How We Grade and Ship Records

Buying a used record online is a little bit of trust. You can't pull it out of the sleeve and tilt it under the light, so you're counting on the seller to tell it straight. Here's exactly how we do that.

We grade to the Goldmine standard

It's the same scale most collectors and Discogs sellers use. The record (media) and the jacket (sleeve) get graded separately, and both grades are on every listing.

• Mint (M): sealed or never played. You won't see this much on used stock.
• Near Mint (NM or M-): close to perfect. No flaws you can hear.
• Very Good Plus (VG+): a few light signs of life, but it plays clean. This is the sweet spot for most people.
• Very Good (VG): visible wear and some surface noise in the quiet parts. Still a good listen, and priced to match.
• Good (G) and below: heavy wear. We mostly pass on these when we buy, so they rarely make it into the bins.

If a record sits right between two grades, we give it the lower one. We'd rather you open the package and be pleasantly surprised.

What's on every listing

Each used record shows media condition, sleeve condition, and a comments line for anything else worth knowing, like an original inner sleeve. You'll also see the catalog number, format and release year, so you can match the exact pressing you're after. Browse used vinyl to see it in action.

Cleaned and re-sleeved

Every used record is cleaned and put in a fresh inner sleeve before it's graded and shelved. A lot of records that look tired are just dirty, and a good cleaning lets them play the way they should.

How it gets to you

We've shipped hundreds of orders through our Discogs shop, and buyers there have left us 100% positive feedback across more than 500 ratings. The things they mention most are careful packaging, quick shipping and grading that matches what shows up. One buyer wrote: "Order graded accurately. 10/10 buyer experience!" Another said a record arrived "incredibly well packaged." People also seem to like the little extras: custom art on the packaging and a personal thank-you card.

Rates and delivery times are in our shipping policy.

Or just pick it up

Local? Choose free Pickup in store at checkout. Orders are usually ready within the hour while we're open, at 101 W Kirkwood Ave, Suite 105, inside the Fountain Square Mall. Hours and directions.

Questions people ask

What grading standard do you use?
The Goldmine standard: Mint, Near Mint, Very Good Plus, Very Good, Good and below. We grade the record and the sleeve separately.

Do you grade CDs too?
Yes. Disc and case get graded separately on the same scale.

Are new records graded?
No. New records are sealed and sold as new.

Can I see a record before I buy it?
Yes. Everything listed online is in our Bloomington shop, so you can stop in and look it over.

What if a record doesn't match its grade?
Get in touch through our contact page and we'll make it right under our refund policy.