Record Store Day · Guide
How Record Store Day works for record shops
The short answer
Shops choose which RSD titles to order, but they often don't get everything they order, and they don't know exactly what's arrived until the delivery comes. Much of the stock can't be returned, so unsold records stay on the shelves. For many small shops, though, it's one of the biggest days of the year.
- List published
- Shop orders
- Allocation
- Delivery
- Sold on the day
How shops order
When the list is published, each participating shop decides which titles to order and how many. Fans can sometimes put in requests before the ordering deadline, which helps a shop judge demand, but a request isn’t a reservation.
Why your shop got one copy, or none
Shops don’t always receive what they order. Shop owners describe allocations being shared out by distributors, roughly in line with what each shop ordered, so a small shop asking for a handful of copies of a popular title may get one, or none. Bigger shops that order large quantities get more, and some sell much of it online afterwards, which smaller shops find frustrating. Record Store Day itself doesn’t supply stock to shops.
Stock they can’t send back
Much RSD stock is non-returnable. If a title doesn’t sell on the day, the shop owns it. Fans often notice RSD releases from previous years still in the racks. It’s a real cost for a small business, and it’s why some shops have chosen not to take part.
Why it still matters to small shops
Margins on new records are thin. For many shops, Record Store Day brings in a huge amount in one day and new faces through the door who come back. Even shops that skip the RSD releases often see a busy day by running their own offers.
How to support your local shop
Go on the day if you enjoy it, and buy something from the regular racks while you’re there. Ask early if there’s a title you want, so they can order it. And if the day isn’t for you, buy from them another week. That counts too.
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FAQ
Allocations are shared out and shops often get fewer copies than they order, sometimes none.
In person on the day first; many list leftovers online from the next day.
Many say it’s one of their biggest days, but unsold, non-returnable stock is a real cost.