Paraboliccurve

Maybe it's different for British soulies. We grew up listening to northern from older brothers or at youth clubs and school discos and then scooter rallies; often it wasn't that soulful (because youth clubs and school discos and scooter rallies didn't have DJs with amazing records), but the music often still has a place in our hearts. TMH wouldn't be in my serious top 5,000 northern records, but it reminds me of being thirteen or fourteen so it has something extra. Similar records from that time for me would be Like One (Jean Carter), You Are (Bobby Reed), Raining Teardrops (The Demures) - they're obviously not blue eyed and are objectively 'better' than TMH, but they have the sane emotional pull because they date to the same time for me (school discos, DJs playing off the early Kent albums). (I have all of those but not TMH, oddly.) Few mainland European sound fans have that experience to look back on I guess.

Takes all sorts. To be fair, I have a few guilty pleasures of my own. I'm an absolute sucker for Ten Miles High

I know it's all subjective, but I can't understand why anyone would pay a grand for Construction - or at least, anyone into soul. Yes, historic, yes, Searling and Wigan, yes I have danced my head off to it, admittedly chemically-assisted when I'd probably dance to The Birdy Song, and it has a great backing track but the vocal is horrendous. Then again, Sharon McMahan is undoubtedly soulful but it sounds like mid 70s MOR shite to me and I can't understand why anyone would pay £600 for that. I need a lie down, or a drink.

Unfortunately that ship has sailed. To be fair, it cast off when eBay arrived, really.

This one is currently out there (won't name the bloke as not fair, we've all done it): "VG+ (would be EX but for label damage)" see also: "Aunty (would be uncle if she had bollocks and a handlebar moustache)"

Aka tape swappers fave

To be fair I have a Tony Clarke Wrong Man I've got for sale which fits that description (bit of cue burn at the start, not the background noise)

Some good ones here I also like variations of, 'Someone told me it might be a second issue but I don't think it is' = It's a stone-cold boot

'Getting spins' - my mate played it last week to twelve elderly people at their care home, and I'm selling one 'Just right for today' - ignored for the previous 50 years of the scene, but I'm selling one 'In demand' - I'm selling one, but I want more than that 'Big at Wigan' - reached No3 in the pop charts and I'm selling one, but I want more than that 'Big at Stafford' - country and western, but Guy once played it, possibly when he was on mushrooms, and I'm selling one 'Tape swappers fave' - too country and western even for Stafford, and I'm selling one 'Mint-' - if you'd bought a record in this state at HMV thirty years ago you'd have gone back and punched the manager 'Ex-' - rejected as a frisbee 'VG' - rejected as an ashtray 'Over-hyped' - I want one but I'm not paying that much 'Turned up in quantity' - I want one but I'm also not paying that much Sorry, a disappointing package of records arrived this morning and I feel the need to vent (Stafford was great and Guy was maybe my favourite DJ as a kid.)

Two great tunes there definitely

I'm ashamed to say I have never turned it over. I like that better than Please Operator, especially the start.

1985 was around when I started collecting properly inc travelling to the US and at that time I don't think it was very well known. My memory is hazy, but I seem to recall it (IDKAY) started being played around 1986/7. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong. As to quantity, I've had about six myself so I'd add a couple of zeros and maybe more!

