FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept most major credit and debit cards (Visa, Delta, Maestro, Mastercard, Solo, and British issued Electron cards). We also accept payments via Paypal.

When will you charge me for my order?

For Physical Products (ie. Vinyl, CD, DVD, Books etc):
At the time when you place your order for physical products we will charge you via the payment method you've selected. If we're unable to fulfil a portion of your order, then those affected items will be refunded.

For Digital Downloads:
Your card is charged at the time you place your order.

Why was my credit card / PayPal declined?

If you have received a notification from us stating that your credit/debit card or Paypal order has been declined, it could be for any number of reasons (even just down to entering your details incorrectly).

Please note that it is your bank / Paypal, and not us, that has declined the transaction and they will only tell the account holder (i.e. you) their reasons for doing so. Please contact them for further information.

We take the security of our website and of your transactions extremely seriously.  We encrypt all traffic involving personal data with industry-standard SSL certificates and we are also PCI compliant - meaning that we follow all current data security standards and undergo weekly scans monitoring our security status.

Additionally, we do not store any card details at all, all payments are handled using a system of Tokenisation which is an industry standard method of secure payment handling. When you place an order with us payment is either handled via your Paypal account or if you choose to pay by credit/debit card we create a “Token” with your payment details which is stored by the Bank payment gateway. When you return to make a purchase it basically reactivates the “Token” so no details need to be entered again and those details are not stored by us.

Can I add an item to an order I've already made?

Yes, provided you placed your order with a credit/debit card. If want to add an item to your order then please send an email with your order number and the items you would like to add, to orders@boomkat.com and we’ll do our best to help.

If you paid for your order using PayPal then we'll be unable to add any further items to it.

Can I combine more than one order to be shipped together?

We are currently unable to automatically combine multiple orders, however we will always endeavour to manually sort out requests for combining orders whenever possible. Please email us with your order numbers should you wish to have them combined and we will get back to you.

My order includes a pre-order item - will you send out my package when everything is in stock?

When you place an order with us you have the option for Boomkat to either ship your items in one go, or to ship items as soon as they become available.

If you opt for us to combine your order into one package then we will wait for all releases to come into stock and ship them in one go. If your order contains any pre-order items then the waiting time will be affected by the release dates set by the record labels, these dates are subject to changes outside of our control. If we can’t obtain one or more of the items in your order then you will be refunded for those items and your shipping charge will be recalculated based on the items we can ship to you.

If you choose to ship your items as soon as they’re available then you may have multiple shipments and this will affect the shipping charge, however we will combine items wherever possible.

When will I receive a physical product item I pre-ordered?

Pre-order items will only be shipped to reach you on or after the official release date. We have indicated the nearest available ship date on the item page as supplied to us by the distributor.

Please note that release dates are often liable to change at any time due to unforeseen circumstances (most usually manufacturing or shipping delays) - we will post the new release dates if any such changes come into effect as soon as we are supplied with accurate information by the supplier. 

Please remember that we are dependent on the distributors, record labels and couriers to deliver the releases to us on time and pre-order release dates are really just there as a guide for when the distributor anticipates an upcoming release to be available.

Finally, although it is rare, from time to time releases that are placed on pre-order are subsequently cancelled by the record label. In this instance we will inform you that the release is no longer going to be released and refund your order.

When will I receive a Digital Download I pre-ordered?

If you pre-order a download it will become available in your account as soon as it has been released. We display the pre-order release date as supplied by the label but these can sometimes change and release dates can be postponed.

I haven't received an email confirmation for my order - why?

When you place an order with us you can expect to receive one email confirmation at the time you place your order. Then depending on whether you have opted to split your order into multiple packages or to receive your items sooner you will receive a shipping notification email for each package that is sent to you.

