Shipping within the USA:
We are quite quick to pack and ship your order, typically shipping it within 1-2 days of receiving it. (That means that your order is typically shipped out the day after you placed it, or the next day.) We ship orders Monday through Friday (and some Saturdays), but we cannot ship on Sundays or holidays observed by the US Postal Service. Please note that, although winter weather in St. Louis is not usually bad, we cannot ship orders if the roads are covered in snow and ice. Check the news entries on the main page of the site for recent updates concerning weather- or holiday-related shipping blackouts. And yes, we will email you when your order is in the mail.
We ship your orders using the US Postal Service. (We do not currently ship via UPS, FedEx, or DHL. The US Postal Service is the most cost-effective shipping option for us and our customers, especially when shipping small orders.) Unless you have chosen Media Mail, any package over 13 ounces in weight is automatically upgraded from USPS First Class Mail to USPS Priority Mail at no extra charge to you. We do offer some extra shipping services below. If you require other services not listed, or if you would like faster shipping (such as Overnight Mail), we would be happy to add those to your order, although the cost is the responsibility of the customer. In that case, please email us at info@DarkMusicDomain.com before placing a purchase through the catalog and we can send you an invoice that includes those services.
Even when shipping orders within the same country, shipping delays are rare but do occur for a variety of reasons that are completely out of our control. If you suspect that shipment of your order has been delayed abnormally, please keep us updated because we do care about your overall buying experience! However, please note that we are not responsible for packages delayed or damaged due to the actions of the US Postal Service. We anticipate mishandling by packing and padding your purchased items better than most retailers do, but if you choose not to purchase insurance or tracking/delivery services, Dark Music Domain cannot be held responsible. We also cannot replace any packages lost by the US Postal Service, which is why we encourage our customers to purchase insurance.
USPS First Class / Priority Mail:
Shipping for Standard Size Items (CD/DVD and 2CD):
* Please request an invoice if you are ordering 21+ items. Do not forget to include in your message: your PayPal email address, the items you wish to order, and your destination country!
** If your order contains a box set, an item including a t-shirt or magazine, or any single item that contains 3+ CDs (such as a 3CD digipak), note that these are considered oversize items! If your order includes such an item, please email info@DarkMusicDomain.com to request a shipping quote! If paying via PayPal account or credit card, do not forget to include in your email: your PayPal email address (or any address if you do not have a PayPal account), the items you wish to order, and your zip code (inside the USA) or your destination country! The catalog item descriptions for some oversize items do include instructions on how to calculate the postage due without having to email us. For example, catalog descriptions for 3CD digipak/jewel case items usually state that you must add 2 standard size items ("2 CDs") worth of postage to your shopping cart, so if you order a 1CD album and a 3CD album, you would add 3 CDs worth of postage from the drop-down menus above.
USPS Media Mail:
Shipping for Standard Size Items (CD/DVD and 2CD):
Media Mail is only available within the United States, and it can take much longer for your order to arrive than if you chose First Class Mail. Be forewarned that delays are not only possible but likely! Also, use of Media Mail is limited to very specific items. T-shirts and flash drives are two examples of items NOT allowed to be shipped Media Mail.
For calculation of postage due on oversize items (magazines, CD sets containing 3+ discs, etc.), please see the statement in the First Class / Priority Mail section above!
Optional Services:
* US Postal Service fees for Registered Mail start at $10.80 and vary with declared value. Due to the rather unusual restrictions on how Registered Mail parcels must be packaged, your payment for this service includes our only handling fee: $5.00. Registered Mail includes insurance up to $25,000.00 at no extra cost.Complete your order: