Product Condition & Vinyl Care
What condition are items in?
All records sold are brand new stock sourced directly from labels and distributors. Most titles are factory sealed when supplied by the manufacturer.
Minor cosmetic imperfections typical of new vinyl, such as small corner dings, light creases, or shrink-wrap stress, can occasionally occur during manufacturing or transit from distributors and are considered normal for new stock.
Occasionally, B-Stock titles are offered. These are also brand new and unplayed but have more noticeable cosmetic imperfections to the sleeve or packaging. Any B-Stock item is clearly labelled and offered at a reduced price to reflect its condition.
Do you guarantee perfect or mint sleeves?
Sonic Titan Records carefully inspects stock and does its best to select the best available copies when preparing orders. In most cases sleeves arrive in clean, undamaged condition.
However, vinyl records pass through several stages of manufacturing, packing, and distribution before reaching retailers. Packaging methods can vary between distributors and labels, and minor cosmetic imperfections such as small corner dings, light creases, or slight shrink-wrap stress can occasionally occur before the item reaches us.
While every order is packed carefully to minimise transit damage, Sonic Titan Records cannot guarantee completely flawless or mint-condition outer sleeves.
These types of minor cosmetic imperfections are common with new vinyl and are not generally considered defects.
If a sleeve arrives with severe damage caused during shipping, please contact us within 14 days of delivery with clear photos so the issue can be assessed.
What does B-Stock mean?
B-Stock items are brand new and unplayed but have noticeable cosmetic imperfections to the sleeve or packaging. This may include sleeve seam splits, heavy creasing, significant corner damage, dents, or other visible defects. These types of issues can occur during manufacturing, packing, or during transit before the item reaches us.
Minor manufacturing marks such as small hairline creases from sleeve production, light edge wear, or minor corner dings are not considered B-Stock and are normal for new vinyl stock.
The vinyl itself is unaffected unless clearly stated.
All B-Stock items are individually assessed and offered at a reduced price to reflect their condition.
Do you buy or sell used records?
No. All items sold are brand new stock sourced directly from labels and distributors.
We do not currently buy or sell used records.
What if I receive a defective record?
All items sold are brand new stock sourced directly from labels and distributors. As with all manufactured products, pressing defects can occasionally occur.
Examples of defects may include severe warping, labels pressed onto the playing surface, non-fill, excessive persistent surface noise, or manufacturing faults that affect playback.
If you receive a defective item, please contact us within 14 days of delivery. Clear photos and a short video demonstrating the issue may be required so the defect can be properly assessed.
Does coloured vinyl affect sound quality?
Coloured vinyl, splatter effects, glitter variants, glow-in-the-dark pressings, and picture discs can sometimes have higher surface noise compared to standard black vinyl.
Black vinyl is traditionally considered the most consistent in terms of audio performance, as the carbon black compound can aid stability during the pressing process.
That said, many coloured pressings sound excellent. Minor pops, light surface noise, or background crackle can be normal characteristics of specialty vinyl variants and are not considered defects unless excessive.
If sound quality is your absolute priority, standard black vinyl is generally the safest choice.
Could playback issues be caused by my turntable?
Playback issues such as skipping or distortion can sometimes be caused by turntable setup, stylus wear, or tracking force settings.
Before reporting a defect, we recommend checking stylus condition, tracking force, and anti-skate settings.
How should I care for vinyl records?
Vinyl records should be stored upright in a cool, dry environment away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
Avoid leaving records in cars, near radiators, or in areas subject to high temperatures, as heat can cause warping.
In colder weather, allow records to gradually reach room temperature before opening or playing. A vinyl record that is very cold can become stressed or warp if exposed to warmth too quickly.
To keep records clean, use a carbon fibre brush before playback to remove surface dust. For deeper cleaning, use a proper record cleaning solution or professional record cleaning machine.
Always handle records by the edges and label, and use a quality inner sleeve to help keep the surface clean.
Packaging
How are items packaged?
All items are packed using strong cruciform record mailers and protective padding — not wallet-style mailers.
Vinyl records are wrapped in bubble wrap and shipped in reinforced cruciform mailers with stiffeners to minimise movement during transit.
Orders containing two or more vinyl records are packed with expandable plastic corner protectors for additional protection.
Condition matters. Records can be removed from sleeves upon request to help prevent seam splits. This does not apply to sealed box sets.
Box sets receive additional reinforcement and cushioning appropriate to their size and weight.
CDs and cassettes are padded appropriately to ensure safe delivery.
Orders & Pre-Orders
When will my order ship?
