Stores which are fussy about returns

I bought a few records recently from the 365 games online store, who were selling some very cheap vinyl. Amongst these, I got a copy of Quickies by The Magnetic Fields, which has a pressing problem that causes intrusive whooshing surface noise, a non-fill issue I imagine.

Having attempted to arrange a return/replacement/something or other with them, they keep asking me for a video of the damage. I have explained to them twice that there really isn't anything to see as such, and offered to send them a sound file, but they keep ignoring me and coming back with 'send me a video'.

Has anyone dealt with these people before, or others with a similar policy (as policy it must surely be)? I would be grateful if someone could tell me a way to deal with them.

 

Is the intrusive noise loud enough to hear in a video?

 

Idk, the volume has to be up fairly high for it to be obvious and I don't habitually make videos of stuff. I have a camera that i can (theoretically) do this with, but the whole thing seems to be really beside the point. They are annoying me.

 

Buy from Amazon if possible - they get a bad press but in my experience you can't fault them on their returns policy. You request a return, they grant it every time.

 

i'll even pay a bit more for that kind of service, because defect LPs are bad enough ... but if you then add a store that starts by questioning the validity of your claim ..... well .... that is too much for me.

 

Vinyl Me Please asks for videos of the record being played, not as proof of visual damage but proof that the record you have is defective - ie, to have some visual confirmation that the record seen playing is producing the defect being heard. Given their generous replacement policy this sort of assurance doesn’t seem too much to ask.

 

You know, it's an interesting topic. So I did what most people do, I went to Google.

So we're talking surveys and industry data, of course. One stat I saw was that for Bricks and Mortar, there is a return rate of goods running at about 8%. But when you switch to online business, that goes up to a 25% return. I also read the 30% of online purchases are "over-orders", where the buyer is wanting to take a look at things, and return what they don't want (this data came from Barclaycard). In other words, returns in the internet age is a different animal.

Of those in the BC survey, 57% of businesses said returns was having a negative effect on them, 33% upped delivery charges to cover the costs, and 20% simply added it to the cost of the products. Of all the categories listed, Entertainment - which I guess includes music - was the least returned, but still ran at a 21% return rate. The worst was clothes at a whopping 57%. Ouch.

 

Unless they're a huge corporation, I can see why they want some kind of video or image. Most vinyl for stores is NONRETURNABLE even for them. If you want to send it back, they take the hit. Most sellers (even some on this forum) have a no return policy on sealed vinyl if it's opened. Hate to open a can of Pandora, but vinyl is like an avocado. Sometimes you get a winner, sometimes you don't. You can't take back avocados.

 

What? Well that's saved me a trip back to the store.

 

Tbh I agree. I'm often in two minds whether to return something in fear that the replacement will be worse, so the fact that amazon give you time with the replacement before anything has to go back means that I can weigh up my options a bit. Places like Dodax and Rarewaves will let you keep the dud if you want, Juno have taken to doing this too. I understand how people could take the p*** with these policies but I've always played it straight because you want them to be there when you need them.

Update is: I have made a pretty good video of one of the songs where I think you can hear the issue pretty well, but I have a fancy camera rather than a phone with a video option (i might have this but idk how to use it) so now i have to figure out how to convert it to mp4. Gonna be a long night...

 

The flip of this is, if vinyl quality weren't so frequently bloody awful, then it wouldn't be such a big deal. But it is, so it is : )

 

Oh, I can record in mp4. I've never used this stuff before... #Idiot

 

Being able to return vinyl for any reason at all is something that most retailers won't do.

If this is a feature of a retailer that is important to you (it definitely is to me) you need to buy from the largest companies, like Amazon, which offer returns.

 

Yeah I agree you cannot really fault them on this aspect. I bought myself a deluxe box of the Rolling Stones 'Tattoo You' album as a Christmas gift. All OK apart from a 1.5" long shallow scratch on the back of the box sleeve. I was in two minds about sending it back but what swayed me was thinking about if I was to sell it on ebay (and these box sets are fastidious collectors items) I would not be able to describe it as 'perfect, mint etc' and would need to describe it and post a photo of the scratch. So I sent it back.

Yes, you guessed it, the replacement arrived and had a massive dent in the corner - that went back the same day too.

 

Their returns policy is great, but it's a good job sometimes. I ordered this last week and it showed up literally with the address label stuck straight on the shrinkwrap No attempt to package it whatsoever. By some miracle it was in pretty much perfect shape when it got to me!!

 

Yikes

 

I had a bad experience with Musicland in the mid-80s.

I bought a cheap, Goodtimes VHS tape. It was the period when all the labels were starting to record in slow speeds (LP, SLP/EP) to save tape. This often resulted in tracking issues. My tape wouldn't track, so I tried to exchange it. They didn't have another copy. I asked for a return. The clerk said "No returns on open merchandise." I asked him what he would suggest I do and he basically told me that I was stuck with the bad tape. I asked to speak to a manager. He told me the manager wasn't there and he was in charge until the manager came in later that day. I blew my cool and we had a heated exchange. I stormed out.

Later that day, I asked a friend, who could really lay on the charm, to attempt an "exchange" when the manager came in. We went back, I stayed outside. He patiently and sweetly explained how he bought this tape, it didn't work, and he would gladly exchange it. The manager gave him a refund and he brought my $ out to me. I was gleeful with victory, but the refund wasn't enough.

I walked back in, found the rude clerk and shared my story of triumph, even going so far as to wave my refunded cash in his face. He followed me out of the store, cursing and threatening me the whole way ("You'll be banned from this store!" and other such nonsense). To this day, I wonder what his manager thought of the whole incident, if it was explained to him.

 

I note Amazon have this in stock.

 

It needn't be.

 

Oddly enough, I do not wish to buy this record again

 

Bought a Quarter Pounder With Cheese once and there was a staple in the bun.
Took it to the counter where the clerk didn't seem to think it was any big deal and offered to remove the staple.
Asked for the manager who was very apologetic and aghast that this had happened.
She refunded my money, brought me a fresh burger and threw in a bunch of free coupons.
That's proper customer service.

 

The smaller the vendor the more likely it is they will eat the return cost. I don’t blame them for being pickier about returns. I’ll return to Amazon for any reasonable defect with the vinyl or the jacket. Other vendors it all just depends.

 

Vinyl is sold one way. That means the retailer can't return it for any reason, even defects.

That, in turn, means that if the customer returns it, they eat the cost.

It's why retailers are reluctant to take returns.

 

Don't buy from Amazon.

Thanks for this. Small shops, delivery people and pressing plants are struggling. Accept the more manageable defects or switch to digital.

 

I wasn't suggesting you did !