unknown pleasures Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I know this is touched on in some of the other topics posted here about shoddy packaging but I was specifically wondering where people draw the line for the amount of damage they're willing to accept when they order something in the mail. I feel like I'm on the more liberal end of the spectrum and as long as the record itself isn't broken or cracked and there's not some horrible gash or rip on the sleeve, I can deal with pretty severe corner dings, seam splits, etc. What amount of damage will prompt you to contact the label/store/band and what do you usually ask for? A refund, replacement, future credit? Just something I've always been curious about how other collectors think... moonbeams 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriswamsley Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Actual album cover seem splits, severe bends. I understand that the inner sleeve is thin paper and that the usps in incompetent so I let most slide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robotfactory Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I have never complained about anything other than a cracked/broken record. Everything else I pretty much just consider part of mail order. Seam splits, corner dings, etc will not affect my ability to enjoy a record. While it is nice to receive things in perfect condition, I believe it is unreasonable to assume that everything will make it through the postal system unscathed. bigdz68, moonbeams, kamalatapes and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShagCarpetGuy Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I've had really bad luck lately w/ this problem. I received Bracket's new "Hold Your Applause" a couple days ago and the mailer and the sleeve have a huge gash at the bottom. I seriously wanted to throw it in the trash It just really sucks buying a new record and already having damage. Not the record label's fault, but still. Bubble wrap around the jacket might have saved it..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsimmons Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I have never complained about anything other than a cracked/broken record. Everything else I pretty much just consider part of mail order. Seam splits, corner dings, etc will not affect my ability to enjoy a record. While it is nice to receive things in perfect condition, I believe it is unreasonable to assume that everything will make it through the postal system unscathed. This. Most of the time it's not worth the effort to try to get a problem rectified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsterrod Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Unless the record is unplayable I let it slide. Shit happens when you order stuff through the mail and that's part of the mail order game as far as I'm concerned. Seam splits, dented corners, etc. suck, but they happen. If it doesn't affect my ability to listen to the tunes, I let it slide. That being said, if a record comes in poorly packaged and is dinged/split up, I will reconsider ordering from the label again, but I won't look for a refund or credit or anything like that. bigdz68 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74R Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I usually only contact the label if I feel it wasn't the post office's fault.Shit happens even if something is packaged well but it drives me nuts when label's package stuff poorly. I rarely contact the labels but of the times I have, I'd say about 50% of the time the label will send me out a replacement with no other questions asked. I just got a record from overseas from Vinyl-digital that arrived in a manila envelope and stamped by the post office "found loose in mail". They immediately shipped me out a replacement sleeve for free. Some companies/labels are not as cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74R Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 After reading some of the other responses, maybe I'm crazy. I expect my records to arrive in perfect condition. If a label can't figure out how to mail stuff without it getting damaged, I stop ordering from them. I don't expect anything I order online to arrive damaged. Not sure why one would expect less just because it's vinyl. When my records get damaged, I want it to be from me drunkenly mishandling them not some jerk I don't know! moonbeams, ExtraFox, bigdz68 and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek™ Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 After reading some of the other responses, maybe I'm crazy. I expect my records to arrive in perfect condition. If a label can't figure out how to mail stuff without it getting damaged, I stop ordering from them. I don't expect anything I order online to arrive damaged. Not sure why one would expect less just because it's vinyl. When my records get damaged, I want it to be from me drunkenly mishandling them not some jerk I don't know! If I followed that logic for 100% of everything I ordered - and returned anything that wasn't in perfect condition - I'd have so many records in shipment-limbo that I'd never get to listen to anything. I'd also be blacklisted from quite a few web stores and distros, I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elvismcvegas Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 If the jacket is thrashed I usually ask them to send me a new jacket. 95% of the time they send a new one. Unless its a special limited edition like where the jacket is screen printed by the band. I had 2 of my Mount Eerie covers come all banged up and they sent new ones ASAP and then I ordered that stupid remix picture disc with the screen printed Mylar sleeve from them and not only was the cover half done because the chemicals they planned on using were too caustic, it came with major seem splits. I asked them for a new cover and they said they didn't even have enough to use with all the discs they had printed. So If they can help you out they usually will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtz Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Dinged corners and seam splits will happen with mail-order. Always have, always will. If you are going to complain about it you should stop mail-ordering. I have only had condition issues that I needed to contact the seller twice. Both were LPs shipped in bubble mailers with no support, and both records ended up broken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74R Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 If I followed that logic for 100% of everything I ordered - and returned anything that wasn't in perfect condition - I'd have so many records in shipment-limbo that I'd never get to listen to anything. I'd also be blacklisted from quite a few web stores and distros, I'm sure. That's why in the previous post I said that I only get