Donald Satz wrote:

>Does anyone, maybe Kevin Sutton, have any idea why these stores consider
>it the bright thing to continue reordering the same inventory over and
>over and over? It appears to me to be a totally ignorant and short-sighted
>policy.  Simply ordering more of the same stuff because you sold it
>previously is not good planning when the items in question do not have
>mass appeal.  Or maybe I'm missing some piece of the puzzle.

 From my own limited experience in the retail side of things, many
factors add to the equation.  In the larger organizations individual stores
have little choice as to what they are sent.  It has to do with centralized
buying, the deals that the chains work out with distributors, etc.  It also
has to do with the mentality of those on the corporate level that are in
charge of the buying.  It is the popular music mentality which is
predicated on a quick turnover and if performer x sold once, then they will
sell again.  If they don't in the next six months they are either returned
to the distributor or sold off at a discount.

Clearly, with popular music generating the income, it is logical that
those on the corporate level know popular music best and are likely to
bring a similar mentality to classical music.  In my experience, classical
recordings have a long shelf life than popular music.  I could go on...and
will if someone asks, but the change in the nature of the business seems to
hurting popular music sales as well.  Some popular music recordings are
also developing a longer shelf life and that area is also having its
"classics."

With my own label, it has been almost impossible to get into any stores.
How can one have a sales history when one has no history at all.  And
since corporate decisions are based on prior sales history and/or name
recognition, new labels are left out in the cold.

Karl