Rough Trade is facing backlash over their new vinyl selling scheme, which allows people to swap pre-owned records for cash with FlipVinyl, a company that has been described as one of the fastest-growing second-hand vinyl buyers in Germany. The scheme was unveiled on Twitter, but has been criticized for offering extremely low prices for rare records. The announcement online led to a follow-up statement that tried to justify the prices, where Rough Trade mentioned that the service is not suitable for everyone’s needs, as it is designed for anyone looking to trade casually for a quick turn-around. However, the negative response online has led to further criticism of the service and Rough Trade’s decision to partner with FlipVinyl.
Social media users have shared the low prices they were quoted for records that are collectible and worth a significant amount of money, sparking outrage amongst many music collectors. The negative response to the service has led to various users claiming that Rough Trade is bowing to the greed of opportunistic capitalism by partnering with FlipVinyl. Various criticisms have been levelled against the scheme, with some users claiming that the prices offered are a major let-down and others declaring that they will no longer buy from Rough Trade.
The criticism has been widely shared online, with social media users expressing their disappointment that Rough Trade has partnered with a company that has been described as offering incredibly low prices for rare records. One user went on to describe the service as an exploitatively low service, aimed at ripping off the music collectors. Another called the service an utter disaster, and others described the scheme as a potentially fatal own goal for Rough Trade.
The scheme has been widely criticized, with many users rejecting it outright and others deciding to boycott Rough Trade altogether. Back in January, Rough Trade had announced that it would be opening a new store in Liverpool, marking the sixth branch in the UK, following stores in Bristol, Nottingham and three shops in London. While the announcement of the new store was met with excitement and enthusiasm, this new vinyl selling scheme appears to have brought significant backlash from music collectors and buyers alike
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