Online CD sales

[1Nation]

My best freind and I are starting a record label. We both have PTLE based home studios and a predilection for music.

My cofounder was offered a recording deal with one of the biggest names in our genera a while back but he decided to turn it down for spiritual reasons... Personally I've been on CD's that have charted and played with a few fairly big names (Not that it matters much). But when it was time to put out our own music we just couldn't see coming into alliance with any existing record companies. Basically, we refuse to be slaves or whores just to make a living making music.

We're starting anew, making a record label for Christian musicians by Christian musicians with a focus on integrity. Our first offereing is called 7 Psalms. Checkitout

7 has been selling pretty well locally but online sales are virtually non-existent. We've had over thirteen hundred people veiw the site and almost as many download the songs and samples.

Here's the deal: When someone asks to buy a CD and I tell them to visit the site... They don't make a purchase. However, they usually give me very positive feedback about what they've heard. Now I would suppose that they are just being nice, but then a lot of the same people seek me out to buy it in person. So I'm wondering if the whole online sales thing is a little underdeveloped as of yet. It just seems like people do not want to buy music online. Which is a bummer because it was a big part of our innitial concept for the record label.

And finally a question. Are you selling online? How's it going? What in your opinion is making it work for you (If it is working for you)?

Any and all suggestions are welcome as I'm currently procrastinating... I mean contemplating a total reworking of 7psalms.com. Thanks, Paul.

[J. FO]

maybe they don't have credit cards? some people also just don't trust computers. and others don't trust themselves. seems odd to us computer literate people, but the bass player in my band didn't even know how to save a file to a disk and take it to another computer. those people are still out there?
what kind of payments do you accept online? do you have anything like PayPal? don't give up hope, or faith in this case. (get it?)

[stut5]

you guys sound great.You did all of this on a ptle system.vocals are exceptional some Boyz to men influence happening there I think.(Style)I listened to "So Good" and it was.

[Stone Knife]

Genera: a class, kind, or group marked by common characteristics or by one common characteristic; specifically : a category of biological classification ranking between the family and the species, comprising structurally or phylogenetically related species or an isolated species exhibiting unusual differentiation, and being designated by a Latin or latinized capitalized singular noun, i.e. no credit card.

Nice 'site, BTW!

[samuel40]

Hey 1nation the cd is awesome. thank you sooo much for putting in the cd of your session. I have been very busy lately and what to set aside some time to really dedicate to just looking at it because i know i am going to learn a lot...

My wife loves your work as well, i told her she has to get her own cause she can't have mine so look for another order here real soon.

on the subject of online purchases... to add to what has already been stated. I think online processing has to be as smooth and as effortless as possible and paypal won't get it for most people espicially those who aren't very net savvy. it just so happened that i was already signed up with them but i had to money in there as i rarely use it. so i had to transfer funds then wait and then wait for that to be sent to you then wait for it to be shipped...

no if i hadn't been previously signed up then i have to set up an acount wait for confirmation email then transfer and etc etc etc... i think you see the point. so I bet you lose a lot of people right there.

If you had a way where folks could decide to but then bam enter their pay by check or creditcard number right there i bet sales would increase for the better. There is nothing wrong with the material just may be too many steps to get to it for the average user... of course these or just my opinions. i wish you the Best!!!!

[da BaSsTaRd!]

my friend is using http://www.cdstreet.com/

my understanding of their service is that you send them your cd's in the jewel cases and shrink-wrapped. then you put their order form on your website. when someone orders a cd, its processed by their payment service, and they accept credit cards like any other "real" online business. they ship it for you as well.

you can charge any price you want. they keep 20% of sale price and the shipping charge. you get 80% of the sale price. check their website for details but this looks like a pretty good deal. especially since you don't have to worry about checks clearing or shipping and stuff like that. they do all the work for you and you get paid!

[DDP]

cdbaby.com does the same as cdstreet.com. i haven't sold many off there but one of the artists i recorded sells quite a few each month off of it.

[BigRedButton]

I also use www.cdstreet.com and they rock! I've moved a good number of units through them, and their support is great! I really can't say enough about them. However, as an indie artist, I never sell as many units on-line as I do when I'm gigging. Without radio support, face to face sales after a live show will probably be your biggest sales times.

[1Nation]

Thanks for all of the replies.

J. Fo, those are all good points. I can't tell you how many people told me that they didn't buy the CD online because they refuse to use credit cards online. I've joked with my webmaster "Webmaster mike" about putting the part about accepting checks in hot pink.

Thanks a lot stut5. Yes all of the tracking and mixing was done in PTLE. Boyz to Men is a pretty big compliment. It still amazes me that the three biggest singles of all time are slow jams by B2M.

Stone Knife, You crazy! What was the word I was looking for?

Nino, I'm glad you got the cd and I'm REALLY glad that you like it. When we got your order PP said not to ship until the eCheck cleared which took forever because of the Holidays. I wanted to send it right away but we have two accountants ( [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] I mean [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] ) and they're very strict.

I feel your pain about the wife thing. Every time I get some new tunes I have to hide it from wifey or it's gone.

I think you hit the nail on the head when you said...

If you had a way where folks could decide to but then bam enter their pay by check or creditcard number right there i bet sales would increase for the better. There is nothing wrong with the material just may be too many steps to get to it for the average user... of course these or just my opinions. i wish you the Best!!!!

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">We checked into an ecommerce site and a mercahnt account So customers could enter their CC# online. But it was very expensive to hook up. About $600 start up and $100 a month. Do you know of another way around this?

[1Nation]

da basstard, DDP, and BigRedButton, Thanks for the info about CDstreet and CDbaby.