We’re getting ready to send out a big mailing of my new Solo CD to press and radio. I once again find myself in the bizzarre position of having to mutiliate my CD packaging, because if I don’t, a small percentage of the CDs will end up being sold as new on Ebay for about two dollars.
A colleague of mine commented that he’s not bothered by this issue, because he doesn’t make the CDs to make a profit, but more to get gigs. It’s not that I expect to make a lot of money selling the CDs online. However, it’s degrading to see the brand new product of my blood and sweat practically given away on Ebay like a soon-to-expire bag of frozen peas on sale at Walmart.
I understand financial need, having been a professional musician most of my life. Some jazz writers get hundreds of free CDs every month. I understand they can’t listen to all of them. But selling them as new is greedy and wrong. It undermines the artist who trusted you to treat his/her music with respect, it undermines what’s left of the record business, and it undermines the music by cheapening it to the point where people think a song is worth, not even the lousy 99 cents itunes charges, but perhaps 20 or 30 cents.
So it comes down to this: Should I clip the corner? Write on the CD with a sharpie? Or just take the plastic off? (In the latter case it will have to be sold as “like new” or “almost new”.) I haven’t made up my mind yet.