Shipping Policies and FAQs
General Inquiries / Mailorder Questions
Demo Submissions
If you are interested in submitting a release or demo for Commend to consider carrying, we accept digital and physical submissions at our 172 Forsyth St. address. If you are interested in submitting a demo for release consideration via Commend or RVNG, please only send physical submissions to our store address.
Inventory
All inventory on the website mirrors the inventory at the shop, therefore there is the chance something you ordered has sold out in the shop before the order is pulled and inventory is updated. We do our utmost to avoid this disappointing issue, but please keep in mind that it is possible. Should this happen, we will reach out to you and notify you of the missing item(s) and offer you time to find a replacement, or you can request a refund and we will send the available items. If you want to find a replacement, you can choose “in-store pickup” as the shipping method when ordering the item, let us know, and we will combine the orders to ship as one.
Packaging
We want nothing more than to have all your items arrive safely to you. Records are packed with Whiplash V03 and Jumbo mailers - the sturdiest and most reliable available! - and standard bubble mailer envelopes for non-vinyl goods. When necessary, we reinforce our bubble mailers with cardboard flats and separate, or individually wrap, items when a variety of goods are packed together. All unopened, non-shrinkwrapped LPs are removed from their jacket, and the jacket and record are placed together in a plastic sleeve to protect against ringwear and moisture. When cassettes or other items are packaged with LPs, we use paper or styrofoam sheets from shipments we receive to individually wrap and separate items that could cause wear to a vinyl jacket, and to best protect against damage during transit. We use recycled materials whenever possible.
Shipping Services
All domestic orders are shipped with USPS as First Class, Media Mail, or Priority if specified. We find this has been as trustworthy as more expensive services, and allows us to offer the cheapest rates possible. All non-Media Mail qualifying orders over 1lb are shipped as Priority whether you specify or not. We arrange USPS pickups 3-4 times a week, typically on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with the occasional Monday. It is dependent on the hours of the shop.
Tracking is included with Media Mail, but USPS only guarantees delivery confirmation. It does not guarantee updates while en route.
For international orders we use FirstMile to coordinate shipments, and ship with DHL. We are continuously checking shipping rates to be sure to offer the most accurate shipping costs to your country. Every package comes with tracking information, e-mail us if you can not locate yours at commend@igetrvng.com and provide your order number.
Unfortunately, due to the UK’s shifting policies as it works through separating from the EU, the taxes incurred on us to provide service to the UK have become prohibitively expensive for our small operation. We no longer can ship to customers there.
We do offer in-store pickup for anyone who is local or planning to visit the shop. There is no deadline for picking up.
Insurance
We add insurance to international orders with our online fulfillment software. For all domestic orders, USPS Priority mail includes coverage up to $100.
Delivery Times
Fulfillment is done at the register desk of our humble Commend storefront, therefore shipments are only sent out days we are open for business. Domestic shipments go out through the shop, while International shipments are sent from our warehouse in Brooklyn.
Domestic Media Mail and First Class typically take 2-9 days, though are highly dependent on location and weather events. Priority is 1-3 days. All estimated delivery times are from the time of the USPS pickup at the shop.
International packages are sent out once a week, and can range in delivery times from 10-35 days. We have no control over that timeframe, unfortunately, and once the item has left the US we cannot guarantee how long it can take for customs to clear.
Please contact us when you are experiencing longer delays so we can contact USPS or DHL customer service and try to ascertain information regarding your order.
Returns
You may return any non-consumable products (incense, tinctures…) within 7 days of receipt. Refunds are processed once we have received the item and qualify it is still in a condition to be sold. You are responsible for the shipping cost to return items you ordered.
When an item is unable to be delivered, it will be returned to us. DHL returns international packages as their capacity permits, and they can not guarantee that it will make it back at all. They aim to return items in 60-90 days. Typically DHL does not charge for return shipping, excluding Canada.
When something is returned, 99% of the time it is because the delivering post office determined it was undeliverable. This could mean that no one was home, a notice for duties was left and no one reached out, there was insufficient consignee info (phone number, email address), the HS codes were incorrect, non-compliance with updated VAT laws (UK specifically), etc. From our experience, Germany’s Deutsche Post is quick to mark things as undeliverable.
Damaged Items
If you receive an item in a condition not as described or arrives damaged, please email us at commend@igetrvng.com and provide proof with images or video of the damage. We may be able to send a replacement, and if not we will process a refund for the damaged item. A record that is slightly warped but which does not affect play does not constitute damage and we will only refund if it is returned to us, with shipping covered by you.
Missing Orders
Rarely an item is completely lost in the mail ecosystem, more often than not something else has held up it’s arrival, tracking information has not been properly updated, and the item will turn up. However, should your order be declared by the shipping service as lost, we are not responsible for those items.
FAQs
- Is everything you have for sale listed on your website?
- Great question, yes-ish… everything is listed aside from the $2 or $5 bin. We even list in-store only items online, they are just not available for shipping.
- Will you be getting in the upcoming XXXXXX release?
- Please ask us! We just might be, and if we are not, perhaps it is something we would like to look into buying for the shop.
- I recently placed an order but would like to add to it, is that possible?
- Yes! You can notify us via commend@igetrvng.com, and provided your order has not yet shipped, you can place another order selecting “in-store pickup” as the shipping service, and we will combine the orders. We’ll let you know any difference in the shipping cost, and that can be settled via PayPal using the email payforstuff@commendnyc.com.
- Tracking information shows the label has been printed but has not yet entered in the system, what does that mean?
- This means the package is most likely still at the shop, awaiting pickup by the USPS. Sometimes the system is slow to update and the package is already at the service center.
- I accidentally chose in-store pickup, or chose in-store but no longer can pick it up, can you ship it to me?
- Absolutely! Please contact us at commend@igetrvng.com to let us know. We will let you know the shipping cost, and have you send payment via PayPal to payforstuff@commendnyc.com.
- One of my items is a preorder item, when will the items in my order ship?
- We do not offer “ship-as-available” service except for certain situations. We will hold everything until the preorder is available and ship in one package.
- You carry my release and I’m in town and would like to play a live show, OR, I have a new release coming out soon and would like to have a release party at your store, can that be arranged? Etc...
- More often than not, sure :) Drop us a line at commend@igetrvng.com and let us know the details of your release and event idea.
- My community organization / nonprofit group needs a place to have a meeting, could we do that a day you are closed?
- We love to provide a space for groups who need physical locations to meet IRL! Please contact commend@igetrvng.com to inquire.