need help selling on the internet!!!

[Zeedashbo]

i'm selling CD's for a friend who just released his first official mixtape/album. all of the sales are independant (i.e. no store sales), and we're trying to sell 5,000 by the end of the year to fund his full album. i'm sure i could get a few internet pals to purchase cause my buddies the shizz, but i have no clue how to sell this stuff on the net. help me please.

[365wp]

http://www.cdbaby.net

[The AD]

365wp beat me to it. A friend of mine put out a CD on cdbaby and it worked out well for him.

[optics]

Independent as in no recording label, or as in no distro.?

I know lots of hip hop people who have gotten good distribution w/independent recording, production, etc.

If it's hip hop, he should think very hard about pressing wax, too. Lots of good distribution for 12"s that don't require giving up your autonomy. Especially good choice if he's just pushing a single w/b-side.

Aside from that...
Set up a simple site, if he doesn't have one already. Link short mp3 teasers to the forums at okayplayer, etc.

[Zeedashbo]

check it out optics. luk chooses to go w/o distrobution to stay doing his own thang. he's had many chances to sign major label deals, but doesn't want to get snaked.

http://www.seaspot.com/cgi-script/cs...001/000147.htm

i got cd's for 5 bucks. good price for some great music. support your local hip-hop. he ain't anything like all the other guys trying to get you to buy their album, he's actually good.

[optics]

Yeah, I understand his no-distro stance, same approach to it as the people I know in that business. Makes sense, especially if you've seen what can happen if you sign with the wrong label.

Some of the distro. deals can be non-handcuffing, though. You can get single-release distribution that would clear him as much per CD/12" as he's getting retail. Fatbeats is a good example, you don't need to be a signed artist to wholesale to them.

Without doing that, you could definitely sell through independent music stores. I can get you a list of indy/self-distro hip hop friendly stores on the west coast if it would help.

5K is a pretty big number. If he/you can move 5K units in 3 months without being on a shelf, that's damned good. How many does he usually move at a show? He sets up a merch booth, right?

[Zeedashbo]

fuck yeah that would be sweet if you had a list of stores to sell at.

if luk sold 5k, he would be the biggest underground seller ever in seattle. i think that since this is a mixtape type thing even though only one of the songs is a jacked beat, that the thought was to not take any of the distro channels that were represented. and go outta the trunk like e-40 did and keep all the profit. he said after bumpershoot he sold over 100 cd's. he's had cd's to sell before, but none were quite like this, so it's hard to say how much he'll sell at a certain show. word is he might open up for loyd banks and young buck next month.

[optics]

A couple good places to start:
- http://www.thegiantpeach.com/_cart2.0/customer/home.php
- http://www.basementhiphop.com/index.html

I'd just write an email to the store to figure out who to talk to, and then send a media packet w/reviews, articles., etc.

He has to have a website, if he doesn't already. Build it fast and send out press releases about the CD to local shops.

I'll ask around and see who else you should talk to.

[pollard]

i got cd's for 5 bucks. good price for some great music. support your local hip-hop. he ain't anything like all the other guys trying to get you to buy their album, he's actually good.

this is right in time my cd got jacked a couple weeks ago. pm me where to send the $. and for those that haven't heard him hes damn good.

[Rusty Nails]

Z-bo,

I'll buy one. Only 4,998 left to go.