Just a quick update on this - it's a bit long and boring for most probably but might be of some interest and use to anyone posting out records. Royal Mail has agreed to pay me the £75 plus the cost of the postage. However, as you'll see below, they are describing it as a 'goodwill payment'. I don't accept that, I see it as the compensation I paid for when I took out their insurance, and, while I have accepted the cash (obviously), I am seeking clarification from the relevant Royal Mail review body. I've done this partly out of academic interest but mostly because of the implication in the 'goodwill' reply, which is that if it happens again they will dig their heels in harder. (They have also suggested that popsike - data from which I submitted as a way of confirming the value of the record - isn't a suitable means of establishing value; this is nonsense from a legal point of views, though it might be that the relevant page from eg Manship Guide, or a statement from a dealer/dealers, might also help if it ever went any further. Anyway, that's not an issue at this stage.) Their latest reply to me: Thanks for your email received on 17 July 2024. I’m sorry to learn of the damage to the contents of your Royal Mail Special Delivery item with reference VExxxxxxxxxGB and you’re dissatisfied with our response. I also appreciate you’ve sent similar items in the past without any damage caused and I’d like to apologise for any upset or inconvenience we may’ve caused. Although Royal Mail Special Delivery items receive tracking during stages of their journey, I’ve been unable to identify exactly how your item became damaged. The details you provided will be used to pinpoint areas of concern, enabling targeted steps to be taken to improve the service we provide. To claim compensation for damaged items, other than for the postage paid, you need to provide a certificate of posting (this may include photocopies or electronic confirmations) and evidence of value along with the damaged contents and all the original wrapping and packaging used for us to inspect. When considering claims for compensation for items sold on eBay, customers need to supply the item number, the sale page and a PayPal/bank statement showing the amount paid and any refund given. This is stated when completing our electronic claim form under What you need to provide. Customers listed as business sellers on eBay need to also provide evidence of the cost price of sold item. Compensation isn’t paid for damaged items which aren’t packaged in accordance with our published guidelines. For your future reference, information on our retail compensation policy for damaged items can be found on our website at Royal Mail's retail compensation policy for damage and part loss │ Royal Mail Group Ltd. Having reviewed your claim for compensation, I note the images provided don’t show your item was packaged in line with the requirements stated online at How to Securely Wrap a Parcel (royalmail.com) and that we haven’t received the required evidence of value. In light of the unsatisfactory service and responses you've received, I’ve sent you a cheque for £75.00. Whilst I trust this will help restore your confidence in us, I’d be unable to offer a further goodwill payment in the unlikely event of a similar occurrence. I recognise you may still be dissatisfied with my response. If you wish to escalate this matter further, you can do this by contacting the Postal Review Panel by either emailing postalreview@royalmail.com or by writing to Freepost Postal Review Panel. I’m sorry for any unintended annoyance or inconvenience our previous decisions may’ve caused you. I hope this reply has resolved the matter to your satisfaction. Kind regards XXX XXXXXX Escalated Customer Resolution Team My email to the Postal Review: Dear Sir or Madam You'll see from the below that I have been engaged in a fairly lengthy correspondence with the Royal Mail after a vinyl record which I posted Special Delivery Guaranteed by 9am arrived broken at the other end. I have eventually received the compensation to which I was entitled (the postage plus the £75 value of the record) but it was described as a 'goodwill payment'. The main ground for describing it in those terms appears to be that I did not pack the record in line with the Royal Mail's guidelines. I do not accept that this is in fact a goodwill payment; I sell a lot of records, I package them in a way which in my opinion is superior to those guidelines (of which I was hitherto unaware), and indeed this is the first time one has been broken in transit. It is my contention that I packaged the record as I see fit, and that it was accepted by counter staff, who also accepted my payment for the insurance. At no point did they point out that it was not packed in line with those guidelines, nor that it was a term of the contract and a condition of our agreement that it be so packed. I would like you to clarify please: are the packaging guidelines on your website in fact to be interpreted as conditions, and thus as contractual terms? If so, will you please update this section of your website and make your counter staff aware of this policy? regards

They certainly don't now - as above they suggest guidelines but those don't include Jiffy bags. But - also as above - guidelines are guidelines, not conditions. For that to be a serious issue they would have to make the Jiffy bags (or any other packaging they cared to stipulate) a condition of service (ie a term of the contract) and make that very clear. It obviously would be untenable for them to accept £8.95 for a service which explicitly includes insurance if they know in advance that the customer will not be able to rely on that insurance because of incorrect packaging. They'd have to instruct their staff not to accept packages which didn't meet those conditions. They don't do this I assume because it would mean their staff spent all day rejecting packages, not accepting them, and would crater their business inside a week. As someone else says above, they're trying it on and they're going to be out of luck.

You can't seek redress for the failure to provide a service in circumstances like these which you haven't paid for, that's a simple matter of English law. I'll happily stand corrected but I don't think this is possible. It makes no difference whatsoever if he's lost money (ie if I had refused to reimburse him). He can only seek redress from me (which obviously I was happy to agree to, getting the record there safely is my problem, not his), because he *has* paid me, and it's then up to me to seek redress for the failure of my counterparty ie the Royal Mail.

That's not correct - his contract was with me. I have to compensate him for delivery of a faulty product (which I have), but he can't claim against the Post Office because he has no contractual relationship with them

Cheers. I think this is right. I've almost no doubt - even allowing for the vagaries of the county court - that I'm on strong legal ground, so I assume they'll settle before it gets to that. But I'm going to ask for an hour of my time to be paid for as well now, and warn them that more time will become chargeable thereafter

Re value Paul see my reply below - they pretty much have to go on 'value', and that definitely isn't just about the price you personally paid (often years earlier), but it's an interesting point. I always get asked to declare a value when posting,

I know the Constellations is in demand, good record too, but it never ceases to amaze me what it goes for. I've had several (regrettably all sold for a lot less than £1700).

