advertisement


“Not for resale”

G

guydarryl

pfm Member
Do “not for resale/demonstration only” notices affect value of an album (make it illegal to sell on ?)



Mick Jagger “primitive cool” - always disappointed me how good musicians could make such a naff record (Jagger + Jeff Beck + Dave Stewart = yawn)
 
The message was intended for those that received one, which was likely gratis. Nobody cares now if something is marked as not for resale. And even at the time I remember local record shops openly selling promos, though thinking about it now not many with the not for resale stamp I admit. Usually white labels.

tl;dr: Crack on
 
promo records are less common so I find they attract attention. Usually look unplayed or are toast.
 
They often come with Press Packs...

I have a really nice US Promo 2LP of "Valuable Passages" by The Durutti Column. It came with a press letter and glossy black & white photos of Vini Reilly.

The UK didn't get the 2LP version (which had extra tracks compared to the Factory UK CD).
 
Many years picked up a promo copy of Hugh Masakela Hedzoleh Soundz in a record shop.
Heavy vinyl and pretty much unused - 'Promotional copy - not for sale' only appeared on the centre label although one corner of the sleeve was neatly clipped.

Excellent album that I still play ....

 
Last edited:
No, it's not illegal. Anything sent or given without solicitation is the recipient's, to do with as they wish. The main reason promotional copies are marked as such is so they can't find their way into the retail environment and be returned to the distributor or label for a credit.
 
Last edited:
Woodface said:
I do wonder why they often have a corner cut off
Click to expand...
Two different things, though they can appear on the same record. The corner cut indicates a deletion sold to the shop at a knock-down rate with no returns, or an import through cheap channels again with no returns, i.e. if the customer brings it back because it is scratched, warped or whatever that’s on the shop to cover. It can’t be returned to the distributor. A promo copy is obviously outside the returns path too, so can have a cover cut as well as a stamp.

A deletion cut is an interesting thing from a grading perspective. I mention any if present, but I don’t drop a grade as it was there from new. It is part of that copy’s history. I have a good number in my own collection as it is how a lot of very nice original US pressings made their way into the UK.
 
I worked for a small chain of record shops in California in the late 70s.
We had a special bin for "cut-outs" with the corners cut off. Usually deleted stuff.
Same quality as the rest of the stock but dead cheap.
I still have loads. It was obviously very nice to be the person opening the boxes.
They weren't ordered, just arrived from the warehouse to see if they would sell so you never knew what might be in there

We also got piles of promotional stuff marked "not for sale"
We used to have a meeting once a month and divvy them out.
Still have a few no one else wanted. Mostly ECM
 
Tony L said:
Two different things, though they can appear on the same record. The corner cut indicates a deletion sold to the shop at a knock-down rate with no returns, or an import through cheap channels again with no returns, i.e. if the customer brings it back because it is scratched, warped or whatever that’s on the shop to cover. It can’t be returned to the distributor. A promo copy is obviously outside the returns path too, so can have a cover cut as well as a stamp.

A deletion cut is an interesting thing from a grading perspective. I mention any if present, but I don’t drop a grade as it was there from new. It is part of that copy’s history. I have a good number in my own collection as it is how a lot of very nice original US pressings made their way into the UK.
Click to expand...
I generally think there is a better chance of them being played on better TTs or not played that much. I have the odd one & it’s never put me off.
 
MVE in That London was well known to be rammed full of promo stuff back in the ‘70s and ‘80s as the music papers were still a big thing and writers got sent all manner of promo stuff they just cashed in, often unplayed. Annoyingly by the time I moved there in the ‘90s the promo market had moved over to CD, though I picked up loads of interesting stuff there for 50p-£1.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top