Refund policy

Returns

To exchange an item, The item must have been purchased in the last 30 days. If mail ordered, the policy begins 30 days from your parcel being marked as delivered (if you selected untracked domestic postage, the 30 days begins from the date sent).

If your item is not faulty, we offer exchanges if:

  • The item must be in its original packaging; and
  • If returning clothes, the item must have all original tags, and must be unworn and unwashed.

We can’t offer a refund or exchange if:

  • 30 days has passed since your purchase (or if mail order, 30 days since it has been marked as delivered);
  • The item is not in its original packaging and the item is not faulty;
  • If it is a coloured vinyl record, and the colour is slightly different from the advertised photo. Due to the vinyl pressing process, coloured vinyl presses will always vary slightly in the same pressing. For example:
    • We can accept a refund/exchange if you ordered an opaque blue record but received a translucent blue record.
    • We will not accept a refund/exchange if you ordered a marbled blue record and received a marbled blue record, but it is not identical to the advertised photo. Again, coloured vinyl presses always vary slightly in the same pressing.
  • The item’s problem is of an aesthetic quality that is inherent to the item. For example:
    • I didn’t like the way the record was mixed;
    • I didn’t like the singer’s voice;
    • I didn’t realise that this was the 2016 version.
      In cases such as these, if an item is new and taken out of the shrink-wrap, we will not accept a refund/exchange.
      If an item is second-hand and unsealed, we can accept a refund/exchange for this reason, but we will not pay for return postage.

If your item is faulty, please see the Faulty Vinyl Records conditions below.

Please do not send your product back to the manufacturer.

Refund or exchange?

We can only exchange (rather than refund) if:

  • You do not have the original debit/credit card you purchased the item with; and
  • You do not have proof of purchase.

In these cases, we can only offer store credit or exchange to the value of the returned product’s current price.

Change of mind

We do not returns for change of mind. 

2ND HAND & GUARANTEED

With our (nearly) 50 years of record industry experience, we are confident in the quality of our service and of our products.

We guarantee our gradings. If you have an issue with our gradings, please check our gradings guide first. If it is still not to your expectation, please feel free to contact us here:
email: mailorder@rockinghorse.net
phone: (07) 3229 5360

Faulty Vinyl Records

Certain record players will be unable to play certain records. We do not accept returns for skipping or other faults caused by Crosley, Fenton, Flea Market players, or similar non-adjustable turntables.

Before returning, all records must be tested on another turntable that has an adjustable counterweight. If we cannot reproduce a perceived fault on our turntable, we do not offer refunds or exchanges.

Small warps are common on records, and turntable tonearms are designed to compensate for these warps. If playback is not affected, we do not refund or exchange.  

If the fault is simply fixed by cleaning the record, we may choose to clean the record with our Clearaudio Smart Matrix Silent record cleaning machine instead of replacing the record. 

If the fault persists on our turntable after cleaning, we can offer a replacement or refund.

Mail order returns:

Please contact us first before returning the item.
email: mailorder@rockinghorse
phone: (07) 3229 5360

If the fault is not reproduced, we cannot compensate you for return postage to our store. If you would like the record returned, we cannot pay for its redelivery.

If the item is damaged but you would like to keep it, we also offer partial refunds.

Gradings

At this time, we only have one space for grading our items. For example:

“2ND HAND & GUARANTEED: (VG+) US pressing with inner sleeve of 1978 album”

This grading refers to the media. If an item’s sleeve is worse than the media grading, the item will not be advertised on our website. Usually, items VG or worse are not advertised on our website.

Unless it is a particularly valuable item, our records are visually graded.

We use the Goldmine Standard to grade our items. Below is the Discogs description for the Goldmine Standard (sourced 06/06/2024).

Mint (M)

Vinyl

Absolutely perfect in every way. Certainly never been played, possibly even still sealed. Should be used sparingly as a grade, if at all.  

CD

Perfect. No scuffs/scratches, unplayed - possibly still sealed.

Insert/Inlay/Booklet/Sleeve/Digipak: Perfect. No wear, marks, or any other imperfections - possibly still sealed.

Cassette

J-Card is crisp, clean and perfect in every way. Likely sealed. Cassette is brand new, and professionally produced. Used sparingly as a grade, should be free of even the slightest blemishes and/or defects. This grade should be used sparingly, if at all.

 

Near Mint (NM or M-)

Vinyl

A nearly perfect record. A NM or M- record has more than likely never been played, and the vinyl will play perfectly, with no imperfections during playback. Many dealers won't give a grade higher than this implying (perhaps correctly) that no record is ever truly perfect. The record should show no obvious signs of wear. A 45 RPM or EP sleeve should have no more than the most minor defects, such as any sign of slight handling. An LP cover should have no creases, folds, seam splits, cut-out holes, or other noticeable similar defects. The same should be true of any other inserts, such as posters, lyric sleeves, etc.  

