1. What do I trade and how I am interested in CDs, DVDs (both pro-done!), vinyls, zines and merchandise. I don't need tapes, CD-Rs and DVD-Rs (with rare exceptions). Mainly I don't need any CDs issued in Russia under license (issued by Irond, CD-Maximum, Fono, Prior, AMG, Soyuz, AGAT, etc) because I can find them in Russia, though I can take some titles that are out of stock or sold out here. The same thing concerns bootleg titles (though I can take some non-russian bootlegs). As for used CDs or vinyls as well as damaged pieces, please let me know if some titles of your tradelist are in such state - I can take such CDs and vinyls, but their rate can be lower than for mint ones. Of course, I don't need used clothes as well as damaged and dusty ones. I trade some of our releases and some overstock titles - tradelist will be sent on demand, and of course, send your lists! You can find some russian-licensed CDs in my list (marked "not for sale outside Russia...") - you can take them for your collection (as well as your friends' collections) but you may not sell them either via mailorder or at gigs/festivals. If you want to get my mailorder titles for trade, of course, you'll have to offer the stuff that can be interesting for me as it's of no use for me to trade my mailorder stuff vs your releases (unless your releases are easy to sell at good price, of course). If some stuff come unusable you'll have to replace unusable ones! Also if some CDs appeared to be CD-Rs I'll ask you to take them back (it's not my problem that you can't differ pressed CDs and CD-Rs). Taking into account time and postal expenses, very small trades (less than 5 CDs) are of no use (unless you offer something rare or valuable). Usual trade rates are the following: CD - 4 points MCD - 3 points CD-R - 2points digi CD - 5 points 2CD - 5 points digi 2CD - 6 points Rates of all other stuff (3CD, 4CD, Vinyl, tapes, TS, LS, merch., zines) as well as mentioned above rates are discussible, of course. Usually I trade CDs vs CDs, vinyls and merch vs vinyls and merch, though it depends on what do you want to take and what can you offer. And of course if you want to trade your vinyls or merch vs my CDs, you're welcome! 2. Packing Please send CDs well-packed, without jewel cases. Please do not put CDs into booklets. Wrap CDs separately from booklets and inlays. Please pack CDs carefully. As for CDs I use the following method of packing: avoid CDs from moving by wrapping them into polyethylene film tightly, then wrap this pack by adhesive tape to obtain a "tablet". No more than 25 CDs in 1 tablet, dummy CDs at its top and bottom are recommended. You may put toilet paper or just clean glossy paper between CDs (if you think it's necessary) but this way paper sheets must be of the same size and shape as CDs! In some cases it's useful to put CDs face to face, back to back (useful for CDs made at cheap plants). Then put your "tablet" into bubble pack (or just several layers of thick paper) and then put them together with inlays and booklets (wrapped in glossy zine or envelope or just polyethylene film) into cardboard box. Then fill free space by paper or some other filling matter. Nothing must move! No holes must be there! As for DVDs, usually it's better to send them in cases, though it depends on current trade. If some of your CDs are in cardboard sleeves, please put all such sleeves with CDs together and tightly wrap them with polyethylene film and then fix it with adhesive tape. Then cover this pile by bubbled film. When packing CDs with cases (as well as DVDs or digipacks/digisleeves/digibooks), please wrap them all if they are not sealed. And better also wrap them by bubbled film. As for vinyls, please wrap vinyls and outer sleeves separately (unless they are sealed or come without inner sleeves). Don't wrap vinyls of different sizes together! Please wrap vinyls tightly by polyethylene film, then put them together with sleeves' pile between 2 cardboard pieces of appropriate size and use the adhesive tape to fix this pack. Then put it into the cardboard box of appropriate size. As for shirts and other merchandise, better use cardboard boxes or reliable packets, as usual paper wrap or even thin carboard pack often comes damaged. 3. Shipping Let's use regular postal service. You may use different options of your shipping operator (e.g. EMS) but the pack must be sent to my address (PO box). If it's possible please avoid FedEx or similar services that deliver the pack to the street address (as there can be nobody at home or nobody at work or lazy courier will not take any attempt to find the appropriate building where I work). As for me, I just don't have enough time to use any services besides regular mail and also they are more expensive. Let's use surface mail inside Europe (except Iceland, Ireland, Malta, Cyprus, etc) and air mail for the rest of the world. Of course, it's possible to send the stuff inside Europe by air but for the most countries (exactly for CIS-states, Eastern Europe, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Greece) it will hardly go mentionably faster than surface mail so there's just no reason to pay twice more. As for Asia, both Americas and Australia, surface mail can be used in cases of trading heavy stuff (vinyls, shirts) or non-urgent trading of big amounts of CDs, but this will take a lot of time: 2 months for USA, about 3 months for Singapur (no experience concerning other countries). I send all my packs as registered small packets (as there is no other way here for any goods except zines). As my packs are registered please receive them! If you need reg. numbers, please let me know and I'll send them. If my pack comes back as "non reclaimed", I think that I may ask 1 or more CDs (depending on postal expenses) to compensate these expenses (if there was no postal worker's mistake). The same is in case if you provided incorrect address. If the pack comes back due to postal error, I will just let you know and send it again (after understanding why did it happen). I recommend to send all your packs registered as non-registered