Indie Record Store Black Friday Sales Up 13.8%, reports CIMS

Black Friday sales reports from the Coalition Of Independent Music Stores are in and they were universally positive, according to Michael Bunnell, CIMS Executive Director. Less comprehensive data showed an up day on Small Business Saturday, as well.

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Sales reports from most Coalition Of Independent Music Stores show Black Friday sales increases ranged from +5% to an astounding +53%, with an average increase of 13.8%. Only two stores reported decreases from their 2016 sales, while a couple reported flat sales. Less comprehensive data from Small Business Saturday was also positive, ranging from flat to +19% over 2016 sales.The Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) is a collective of 45 independently owned record stores in 25 states throughout the country."Sales of individual tiles varied from store to store, with big-name catalog titles remaining a strength," reports Michael Bunnell, CIMS Executive Director. "On the downside, the two noticeable trends were that expensive picture discs took a hit, and any single disc release that approached or cleared the $30 mark was a real victim of sticker shock. The halo effect was very apparent this year, with strong sales of new and used vinyl way up. As those sales increased, so did lifestyle numbers, which always benefit from the increased store traffic."