Table of Contents
How to Start a Retail Sale of Music and Video Recordings Via Stalls Business with Meydan Free Zone
Introduction
Physical music and video recordings are experiencing one of the most commercially significant revivals in retail history. After decades of decline driven by digital streaming, vinyl records have now recorded 18 consecutive years of sales growth, CDs retain strong collector and gifting demand, and physical video media is attracting renewed interest from consumers who value the permanence of ownership over the contingency of streaming subscriptions.
The global vinyl record market reached USD 1.9 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 3.5 billion by 2033 at a CAGR of 6.8%, according to IMARC Group¹. The format’s 18th consecutive year of growth was confirmed by IFPI’s Global Music Report 2025, which reported vinyl grew 4.6% in 2024 against overall global physical music revenues of USD 4.8 billion².
The consumer story behind this revival is as compelling as the numbers. Over 68% of vinyl buyers globally cite nostalgia and collectible value as their primary purchase motivation, and 45% of buyers purchase vinyl specifically for display and investment purposes, according to industry research³.
The primary vinyl buyer demographic is the 26 to 35 age group, meaning millennials are the core market alongside growing Gen Z adoption. Collectors are also increasingly viewing limited-edition pressings as investment-grade assets, with coloured vinyl, splatter vinyl, first pressings, and exclusive releases commanding premium prices and sustained collector demand.
In Dubai, this global revival has taken tangible local form. Raw Music Store and The Flip Side are established specialist physical music retailers in the city, while Vinyl Souk operates as a community-oriented vinyl marketplace hosting events at cultural venues including Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi, according to both The National and Vinyl Souk’s own published material⁴.
Vinyl.ae and musicHUBme serve collectors across the UAE and GCC with curated international and Arabic vinyl collections. The Dubai Flea Market is specifically cited in collector guides as a destination for second-hand vinyl hunting, making it the most direct existing stall-based retail channel for physical music media in the city.
The MEA vinyl market was valued at USD 45.08 million in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 10.3% to 2031, the fastest regional CAGR globally, according to Cognitive Market Research⁵. For a stall-based trader in Dubai, this combination of a surging collector market, an established local vinyl culture, a multicultural population with extraordinarily diverse music tastes spanning Arabic, South Asian, Western, and African genres, and a growing physical media ownership movement creates a niche but premium and high-margin commercial opportunity.
Market at a glance
4789 Retail sale via stalls and markets of other goods
Activity code 4789.05 falls within ISIC class 4789, which covers the retail sale of other goods via stalls or markets. Within this class, sub-code 4789.05 is specifically designated for Retail Sale of Music and Video Recordings Via Stalls, covering the retail sale of all physical music and video recording formats from a market stall or marketplace position.
This encompasses vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, cassette tapes, film box sets, music box sets, limited-edition and collectible pressings, and other physical audiovisual media sold new, second-hand, or as collector items directly to consumers through a stall-based channel.
What this activity does not cover
Licensing and compliance
Who is this for?
| Audience Segment | Profile |
|---|---|
| Global vinyl record market (2024) | $1.9B CAGR 6.8% to 2033 (IMARC Group) |
| Global physical music revenues (2024) | $4.8B Vinyl grew 4.6% YoY (IFPI) |
| MEA vinyl market (2024) | $45.08M CAGR 10.3% to 2031 |
Activity Details
Vinyl record and music media traders Sellers of new and pre-owned vinyl records, CDs, and physical music formats from market stalls, serving Dubai’s growing audiophile and collector community across Alserkal Avenue, flea markets, and specialist music events, supplying both international titles and Arabic music in physical format.
Collectible and limited-edition dealersSpecialists in limited-edition vinyl pressings, coloured vinyl, first pressings, boxsets, and investment-grade collectible music and video recordings, selling through stalls at collector fairs, vinyl markets, and specialist events to a buyer community where 68% of vinyl purchasers cite collectible and investment value as their primary motivation.
Physical video and audiovisual media sellersTraders retailing DVDs, Blu-ray discs, film box sets, concert recordings, and other physical video media from market stalls, serving a Dubai consumer base that has shown growing interest in physical media ownership as streaming services proliferate, according to The National.
| Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| Global vinyl record market projection | $3.5B projected global vinyl record market by 2033 Vinyl buyers citing collectible value 68%+ Vinyl’s consecutive years of growth 18 years UAE vinyl stores in Dubai Raw Music, The Flip Side, Vinyl Souk |
| Key product categories | Vinyl records (LPs, EPs, singles) — Revival category Limited edition and collectible pressings — Investment grade CDs and music albums — Collectors and gift market DVDs and Blu-ray video recordings — Physical media revival Cassette tapes and vintage formats — Niche collector |