If you have not received an email confirmation when you place your order, this might be down to the following:

1. It is possible that the email might not reach you instantaneously if mail server traffic is clogged up. Please give it a few minutes and see if the email arrives.
2. Our confirmation email has landed in your junk/spam mail folder/filter  -  please check to see if it is lurking in there.
3. Your order may not have completed. When you complete your order at boomkat.com, the final confirmation screen will display your order number. If you have not seen this page, or indeed your confirmed order number, it is possible that your order simply did not complete. 

If you believe that your order did not complete, or if you aren't sure and would like us to check, please email us with your full name and we'll look it up for you.

I have received my order and it is damaged / faulty, what can I do?

If you have received a damaged or faulty item from us please contact us by email and we will provide you with returns information. Please include your order number and a description of the problem and, if possible, include some pictures of the damaged item and packaging in your email. We'll get back to you as soon as possible to resolve the issue.

If the faulty items are digital downloads then you should notify us of the problem as soon as possible and we can diagnose the issue for you and arrange for the audio to be fixed. 

Please note that lossless digital items (such as FLAC or Wav downloads) will still vary in their frequency range due to the nature of the original recordings and the audio mastering. All digital files that we sell are encoded from the original master files provided to us in high resolution formats by the record labels. This means that the possibility of the audio being transcoded from a lower quality source is really very low. If you still suspect a problem then please email us so that we can investigate for you.

I have received my order but you have sent me the wrong item

If you have received your order and we have inadvertently sent you the wrong format or the wrong item altogether - we're terribly sorry! Please send us an email and we'll rectify the problem immediately.

I'd like to return my order

If you have received an order and would like to return it please send us an email immediately and provide us with your order number and reason for your return and we'll get back to you as soon as possible with returns information.

Do you ship internationally?

Yes, we do. Our list of international shipping rates is here.

What is premium packaging?

At checkout you are able to select a premium packaging option for a fee of £1.50. We pack all of our orders using appropriate packaging, however when you pick this option we use a wider cruciform offering additional protection if you have a particularly heavy-handed postman.

How long will it take me to receive my order once you've shipped it?

The delivery times below are estimates, a lot depends on the efficiency of your local post service:

UK ( inc Northern Ireland )  1- 2 working days
Western Europe - 3- 5 working days
Eastern Europe 5 - 12 working days
Rest of World*  5 - 10 working days

Please note that the times above can be affected by circumstances out of our control such as bad weather, delays at customs, busy times of year etc.

You despatched my order a while ago and I still haven't received it, is it lost?

In the UK we consider a package to be missing after 15 working days. Most international orders are considered missing after 25 working days with the exception of France, South America and Africa - packages to these destinations are considered missing after 60 working days.

If this time has elapsed and you still haven't received your package then we're extremely sorry for the delay, please send us an email with your order number and we'll get back to you.

Please note that during busy periods such as Christmas, or if there are postal strikes or extreme weather conditions, the postal system can get clogged up and delivery times may slow down.

Note: If you select Parcelforce when you place your order then you’ll be able to track your package. You should receive the tracking number in your shipping confirmation email, or find it in your Order History.

Do you have a tracking number for my package?

For all orders (UK and International) we only have tracking numbers for orders made using Parcelforce as your shipping method. You can choose to ship with Parcelforce during checkout. If you chose Parcelforce when you placed your order then you should have received the tracking number in your shipping confirmation email or you can look it up in your Order History.

Where can I find your shipping charges?

You can find our shipping costs here.

How do I download a release?

When you place an order for digital downloads you will receive an email confirmation from us that contains a link to the Downloads section of your account.  If you have recently logged in to your account and haven’t manually logged out then you can go straight to your account using the link in the email without needing to log in again. 

You can also navigate to the Account section of Boomkat.com and login using your email address and password.

Once at the Downloads section of your account simply click the Download button next to any available order, release or track and this will trigger the download process. Its progress will be tracked by the web browser on your computer or device.

