Last update: 5 July 2009
Sharkarts Distribution - help and support, customers service.

Welcome, here you will found some of the top questions we usually receive from companies, regarding a global distribution deal and / or services.

Does Sharkarts Distribution promote our company?
Yes. We promote your company in our sister website Sharkarts News Feed, this is a very powerfull tool, posting all the important and hottest news, to many social networks major rss news and mobile phone users directly from our servers an istant realtime, which attracts many visitors from around the world each day, plus with and impressive large mailing list, newsletters, Myspace, Forums, Blogs, Feed Reader and some Radios.

We also send press and charts sceenshots to most of the company we dealing on a weekly basis to raise their profile about their new releases and main front page coverage.

However we strongly suggest them to promote to their fan base directly, as you should let your fans know when a new release is out and send them some info where to buy or download.

Can I send you Dj Mixes, DJ Charts, Press Releases and Feedbacks for promotion?
Yes, This are a good way to promote your company on any kind of meaning both for online and off-line promotion and profile, please send to us.

Can I chose the online stores to be distribute to?
Yes, if you have already direct deals with some stores that is no a problem, with us you can chose what stores you want your label to be distribute to, just let us know well in advance.

My distributor doesn't take care of my label as it should I'm frustrated, will you take care of us?
If your distributor ignore your requests and needs because you are a small company or simply they can't cope, you could come with us. You won't have that problem we treat all labels the same and have an outstanding customer service, we promise to answer your emails in 24 Hours and don't get annoyed by your requests, we do offer service for exclusive and none esclusive worldwide deal for each individual company.

How do I upload or send to you our releases?
All the companies have an allocated FTP, with their private username and password where they can drop their releases, instructions on how to do this will be provided prior upload.
However it is also important that every time your company have sucefully fisnh the uploading process, should send to us an email every time, so the assigned FTP or your release will not encouter any delays. We provide a very all in one simple Metadata (Excel) to fill in for each new release, catalogue and press which will be sent to us.

Plese note: by the end of 2009 we should offer a full online automated service, wehre you will have all yuour account manager, file uploading progress, accounting, sales data and so on all in one place.

What audio, images and video file formats do you accept?
WAV - 16 bits 44 Khz
JPG - 1200x1200 pixels
Mpeg 4 - Quicktime

When our releases will be in the stores? Can I do Exclusive to ITunes or Beatport ?
Yes, all we need is your release uploaded at least 6 weeks before is release date.
The exclusive for Beatport so called, pre-release must be at least for the lenght of 20 days.

Bear in mind that the exclusive pre-releases are expensive for buyers so please only use the Exclusive option if your release is good enough for it and have a good hype around, or it won't sell and probably the top stores such as Beatport and ITunes the would not take your new releases the second time around.

I have a new record label, will my company be accepted by Beatport?
Since October 2008 getting approved by Beatport is proving harder for new labels, this affects all distribution companies. Now you have to fill an application form which will be check by two members of their staff.

They are looking for labels with web presence, labels which have a fan base, good music and production, companies that have a good marketing plan and can prove a release schedule for the next 6 months.

Our advice:

* Create an impressive Myspace and add many friends, that way you start your fan base,having a website also helps.

* Designs that will stand out, having a good logo and presence is very important to compete with 1000s of companies and artists out there

* If you have weak productions they won't accept your label.

* Look what is the trend or selling in today's music.

* Have different artists in your label, if you think you are creating a company only to release your music Beatport will spot this and they won't accept it.

* We highly recommend to start by signing with us for other online stores we distribute to
(we service more than 3000 online stores and mobile networks across the world on a daily basis.) and then apply for Beatport in 3-4 months when your label is more established, you'll have a better chance this way

I don't see my label in Beatport anymore, what's wrong?
If your label doesn't sell 400 Euros every 3 months (Quarter) in a 6 months period it'll most probably be delete from Beatport website

Our Advice

We advice two releases minimum a month.
Also think for areas of improvements, did you did enough promotion to your fans and new ones this month?
Did you have a marketing strategy plan in place, before sending yuor hottest tunes?
The graphics designs or the release stand out?

Becouse it is important you to know, once your account will be deleted from them and not by us, there will be not way you get it back.
It is your company and you must take care.

My release's been delayed, what should I do?
Due to the high amount of releases receiving every day, some few online stores and specially Beatport, can't manage this affectively. Please wait two days before reporting this to us. If the problem persists please contact our distribution manager to resolve it.

How do you promote my products using Rss Feed ?
We have a dedicated page regarding the latest web tecnology and how to promote all your releases and products for Mobile phones Click here >>

Anymore questions?
Please contact us >>