It’s not inflation. It’s not quality. It’s the bait.
Vinyl record prices have jumped 24% over the past five years, yet some of the manufacturing savings from larger pressings aren’t reaching buyers. This leaves many collectors asking: why are we still paying so much?
The answer isn’t that tricky to figure out.
Manufacturing Costs Aren’t the Whole Story
The vinyl comeback has been going strong for nearly two decades, with sales growing steadily since 2007. During that time, collectors have watched prices climb gradually… until recently.
In 2025, a mint-condition record now averages $37.22, up from $29.82 in 2020, according to Discogs data.
Yes, per-unit production costs can drop when labels press large volumes—down to around $4–$7 per unit in those cases. But that doesn’t mean vinyl is cheap to produce overall.
Raw materials like PVC have gone up, and wages at pressing plants have increased due to inflation and labor shortages.
For smaller runs, manufacturing still costs $10–$15 per record, especially when you add in deluxe packaging or colored vinyl.
“The cost of manufacturing has clearly risen some as the cost of raw materials have gone up,” said Travis Searle of Guestroom Records Louisville in Kentucky.
“Additionally, as the cost of living has increased, the wages being paid to employees at pressing plants and product warehousing facilities have gone up.”
Inflation Plays a Role, But So Do Gimmicks
In 2020, that $29.82 record would cost about $36.48 today, adjusting for inflation. So technically, the 2025 average of $37.22 isn’t wildly off.
But that extra bump comes from more than just inflation. It comes from marketing tactics, collector psychology, and manufactured scarcity.
“Record labels have realized how much profit there is to be made in the vinyl market,” Searle said.
“From the mid-90s until the late-aughts, vinyl was very much a loss leader manufactured in shorter supply to appease collectors who never moved on from the format.”
Now it’s a goldmine. According to the 2024 Luminate Midyear Music Report, the top 10 best-selling albums had an average of seven vinyl variants each.
Artificial Scarcity Is the New Business Model
One of the clearest examples of this came in March 2025, when Ghost announced a limited vinyl pressing with just 6,000 copies globally. Each was a mystery edition with randomized artwork, retailing at $45.
Within weeks, preorders were being scalped for over $460 on eBay.
Jeffrey Smith, Discogs’ Vice President of Marketing, warns that this approach risks driving away collectors.
“Fans will pay for records that feel intentional—ones that respect their passion, loyalty, and desire to own something special,” Smith said.
“But flooding the market with color-swapped variants and bloated reissues with no real purpose? That’s how you lose them. Collectors aren’t ATMs.”
Sure, the Ghost example is extreme. But it just shows how scarcity is often used less to honor fans and more to exploit them.
How Collectors Adapt to Rising Costs
As prices go up, collectors of all ages are becoming pickier about what they buy.
A survey by Frank Landry of Channel 33 RPM found that 70% of collectors are buying fewer records because of higher costs.
“I have almost everything I ever wanted. And [I’m] a little more cautious about spending on one I do not need,” one collector told Discogs.
“[I’m] being more particular with how I spend and going for things I really want and not just the first things I see,” reported another.
Younger fans who represent vinyl’s future are also feeling the pinch.
Discogs notes that nearly a third of Gen Z collectors are cutting back on record purchases due to rising costs, according to a 2025 report from Vinyl Alliance.
Still, 47% of Gen Z vinyl fans believe that records are expensive but worth it.
Many collectors now turn to used records for better deals. In fact, used records make up about 78% of sales on Discogs, and buyers can save up to 47% compared to new vinyl prices.
Even buying “like new” used records can save an average of 23%.
Collector Loyalty is Shaking
Despite the rising prices and variant overload, vinyl sales show no signs of collapse. Discogs reports a 51% increase in sales from 2020 to 2023, and in 2024, collectors cataloged over 105.7 million items (a record high).
Even so, industry experts warn that labels risk burning out their most loyal fans.
Classic albums that sold for $6-10 fifteen years ago now cost $15-30. This reflects both higher demand and industry pricing choices.
What’s unclear is whether labels will change their approach or keep pushing variants and special editions at premium prices.