Orders are usually packed and shipped the same day or next working day. You’ll receive a dispatch confirmation once your order is on the way.
Can I cancel or change my order?
Orders can be cancelled or amended before dispatch cut-off times.
Our weekday cut-off for same-day dispatch is 15:00 (GMT). Orders placed after this time will be processed the next working day.
On Saturdays, the cut-off time is 10:00 (GMT). Orders placed after 10:00 on Saturday will be processed on the following Monday.
If you need to cancel or make changes, please contact us as soon as possible. Requests made after the dispatch cut-off may not be possible if the order has already been processed.
Once an order has been dispatched, it cannot be cancelled.
Can I combine multiple orders?
Orders placed separately are not automatically combined. However, if multiple orders are placed before 15:00 (GMT) on a weekday, we will combine them where possible.
Postage is calculated based on weight and size. If combining orders reduces the shipping cost, any excess postage paid will be refunded.
Orders placed on different days may already be processed and cannot always be combined, but please get in touch and we will do our best to assist.
If any order contains a pre-order item, the entire shipment will follow the pre-order policy.
How do pre-orders work?
If your order includes a pre-order item, the entire order will ship once the pre-order is in stock. Orders are not split automatically.
Estimated release dates are shown on the product page but may occasionally change due to manufacturing or distributor delays.
If you need available items sooner, please place a separate order.
Why has my pre-order not shipped yet?
Pre-orders are dispatched once stock has arrived with Sonic Titan Records and has been checked in.
Release dates shown on product pages are estimates supplied by labels and distributors and can sometimes change at short notice.
Delays can occur due to manufacturing issues, freight delays, customs processing, or distributor allocation changes.
If your order contains both in-stock items and a pre-order title, the full order will normally ship together once the pre-order is ready.
If you would prefer available items sooner, please place separate orders.
Why do some limited editions sell out quickly?
Many soundtrack and boutique label releases are pressed in limited quantities.
Once a pressing sells out at the label or distributor level, it may not be repressed or may only return in a different variant.
For this reason, some titles can sell out quickly and may not always be restocked.
Can I send an order as a gift?
We do not offer gift wrapping.
However, we do not include pricing information inside parcels unless required for customs purposes.
If you would like the invoice excluded, please include a note at checkout or contact us immediately after placing your order.
What if I entered the wrong address?
Please check your shipping address carefully before placing your order.
If you notice an error, contact us immediately. Address changes cannot be guaranteed once an order has been processed or dispatched.
We are not responsible for delays or losses caused by incorrect address details provided at checkout.
Shipping & Delivery
What shipping options are available?
We offer Royal Mail Tracked services within the UK.
Tracked 24 aims for delivery within 1 working day after dispatch but is not a guaranteed next-day service.
Tracked 48 aims for delivery within 2 working days after dispatch, though this can occasionally take longer during busy periods.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes — international shipping is available to selected countries. Shipping availability and rates are calculated at checkout. If your country does not appear, shipping is not currently supported.
Why hasn’t my tracking updated?
Tracking updates are controlled by the courier and may not update immediately after dispatch.
Delays in scanning can occasionally occur during busy periods or when parcels are moving between distribution centres.
If your tracking has not updated for several days, please contact us and we will investigate with the courier.
What if my parcel is lost?
If tracking indicates a delivery issue or your parcel appears lost, please contact us so we can investigate with the courier.
Claims cannot be raised until the courier’s investigation timeframe has passed. Resolution will be provided once the courier confirms the outcome.
What if my order is damaged in transit?
If your order arrives with visible damage caused during shipping, please contact us within 14 days of delivery.
Please provide clear photos of the outer packaging, internal packaging, and the damaged item so the issue can be assessed.
Returns
Can I return a record if I’ve opened it?
No — once a sealed vinyl record, CD, or cassette has been opened, it cannot be returned unless it is faulty or not as described.
Do you accept international returns?
For international orders, customers are responsible for return shipping costs unless an item arrives damaged or has a confirmed manufacturing fault.
For change-of-mind returns, items must be returned in their original condition. Original shipping costs, customs duties, import taxes, and return shipping fees are non-refundable.
Returned items must be securely packaged and sent using a tracked service.
Store Policies
Do you accept offers or price negotiations?
No. Prices are fixed and reflect the cost of sourcing, importing, and securely packaging each item.
Sonic Titan Records is not an auction platform and we do not negotiate individual item prices.
Why might prices differ between platforms?
Prices may vary between different selling platforms due to marketplace fees and associated costs.
Purchasing directly through the Sonic Titan Records website supports the store directly and helps us continue sourcing specialist and limited releases.