CD

Near perfect. No obvious signs of use, it may have been played - but it has been handled very carefully.

Insert/Inlay/Booklet/Sleeve/Digipak: Near Perfect. No obvious wear, it may have only the slightest of marks from handling.

Cassette

Sleeve should be totally crisp and clean with only the slightest evidence of handling. Tape is likely new, free of any wear or damage.

 

Very Good Plus (VG+)

Vinyl

Generally worth 50% of the Near Mint value. A Very Good Plus record will show some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Defects should be more of a cosmetic nature, not affecting the actual playback as a whole. Record surfaces may show some signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches that don't affect one's listening experiences. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are "OK". The label may have some ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable. Spindle marks may be present. Picture sleeves and inner sleeves will have some slight wear, slightly turned-up corners, or a slight seam split. An LP cover may have slight signs of wear, and may be marred by a cut-out hole, indentation, or cut corner. In general, if not for a couple of minor things wrong with it, this would be Near Mint.  

CD

A few minor scuffs/scratches. This has been played, but handled with good care - and certainly not abused.

Insert/Inlay/Booklet/Sleeve/Digipak: Slight wear, marks, indentations, it may possibly have a cut-out hole (or similar).

Cassette

Sleeve has slight wear, marks, indentations, and/or may possibly have a cut-out hole (or similar). Tape has been taken very good care of and may have light marks or spindle wear. Should play cleanly with minimal noise or degradation.

 

Very Good (VG)

Vinyl

Generally worth 25% of Near Mint value. Many of the defects found in a VG+ record will be more pronounced in a VG disc. Surface noise will be evident upon playing, especially in soft passages and during a song's intro and fade, but will not overpower the music otherwise. Groove wear will start to be noticeable, as with light scratches (deep enough to feel with a fingernail) that will affect the sound. Labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. The same will be true of picture sleeves or LP covers. However, it will not have all of these problems at the same time. Goldmine price guides with more than one price will list Very Good as the lowest price.  

CD

Quite a few light scuffs/scratches, or several more-pronounced scratches. This has obviously been played, but not handled as carefully as a VG+.

Insert/Inlay/Booklet/Sleeve/Digipak: More wear, marks, indentations than a VG+. May have slight fading, a small tear/rip, or some writing.

Cassette

Sleeve will contain more wear, marks, and/or indentations than a VG+. May have slight fading, a small tear/rip, or some writing. Shell may have heavier marks and wear than VG including plastic discoloration. Should play with some stronger hiss or degradation, but not enough to overpower music.

 

Good (G), Good Plus (G+)

Vinyl

Generally worth 10-15% of the Near Mint value. A record in Good or Good Plus condition can be played through without skipping. But it will have significant surface noise, scratches, and visible groove wear. A cover or sleeve will have seam splits, especially at the bottom or on the spine. Tape, writing, ring wear, or other defects will be present. While the record will be playable without skipping, noticeable surface noise and "ticks" will almost certainly accompany the playback.  

CD

There are a lot of scuffs/scratches. However it will still play through without problems. This has not been handled with much care at all.

Insert/Inlay/Booklet/Sleeve/Digipak: Well worn, marked, more obvious indentations, fading, writing, than a VG - possibly a more significant tear/rip.

Cassette

Sleeve will be well worn, marked, and contain obvious indentations, fading, and/or writing, more so than a VG grade - possibly a more significant tear/rip. Tape will have heavy wear on shell. Felt stopper may be missing. Tape may have minor creasing, but not broken. Must play through, may have heavier degradation that will overpower music.

 

Poor (P), Fair (F)

Vinyl

Generally worth 0-5% of the Near Mint price. The record is cracked, badly warped, and won't play through without skipping or repeating. The picture sleeve is water damaged, split on all three seams and heavily marred by wear and writing. The LP cover barely keeps the LP inside it. Inner sleeves are fully split, crinkled, and written upon.  

CD

The CD may or may not play some or all of the tracks. See the seller's comments for details.

Insert/Inlay/Booklet/Sleeve/Digipak: Very worn. It may have obvious writing on it, it may be ripped/torn, or significantly faded, or water damaged.

Cassette

Sleeve will be torn, heavily stained, showing general heavy damage, or will be partially missing. Likewise, tape will be heavily damaged, showing complete fading on the face, crinkled tape, missing screws or teeth, staining, and other heavy wear. Cassette will more than likely not play through.  

Standard Jewel Cases: Standard Jewel Cases are not graded as they are replaceable.