Al B. Sure! ‎– Black Tie White Noise

Automatic Cancellation Policy: Orders will be cancelled if payment is not received within 4 days.

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PRIVATE COLLECTOR. LONG-TIME DISCOGS MEMBER

I placed 2,000 orders on this site as a buyer before I started selling. I try to treat you the way I'd like to be treated by other sellers.

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I SHIP TWICE A WEEK FROM CHICAGO

I generally ship Tuesdays and Fridays but sometimes adjust that if I'm traveling.

I'm a careful shipper:

- I carefully pack your items SECURELY into new or gently used STURDY cardboard mailers.
- I use plastic oversleeves to protect items from moisture in transit.
- I secure CD spindles with bubble wrap where possible.
- I swap scratched-up jewel cases for high-quality replacements.
- I protect discs from scratchy digipockets by adding paper sleeves when possible.
- I find appropriate materials to protect oversized items.
- I post your tracking # directly to your order page instead of making you dig thru your saved email trying to find a random Stamps.com shipping notification that doesn't even include the Discogs invoice #.

Because I actually invest in labor and materials (boxes, sleeves, replacement jewel cases, tape, bubble wrap), my shipping costs aren't rock bottom (even when ing for the 9% fee Discogs charges me on those shipping costs). You get what you pay for! Combine & save.

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U.S. SHIPPING

Our beleaguered USPS often takes longer than d to deliver even Ground Advantage packages, let alone Media Mail. I feel your pain! There's nothing I can do to speed your package along once it's in the post office's hands, but I track every order until I know it's been delivered.

I offer a range of domestic shipping options:

MEDIA MAIL: This budget option is third-class mail. I've had packages take FOUR MONTHS OR MORE to travel from Chicago to another major metro area. If this will frustrate you, please upgrade during checkout.

I cap Media Mail orders at $30 to limit my liability. No exceptions, so please don't ask.

GROUND ADVANTAGE: This is often almost as fast as Priority Mail, but it's cheaper (even when marked up to for my handling costs and Discogs fees). Like Priority Mail, it comes w/ $100 of insurance.

PRIORITY MAIL: This is your best bet when you're willing to pay for speed & reliability. Thanks to flat-rate boxes, this is also your best bet when ordering a ton of cheaper items.

FREE SHIPPING ON PRICEY ORDERS: Orders $200 and up ship free via Ground Advantage.

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INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING

I ship to Canada & Mexico using USPS First Class International Package Service, which includes tracking.

You are responsible for any import duties levied by your local customs office. My shipping labels accurately list the cost of the items therein.

I do not ship to other destinations and cannot reply to requests for exceptions. I may add additional international shipping destinations in the future.

I briefly shipped to parts of Europe just in time to be bitten by the ridiculous new UK and EU VAT policies and Discog's inadequate tools for complying with them. Sorry, European folks!

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SHIPPING DAMAGE

Most postal services, including USPS, do not treat small parcels well. I constant reevaluate my packaging strategies to minimize the chance of damage. But jewel cases are going to get cracked from time to time no matter what I do. This happens to me as a buyer. I empathize.

That said, if you're going to buy CDs via mail order, you should expect the occasional cracked jewel case and invest in some replacements. They're about 65¢ each if you buy in bulk. I suggest the Keyin brand on Amazon.

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GRADING

I follow the Discogs grading guide conservatively and to the best of my ability. I grade only sealed items as Mint. I try to enumerate flaws on most items, but I may not describe every blemish on a VG $1.80 filler item.

Overgrading is a plague, so I bend over backwards to describe item condition.

That said, I DO NOT grade jewel cases unless they're non-standard or it's a higher-priced rarity. GRADES ARE FOR DISCS, DIGIPACKS AND INSERTS.

I DO replace significantly damaged jewel cases (including slimline j-card cases, doubles, triples & quads), sometimes without notice. If you require an OG jewel case, ask before paying.

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ITEM VARIATIONS

The Discogs database is separate from the Discogs marketplace. Items with slight variations are sometimes grouped under the same release. I have no control over this, but I do attempt to describe alternate covers, packaging deviations, etc. This is especially true for CDr promos, of which I have a large collection.

I'm happy to double-check matrix runouts and answer questions before shipping. Just ask!

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PROBLEMS & GUARANTEES

I visually inspect and grade my items very carefully … but mistakes do happen.

If you feel an item isn't as described, you can return it to me for a full refund. I'll even send you return postage upfront. I'm not going to make you file a Paypal dispute or cover your own return shipping costs for my mistake.

Please just keep the original packing materials on hand until you've inspected your items.

If there is an issue, please try to resolve it with me before we exchange .

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OFFERS

Nope.

I briefly tried this, but I got an endless stream of lowball offers. Between Paypal and Discogs fees, it's already hard enough to eke out some income on here.

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PAYMENT

Please pay promptly. It makes everyone's lives easier.

I have configured my to auto-cancel unpaid orders after 4 days. This will automatically award you negative . That'll suck.

If I gently remind you that payment is due, I'm not threatening you! I'm trying to prevent you from getting negative .

If you placed an order by mistake, ask nicely & I'll happily cancel your order and leave you positive .

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BLOCKED BUYERS

Here's the dirty secret: Discogs is /fail. 99% and above means "trust this person." Anything lower means "avoid this person."

If you're blocked from buying by a low store, it isn't personal, but it is by design.

In addition, Discogs lets any member block any other member. I've had to use this feature a few times. Again, it's not personal, but let's just both move on with our lives.

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ANY QUESTIONS? MESSAGE ME

I aim to satisfy and look forward to trading positive after an easy transaction!