upset when stuff is damaged when it is obviously poorly packaged and rarely ever contact the label/store. I've probably ordered 90-100 records this year and have contacted labels twice. Once was when the record was "loose in the mail" as I mentioned above and the other time was when a box arrived split on both bottom corners and the records were hanging out of one corner. That label had combined two separate orders of mine for a total cost of $26 for media mail and then the records arrived thrashed. That is totally unacceptable to me. Expecting my records to arrive in perfect condition and demanding they arrive in perfect condition are two separate things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinxabney Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I'm cool with others being picky. I've been able to snag a good handful of items off the boards for good prices because of "seam splits" and corner dings. If I'm physically in store - I'll go out of my way to look around for the best of something, but if I'm ordering online? luck of the draw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thejesseb Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Only time I contacted a label about a messed up jacket I asked them if they extra jackets and if I could pay em a few bucks to throw it into my next order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highfives Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 It really depends for me. My copy of How to Destroy Angels - Welcome Oblivion, which I bought from Amazon new, has a bit of wobble to one of the discs. I kept it. But I received a badly warped copy of As Tall As Lions - Into the Flood from eBay and sent it back becaus the dude said it was near mint. Recently, I bought Oceansize - Frames and ordered a 7" single. The records were shipped outside of their jackets, but the 7" shifted around a bunch. The poly sleeve was pushed down and exposed the 7" so when I got it, it was pretty mangled with scratches. I sent the label some pics and they sent me a new copy. So I guess it just depends. Corner dings and bends do happen, but if the actual record is fucked up, I'll probably send it back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGhostOfRandySavage Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 If the record itself is damaged I contact them and let them know so I can get a replacement. If the cover is pretty severely damaged I just ask them if they have any extra covers laying around that they wouldn't mind sending. That's it though. I don't like to complain too much about stuff like that. It's almost never the fault of the person from whom you're buying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morfiend Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 It depends on how much I payed for the record and how it was packed. If I'm buying a cheap domestic record, a little damage doesn't bother me as long as the record is OK. If I'm buying a rare record that I payed $50 or more for and it arrives damaged due to poor packing, I'm going to say something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TFP Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I feel like I am the only one who doesn't contact labels. I guess I have been pretty lucky. If I am concerned about a jacket I write the label a special message before they ship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gippej Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Depends on where I ordered it from and the level of damage. Little dings and splits don't bug me much, but if a record is pretty warped and I ordered it from somewhere where I can easily get a replacement then yea I will exchange it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGhostOfRandySavage Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I feel like I am the only one who doesn't contact labels. I guess I have been pretty lucky. If I am concerned about a jacket I write the label a special message before they ship. How does writing to them prior to it shipping help you if it still arrives damaged..? Do you not contact them at that point, or have you just never received a damaged record/cover? (legitimately curious, not being snarky.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TFP Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 How does writing to them prior to it shipping help you if it still arrives damaged..? Do you not contact them at that point, or have you just never received a damaged record/cover? (legitimately curious, not being snarky.) I never said stuff never comes damaged. I have my fair share of seam splits, it doesn't bother me that much (it is disappointing), I have never had a broken record (that is what matters). And you can write the label ahead of time and have them package the disc separate from the jacket if one is concerned about seam splits(i.e. if it is a rare record). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGhostOfRandySavage Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I never said stuff never comes damaged. I have my fair share of seam splits, it doesn't bother me that much (it is disappointing), I have never had a broken record (that is what matters). And you can write the label ahead of time and have them package the disc separate from the jacket if one is concerned about seam splits(i.e. if it is a rare record). I understand that. I write the label almost every time to avoid seam splits. That doesn't help with severely creased corners, or if the idiot mailman bends your record in half. Damn dude, coming off harsh after I specifically made sure you knew I was being sincere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TFP Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I understand that. I write the label almost every time to avoid seam splits. That doesn't help with severely creased corners, or if the idiot mailman bends your record in half. Damn dude, coming off harsh after I specifically made sure you knew I was being sincere. Um, I am not being harsh, people just shouldn't get so concerned with bent corners. Looks like your looking to fight. I'm not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TFP Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I have the part bolded above because I felt like my point was going to get lost in all of my text. How does writing to them prior to it shipping help you if it still arrives damaged..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGhostOfRandySavage Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I have the part bolded above because I felt like my point was going to get lost in all of my text. Gotcha. I was talking less about seam splits and more about other damage, seam splits are a bummer but I don't worry too much about them. Looks like we're on the same page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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