new records. But with used records, the price varies a lot! I just want an idea of what the record sells for so I can make an informed decision. If businesses can make informed decisions on pricing, why can’t consumers make informed decisions on purchasing?

Besides, you can’t force people to buy your products, you have to provide a service and an experience that people are willing to pay for. Records (and vintage clothing for that matter) are only worth what people are willing to pay. Record stores aren’t just about the records, they’re about the experience and that’s why we go to them. Sure, I could order any record I want online, but it’s not as fun as the hunt in the record store.

“But Angie, I feel like they’re insulting me and my business by not trusting the way I price things and not giving the records their undivided attention!”

If you’re telling the truth and you’re an honest seller, you have nothing to be afraid of. It’s good that you have savvy consumers with high standards, use that feedback to improve. Everyone’s got their own budgets and standards and I believe in people making the most informed decisions for themselves by using whatever tools they have to do research on their purchase.

Using your phone to research the records can still be an active experience engaging with the music. I love going into record stores and listening to the music I see while browsing in the bins and with streaming services I can do that and ensure I love that album and that’s one I’d love to have in my collection. I can learn more about the album’s backstory and look at reviews and make sure the album is really what I’m looking for. No Best of the Beatles! Some people who care about pressings (I’m not one of them) can google them and do their research on that.

“But Angie, phones ruin the experience!”

True, it’s nice to unplug and live in the moment, but I think that technology can enhance the experience like I said earlier. I love being able to do my research on music while browsing in the record store. It’s not just about pricing but also knowing more about the different pressings, who made the music, when it came out, what people think of it, all those things.

Also, what if the person is disabled and is using their phone for accessibility purposes? My dad still has decent eyesight (especially considering he’s nearing 70) but sometimes he likes to use the flashlight on his phone so he can see better. A lot of people with vision impairments use their smartphone as a magnifying glass or use their phone to take voice memos. Blind people could use AI powered cameras that provide descriptions of what’s in front of them, really neat stuff! You might be hurting customers with disabilities by preventing them from using their phones, and that could potentially be illegal.

As well, there may be customers who are ESL speakers, don’t speak English, or in the case of record stores outside the Anglosphere – don’t speak the local language. They might want to translate the information on the record or convert the local currency to their home currency so they can budget properly and know they have enough in their bank account to pay for it, that’s important information that someone should know and I don’t want there to be barriers for foreign customers either. There’s not always going to be multilingual staff so a smartphone can help!

Not only that, but what if someone’s buying a gift and they’re checking with the recipient to make sure they don’t already have that record? I get not talking obnoxiously on the phone in the record store, but sending a text is no big deal, right? Sometimes when I go record shopping and I see something cool that reminds me of a friend I take a picture and I send it to them and tell them I’m thinking of them. Heck, it’s free advertising for your shop! I often talk about the record stores I visit while travelling and I like taking pictures to show what the place looks like. Bloggers talking about your business is free publicity. A lot of small businesses beg for publicity and here’s someone willing to give it to you and you scold them? I don’t get it! One crabby record stall owner got mad at me for taking a picture, and of course it’s their right to not want pictures of their business taken, but guess what I’m not gonna recommend their shop, your loss! Funnily enough, my old af display picture is of me at Amoeba music in Hollywood, one of the most famous record stores in the country, probably the world too. No one at Amoeba cares if you take pictures! Here’s a couple pictures I took at Amoeba in Hollywood and Reckless in Chicago:

These are important things to consider. A blanket smartphone ban can really hurt customers and it’s Luddite crap that makes no sense! Shops should be welcoming. And that is what I have to say about that!

What are your thoughts on comparison shopping as you shop? Is it a faux pas or totally okay? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

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