Help - General FAQ.
For info on all shipping please click here.

How do I use your online shopping system?

For a step-by-step guide to ordering from Primal Records, please click here.

What is Primal Records Privacy Policy?

You can read our full Privacy Policy here

How often do you update the site?

 Primal Records updates our catalog on a daily basis to insure that our database is as close to real-time as possible. New releases and restocks are posted to the site three times a week, generally on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with anywhere from 70-100 new records being added every week. Primal Records members are instantly notified of these site updates through our e-mail newsletter, which also includes relevant news and record reviews.

If you would like to join our newsletter mailing list, please enter your email address in the box on the right --->>.

How long will it take before I receive my order?

All of our orders are filled and processed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Aproximately 90 to 95% of orders placed before 3PM PST ship out the same day that they are received. Packages do not ship on weekends and/or U.S. national holidays. Please note that orders are more often delayed because of credit card problems, mailing address errors, and random customer typos than for any other reason. When placing your order, please be extremely careful that your credit card has the available credit for your records and shipping, and that your mailing address and credit card information (including expiration date) are entered meticulously.

Will I receive a confirmation of my order?

All of our customers receive two confirmation e-mails. The first e-mail that you receive will arrive shortly after placing your order. This e-mail is to confirm that your order has been successfully received by our system and will be processed shortly. You will receive a second confirmation e-mail from UPS with a tracking number as soon as your order has been shipped. You might receive a third email with an updated invoice if additional shipping charges were made, or if a credit was issed due to product being out of stock. This e-mail will detail the availability of the records in your order, as well as the final subtotal, shipping charges, and grand total charged to your credit card. When making your order, please be sure to correctly enter your complete telephone number and e-mail address, to ensure that you receive these e-mails without problems.

What if a record goes out of stock?

As previously explained, Primal Records updates our catalogs frequently to insure the greatest possible fills for our customers. However, sometimes, due to the demand of a certain title or because of a title's limited availability, customers may find that an ordered title has gone out of stock. A credit will be issued back to your credit card should any title ordered go out of stock.

Can you notify me when an out of stock title that I've ordered comes back in?

Unfortunately, we are unable to do this at this time. However, Primal Records members are instantly notified of our site updates through our e-mail newsletter, which also takes the time to list popular or hard-to-find items that have been re-added to our online catalog. If you would like to subscribe to our e-mail newsletter, please click here.

If a record that I'm looking for is not on your website, would you accept a special order?

Primal Records is always looking to restock our site with popular and hard-to-find titles. While we do not formally accept special orders, you can make any record requests within the "Comments" section of your order, or by e-mailing us at mailorder@primalrecords.com. Please note that we will only respond if we are able to service your request.

Is there an amount minimum for your mailorder service?

There is no order amount minimum, however international customers should keep in mind that placing small orders is not advisable, as the shipping charges will probably be higher than the actual cost of the merchandise!

I don't have a credit card. Can I make my order using a check, money order, C.O.D., or bank balance transfer?

Primal Records accepts only MasterCard and Visa credit cards as valid forms of payment for mailorder transactions. We will absolutely not, under any circumstance, accept any other form of payment at this time.

Will you accept my order by telephone or fax?

No. All orders must be placed through our secure online shopping system.

What happens if my credit card gets declined?

If, for any reason, your card gets declined, a notice will be sent to the e-mail address attached to your order and customer profile. Once this e-mail has been sent, customers have two (2) days to provide either an alternate card number or a cleared credit card with which we may process your order.

If your card is declined a second time, or if we do not receive your response within two (2) days of sending a warning e-mail, your order will be canceled. (The same policy standard exists for expired cards, invalid account numbers, and other intercepted card transactions.)

Please note that if your records have been picked but your card has been declined, Primal Records holds the right to use these records to fill successfully processed pending orders.

We will not be held responsible for incomplete fills due to an invalid credit card number. Please be careful when you are entering your credit card number and expiration date into our system!

Often, a declined or expired card or bad account number is the result of a mistyped card number or expiration date. Your careful data entry will result in a faster turnaround for your order.

Can I pick up my records at your store?

Yes. Please add to the "Comments" section of your order a line that reads: "Will pick-up at store." Online orders held for pick-up will be charged to your
credit card at the time of your order and must be retrieved at our office in Walnut Creek, CA, within five (5) days of the order's placement. If you do not
come to pick up your records within the allotted five-day limit, your records will be sent to the shipping address provided at the time of your order and at the customer‚s expense.
What are my shipping options if I live in America?

All of our domestic orders are shipped via UPS. UPS Ground Service is the cheapest and most reliable option, though no date of arrival is guaranteed. For faster service, you may choose to have your records shipped via 3-Day Air Delivery Service, 2-Day Air Delivery Service, or Next Day Air Delivery Service. Shipping prices vary depending on the service selected, the weight of your records, and the distance between your geographical position in the country and ours.

What are my shipping options if I live in Hawaii or Alaska?

Our Hawaiian and Alaskan customers are welcome to use UPS for their shipping needs, with UPS ground service being the most economical method (yes, oddly enough, ground service to Hawaii IS available!)

What are my shipping options if I am an international customer, not from Canada?

International customers have the following options to choose from when ordering with us:

A. UPS Worldwide Expedited: Air delivery, but not considered "Express" - this is the equivalent to "2nd Day Air" service in the USA. Your package is insured and issued a reliable tracking number.Delivery time is usually 2 to 4 business days depending on your geographical location. This is the recommended shipping option for customers in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia, etc.