Sale price in and of itself is pretty much irrelevant if it comes down to a court case - otherwise the potential for fraud is very real. For instance, I agree with you to sell you a pressing with a realistic value of £5 for £500, it 'arrives broken' (because you stamp on it after receiving it), I claim, we split the £500. (I hope I'm not giving anyone any ideas - this would be a serious criminal conspiracy.) Value in something like a record would be established by data from popsike, discogs, and possibly an expert or two eg Manship. Sale price would be supporting evidence. By the way, they are still refusing to pay, which is absurd. I had two more emails yesterday, both of them confirming that they're not prepared to honour their insurance, the meat of which is as follows. First email: To claim compensation for damaged items, you need to provide evidence of a transaction taking place, if sold on eBay this needs to be the final sale page. Evidence of the original packaging including the internal packaging and external packaging showing the postage label in full. I note from your claim this was not provided. If you’re able to provide evidence of a transaction or refund taking place and evidence showing the original packaging, I’ll be happy to reassess your claim. My response to this email was as follows: 1. This is the first I was told of this 'requirement', which does not appear on the original claim form. I can of course provide such evidence - of £75 plus money for postage being transferred to me by the original purchaser of the record and then of my reimbursement of the same to him when it arrived broken. 2. But it is anyway nonsensical. I purchased insurance from the Post Office for the transportation of a record, and they damaged the record in transit. It doesn't make any difference whether I was sending it as a purchased item, or a gift, or just as a curiosity for the recipient to (I dunno) DJ with and then send back to me. I appreciate this last scenario is unlikely, but it's not impossible, and I introduced it merely as a way of demonstrating tnat the insurance I paid for was entirely unrelated to the reasons for my sending the record (or anything else). Anyway, while I was digesting that piece of nonsense I received a second response: I’m sorry to advise you that having inspected the packaging of your item, the contents wouldn’t have been sufficiently protected and as such I’m unable to take any further action in this matter. More information on our packaging guidelines can be found at www.royalmail.com/packaging. Specifically the section for Records (Vinyl discs). Obviously, she hasn't 'inspected the packaging', only the photographs I submitted with my original claim. The packaging was exactly the same as I always use - namely, four stiff thick pieces of cardboard, two either side of the record, which is itself in a further cardboard sleeve. This is way stronger than any mailer Post Office sells, and I've sent hundreds of records out in that manner (and received many in similar style) with no previous damage. This by definition means it is suitable for post. Her link to www.royalmail.com/packaging and the section for Records gives 'guidance'. The guidance is as follows: Place between thick card and surround with cushioning material at least 2.5cm longer than the item. Wrap in strong paper, seal with tape and clearly mark package RECORDS - DO NOT BEND. It also says (in a general preamble): Please follow these guidelines to make sure your eligibility for compensation isn't affected if the item doesn't arrive as expected. I expect this is ultimately what they will try to hide behind - my packaging was absolutely fine for purpose, but I didn't follow this to the letter (because I'd never read the guidance before, I don't suppose many of us have?). However, as I say, it is guidance - if they said it was mandatory that might be different - and these guidelines have never been stipulated as conditional to me by any Post Office employee (ie they've never said to me 'This record is inappropriately packaged and does not meet our guidance which is a condition of our accepting this contract'), nor have they refused to take my money because I don't quite meet the guidelines So I think I'm on fairly strong legal ground - it will probably come down to proving the value of the record (£75 is well within any margin of error) and proving that my packaging was of sufficient quality that I had a reasonable expectation that the record would arrive in good condition. But this is food for thought, at least.

Obviously not. I am part of the group of 'you guys' that doesn't really care, but even there I'm really only answering for myself. I'd have thought that quite... obvious? I'm not that interested in silly semantics though, so I think I'll leave it there.

Who is 'you guys'?

Plus - and I know we're nearly as trainspottery as actual trainspotters - I don't personally give a monkey's about owning stuff on a rare Mexican release (which is the only real rarity factor here). (Admittedly I am strictly US-only - I don't even collect British, and never have. It has to be US for me, apart from a few things like Jackie Edwards on Island.)

Why would we even care? I just like the music.

Yes, I always post anything worth more than £50 Special Delivery Next Day Guaranteed by 1pm for precisely this reason. (Anything more than £1k I courier or even hand deliver if close enough.) I can't see the problem either - I'm mystified actually. I could easily claim more than £75 for a NM Cashing In, too - I'm simply claiming what I sold it for, not the likely replacement cost (I don't need a replacement). I'm familiar with the way the courts operate and I doubt it will come to it but I'm quite prepared to go that far if necessary. I can only assume they're under some sort of directive designed to fob off the less determined - the process certainly appears to become more laborious as you progress through the various tiers, which I assume is by design.