We buy vinyl!

If you have records to sell, email us or call us at 919-977-4704.

Our buyers travel across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and beyond, buying vinyl collections just like yours!

If you have vinyl that you don't listen to anymore, why haven't you sold it yet? Do you think the process will take too much time? Are you worried about dealing with shady, unpleasant dealers who use unethical negotiating tactics? Are you worried that you won't get what they're really worth? Well, put those fears to rest, because Sorry State's friendly and knowledgeable staff will come to you and make a quick and accurate appraisal of your records. If we're interested in what you have we'll make you a fair and straightforward offer that you're free to accept or decline with absolutely no pressure from us. For a few minutes of your time you'll free up space in your home and get cash in your pocket.

Sorry State pays top dollar for collectible vinyl, including punk, metal, classic rock, jazz, and other desirable records. We pride ourselves on being honest, fair, and up front. Even if you don't know what you have we'll let you know the market value of your vinyl. Bring your records by the store or we're happy to come to you. Just email sorrystate@gmail.com or call the store at 919-977-4704.

We are located at 317 W Morgan St, Suite 105 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Click here for more detailed directions to the store.

We're open Mon-Sat: 12pm-8pm, Sunday: 12pm-7pm

Seller FAQ

What do you buy?

We don't buy everything, but since we're a little picky it means we pay way better than most stores on the stuff that we do buy. In general, if your collection contains ANY of the following we’d like to take a look at it:

- punk rock (including hardcore, oi!, garage rock, and other related subgenres… punk is our favorite music and we’re always buying it!)
- heavy metal (anything from hair metal and hard rock to death and black metal… we love metal!)
- new wave / indie rock / alternative / post-punk / college rock (The Smiths, Joy Division, Husker Du, the Replacements, the Cure, the Ramones, as well as more recent bands)
- classic rock / acid rock / hard rock / psych rock from the 60s and 70s (Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Black Sabbath, David Bowie, etc. Click here for a list of classic rock artists whose work we are always buying.)
- Original pressings and reissues by obscure, cult, and avant-garde artists of all genres (Captain Beefheart, Moondog, Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Albert Ayler, Sun Ra, Silver Apples, Can, Nurse With Wound, Throbbing Gristle, Nico, the Velvet Underground... I think you catch our drift!)
- Beatles LPs
- ANY LPs made after 1990 (yes, just about anything!)
- jazz artists like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, etc.
- 60s-70s soul and funk (James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Parliament/Funkadelic, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Nina Simone, Al Green, etc.)
- blues (Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf, etc.)
- audiophile pressings (Mobile Fidelity, Quiexx, Analogue Productions, etc.)
- we are also particularly interested in vinyl collections from people who worked in the music industry in any capacity (for a label, radio and/or television, at a record store, in warehouse/distribution, live concert promotion, artist management, etc.)

Of course the list above only scratches the surface of what we buy. When in doubt, just give us a call or an email and ask! We’re always happy to check out what you have and give you an appraisal and our honest advice.

What we DON'T BUY:

There are some things that we rarely, if ever, buy. Sometimes we might take this stuff as part of a larger collection, but in general this is what we have way too much of and/or sells poorly for us:

- 70s soft rock (Seals & Crofts, Loggins & Messina, James Taylor, etc.)
- classical (unless it’s 20th century / avant-garde composers like John Cage, Terry Riley, etc.)
- big band jazz
- crooners (Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, etc.)
- hip-hop 12” singles (please brings us your LPs, though!)
- disco
- unsold dealer stock (we don’t want the records that other dealers can’t sell… they probably won’t sell for us either!)

Of course the list above only scratch the surface of what we don't buy. When in doubt, just give us a call or an email and ask! We’re always happy to check out what you have and give you an appraisal and our honest advice.

What will you give me for my records?

For really desirable stuff that will sell well for us we pay between 30-50% of retail value. That is much better than most stores, who typically pay only 10-20% of retail value, sometimes less. We pay more for a few reasons: 1. we think it’s fair 2. because we want to build a reputation as the best place to bring your desirable and collectible vinyl and 3. because we're an efficient, well-run business with a much higher sell-through rate than your typical used record store.

Do you offer consignment terms?

Yes! Our consignment terms vary depending on what we’re selling, but this is often the best option if your records are extremely valuable. We log consignment sales daily, pay out monthly, and consignment sellers have access to a web site where you can check on sales at your convenience.

How many records will you buy at once?

We routinely buy several thousand records at a time. That said, people often bring small stacks of records into the shop to sell or trade. The best policy is to call the shop or email and tell us what you have.

How do you appraise records?

Our buyers are extremely well-trained at making accurate appraisals based on market value. We look at a broad range of data from online sites like Discogs and eBay as well as our own historical sales data from our 10+ years of selling. If you want to get a quick sense of what a record is worth, we recommend finding the listing for your particular version of the record on discogs.com and looking at the median sale price. Simply typing the record's title in the search box at ebay.com and looking at asking prices is extremely inaccurate and will tell you essentially nothing about the value of your particular record.

How much are my Beatles records worth?

We definitely want your Beatles records, but they aren’t going to put your kids through college. Most Beatles records had tens of millions of copies pressed, and while there is consistent demand for old copies there is also a steady supply. We sell most of our Beatles records for $10-25 depending on condition, pressing, etc., so we generally pay $5-15 depending on those same factors.

When do you buy records?

Most of our employees are trained to buy, but it’s always best to call the shop at 919-977-4704 before you come by. Please try to avoid Fridays from 12-2pm and an hour or less before close. Depending on the size of your collection, we might be able to get back to you in the same day. There are plenty of places to grab a snack or coffee while you wait for our appraisal!

What is the buying process like?

If you’re bringing records to the store we ask that you allow us an hour or two to examine them and formulate an offer. We’ll be happy to recommend a good lunch spot for you. When you come back we’ll make you can offer that you can feel free to accept or reject. We usually pay you in cash, but we may need to cut a check if we don’t have enough cash on hand.

If you would like to sell more than 50 or so records at a time we suggest you call 919-977-4704 or email sorrystate@gmail.com. We can either come to you and check out what you have or set up a time for you to bring the records to the shop.

Do you make house calls?

Yes! Call 919-977-4704 or email sorrystate@gmail.com to set up an appointment. We have no problem traveling for larger (300+ records) collections. If you're in Raleigh, we can come to you even if you have less than 100 or so records! If you think you're too far away you're probably wrong! We've traveled thousands of miles for good collections and we're happy to keep doing it.

Can't I get more money if I sell the records myself?

Ask anyone who sells online and they’ll tell you that it can be deceptively expensive and time-consuming. Most people simply don’t have the spare time or the skills to create the types of online listings that will get you top dollar for your records. Furthermore, after you invest all of that time and effort cataloguing, photographing, and listing your collection you will get hit with substantial fees (often 20% or more of the sale price) that will come directly out of your bottom line, not to mention the hassle of dealing with returns from unsatisfied customers and lost or damaged parcels. In almost all cases, you’ll make nearly as much money by selling your collection to us, and the hardest thing you’ll have to do is cash the check.