Who is buying Disc Publishing Equipment in 2024?

Believe it or not manufacturers such as Rimage and Epson are still producing and we are selling disc publishing equipment at a decent pace in 2024.

Disc Publishers and Printer purchasers typically fall into one of two categories.

  1. Data Archivists
  2. Content Distributors

Data Archivists are taking advantage of the relatively cheap prices associated with deep or cold storage on optical media. Once a dataset is archived it can be stored offline away from malware and data theft and it the energy costs associated are much smaller than offsite or on prem cloud storage. The disc printing allows them to use serialization and barcode technology to maintain a catalog which helps with data retrieval.

Some of our recent customers purchasing disc publishers for data archival are police departments, small law firms for evidence and document storage and State departments where regulatory compliance is critical.  

Content Distributors are taking advantage of the resurgence of physical media and helping their customers extract the most revenue from their musical and video creations. The familiarity of established brands like the Epson Discproducer series of publishers means customers have a brand they know and trust.

Some of our recent customers purchasing Epson disc producers for content distribution are small local disc printers serving their local arts community and hospitals using the publishers for medical imaging.  The relatively inexpensive cost of blank printable recordable CD & DVD and Epson discproducer ink cartriges means that even small production runs can be viable business opportunities.  

Rimage Printers are also still selling well with both new and used units getting shipped to higher volume producers.

Of course we stock and sell all kinds of blank media and disc printing supplies for all the major brands of disc printers and publishers. If you don’t see something that you need don’t hesitate to contact us at 952-944-0083.

How do I sell CDs in 2024?

The simple answer has always been “Meet people where they are at.”

Look no further than the strategy employed by the folks at likely the biggest label in the world – Universal. When releasing Gwen Stefani’s new album “Bouquet” on CD they took to the airwaves. HSN airwaves to be precise.

Are Labels and Artists are still selling Physical Media in 2024?

Yes in fact many labels and artists are making heavy pushes back into physical media because the return on investment is much higher than streaming returns.

Why is Gwen Stefani on HSN hawking her new CD?

It’s about meeting your customers where they are at. Gone are the days of pushing out albums through a physical distribution channel. While Walmart, Target and Best Buy may still have a tiny retail footprint dedicated to selling physical albums, that doesn’t mean that folks that buy physical albums are making it to the store.

The marketing demographics for individuals purchasing albums on compact disc skews older and HSN still is able to grab a decent amount of those eyeballs. As they age, they are less likely to visit retail stores for shopping excursions so Universal went to them via HSN’s direct sales TV network.

I’m not big enough to get on HSN – How can I meet my audience where they are at?

Websites are a great way to meet your audience where they are and of course one of the oldest ways is still a great method – The Merch Table. Folks who have come to listen to your music want to support you as an artist. Compact Discs give them a great option to show their monetary support to your artwork and the physical item will always outperform intangible products like streaming.

Are you ready to press some CDs for your next Show?

We are here when you are ready – no quantities are too small. you can always visit our main website for your next Album Pressing or call us at 952-944-00830

Compact Disc Sales Rise Again

Retail CD Package Option

Since we are one of the few places that still duplicates CD, DVD and Blu-ray on a daily basis we are extremely pro physical media. It’s nice to see others hopping on the train and to get some external validation. 😁

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/jan/09/cd-sales-uk-music-sales-2023-taylor-swift-miley-cyrus-weeknd

We believe that physical media is still one of the most effective way for small artists be they musicians or filmmakers to earn revenue.

There is a myriad of reasons as to why there has been a slight increase in the amount of albums sold on Compact Disc the past two years but here are a few we believe to be responsible:

Patronage: Fans want to show support to their favorite artists and physical media is far and away the best way to directly support small independent artists, musicians and filmmakers.

Quality: Streaming platforms restrict sound quality to save bandwidth and many in the audience are waking up to the fact that their streamed music played over a phone or portable speaker is leaving huge portions of the sound quality on the digital cutting room floor.

Digital Fatique: Year end streaming “wrapped style” reports show folks that they are listening to less varied music than ever before due to algorithms boxing in their streams. People are also tiring of how many platforms they have to pay subscriptions too just to rent what they used to own.

Cost: Audiophiles that have embarked on the physical media journey often start with record albums but the cost of records can be prohibitive. While CD’s may not have the analog “warmth” of vinyl, the cost can be significantly cheaper. Pawn shops and thrift stores such as goodwill may have compact discs available for prices as low as a buck.

✔ Ownership: A CD is a tangible physical item that does not require an internet connection. While “leasing” content has clearly shown it’s the 800 pound gorilla it is not without chinks in the armor. CDs can be a great solution in locations where internet connectivity can be spotty such as Boats, RVs, Ice Fishing Shacks,etc.

Nostalgia: Many of the audience that grew up during the heyday of physical media are longing for experiences they had long ago and some are delighted to find that they still have a book of CD’s in an old Case Logic stashed away in the basement.

✔ Experience: Albums are curated in a specific order of tracks to make a maximum impact. Streaming singles removes much of that impact. As we experience increased stress and demands in our work and personal life it’s nice to take roughly 72 minutes to ourselves and experience an entire album the way it was meant to be experienced.

So fire up that old CD player, plug in those old floor speakers that are in the basement corner and pour yourself a cocktail. It’s time to fire up the Who’s Tommy and listen to the pinball wizard. It’s time to slow down, get back to your roots and experience the art as it was meant to be experienced.

Let’s start really listening again. 😀 🎧

Physical media; Blu-ray, DVD or Compact Disc is still one of the most effective way for small artists be they musicians or filmmakers to earn revenue. If you want to harness your content and drive more revenue contact us today.


If your a band of filmmaker wanting help on your next album or DVD/Blu-ray please give us a call at 952-944-0083

Techware Dist is Going Green!

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We at Techware Dist are dedicated to doing our part to help create a better future for everyone.  We have implemented processes in an attempt to mitigate or reduce our waste.

Currently we recycle or reuse:

  • All Cardboard & Office paper
  • All Plastic CD packaging spindles
  • All CD’s & DVD’s
  • All Inkjet Cartridges
  • All Aluminum Cans
  • Old Computer Equipment, making every possible attempt to repurpose; e.g. using old computer towers as print servers.
  • Reuse All Incoming Packaging Materials
  • We also ask that our partners work together with us to reduce post consumer waste.  One such way is by asking your reps for CD’s or DVD’s in shrinkwrap versus plastic spindles and or re-using your spindles.