A record collector has sworn off buying vinyls from Walmart. And they showed exactly why they’ve adopted this stance in a viral TikTok that’s accrued over 679,000 views.
Jeff’s (@unclejeffsrecords) gripes with Walmart have to do with the company’s placement of security tags on its records selection. However, it’s not just where the tag’s been put on these items, but the type of tag that’s used. Several users who saw his clip were also miffed at the corporation’s oversight.
Punch problem
The TikToker begins his video by speaking into the camera. It appears that he’s recording his clip inside of a Walmart location. “Looks like I’m not buying vinyl at Walmart anymore,” he states in front of the camera. Next, he then delineates why his future purchasing decisions may change.
He highlights that the records in question have had yellow security tags affixed to them. According to the content creator, these tags “poke through” the record’s sleeves. Consequently, leaving them with a hole that damages the outer covering.
Due to the placement of the security tags, it seems that the records themselves aren’t affected. That’s because the tags are all positioned in the upper right-hand corner of the sleeves. However, someone interested in collecting vinyls from Walmart is effectively buying a damaged product.
Furthermore, collectors looking for “mint” condition items may not be interested in a hole-punched sleeve. This means that collectors buying these punctured record sleeves could be at a disadvantage.
Vinyl comeback
According to MarkWide Research, the vinyl record industry has seen a massive resurgence in “recent years.” The analytics firm reported that there are several contributing factors as to why this is the case. Chief among them is what appears to be a growing appreciation for a “nostalgic listening experience.” Additionally, there’s been an “increased consumer interest in physical media, nostalgia, and a desire for a more authentic music experience.”
The research group also highlighted that “collectors and enthusiasts” comprise this market sector. Jeff is one example of such an enthusiast who seems to prioritize physical product integrity. Also, the same report highlights how vinyl shoppers value “limited editions and special releases.” Paying a premium for physical records over digital song access means these buyers appreciate product packaging. If that packaging were to be compromised by a security tag hole, this could hinder the consumer experience.
Other drawbacks
Moreover, MarkWide cites that “vinyl records are delicate and susceptible to damage.” If one of these yellow tags is secured too close to a record, it could potentially harm the record. Thus, shoppers such as Jeff may be worried about having to deal with returns in addition to buying a hole-punched record sleeve.
Reselling in the vinyl record community has also grown following this renewed desire for physical music media. As a result, platforms dedicated to buying and selling vinyls have popped up online. Well Kept Wallet also delineated several ways vinyl collectors can trade phonographs. Almost all of the options mentioned in its list consider the condition of records and their respective casings for value assessments.
@unclejeffsrecords Do better @Walmart #vinyltok ♬ original sound – Uncle Jeff
Commenters react
Other TikTok users who reacted to Jeff’s video had varying opinions on his clip. Some argue that purchasing from local record stores is almost always a better option. However, there were those who stated that this isn’t feasible for many collectors.
Like this one person on the app who wrote, “People whining ‘why buy it there?’. Because not every town has a local record shop. Also, most record shops are more expensive than places like Walmart and not everyone can afford to shop local.”
But another said that the security tag placement is a telling incident regarding corporatism’s inability to serve niche patrons. I.e., if Walmart understood vinyl collectors, the chain wouldn’t damage record sleeves. “Another example of how corporate doesn’t understand the buyer or the product. They are too far removed from the shopping experience.”
One commenter couldn’t seem to understand why Walmart wouldn’t just use a sticker. “All ruined. They should be using a security tag instead. Omg.”
Someone else echoed the aforementioned statements. “They damaged the casing. I would never purchase a record damaged.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Walmart via email and Jeff via Instagram direct message for further comment.
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