An archive of all your previously purchased tracks will also be stored separately within your account. You can use this archive to download your purchased tracks again should you need to. A download can be triggered three times before the link will expire, but if you need an expired link to be reactivated then you can request this through the “request reinstate” option next the release in your account, or by emailing your request to orders@boomkat.com

NOTE: The location that your downloads are saved to on your computer or device will be controlled by your browser. If you have any trouble finding the release once it's downloaded you can find the default location in your browser preferences.

Some Apple/iOS devices such as the iPhone and iPad do not offer support for zip files by default and in some cases require downloads to be done via their app store. We therefore advise users of these devices to download tracks to their computers and transfer the files to their Apple devices manually.

How to play FLAC?

Some software audio players, like iTunes, will not play FLAC files.

In the case of iTunes you can easily convert your Flac files to an Apple Lossless format (ALAC), which offers the same sound lossless sound quality, with the same reduction in file size.

You can also encode to Wav or Aiff formats which are larger but supported by virtually all audio players. Wav files are also available for sale at Boomkat if you find this option is preferable.

Converting between different formats should only take a matter of seconds depending on the size of the release. 

While we cannot recommend third party software, there are software tools out there which also allow you to play FLAC files directly in iTunes.

If you have any problems converting or playing your FLAC purchase please email us and we'll do our best to help

How to play an MP3?

If you have downloaded more than one track from us then the files may be stored in a zip file on your device. Please ensure that any files you’ve downloaded are unzipped before you attempt to play them. 

The device you're using to download your purchase will almost certainly have software built in to enable you to play back your audio. Depending on the software it may also have it's own library management system which can copy all your audio into a dedicated folder to keep your computer, tablet or phone organised. In the case of PCs running Windows the built in software will be Windows Media Player, but you can look this up yourself in Help or Support on your device. It's also worth checking the preferences on the software you will be using, so you know, for example, where your music is stored.

If your purchased download won't play, or is producing an error, please email us to let us know. Please include the exact error you're getting and where it occurs, for instance, is it before you can even import the audio into your software player, or after it has imported? The more information you provide us with the easier it will be for us to identify and resolve the issue for you.

How to play a WAV file?

If you have downloaded more than one track from us then the files may be stored in a zip file on your device. Please ensure that any files you’ve downloaded are unzipped before you attempt to play them.

The device you're using to download your purchase will almost certainly have software built in to enable you to play back your audio. Depending on the software it may also have it's own library management system which can copy all your audio into a dedicated folder to keep your computer, tablet or phone organised. In the case of PCs running Windows the built in software will be Windows Media Player, but you can look this up yourself in Help or Support on your device. It's also worth checking the preferences on the software you will be using, so you know, for example, where your music is stored.

If your purchased download won't play, or is producing an error, please email us  to let us know. Please include the exact error you're getting and where it occurs, for instance, is it before you can even import the audio into your software player, or after it's imported? The more information you provide us with the easier it will be for us to identify and resolve the issue for you.

MP3, FLAC or WAV?

All our MP3's are encoded at 320kbps, which is the highest quality available for MP3 files. 

For those looking for a wider frequency range and more accurate stereo imaging, then FLAC offers significant reduction in file size while still remaining lossless. This means that the audio will retain the same quality you'd expect from a standard CD. In cases where extra high definition (24 bit) files are provided to us for a release, then these will be made available under the FLAC format option on the Boomkat shop.

The WAV option will always be encoded at 16 bit and 44.1kHz, which is the same quality as an industry standard CD. 

NOTE: The quality of our FLAC and WAV files is restricted by the quality of the original masters. Some albums may be mastered for vinyl and therefore will have reduced high end frequencies, or they may be rescued from very old vinyl or tape, or include audio sampled from lossy sources. If you still have any concerns about your FLAC audio please email us so we can look into it for you.

All our files are completely DRM free, and formatted from the original masters encoded by the labels themselves.

I'm trying to download my purchases but the speed is very slow, why?

Please note that all our digital releases are stored on an Amazon's server cloud, which handles a large amount of data on the internet. Therefore any slow download speeds are unlikely to be down to the server it’s being requested from and are more likely to be down to local network issues which usually resolve themselves quickly - our best advice is to leave it for 30 minutes and try again, hopefully the speed should be back to normal.

