This page contains a list of frequently asked questions about our store. Please read through these questions before contacting us. To read the answer to a question, simply click on the question.
General Questions
I'm interested in an album or sheet music book you don't carry. Can you help me obtain it?
We can certainly try. If the book or album is still in circulation, we should be able to obtain it. Special order albums can be shipped in as little as a few days after the order is placed. Sheet music books can take several weeks. Please contact us with the details about what you're looking for and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.
Do I have to create an account before I can make a purchase?
Yes, we do require new users to create an account in order to make a purchase. This allows us to keep you up to date on the status of your order, and allows you to view your order history and maintain a wish list. You need not worry about receiving spam or unsolicited email as a result of creating an account. Your personal information is stored securely and is only used for order fulfillment purposes. The information will never be shared or sold with any third party.
What if I need to change or cancel my order?
If you need to change or cancel your order, please contact us as soon as possible after placing the order. We generally ship orders the next business day, so if your order is already shipped, it cannot be changed or canceled. Be sure to include your order number and specific instructions when contacting us. Some items ship from Japan, and we generally place these orders with our supplier immediately after receiving them. We cannot guarantee the ability to cancel the order on these items, but we'll do our best to acommodate requests.
How do I know that the SquareSound Music Store is trustworthy?
The SquareSound Music Store opened for business on August 1st, 2005. Since then, we've had nearly 1700 orders without a single complaint. If you need some tangible evidence, we also sell on eBay. We have well over 475 all-positive feedbacks without a single negative. Maintaining a 100% positive rating with that many transactions is a very difficult feat these days. We take our reputation very seriously, so please shop with confidence. Check us out, our user ID is "squaresound" without the quotes.
I had created an account at the old store. Can I still use it?
Unfortunately not. We've modified our shopping cart software and were not able to transfer over accounts. Creating a new account takes only a minute or two.
Shipping Questions
Do you ship internationally?
Yes, we now ship to 55 different countries. International customers can now pay right on our secure site using your credit card, Google Checkout, or PayPal. The countries we ship to appear in the drop-down on the checkout page. If your country doesn't appear there, we do not ship to that country.
How much does shipping cost?
Shipping costs vary depending on the weight and destination of the package. When you click "checkout," you'll be presented with a table of estimated shipping costs. Once you fill in your shipping information, you'll be presented with the different shipping options and finalized pricing.
How soon after ordering will my order ship?
In-stock orders typically ship within 1-3 business days. We will notify you when your order ships, and include a tracking/delivery confirmation number if applicable.
How long does shipping take?
Due to the recent earthquakes/tsunamis in Japan, shipments are taking longer than usual. In addition, though orders generally ship within 1-3 business days, tracking numbers from our supplier sometimes arrive late. We will update your order with the tracking number as soon as we receive it, but please realize that it may be after the 3 business day timeframe. Most orders will arrive within 4-15 business days after they're shipped. Depending on stock availability, some orders ship from the United States, while some orders ship directly from our supplier in Japan. Orders shipped from Japan are shipped via Registered Mail with tracking. These shipments generally arrive in 4-15 business days. Thank you for your understanding.
It appears you do not ship to my country. Why not?
Our merchant account only allows orders to countries listed in the drop-down during checkout. We apologize for the inconvenience.
How do I track my order?
You can check the status of your order anytime by logging into the "My Account" section. You'll also receive emails when your order is received, and when it's shipped. These emails will contain tracking or delivery confirmation numbers where applicable. Delivery confirmation numbers are not tracking numbers, and are generally only updated when the product is delivered. Also, tracking is not available in all countries. Please see our tracking page for tracking details for your country.
As an international customer, will I need to pay import taxes or duties on my shipment?
International customers are considered importers and must comply with all laws and regulations of the country in which the orders are received. You may be subject to import duties and taxes, which may be charged once the package reaches your country. If that happens, you are responsible for paying these fees. We cannot predict or control what these charges may be, as they vary widely. Please contact your local customs office for further information. Also, we are required to show the accurate value of the items directly on the package. We will not misrepresent the value of the package to save you on taxes. This is against the law.
Clearance Fees In some countries, shipping couriers may charge clearance fees independently from the customs duty for processing the packages through customs. For more information on what these fees might be, please contact the post office of the country in which you are receiving your order. Please take these potential fees into account when placing your order.
