Packing a CD and packing an album are two completely different things. I'd still trust them with CDs, but only CDs.
I was a happy customer with them for 9 years until this happened. As I said in one of the past posts above, in 7 years of receiving hundreds of records by mail, this was easily the worst packing for an album I had ever seen, so why would I ever want to use them for vinyl again ? It defies logic, with so many retailers that know how to protect, and ship vinyl correctly.
I realize that, my comment was not referring to your issue with them, I was replying to the fellow Canadian I quoted. The more trustworthy sellers that ship up here the better.
I remember Elusive Disc using those little white boxes that snugly held a jewel case, with a little bubble wrap inside the box too. Those have always arrived here unscathed, whether from them, or sellers from our own classifieds.
But why should you ask for a decent mailer to be used? The "flimsy" type is not the worst I've seen, but ED should never have started using it, IMO. When I placed my first order with them it was just one LP, but they shipped it in a quality mailer that mikeyt described in post #7, with lots of bubble wrap inside. That was in 2013. They still use this type for larger orders but to be completely honest, sometimes they put too many LP's in it.
Well, I can tell you for certaain that they didn't start using it to increase the incidence of damage to their LPs. It is obviously (in their opinion) sufficient or they would simply stop using them. But, if you would prefer a stouter mailer you only need to ask for one. My point is simply that you will get better service / results from being a pleasant customer than you will from being the irate one who freaks out over a damaged package. Call them. Tell them what happened. Ask them not to use the same style mailer on your future orders. Be polite and you will be amazed at how easy it is to get a replacement and your feedback will actual help them pick better mailers in the future. [Mod: Unnecessary comment removed]
Highly recommended. Everything I've ordered from ElusiveDisc arrived in perfect shape. Further, their customer service exceeds all expectations. Feels like a family run place every time I've called. Very helpful and just nice people. I keep my wish list for newly pressed vinyl on their website as well.
That is because they are! The owner and his son are hands on. Both are audiophiles and huge music fans. I had been a customer for 10+ years when one day my client starts talking LPs to me, in the boat...I had stopped at the PO to mail out some records that morning. ...turns out that he is Bob, the owner of ElusiveDisc!? We spent the rest of the week catching fish and talking music and gear. I have since learned all the ins and outs of his Biz.Guy knows his stuff and he knows the value of good Customer Service. That first Christmas I got a nice card and a copy of Beck's Sea Change on MFSL (the Pink one!) as a gift. It was already well out of print and going for crazy prices... He fishes for free, now. Crashes in the guest room. Plays my guitars and spins my vinyl. Usually for about a week each year.
Exactly. It's the worst I've seen, and now I see where another member, in their thread about this very subject, has linked to an eBay seller that sells these " economy lightweight mailers. " Ironic that this very morning, I have received a sturdy mailer from Amazon, who we thought would never get it right.
If you still order from Amazon, eBay bulk sellers or buy stuff here in the classifieds I seriously doubt that.
I don't know...they messed up and provided a full refund. So I don't think they go on the untrustworthy or never-buy-from-again list. I get that one would be upset in receiving a damaged record, it's justified, but the reaction here seems a bit over the top. I'd be more inclined to put them on the wait-and-see list, hoping they go back to sturdier packaging. Because, aside from this error in judgement, they are a great music retailer (and a full refund makes it right). That said, vinyl is fragile what with everything that can go wrong in shipping. If it was me shipping a record or two I'd err on the side of overpacking, not underpacking or 'it should be sufficient'. Flimsy packaging is a non-starter.
Perhaps send them an email detailing what happened, asking for a replacement and explaining why you feel the Mailer was to blame. Who knows, they may even act on / appreciate it and go away from those mailers in the future.
Amazon has messed up on LP orders in the past with me. Several times, they've put a single LP in giant boxes. No padding, no reinforcement, or anything to prevent it from moving around. I was shocked at how someone with a functioning brain could package anything like that. I mean, you don't have to be an LP packaging expert to know that's not right. Another time, Amazon just stuck a shipping label on the record itself and sent it that way. I kid you not. No mailer or box. Just a UPS label on the sealed record. I was floored. Oddly enough, it arrived in perfect condition. No dings, bumps, or bent corners. Go figure. Their packaging lately has been solid. They have their act together now.
Just got Pink Floyd’s Division Bell from them, I asked them to open and ship the discs outside the cover to avoid seam splits, they did so. Put the cover and the discs in a poly bag to protect, shipped in one of those longer LP shippers designed to take corner hits. This was my 20th album from them in a decade, never a problem.
Just received my latest order and like all the ones before them they were very well packed and arrived in perfect condition, all the way up here in the great white north. I really like dealing with them and have never had an issue.
Older thread but I just ordered 4 albums. 1 suddenly was backordered after the others were sent out. I asked for all to ship together. They charged shipping so I called and they took off the charge. I said that I'd add another album to the backordered one to help them out since they had to ship the backordered one for free if I wouldn't be charged shipping for another one with it. They said ok. So they didn't wait to ship them together, charged for shipping, went back and took off the original album that was backordered. I talked to them a couple times and walked them through the situation as they seemed confused. They were nice but never corrected their mistake. They changed the order and I'm glad I screen shot original order. I was clear and asked if they understood and they clearly said yes and would fix it. They didn't. It is a hit or miss and lacking company it seems. Very nice people I spoke with but that doesn't fix issues. Coud be they're overwhelmed. One guy was pretty defensive but as I had payment dates, phone calls placed, etc... he had no leg to stand on. I would make sure all items are in and you do not get backordered. That alone could have alleviated my challenge but it did say all items in stock. The album is still on backorder as I have looked. Date extension changed twice. So if you had good luck with them great, but they are not in the same class as Music Direct. Prices are good on some, not so much on others. Packing was good. Take it for what it's worth. Looks like some have not had any challenges.
I prefer Elusive Disc to Music Direct. I experienced significant rudeness from MD. I recently had a large b/o of discs waiting at ED for months for the Hendrix AYE SACD to come out. I decided not to wait and everything shipped together with all the discounts I got along the way still in place, as well as a very good shipping rate to Canada. Sorry if others have had some issues though, but none for me so far, after a few years of ordering. I haven't order records, only CDs/SACDs. If you want to resolve something with them make sure you ask for the manager Jason. I don't think the regular staff have much say and they will have to check with Jason anyway.
I've ordered records from Elusive Disc before and their packing was excellent. I just received two MFSL SACDs that I ordered and I'm not impressed with the packing. Tossed in a big padded envelope with no other cardboard reinforcement. Acoustic Sounds uses a hard cardboard package like a mini-LP box. The discs arrived ok with one having a bend in the corner so I feel fortunate that was all that happened. No more SACD orders from Elusive Disc.
I was surprised, maybe someone was having a bad day that packed it. The discs were ok so that's what is important to me. Life will go on.
I saw the posts here about their Customer Service and actually had an issue with an order myself (nothing broken just a billing issue). I gave them a call and yes, they were very nice and resolved it very quickly. Granted it wasn't exactly an enormous problem to deal with and it could be rectified in the span of a phone call, but problem solved nonetheless.
I had plans to order some CDs (some mofis jackets, some jewelcases) but I just realize AcusticSounds charge me taxes to FL, ElusiveDisc don't, why? But is the Elusive Disc packing is as weak as you describe, sounds like a bad idea.