The Pros and Cons of CDBaby.

Benjamin Strange · #1 05-19-2008, 10:45 AM

I'm curious what experiences people have had selling their music through CDBaby.

I'm looking to set up my own account with them and am running into trouble with their rather primitive site. Their server locked up when I requested ISRC codes, and I can't find any place to pay for my setup fee and barcode. It's putting me off a bit. Anybody else had these kind of problems?

What are your experiences with CDBaby? Good, bad, ugly?

ksandvik · #2 05-19-2008, 10:53 AM

If you have your own record company, you could request your own ISRC range that you could use for your releases. It's free. --Kent

bigfatbass · #3 05-19-2008, 11:05 AM

Never had trouble with them or the site in any way, and Los Blancos has made all kinds of random sales to people who surf there by genre. We sell the most from our own site (it is VERY easy to set up your own paypal account to take credit cards and sell your shwag seamlessly through your own site), but any sales avenue is a good one if it hits a new potential fan. CDBaby also helped us get on a dozen pay-per-play/download sites.

They actually have customer support that cares, and Derek Sivers is the gladiator champion of the indie artist. You just can't say enough good things about that guy or his intentions from where I sit. If you ever get a chance to see him speak at a conference don't miss it! It's well worth the time to hear what that guy has to say about the current state of the independent artist.

And +1 to the above, just make up your own record label and CDBaby takes care of the rest for you.

Benjamin Strange · #4 05-19-2008, 11:09 AM

Yes, CDBaby also releases ISRC codes for free, but their server froze up while mine were supposedly being issued. Weird.

The biggest reason that I'm setting up something with CDBaby is to get a barcode. A barcode would cost me $750 elsewhere - I can get one on CDBaby for $25. Yet I can't find a place on their site to pay for it...

I do plan on selling mine through my own site directly as well, but any extra sales through CDBaby would just be a bonus.

Jazz Ad · #5 05-19-2008, 11:19 AM

There are cons at CDbaby ? I don't know any.

Benjamin Strange · #6 05-19-2008, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

There are cons at CDbaby ? I don't know any.

Well, here's a con:

If you click on the link to be taken to the secure page to pay for your setup fees and such, there's actually no section to pay I don't get it...

ksandvik · #7 05-19-2008, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange

Well, here's a con:

If you click on the link to be taken to the secure page to pay for your setup fees and such, there's actually no section to pay I don't get it...

This might also be a browser issue, try with a different browser to see if that cures the problem. Or then just send the web site an email telling there are problems with the page, mention your browser/OS system setup. --Kent

Benjamin Strange · #8 05-19-2008, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksandvik

This might also be a browser issue, try with a different browser to see if that cures the problem. Or then just send the web site an email telling there are problems with the page, mention your browser/OS system setup. --Kent

I tried it both with Firefox and Safari... I got nuthin'.

Benjamin Strange · #9 05-19-2008, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigfatbass

We sell the most from our own site (it is VERY easy to set up your own paypal account to take credit cards and sell your shwag seamlessly through your own site).

Thanks for that insight. I just looked into it and made a store on my own sites based off your store. I'm well on my way to becoming a music industry mogul.

Mon Rominee · #10 05-19-2008, 01:11 PM

I have yet to find a con with CDBaby. If anything, it;s a friggin Godsend for independent artists, especially for their incredibly fair fees and all the work / offers you get through them.

Mon

jeff schmidt · #11 05-19-2008, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

There are cons at CDbaby ? I don't know any.

CD Baby's model is still based on an old school CD sales market that demand CD prices be kept high.

Consider -

CD Baby gets $4 for every CD you sell. Period.

If you have a CD professionally recorded, mixed, mastered, packaged, and duplicated + the costs of shipping the CDs TO CD Baby - the musician's cost per CD sold on CD Baby can easily reach $7 or more.

At the "reasonable" sales price of $10 per CD - CD Baby makes more on every CD sale than I do. I've experimented with pricing - $8.00- $9.00 is the price that generates the most sales for me. That's about break even on CD Baby. I can charge $10 or more - but the copies hang around longer.

If this EXACT arrangement were being done at WalMart, no one would be calling them "gladiator champion of the indie artist".

Derek has been great at positioning himself. CD Baby is very good. For Derek. But when you look at the details - it's only modestly good for the musician.

Also - don't use CDBaby for digital distribution. You can get better deal through TuneCore - more stores that people actually use. It's a Flat fee - no per sales charge or %.

I think CDBaby is a decent place to pickup ancillary sales from shoppers who bump into your music while browsing.

But I don't think it's very good as a primary sales outlet for your music.

Too expensive for the artist.

FWIW - the main reason I use CD Baby is because I HATE going to the post office to mail CDs out. When a fan orders my CD - I want them to have it ASAP. And I suck at getting stuff out in the mail.

CD Baby gets it out fast.

Is that worth $4.00 per CD?