B. UPS Worldwide EXPRESS: Packages sent with UPS Express are expected delivery in 2-3 business days. Your package is insured and issued a reliable tracking
number. This shipping method is extremely fast but slightly more expensive than UPS Worldwide Expedited.

C. USPS STANDARD AIR MAIL: General delivery in 7-10 business days. Delivery time is not guaranteed, there is no tracking number issued for your package, and the contents of your package are uninsured. Although this method is considerably less expensive, the customer must accept full responsibility for any lost, damaged, or undelivered packages. Primal Records will not refund or replace any orders placed with this selected shipping method. Customers who choose this method may do so at their own risk by adding the words „USPS Standard Air Mail‰ to the „Comments‰ section of their order. This shipping method is not recommended.

What are my shipping options if I live in Canada?
Canadian customers have the following options:

A. UPS Standard shipping: this is the equivalent to UPS Ground service in the USA, and is the most affordable option. Your package is insured and issued a reliable tracking number.Delivery time is usually 2 to 6 business days depending on your geographical location.

B. UPS Worldwide Expedited: Air delivery, but not considered "Express" - this is the equivalent to "2nd Day Air" service in the USA. Your package is insured and issued a reliable tracking number.Delivery time is usually 2 to 3 business days depending on your geographical location. It is significantly more expensive than standard shipping, but less expensive than Worldwide Express shipping.

C . UPS Worldwide Express: The quickest, and most expensive method of shipment to Canada. Your package is insured and issued a reliable tracking number. Delivery time is usually 1 to 2 business days depending on your geographical location.

Can I have my order shipped to a P.O. Box or A.P.O.?

No. UPS will not deliver packages to P.O. or A.P.O. Boxes. Primal Records will only ship orders to valid residential or business addresses, or to certified Post Mailbox Rental businesses that receive daily deliveries from UPS.

How much can I expect to pay for shipping?

Shipping rates generally vary according to the total weight of your package, the chosen shipping method, and the proximity of the delivery location from our homebase in Berkeley, CA. In every case, your shipping rate per record becomes drastically reduced by the quantity of records you order.

For a general estimate of your shipping totals, you are welcome to utilize the following online calculators for our preferred shipping companies.

For a generic UPS rate generator, go to:
http://ups.com/using/services/rave/rate.html

For a United States Postal Service international rate calculator, go to: http://ircalc.usps.gov/weight.asp?Contents=1

To determine your approximate rates, please note that one 12-inch record weighs approximately eight ounces, while a double-pack LP generally weighs close to one pound. Shipping materials and protective cardboard must also be taken into account. Primal Records ships all orders from our Walnut Creek office, whose zip code is 94596.

Please note that international customers who choose to ship their records by UPS are offered a special discount rate which, at this time, cannot be accessed by using the UPS website calculator. This discount can be anywhere from 30% to 60/5 off the advertised UPS rates, depending on your location.

Finally, shipping rates that are generated from a rate calculator are to be used solely as estimates, since any number of variables may further affect the price of shipping per order. Primal Records will accept only the amount of shipping that we are assigned at the time of processing in regards to the customer's final shipping total. Rate calculators are to be used at your own discretion.

Will there be a handling fee attached to my order?

Yes. Primal Records will add a $3.00 handling and materials surcharge to every order we process.

Will there be a sales tax attached to my order?

California state customers will be automatically charged an additional 8.25% state sales tax to their order.

Is it possible to cancel my order after I've checked out?

If you need to cancel your order for any reason, you should e-mail us immediately at mailorder@primalrecords.com with your order number and a notice of cancellation. If an order has already been shipped, Primal Records will not refund your credit card or assume any responsibility for the failure of cancellation. If we receive your e-mail before your order has been processed and/or shipped, we will promptly cancel your order and send you a return e-mail confirming this cancellation.

Is it possible to add records to an impending order?

No. If you have already checked out of our system and would like to add records to your previous order, your only recourse is to place a new order. In the "Comments" section of this order, simply add a line that reads: "Please combine with my previous order." If your first order has already been processed and/or shipped by the time we receive your addendum, Primal Records will not accept responsibility for the added shipping charges incurred and will continue to process your second order regardless.

Is it possible to track my order?

Yes, any customer who selects UPS as their shipping method will automatically receive an e-mail from UPS with tracking number as soon as the package has been picked up by UPS. Orders that are shipped via USPS are not assigned tracking numbers.

I've changed my shipping address, e-mail, and/or phone number. How can I change my membership information?

Please send your updated contact information to mailorder@primalrecords.com and we will adjust your account information promptly.

What is Primal Records' return policy?

Primal Records does not accept returned material unless the item is damaged during the shipping process or defective as a result of a manufacturing error. We will also accept your return if an incorrect record was shipped to you due to an error on our part. Damaged, defective, or incorrect items can be exhanged for replacement copies at our expense. If we cannot replace these items due to an inavailability in stock, Primal Records will issue the customer online shopping credit in the amount of the damaged, defective, or incorrect items only. Primal Records will not issue refunds of any kind. All other sales are final.

Wow. I can’t believe you have all these great CD singles! Let me at ‘em!

Hold your horses, partner. Our general database is all vinyl. Any CDs that we carry are clearly marked as CDs in the description. If you place an order and expect to receive CD singles instead of 12-inch records, you will be mighty disappointed. Primal Records will not be held responsible for your misguided assumption and you will not be refunded for your order.

My question has not been answered here. How can I contact someone for further assistance?

Contact information regarding our retail shop, online mailorder, and label group can be accessed here.

To browse through our Newsletter Archive, please click here.
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