FAQ

Can I work with Help For Labels?

Help for Labels is open to any label or distribution company and it doesn’t matter how many direct deals you have with online stores / digital service providers (DSPs). If you have one or many direct deals, then Help For Labels is definitely for you. If you don’t have any direct deals with any DSP or you only release up to two albums per year, then maybe our Help For Bands option may be better for you. However do contact us and we can go through the options with you.

It really doesn’t matter if you don’t have any direct deals because Help For Labels can help you unlike any other company out there. Additionally you do not need to sign up with any aggregators and you can see and control everything from your single login interface. As you do get direct deals with DSPs, with Help For Labels flexibility you can plug these straight in and begin delivery immediately with minimal delay.

Can Help For Labels help me connect to DSPs?

Once you are fully signed up and connected to Help For Labels you can access information to help you contact DSPs or understand what requirements DSPs have. Your account manager will be on hand to help.

Do I have to cancel my direct deals with Apple iTunes, eMusic, Amazon, Spotify or any other DSP if I sign up to Help For Labels?

Definitely not. Help For Labels system will connect your account to your direct contracts so that you can delivery your content to them all from one place. The relationships that you already have remains and you are accounted too and paid in exactly the same way. Help For Labels merely acts as your delivery system.

I don’t have a direct contract with a particular DSP, can Help For Labels help?

As mentioned above we certainly can. Unlike any other company out there, we can connect you to any store that you are not already connected with. At Help For Labels, we don’t pass you on to another digital aggregators, we can plug you straight in to our contracts meaning that you can start delivery to those stores immediately. Help For Labels is unique in this respect and it ensures you have total control of your content from one place, not several places and delivery happens immediately. If you were to use another company, they would recommend a digital aggregator; you would then spend time negotiating a deal and doing all the legal paperwork and then delivery to them. All of this would take time and can be easily avoided with our system as things happen quickly within hours not months.

Do I need bar codes (UPC / EAN) and ISRC codes if I use Help For Labels?

DSP’s require you to have a unique barcode for each release and ISRC for each track otherwise you will not be able to deliver. Most people will have their own barcodes and ISRC’s and the Help For Labels system will accept these without any difficulty. If however you are a new company or only have a small number of releases and don’t have any of these codes, then Help For Labels can help you with this so it’s not something you need to worry about.

How do I send you my music?

Everything is done online and you will have your own unique log in details. In your account area you can upload your music, Pac shots and enter all the metadata. We don’t accept CD’s and don’t feel there is any need too as you can do everything immediately via the web no matter where you are located. Once the music is uploaded and the metadata entered, it’s ready to be delivered which means you save a lot of time rather than relying on the post which is prone to delays and getting lost.

Can I upload a spreadsheet?

We are aware that most people keep a record of metadata on spreadsheets however we don’t allow the uploading of metadata by this method as everybody has a different spreadsheet formats and importing via this method is prone to a lot of errors which in the longer run will not save you any time. You can enter all your metadata via our web interface or XML. Once all the metadata is entered you can download a spreadsheet from our system to keep your records up to date.

I have a hard disc full of music, can that be uploaded?

When you sign up with us we will discuss with each other what content you already have. If you have an organised hard disc then we can work with you to upload that content so that you don’t have to manually upload each track and save you a lot of time for free.

Metadata

Once you have typed in the metadata for each track and release into the system, the data is in there and never has to be typed in again. You can even create new compilations using existing tracks that you have placed in the system and this does not require any additional inputting of metadata as the data for the tracks will already be there.

We are a distribution company / aggregator. Is Help For Labels a competitor?

We provide you with all the technology you need to run your business without the headaches of employing specialists or purchasing expensive equipment. All the stores you are delivering too are your own contracts so it more accurate to think of us as your technology partner.

We are upfront about being able to deliver to stores that partners do not have contracts for, but again this is not in competition, it’s a service to help you provide better and complete business for your clients.

Can Help For Labels be our distributor?

Yes Help For Labels can be your distributor and digital aggregator and we are fully set up to provide you with any service you need. Unlike any other digital aggregator or Distribution Company, we are flexible and can work with your existing contracts.

How much will Help For Labels cost?

Our prices are available upon request by emailing us. There will be no costs for the following:

1. Setting up your account.
2. Importing your hard disc if it formatted correctly.
3. Setting up your accounts with DSPs.
4. Plugging in any accounts to DSPs you don’t have direct deals with.
5. Help to get started using the system.

Are there any ongoing costs?

The only ongoing cost that is charged is the server storage fee which is paid on a per track basis each month. We believe this is a fair way of sharing the dedicated server costs between all our clients.

Are there any hidden costs?

No, our pricing is very clear and there are no other costs. We do provide additional services such as designing artwork or correcting art work or converting audio from a CD to WAV, but these are all optional and our pricing is shown up front should you require that service.

Do you delivery XML to stores?

Yes, we deliver to all of our stores using XML. For you as a client using our system, you do not need to worry about the technical coding as we do all that here. Regardless of the stores requirements, it is our job to deliver to them in the format they require.

Do you use the DDEX standard?

Yes, the central system behind Help For Bands is compliance with the DDEX standard. We understand that not all stores are using the DDEX standard, but many are moving towards it, therefore it makes sense for it to already be built into the system. We are also members of DDEX so are fully up to date with the latest developments and fully support their aims and work.

Can I give exclusivity to a store such as Apple iTunes or Beatport?

Yes, from within the system you can make it clear that you are giving a particular store exclusivity on a product. You can also programme from within your web interface release schedules and specify when a release has to be delivered and when it can be sold to the public.

Do I have to deliver to all stores?

You can deliver to as many DSPs as you like and you can deliver to them whenever you like. The system puts you in full control of each release and it is up to you when and which stores you deliver too.

Security is a big issue and of course we don’t want any of your tracks or releases being found by anyone who shouldn’t have access to them. We cannot post too much information here in public as we don’t want our security systems compromised, however we can tell you the following:

1. The web interface that you use is a secure 128 bit https connection.
2. Our servers are all dedicated and not shared by any other person or company.
3. All information, tracks and metadata is back up in a separate and different location.
4. Only you have access to your password; not even employees at Help For Labels can see your password.
5. Delivery to DSPs is done via a secure 128bit network.
6. We deliver direct to DSPs unlike many aggregators and distributors who deliver to a third party who then deliver to stores.

Can I install the Help For Labels system on my own computer or server?

For the purposes of security, maintenance, development and emergencies it is not possible for our system to be placed on your own servers. Part of our system is that we fully maintain everything on your behalf which helps in keeping costs down for you so if there is a problem during the middle of the night with a delivery or the server goes down, it will be us that has to deal with it on your behalf, and this doesn’t cost you any extra money, it’s all part of the service we provide. Also by doing it this way you don’t have any extra staffing costs, IT costs, bandwidth or server costs, or have need to worry about backing things up.

Is Help For Bands a White Label?

No we are not a white label for stores but we do work with and are connected to 7 Digital and 24/7 Entertainment who provide While Labels to Online Stores.

I am a DSP but don’t seem to be connect to you how can we connect?

If you are not connected to Help For Bands, please contact us and we will get back to you quickly and begin the connection process.