I'm thinking I need to improve my post office skillz.

ksandvik · #12 05-19-2008, 01:28 PM

I think there's a threshold point where selling CDs, with the exception of at concert situations, is no longer a valid business model. This as consumers use online services, iTunes and so on. I personally think this year is the one where this threshold will happen or has already happened.

You could still use CD Baby for online only distributions, but then you also have TuneCore and similar services that might have a better deal concerning the profits from online sales.

Note that you get the really good sales from iTunes, Amazon, eMusic and in some cases from specialized online web sites (ex dance music is of course Beatport). Selling music via your own web site is tough. MySpace might also become a big contender soon, as well.

--Kent

Benjamin Strange · #13 05-19-2008, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeff schmidt

If you have a CD professionally recorded, mixed, mastered, packaged, and duplicated + the costs of shipping the CDs TO CD Baby - the musician's cost per CD sold on CD Baby can easily reach $7 or more.

In this case, it's up to the artist to figure out a manner in which to lower our own costs. I did a lot of research on the subject, and decided to manufacture my own CDs in house. I burn them, print the artwork, and shrink wrap them myself. The total cost per CD: 41 cents. I sell them at my shows for $5, and make $4.59 profit per CD, which is a 91.8% profit. I will set my price at CDBaby and my website for $10 to cover administrative costs and shipping, but I'm still making a good profit even considering the extra overhead.

four2oh · #14 05-19-2008, 02:06 PM

my only issue right now is the damn backlog CDBaby currently is in. My band's latest CD was released back on 4/18/2008. we used DiscMakers, bought the extra $40 "Ultimate Digital Distribution" package which basically is DiscMakers sending 5 cds to CDBaby and enrolling you in CDBaby's iTunes setup. Well it's been more than a month since i've had the physical CDs.. and CDBaby has had their 5 copies as well.. but i have yet to recieve anything confirming we're a go with CDBaby, other than my DiscMaker's rep stating that her rep at CDBaby saying they they recieved a huge infux of material and are way way backlogged.. no time frame on when my tunes will be available.. *sigh* so i'm stuck manually mailing out CDs from email requests from fans.. i thought we were in the future!!

jeff schmidt · #15 05-19-2008, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange

In this case, it's up to the artist to figure out a manner in which to lower our own costs.

true. but the quality of the delivered product should be on par with other items selling for similar pricing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange

I did a lot of research on the subject, and decided to manufacture my own CDs in house. I burn them, print the artwork, and shrink wrap them myself. The total cost per CD: 41 cents. I sell them at my shows for $5, and make $4.59 profit per CD, which is a 91.8% profit. I will set my price at CDBaby and my website for $10 to cover administrative costs and shipping, but I'm still making a good profit even considering the extra overhead.

the thing is - doing a CD totally homegrown like this is what's required to actually make a decent return on CDBaby sales.

I don't think I could put CDs together for .41 each.

Seriously, the CD itself? Maybe, if you get really low grade cdrs for .30 each?

plus a case/jacket of some kind - at least another .20 each

labels - particularly avery is not exactly cheap. .15 each

ink to print - not cheap.

and whatever shrink wrapping costs ...

I'd love to learn how you are able to do it.

I just did a physical release of my ruiner severhead project.

I did it totally punk rock style.

except I had good quality CDRs with thermal printing.

for 100 copies the total cost was a several times .41 each.

Benjamin Strange · #16 05-19-2008, 03:07 PM

The way I did it is I bought a bunch of stuff in bulk off ebay. You can buy blank CDs (I'm using a printer that can print directly on the CD), jewel cases, presentation paper (it's nice and thick and can be printed on both sides), and you can shrink wrap everything yourself with some shrink wrap bags and a hair dryer.

The startup cost for this was negligible - the printer was about $50, and I needed one anyway for other projects.

jeff schmidt · #17 05-19-2008, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange

The way I did it is I bought a bunch of stuff in bulk off ebay. You can buy blank CDs (I'm using a printer that can print directly on the CD), jewel cases, presentation paper (it's nice and thick and can be printed on both sides), and you can shrink wrap everything yourself with some shrink wrap bags and a hair dryer.

The startup cost for this was negligible - the printer was about $50, and I needed one anyway for other projects.

ahhh - good stuff. thanks!

Benjamin Strange · #18 05-19-2008, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeff schmidt

ahhh - good stuff. thanks!

No problem. You are more than welcome to make a request to become part of the Benjamin Strange / Burnt Infant franchise if you'd like more help.

jeff schmidt · #19 05-19-2008, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange

No problem. You are more than welcome to make a request to become part of the Benjamin Strange / Burnt Infant franchise if you'd like more help.

is there a franchise fee - ya know - like opening an Arby's?

sobie18 · #20 05-19-2008, 04:57 PM

I have my CD up there and I have bought a LOT of new music from the site. Lots of good artists and also some "famous" folks. Sometimes it's easier to order them from CDBaby than it is to try and wait until it gets released to your store. All of my future CD's will be dealt with CDBaby.