Indie Retailers Fight Back Against Label Exclusives

In separate moves, two groups of independent music retailers that together represent about 200 stores have issued policies taking a stand against the label practice of providing exclusives and music premiums to select retailers, often mass merchants.

The Coalition of Independent Music Stores says that going forward, labels must provide advance notice about exclusives on the one-sheets for their releases. Without that notice, the group says, "we reserve our right to return all inferior versions of the product immediately ... without otherwise-applicable return restriction or penalties."

The other group of music merchants-comprising Newbury Comics and all members of the Music Monitor Network except for Record Express and the Record Exchange-have also issued a statement on the subject. They say that labels that continue to offer superior/enhanced product on an exclusive basis can expect severely limited support for the rest of their artist rosters, including a lack of in-store promotions that are not part of a specific, agreed-upon marketing plan.