| Shipping |
To calculate shipping charges, please use the Shipping Charge Calculator below.
Following the calculator I describe the shipping methods available to U.S. addresses and to other countries.
The calculator works with recent versions of the Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Internet Explorer browsers, but feel free to give it a try with earlier versions and other JavaScript-enabled browsers.
In the calculator, select your country and, if in the U.S., enter your 5-digit ZIP Code. Enter the number of LPs, cassettes, CDs and 45-rpm singles you wish to order. For U.S. destinations, the calculator automatically displays the charge for shipping by First Class/Priority Mail, Media Mail and UPS Ground. For international destinations, it displays the charge for shipping by Priority Mail International and First-Class Mail International.
Be sure to count every LP, CD and cassette in sets containing multiple LPs, CDs or cassettes. Also note that a few single LP albums — primarily those from Sonic Arts — count as 2 LPs for shipping because of their extra heavy records and deluxe packaging.
If the calculator does not work for you, please send me the list of the items you wish to order; I'll calculate the shipping and reply with the result.
Please let me know of problems you encounter using the calculator. This 2002 version offers much more capability than its predecessor (it handles ZIP Code now, for example), but it's also much more complex inside. Since its introduction, it has worked perfectly. Nevertheless, for all orders I'll recalculate shipping by hand and let you know immediately if it gave you a wrong total. After all, it could try to charge you too much.
Let me know by e-mail if the country selection list does not include your country. I'll add it as soon as I hear from you.
| Shipping to U.S. Addresses |
Within the U.S., I can ship by First Class/Priority Mail, Media Mail or UPS Ground.
First Class/Priority Mail: Provides delivery in 2 to 3 days. The rate varies with shipping distance. From my Virginia location, the highest charge applies for Alaska, Hawaii and states along and near the West Coast. The charge is less to states closer to Virginia, and much less to addresses in Virginia and adjacent states.
The cost of shipping by Priority Mail includes insurance to protect your order from loss or damage.
Media Mail: Provides delivery in a week or two, and sometimes later (and occasionally sooner). I can ship two LPs or three CDs for $5.02 to anywhere in the country, so it provides a very affordable alternative.
The cost of shipping by Media Mail includes insurance to protect your order from loss or damage.
UPS Ground: Available only within the 48 contiguous states, not to Alaska or Hawaii. Provides delivery in 1 to 5 business days. The rate varies with shipping distance. From my Virginia location, the highest charge applies for states along and near the West Coast. The charge is less to states closer to Virginia, and much less to addresses in Virginia and adjacent states.
The calculator displays the shipping charge to a residential address. For delivery to a business address, reduce the charge by $1.95. Keep in mind that UPS treats home businesses as residential addresses.
Also note that UPS charges a delivery surcharge of $2.35 to residential addresses and $1.55 to commercial addresses in some 24,000 ZIP Codes, most, if not all, in rural areas. The calculator does not include this surcharge in the UPS Ground cost. I will let you know if this surcharge applies to your ZIP Code. You can view the UPS delivery area surcharge ZIP Codes list if you have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer.
Sales Tax: Virginia residents, please add 5% for sales tax to the merchandise total.
| Shipping to Other Countries |
I can ship to other countries either by Priority Mail International or First-Class Mail International.
Priority Mail International: The rates vary from country to country. As a general indication of cost, the table below shows the charge to send two LPs or three CDs to all the countries where I have customers.
| Destination | Priority Mail International | |
| Country | 2 LPs or 3 CDs | Insured? |
| Australia | 34.30 | Yes |
| Austria | 32.70 | Yes |
| Brazil | 29.70 | Yes |
| Canada | 22.95 | Yes |
| Czech Republic | 30.20 | Yes |
| Denmark | 32.70 | Yes |
| Finland | 32.70 | Yes |
| France | 32.70 | Yes |
| Germany | 32.70 | Yes |
| Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 32.70 | Yes |
| Hong Kong | 32.20 | Yes |
| Israel | 27.75 | No |
| Italy | 32.70 | Yes |
| Japan | 32.20 | Yes |
| Mexico | 23.25 | No |
| Netherlands | 32.70 | Yes |
| Poland | 30.20 | Yes |
| Slovenia | 32.70 | Yes |
| Spain | 32.70 | Yes |
| Sweden | 32.70 | Yes |
| Switzerland | 32.70 | Yes |
| Turkey | 30.20 | Yes |
| Ukraine | 30.20 | Yes |
To most countries, the cost of shipping by Priority Mail International includes insurance to protect your order from loss or damage. The table identifies the countries for which insurance is not available.
First-Class Mail International: This can cost less than Priority Mail International, especially for very small orders. However, it has two serious limitations: At most I can ship the equivalent of about 6 LPs, and no insurance is available. To substitute for insurance, I can register your package. Registration costs $11.50 and provides protection for up to $47.93.
If you choose shipment by First-Class Mail International and do not request Registration, you accept the risk if your order is lost or damaged. I will not replace it.
For comparison with the Parcel Post rates above, the following table shows the cost to ship two LPs or three CDs by First-Class Mail International.
| Destination Country |
First-Class Mail International | Registration |
| (no insurance) 2 LPs or 3 CDs |
(protection up to $47.93) | |
| Australia | 16.42 | 11.50 |
| Austria | 16.42 | 11.50 |
| Brazil | 15.82 | 11.50 |
| Canada | 8.45 | 11.50 |
| Czech Republic | 15.75 | 11.50 |
| Denmark | 16.42 | 11.50 |
| Finland | 16.42 | 11.50 |
| France | 16.42 | 11.50 |
| Germany | 16.42 | 11.50 |
| Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 16.42 | 11.50 |
| Hong Kong | 16.42 | 11.50 |
| Israel | 15.82 | 11.50 |
| Italy | 16.42 | 11.50 |
| Japan | 16.42 | 11.50 |
| Mexico | 13.40 | 11.50 |
| Netherlands | 16.42 | 11.50 |
| Poland | 16.42 | 11.50 |
| Slovenia | 16.42 | 11.50 |
| Spain | 16.42 | 11.50 |
| Sweden | 16.42 | 11.50 |
| Switzerland | 16.42 | 11.50 |
| Turkey | 16.42 | 11.50 |
| Ukraine | 16.42 | 11.50 |
Last updated: June 17, 2009