To return or to return...

Just wait until you get one from Amazon packaged in nothing but one of their plastic mailing bags. No cardboard mailer, just free in a super thin bag.

 

Yeah, if the record plays fine, I just keep it. I don’t keep my records in the inner lyric sleeves anyways, I always switch them out for poly-lined sleeves.

 

Because when you hit a certain returns percentage, Amazon will warn you or may close your account. I’m not saying you cannot return...but sometimes you have to be selective.

 

What is that percentage? I'm always worried about that.

 

It must be pretty permissive, because I have never been shy about returning defective or damaged records. It’s on Amazon to send non-defective, non-damaged items when I pay for them, not on me to accept substandard products in exchange for my hard-earned money out of some fear that Amazon will cut me off (which they have never done).

 

Yep. That reminds me I actually have one of those to return, as it did not make the trip unscathed, shockingly...

 

I don’t necessarily sweat minor seam splits, depending on how important the inner may be to me (most are not that big a deal).

 

It’s not made public otherwise I’m sure people would just stay below that percentage and it may be open to abuse. If you’re not profitable for Amazon, regardless of the reason, they will cut you off. I’ve returned a few items...some of which have been their fault, like sending records without a package or a record they sent in a paper bag. That add to the already higher returns rate that vinyl typically has. I was therefore sent what looked like an automated ‘warning’ email.

 

It kind of sucks, but it's definitely due to the manufacturer, not the seller.

These days, I see lots of new LPs with split seams because the 180g sharp-edged LPs have cut through the packaging.

The stuff is sold one-way, so if you return it, the seller eats it.

So ask yourself if you want to penalize the seller for the manufacturer's bad choices.

Maybe you do, even though it plays well. But that's the choice.