How do you handle undeliverable packages?
Sometimes, a package may be returned undeliverable for various reasons. Perhaps you included an incorrect shipping address, you refused a package, the package was never picked up, or import duty/taxes were never paid. If this happens, we will refund the original purchase price minus shipping costs.
Why don't you offer media mail or other less expensive shipping methods?
We'd like to, but the main reason we can't is because many of our orders ship directly from Japan, and there are no economical shipping methods from there. In many cases, we lose money on orders shipped from Japan. Most domestic book orders are shipped from the United States, and though the shipping prices may seem high, we are not making profit from shipping. Keep in mind also that many of the books we sell are heavy - often between 2-4 lbs. per book. We apologize for any inconvenience our limited shipping options cause you.
Policies
What is your return policy?
In order to keep prices as low as possible, we are unable to accept returns on opened CDs or sheet music books. You may return an unopened CD for a refund within 14 days assuming it arrives back to us in brand-new condition. The purchase price will be refunded, but shipping costs are the responsibility of the buyer. You must email to obtain an RMA number before sending back a product. The RMA number should be written clearly on the outer box. If you think you might have a defective CD, please try it first in multiple CD players before contacting us. If you've tried it in multiple CD players and it won't work, please contact us with your order number and description of your problem. We'll issue you an RMA number to send back the CD. If we determine that the CD is indeed defective, we'll send a replacement free of charge. If it is determined that the CD is not defective, you'll have the option of having the CD sent back to you (at your cost), or a 50% restocking fee will be applied, and the difference will be refunded to you.
What is your privacy policy?
Click here to read our full privacy policy.
What are your terms of use?
Click here to read our full conditions of use.
Payment Questions
What methods of payment do you accept?
For your convenience, we accept all four major credit cards on our secure server. If you'd prefer, we also accept payment through PayPal.com and Google Checkout. If you already have an account with PayPal or Google, you'll simply choose this payment method at checkout, enter your user name and password, and the site will walk you through the rest of the checkout process. If you would prefer not to use your credit card, we also accept United States Postal Service Money Orders (for US residents), or International Postal Money Orders (for international customers). These money orders can be obtained at your local post office. If you choose to pay via money order, you will be given instructions on where to mail your payment in your order confirmation email. If you place your order and choose to pay with a money order, you have 10 business days to send payment. If we do not receive payment in this timeframe, the order will be cancelled unless other arrangements are made.
Is my personal information safe? How is it used?
Your personal account information is stored on a secure database. Your credit card information is not stored, and is only collected in order to complete the transaction. We use industry-standard 128-bit encryption to secure your personal information. Your information will never be sold to a third-party or used in any other way. We take your privacy very seriously.
Can I phone or fax in my order?
We currently do not have a phone center setup to receive orders. However, if you're leery of sending your credit card information over the internet, you may fax in your order. To place a fax order, please follow these steps: Place the items you wish to purchase in your cart and proceed to checkout. Fill in your billing address so it matches what's on file with your credit card company. Choose "Payment by Fax" as your payment method on the payment details page and submit your order. When you see the "Order Complete" page, your order number will be displayed. Write down this order number (it will also be emailed to you). Download and print this form, fill it out completely, and fax it to us at 1-561-228-0360. We'll send an email to the email account you used when checking out to confirm your order. Once approved, your order will ship.
My credit card was declined. Why?
Generally, credit cards are declined not because the funds aren't available, but because the billing address doesn't match. If the billing address you provide when checking out does not match the address on file with your credit card company, the transaction will be declined. Note that the shipping address can be different.
My card was declined, but I still see a charge on my online statement. What's going on?
When you submit your order, our merchant account goes through several steps to complete the transaction. Firstly, it verifies that there are enough funds available to pay for the order. Then, it checks to make sure the billing addresses match. If a card is declined because of an incorrect billing address or some other reason, it's likely that a temporary hold was placed on the funds. This temporary hold (also called an authorization) will be removed from your account, generally within 3-5 business days. Note that some banks can take as long as 30 days to remove this authorization. This has nothing to do with us and the timeframe varies from bank to bank.
Do I have to pay sales tax on my order?
Only customers located in the state of Colorado are subject to sales tax (8.25%).
Still need help? Please feel free to contact us.
