WHAT IS THE APPROVAL SERVICE?
Over the past fifteen years our ‘Approval Service’ has given many customers the luxury of a gamble free way of introducing themselves to a wealth of new music that they may never have otherwise experienced.
Basically, this is a kind of insurance cover that takes the risk part out of adventurous impulse purchasing!
Obviously we like you to try as many of our recommend new artists and bands as possible, and by being an ‘Approval Service’ subscriber, you can do it virtually risk free, which is of course, the way it should be.
This scheme provides you with a safety net, allowing you the freedom to order that tempting, intriguing title by a relatively unknown name that we are triumphantly hailing as an “Highly recommended!”, “An essential purchase!”, “Superb!”, or “Not to be missed!”, without having to think about what you’ll do if it turns out to be something that’s not your thing after all - Although we get it right for most, we can’t allow for everyone’s differing tastes when we review the music - As they say: "One man's meat can be another man's poison".
As an ‘Approval’ subscriber, there’s no need to shy away from an impulsive purchase. You can forget that visit to the local second hand store to trade an offending item in, because you are covered to return it for credit.
WHAT DOES IT COST?
No matter how many purchases you make, or what country you live in, you pay a straight £10 fee with your first ‘Approval’ order. This puts you on the scheme for one year and the fee is renewable annually.
WHAT DOES IT COVER?
Compact Discs from the more ‘Specialized’ departments, e.g.: Synthesizer Instrumental / Ambient / Psychedelic / Progressive / Canterbury / Euro Rock etc. The service is also restricted to only stock items that we are either currently featuring, or have featured in past department promotions.
WHAT IS NOT COVERED?
‘Bargain Basement’ and some ‘Special Offer’ items, Special orders, Various Artist compilations & other Samplers, Videos and DVD’s are NOT covered under the ‘Approval Service’.
HOW DO I BECOME AN APPROVAL SUBSCRIBER OR RENEW MY SUBSCRIPTION?
When you place your first ‘Approval Service’ order, we accept that as confirmation that you wish to become an ‘Approval Subscriber’. We debit your credit card with the £10 annual fee at the same time as the goods and relevant postal costs are charged, on the date that your order is posted to you.
‘Approval Service’ orders placed after the previously paid year has expired are taken as confirmation that you wish to renew your subscription, and the £10 fee will be charged. For the avoidance of doubt, please keep a note of the date your subscription is due to expire. We can give you this information on request, or you can calculate it from the credit card receipt you receive with your first ‘Approval Service’ shipment.
HOW DO I PLACE AND PAY FOR AN APPROVAL ORDER?
1) You MUST be an existing customer with a CDS Customer Number number, and you MUST have made at least one previous order with CD Services, before you can place an ‘Approval’ order on-line.
2) You MUST remember to avoid listing any normal fixed order items on any ‘Approval Service’ order, because this will undoubtedly lead to your order encountering administration delays. Any fixed sale items to be ordered in the same shopping session MUST be compiled and ordered from a separate shopping basket.
3) With your account number to hand, simply select the items from the shop that you want to order under the scheme by adding them to your shopping basket. Once you have selected all your ‘Approval’ order items, just select the ‘Approval Order' option in the 'Method of Payment' drop down menu, then complete and check your order in the normal way by adding your CDS Customer Number, Name, and Postal/Zip Code. Once you are happy that all the details on your order are correct, just click and send the order.
Please Note: If you wish to pay an ‘Approval’ order by cheque, you must notify us of this in the ‘Your Notice To Us’ box and then post the cheque together with a printed copy of your ‘Approval’ order. You can also use the ‘Your Notice To Us’ box to indicate that your on-line order is using up ‘Approval Service’ credit from previous returns.
Any fixed sale items to be ordered can now be compiled in a new shopping basket, following the same procedure as before, but selecting either one of the ‘Credit/Debit Card’ or ‘CDS Customer Number’ options in the ‘Method Of Payment’ drop down menu at the checkout.
If any item you order under the ‘Approval Service’ is not covered by the scheme, we will inform you by return e-mail, giving you the option to order the item under normal ‘fixed sale’ purchasing conditions, or to cancel it. Once you respond to this, your order will be processed. The items on the order will be charged to your credit card the same day that it is posted to you.
HOW DO I MAKE AN ‘APPROVAL’ RETURN’?
If you find a title you ordered under the ‘Approval’ scheme is not suitable for your taste in music, simply re-package the disc(s) within the consideration period of 14 days from your delivery date and return the package to us with a covering note. You may also place a new written order with the return package.
If you make an ‘Approval’ return, we recommend, at the very least, that you ask your Post Office for a ‘Proof of Posting Certificate’, or you can use ‘Recorded Delivery’ or ‘Registered Post’ services to help cover the package against loss or damage in the postal system, but that will involve some extra costs.
Once we are in receipt of your returned disc(s), the condition is checked and if this is satisfactory, your CD Services account will then be credited with the purchase value of the disc(s) only. This may take a few days. Any amount of money in credit will be deducted from your next nearest order shipment from us.
WHAT ARE THE RULES, TERMS & CONDITIONS OF THE ‘APPROVAL SERVICE’?
To make the system run efficiently, there has to be rules. No exceptions will be made to these rules and conditions, so for the avoidance of doubt, please read carefully before making your first ‘Approval’ order.
1) ‘Approval’ items must be ordered separately using the ‘Approval Order’ option. Items ordered on any other order form are all treated as normal fixed orders and are therefore non-returnable under the scheme.
2) We reserve the right to refuse to accept any return under the scheme if we feel the disc has been damaged in any way, or, if the returned item was not originally ordered on our ‘Approval’ form, or if the returned item(s) are considered to be too far out with the allocated consideration period of 14 days.
The customer will incur the cost of postal charges involved in the returning of such items to their address.
3) No refunds will be issued for ‘Approval’ returns. We only issue credit to your CD Services account.
4) The customer pays all transport/postal charges on packages to and from CD Services.
5) CD Services cannot be held responsible for the loss of any packages that go missing on route to us.
It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure they have the necessary cover to enable them to make a claim against the postal services in the event of their package being lost in the post.
6) CD Services cannot be held responsible for and damage sustained by a package on route to us.
It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure that all possible precautions are taken when item(s) are being returned to us. Please wrap and package all return goods carefully. We reserve the right to return any item that has been mishandled or damaged in transit to the customer. In certain circumstances, the customer can make a claim for damages made to any package in transit against the postal services.
7) All Non-sealed items being posted from ‘Approval’ orders are examined by a member of staff prior to posting. If any item arrives with a customer in a damaged condition, you MUST contact us immediately and arrange to return the damaged CD to us for a replacement.
8) No refund of the ‘Approval Service’ fee (whole of part) will be given during or after the one-year period in which the subscription applies, or when any order has been made under the scheme in the same period.
9) For administration purposes, all ‘Approval’ returns and replacement titles are logged and recorded in our system. We reserve the right to refuse acceptance of any order made under the ‘Approval’ scheme if, based on previous returns made by a customer under the scheme, we feel the items in the order are too similar to others that have already proved unsuitable to that customer on several previous occasions.