I cannot buy certain download releases in my country, why is this?

If trying to buy a release you get an error message which states, "Sorry, the selected item cannot be sold in [your country]", then this indicates that the distributor or record label have instructed us not to sell this particular release in your country.

Record labels can sometimes license their releases to different labels in different territories. For instance, they may have one label for the United States, and another for the rest of the world. In these cases the label will be forced to instruct stores to restrict sales on their behalf, and we're obliged to enforce these restrictions.

How do I unzip my download?

In most cases your download will unzip automatically, but if this is not the case please follow these instructions to decompress the zip file.

On a Mac, navigate to the location of the Zip file in Finder. Double-click on the Zip file. Archive Utility will launch automatically and create a folder with the contents of the zip, within the folder containing the original zip. 

On a PC, find the Zip file you want to unzip, Right-click on it, and select "Extract All". In the "Select a File and Destination" window, click "browse" to choose where the unzipped files should be stored (by default, Windows unzips compressed files to their original location). Finally, click "Extract" to unzip the files.

NOTE: The built in software for unzipping files on your computer may be more likely to report an error in zip files where it perceives there to be an issue. While we can't recommend third party software, it may be worth noting that some other software will be more likely to push past these perceived errors and get to your content.

If you're still having trouble, please email us  so we can reinstate the download buttons on any purchases you wish, this will allow you to try the download again.

How are your audio files encoded?

We do our utmost to ensure that all the audio files we sell are legitimate and reliably sourced. The audio we use to create our MP3, FLAC and WAV files is encoded from the original masters provided by the record labels themselves, and either uploaded directly to us, or through their licensed distributors.

The audio we receive is in either WAV or FLAC format to start with (never transcoded from a lossy source), we then use industry standard convertors to create MP3, FLAC and WAV from these masters. 

If we receive high definition (24 bit) audio for a release then this will be encoded to our FLAC format at the same audio quality. For compatibility with a wider selection of audio players the 24 bit files will be encoded to our WAV format at standard CD quality, which is 16 bit and 44.1kHz. 

NOTE: The quality of our FLAC files is restricted by the quality of the original masters. Some albums may be mastered for vinyl and therefore will have reduced high end frequencies, or they may be rescued from very old vinyl or tape, or include audio sampled from lossy sources.

There's a glitch in my download

Our MP3, FLAC and WAV files are generated from the original masters encoded by the record labels themselves. If you notice any unnatural noise or interruptions in the audio you've downloaded from us then this will almost certainly be due to an error with the files at their end. If you think there's a problem then you can email us, letting us know the tracks affected and the exact points where any issue occurs. We can then co-ordinate getting a fix for you asap.

Please note that some perceived issues will be intentional effects, or artefacts from the recording process itself. In this case there's nothing we can do, so if you're no longer happy with the release please let us know. 

My download cuts off before the end

Our MP3 and FLAC files are generated from the original masters encoded by the record labels themselves. If you think the audio you've downloaded from us finishes before it should then this will almost certainly be due to an error with the files at their end. If you think there's a problem then you can email us, letting us know the tracks affected and the exact points where any issue occurs. We can then co-ordinate getting a fix for you asap.

Please note that some tracks will intentionally finish very abruptly. In this case there's nothing we can do, so if you're no longer happy with the release please let us know. 

Cannot unarchive zip file

If after downloading your digital purchase you get a message stating the the zip file cannot be unarchived, this almost always indicates that there was an error before the file actually finished downloading. If you think this may be the case then please restart your router and reopen your browser, you can then log into your Boomkat account again and retry downloading the release.

   Should you need the download button for your purchase reinstating then please email us.

If you're experiencing any network or local issues these are unfortunately outside our control but should be automatically resolved within a couple of hours at most. If you still can't download your purchase please get in touch so we can look into the issue further.

