Buying

Buying used vinyl online with confidence

A short checklist for buying records online: grades, photos, audio samples, shipping and returns.

Buying records online means you can't flip through the crate or hold the vinyl up to the light first. A few habits make up for most of that.

Before you buy

• Read both grades. Look for a vinyl grade and a sleeve grade, plus notes. Our grading guide explains what each one means.
• Check that the photos show the actual copy. Photos of the actual vinyl, label and jacket beat stock images every time. Music Ed Cafe photographs the exact item you'll receive.
• Ask for a sound check. If surface noise matters, ask the seller to listen to a side. Music Ed Cafe can provide digitized audio samples on request.
• Confirm the pressing details you care about. If the catalog number, label or runout matters, ask for them before buying. See how to spot a first pressing.
• Read the return policy on the listing itself.

Shipping

Records should travel in a rigid LP mailer with stiffeners, never in a padded envelope. Many sellers take the record out of the jacket and pack it separately to stop the seams splitting in transit. When your record arrives, open it promptly and check it against the listing.

When something isn't right

Message the seller through eBay first. Most problems get sorted quickly that way. If they don't, eBay's own buyer protection process applies to eligible purchases. That's one reason Music Ed Cafe sells through eBay: payment, shipping and returns all run through eBay's checkout and policies.