mail is often stolen here. And please hold the cheques until I let you know that I've got your stuff (in order to trace delayed/lost pack). Of course you may send non-registered, but in this case it means that you agree to send the pack again if I not receive it. You may add "international notification" red card to your pack to make sure that I've got it, but usually I let all my partners know as soon as I get and unpack their packs (if there are several packs in our trade, I'll report after receiving the last one). Usual shipping time is about 2 weeks for airmail (though in some South America countries it's up to 5 weeks). For the surface mail it's 2 weeks for most European countries (though for some Germany and Finland regions it was up to 5 weeks). So if you haven't received my stuff within 6 weeks, please let me know and I'll send the pack again (if both packs come to you in such case, we'll decide what to do, let's discuss). If your pack comes back, please scan (or photo) all that is written there and send to me in order to understand why did it happen. According to my experience, it can be in case of incorrect address (mistake in zip code, or PO box number) or postal error (pack comes to the wrong country). I always receive all the packs sent to me. 4. Shipping (additional) and invoices If you send CDs, DVDs or merch, please send your stuff as a small packet ("packchen") or as a printed matter! Send several packs if your pack weighs more than allowed for the selected type of packages by your postal service. In some countries it can be also called "letter", "maxi-letter". Only these 4 types of packages may be used for CDs, DVDs and merch. Please avoid sending your stuff as parcel (even "small parcel", that means parcel lighter than 3kg) as customs can arrest it and they may not trust the invoice even if it's not fake, they may ask me to prove that CDs are not contrafact, not linked with nazism, porno, etc. I simply don't have time and money for all this bullshit. With small packet or printed matter CN22 or CN23 is enough. Just state total value less than 30$, mark the checkbox "GIFT/CADEAU" and all will be OK. In case if CN22/CN23 are not available in your country, send without them (afair, no problems there were with such packs). You may not mark the checkbox "GIFT/CADEAU" if your customs are not indifferent to this. If you usually make an invoice, you may include it inside or outside. By default, I send all my packs with CN22 green labels stating "promotional" (or "used") stuff, "GIFT/CADEAU", total value less than 30$. I don't include any additional invoice. If this is not OK for you, please let me know. I will do as you ask (if it's possible) but if I'd done all the things as you asked, I'll not be responsible for any taxes, duties and other expenses from your side. I can write any value (even 0), I can mark "OTHER" instead of "GIFT/CADEAU", I can put the value in any currency (instead Eur for the Europe and $ for the rest world), etc. If you need CN23 declaration instead of CN22 green label, please lmk. As for the invoice, please lmk if you need one. The invoice will be wrapped in paper together with cardboard box with trade stuff (putting it outside is not allowed here!). Lmk if it has to be stamped (besides signing) and how many copies must be included. If there are any special postal or customs limitations in your country (small packets heavier than 1kg are not allowed, more than 10CDs at once are not allowed, etc.), let me know! Also please let me know if postal rules of your country require CN22/CN23 to be filled in French or your local language instead English. If you send me vinyls or zines (especially if there are many pieces) you may send them as parcel or "M" bag, but don't forget to fill the declaration and add the proforma invoice both stating "1$/LP, 0.5$/EP, 1$/zine", "promotional stuff", "not for sale", "stuff and shipping are free for the addressee". Such trick with CDs, DVDs (and especially shirts) will not work! 5. Shipping (the last chapter) Please send your stuff at almost the same time with me. If you ask me to send my stuff first without any fair reason, I will never trade with you. I can ask you to send your stuff first in these cases: -you want to send your stuff first; -you need your stamps back ASAP (usually I'm sending them back with the next trade); -you are totally unknown trader/distributor or just started label; -you are already in black lists; -you are suspected to be in such lists (by default, all new partners from Philippines, Brazil, Serbia and several other countries are suspected to be rip-offers, so you'll have to prove your reputation once). 6. And the address... Here's my address: Denis E. Zavelev PO box 14 Moscow 111538 RUSSIA Please don't write the name of my label on the package as well as in the invoice! If you need my real street address instead of PO box, I can give it, but it will not make the pack come faster. I usually write my address on my packs in Russian for Europe (except Italy, France and Estonia), CIS-states, Israel and Japan and in English for all other countries. If this is not OK, please let me know, I will write as you need. 7. Responsibility Of course, underground works on confidence, but black lists are shared in the web. So having ripped me off once, you may loose the confidence for ages. So 3 simple rules: - All damaged stuff except damaged CD/DVD cases and edges of vinyls sleeves and digipacks (i.e. CDs/DVDs with scratches, cracks, other surface defects, with damaged covers; damaged merchandise if such defects/damages were not mentioned before!) must be replaced (and it doesn't matter whether it was manufacturing fault or the consequence of improper packing or any activity of postal or customs workers); - If the pack hasn't come in reasonable times (2 x delivery times + 1 month), it is probably lost and must be sent again; - If it appears that some titles of the trade can't be provided, any substitutions must be discussed (and the same in case of preparing the pack instead of lost one). 8. Any questions, suggestions, mistakes found? Contact me!