The track I've bought isn't the one I was after

If you've bought an individual track, but after downloading it you noticed it wasn't the right one, then firstly please check that the track name in your order confirmation is correct. If the track name is incorrect in your order then you may just have clicked the wrong buy button by mistake and you'll need to let us know.

If the track name is correct but the audio isn't right then it's worth noting that the track tags are generated automatically from files sent to us by the record labels and their distributors. In this case we may be unaware that a track has been incorrectly labelled and will need to have the error fixed, so please let us know and we'll get the right file over to you.

My download is supposed to be mixed / gapless

In some cases a mixed or gapless album may still be divided into separate tracks and depending on your settings, your software may insert gaps of 1 or 2 seconds during playback. You may need to remove the tracks and import them again with this setting corrected, but usually it's just a case of turning off this option in your software/devices playback preferences.

There may also be 'mixed' and 'unmixed' versions of the release available, please check to see if our description states that this version is mixed or not and get in touch if you have any queries.

If the above doesn't solve the problem then gaps in playback could be due to the master files we received from the label, and in this case you should let us know so that we can co-ordinate getting it fixed. 

My download was interrupted before the end

If you notice that your download has stopped before it has completed then this usually indicates a temporary connection issue locally, or on your network. You may need to wait for this problem to be automatically resolved, but if you restart your router and re-open your browser then you should be able to try again. If the problem persists, or the download button is no longer available, then please email us. 

I need to download some of my previous purchases

If you need to re-download a release, for instance if the file or your hard drive has been lost or corrupted, then we will gladly reinstate the download buttons for you. 

If you need a single item reinstating then you can request this from the Downloads section of your Boomkat account. Simply find the release or track you need and click the “request reinstate” button. 

Alternatively you can request for all your purchases to be reinstated by emailing orders@boomkat.com

How do I claim the download bundled with my vinyl order?

Some labels offer a free download version of a release when a physical format (most commonly vinyl) is purchased. Sometimes labels include download codes or vouchers inside their physical releases which you can redeem directly from them. Alternatively we also sometimes offer a free download through Boomkat and these will be indicated on the physical format of the release where available.

If you have purchased a physical release from Boomkat that includes a Free Download then the download will automatically be dropped into your account as soon as the download becomes available. If the download version is already available then the release will be dropped into your account instantly. If the download version is not available yet, this may mean waiting for the release date before you can access the download from your account. To download the release when it becomes available just log into your account, and you’ll be able to see it within the tab labelled “Awaiting Download” in the Downloads section.

Do you sell gift vouchers?

Yes, we sell electronic gift vouchers which are sent by email. We sell them in denominations of £5, £10, £20, £30, £50, £100, £200 or £500. You can personalise the gift voucher with your message, and have it emailed to your friend either immediately when purchased, or at a time of your choosing, such as birthdays, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, anniversaries etc.

What is a Boomkat gift voucher?

A virtual gift voucher that allows you to buy stuff on Boomkat.com. The voucher is sent via email to anyone with an email address at a time of your choosing.

Where can they be used?

Boomkat gift vouchers can be redeemed at Boomkat.com.

What can I buy with a Boomkat gift voucher?

Any music in any format in any combination be it vinyl, CDs, digital downloads, publications, apparel, DVDs or any other product you like on Boomkat.

What can't I buy with a Boomkat gift voucher?

Boomkat gift vouchers cannot be used to purchase gift vouchers.

Is there an expiry date?

No, Boomkat vouchers can be redeemed whenever you like.

How do I buy a gift voucher?

It's easy, fill in the basic form above including your name and email address, the recipient's name and email address and the value of the voucher you would like to purchase for them. You can then decide whether to notify them of your gift as soon as you have completed the checkout process or at a pre-determined date of your choosing, say for instance to coincide with their birthday. Once you have filled in your own personal message the process is complete and you can add the gift voucher to your crate where it can be bought just like any other item at Boomkat.

Can I preview gift voucher email notification?

