Petrushka's List of CD Exchanges

[bluestateprommer]

Sorry but it was there for over a week and attracted very little interest. In any case, I've gone off the idea, largely due to post and packing charges and time (lack of). How on earth any Amazon Marketplace sellers manage to find it worthwhile I'll never know.

Speaking as an Amazon Marketplace seller, I can explain to some degree why it's worthwhile, but also at times frustrating. The worthwhile part:

1. With luck, even after postage and envelope expenses, I can come out marginally ahead, compared to trading a recording at my local shop.
2. When an order comes through on Amazon, especially with classical issues, you know that it'll be going to a good home. I've managed to send issues nearly all over the world, if 4 continents count.
3. In many cases, even if I do trade them at the local shop, I have the sinking feeling that they'll sit in that store forever. (Not the case with Academy Records on the rare occasions when I'm visiting NYC, and I bring some items to try to trade for store credit.)

The frustrating part, of course, is mainly that you have no control over how long it will take for a given CD to sell. I've had some CD's on my page for over a year that haven't moved. I have sold a few that have sat for well over a year unsold on my page, and then finally they found a buyer. On others where I get continually underbidded by zoverstocks or some such combine, I have given up. One has to keep watch over competitor listings with some regularity, regarding pricing. But at least for a small-time seller like me, it doesn't cost any up-front money to list items on Amazon. So overall, it's been reasonably positive for me.

[Petrushka]

I actually managed to get rid of my duplicate CD's to two different London second-hand dealers and pocketed £100 for my trouble. I had to cart all 53 CD's down in a case but it was worth it.