Music
How to Beat the Scalpers for Record Store Day Releases
A professional's guide to Record Store Day. Learn how to find the stock others miss and secure your wishlist titles at retail price.
Record Store Day (RSD) is the most significant event in the vinyl calendar, but it has also become a primary target for professional resellers. While the event's mission is to support independent record stores, the reality for many collectors is standing in line for hours only to find that the titles they wanted were snapped up by those at the front of the queue looking to flip them on eBay. Beating the scalpers requires a multi-phase strategy that starts weeks before the actual event and continues for days after.
The Two Phases of RSD Success
The first phase is the physical in-store event on the day. The second, and often most successful phase, is the national online leftovers scramble that usually begins the following day (typically falling on a Sunday or Monday). Most collectors give up after the first phase, but the pros know that more than 30 percent of RSD stock eventually finds its way online.
Expert Tips for RSD Collectors
- Research Smaller Independent Stores: The biggest record stores in major cities get the most stock, but they also get the biggest crowds. Look for smaller, specialised shops that are further off the beaten path. They often have less competition for high-demand titles.
- Call Ahead for Allocation Checks: Record stores receive their manifests about a week before the event. While they can't reserve items, most are happy to tell you if they are receiving 2 copies or 20 copies of a specific title. This information is crucial for deciding which queue to join.
- Master the Online Scramble: On the day after RSD (usually Sunday or Monday), stores are permitted to list their remaining stock online, normally at either 8 AM or 8 PM. These times are typically confirmed by stockists prior to going live, often via their social media accounts. This is a chaotic window where hundreds of different sites update at once, and having a system that aggregates these updates is the only way to compete.
The MerchVault Advantage for RSD
During the intense "Online Scramble" phase, MerchVault becomes your most valuable asset. We track hundreds of independent record stores simultaneously. Instead of you manually checking dozens of tabs, you can set alerts for your top wishlist titles and get instant notifications the moment a store uploads their leftover stock. Our system is designed to give you the technical edge needed to secure your RSD grails before the scalpers can react.