Yes, once added to the crate you can preview the voucher notification email and make any changes you wish to your personal message, the value of the voucher or the recipient of your gift.

Can I personalise the gift voucher?

Yes, you can include a personal message with the gift voucher. You can see a preview of your message before you finalise your purchase.

How do I redeem a gift voucher?

It's easy. Once you've found the items you wish to purchase, add them to your crate, create an account by following the on-screen instructions (or alternatively if you've already got an account with Boomkat just use your existing login). Once at the final confirmation screen you will be asked if you have a gift voucher to redeem and, if so, you will be able to enter your unique gift voucher code in the space provided.

Can I redeem more than one gift voucher per order?

No, you can only use one Gift Voucher code per purchase.

Can I buy more than one gift voucher?

Yes, you can buy as many as you like.

Can I arrange to send a gift voucher on a pre-determined date?

Yes, you can choose to send the gift voucher immediately on completion of your purchase, or at a pre-determined date of your choosing.

How long will it take my friend to receive the gift voucher i've bought them?

They will receive your gift voucher on the date of your choosing.

My friend doesn't have a Boomkat account, can they use a Boomkat voucher?

Yes, although they will need to create an account with Boomkat.

How do I find out what credit is left on my voucher?

When redeeming your gift voucher at Boomkat the checkout process will inform you of the credit available to you, and any credit you will be left with after the purchase has been completed.

What happens to the credit left on my voucher if I cancel an order?

For physical goods, if we haven't despatched your order yet we will cancel it and the amount will be automatically credited to your voucher. Unfortunately, we are unable to cancel orders for music downloads.

What happens if items I have bought using a gift voucher are unavailable?

The value of any out of stock items will be re-credited to your gift voucher.

Is my gift voucher transferable?

No, once you have entered your gift voucher code you cannot transfer its value or use to any other account, including any additional accounts you may have with us.

Can anybody else use my gift voucher?

No, once you have entered your gift voucher code its use is restricted to your own account. This is to prevent fraudulent use of your voucher.

How do I know my friend has received the gift voucher I've bought them?

The gift vouchers are sent via email on the date you have specified. If you have any reason to believe that they have not received your gift voucher notification, please check with them first as in order to protect their privacy we are unable to divulge any information pertaining to the use of their voucher.  If your friend is unsure if they have received their voucher, or if they have misplaced their notification, please get in touch with us and we will do our best to assist you while keeping privacy restrictions in place.

What do I do if I lose my voucher code?

If you have already redeemed part of your voucher please get in touch with us and we will endeavour to re-issue you with the original code which you will be able to use against the corresponding account.

Are gift vouchers returnable?

Unfortunately we are unable to refund any gift vouchers purchased from us, or any partial credit thereof.

To redeem my gift voucher, do I need a credit card or Paypal account?

Only if the value of your order exceeds the value of your gift voucher.

Does Boomkat have a weekly Newsletter?

We do send out newsletter updates which we recommend you subscribe to in order to receive early information on Releases, Limited Editions and so on - we usually send between 2 and 5 newsletters a week. We never share your email address with anyone so you can subscribe with total confidence and unsubscribe from them whenever you like. You can manage your Newsletter subscriptions here.

Why have I stopped receiving my Boomkat Newsletters?

Most commonly this will be because our newsletters are landing in your Junk/Spam folder - you'll need to put us on your Safe list. If you are still having issues and are not receiving your newsletters - please email us and we'll look into the issue for you.

How to unsubscribe from Boomkat Newsletters?

If you would like to unsubscribe from our newsletters, please just click the 'Unsubscribe' link that you will find at the bottom of any of our newsletters and then follow the instructions.

I have a record label / I am an artist - will Boomkat sell my music?

If you are an artist or a label looking to have your music sold at Boomkat please email us at product@boomkat.com with details. If we think we can sell your music we'll try and work something out. Please do not call the office - all label and artist contacts should be made via email and please note that we aren’t able to reply to all enquiries of this kind as we get so many of them.