Safe Selling Tips for Discogs and Other Online Marketplaces

Be Honest About Item Condition

Accurate grading builds trust with buyers and reduces the likelihood of disputes. Always grade conservatively and include detailed descriptions or photos of any flaws.

Tip: Don’t be afraid to under-promise and over-deliver — a VG+ record that plays like NM will always delight your buyers.

Set Up Clear Shipping Policies

Create detailed and accurate shipping policies to let buyers know exactly how much shipping will cost, which regions you ship to, and any additional fees. For high-value items, always offer tracked and insured shipping to protect both you and the buyer in case of loss or damage. Clear shipping policies avoid confusion and set expectations from the start.

Tip: Ensure tracked and insured shipping options are available for expensive items to build buyer confidence and ensure peace of mind.

Stay On-Platform

Keep all communications and transactions within Discogs to protect both parties. Off-platform discussions or payments (like wire transfers) by Discogs protections and make resolving disputes more difficult.

Tip: If a buyer asks to complete a transaction outside Discogs, politely decline and remind them of the platform’s policies.

Respond Quickly to Buyer Inquiries

Prompt communication builds trust and helps ensure smooth transactions. Whether it’s answering questions about a listing, providing shipping updates, or addressing any concerns, buyers appreciate timely responses.

Tip: Enable notifications for messages and orders to stay on top of communication.

Payment Before Shipping

Always confirm that payment has been received through Discogs before shipping your item. Avoid sending items based on screenshots or emails claiming payment has been sent.

Tip: Use the “Payment Received” status on the order page as your confirmation.

Monitor Your

Your rating on Discogs is your reputation. Positive builds trust with buyers, while constructive can help you improve your selling practices.

Tip: Address any negative professionally. Buyers will appreciate your willingness to make things right, and our advice here is to give them a call which often resolves the issue.

Package Records Properly

Secure packaging is essential to protect your records during transit. Use record mailers designed for vinyl, CDs, and cassettes, and consider cardboard inserts for extra stability. For vinyl, remove the record from the sleeve to prevent seam splits during shipping. Add padding, such as bubble wrap, to minimize movement.

Tip: Fragile stickers or labels can help ensure your package is handled with care.

Keep Records for Your Records

Maintain a record of your sales, including tracking numbers, payment confirmations, and order details. Adding tracking information or postal confirmations directly to an Order Page is best practice, ensuring all key information is stored in one place. These will be helpful if any issues arise or for future reference when managing inventory.

Be Wary of Buyer s with No or Low Ratings

and transparency are important to Discogs, which is why you can see reviews, ratings, and on buyer profiles. Brand-new s with no , negative , or low ratings can be considered suspicious. As a seller, you can also set a minimum buyer rating for your Discogs store.

Keep Communication Inside of Discogs

You can people in the Discogs community directly on our site. Customers can also reach out via private messages before making a purchase, and then continue communication through the order page after an item has been purchased. However, if you chat outside of the platform, our team cannot review communication in case of fraud or a dispute and may not be able to assist you as a result.

Do Not Overshare Personal Information

Discogs may ask for some verification information related to applicable regulations through our trusted partner, Persona. With the exception of Persona, never send your personal information – financial number, , address, details – through order communications or direct messages, especially not outside of Discogs. In addition, we will only ask you to provide financial details during a transaction via our trusted payment partner, PayPal.

Do Not Sell Items Outside of Discogs

Only complete purchases through Discogs. We are partnered with PayPal to process and protect all transactions, including in cases of fraud or a dispute. We cannot assist with transactions completed outside of PayPal if something goes wrong. For more information about PayPal’s protection program, please visit PayPal’s page.

Avoid Suspicious Third-Party Services

Discogs sends important communications through email or on-site, including notifications and direct messages, and we always identify trusted partners such as Persona. For example, we do not offer live chat services; we only have a chatbot designed to guide you to useful help documentation. Discogs also does not offer phone , and we will never ask for payment information through chat or third parties like WhatsApp. You can review Discogs-approved vendors.

If You Suspect You Have Been Scammed, Act Immediately

your payment provider as soon as possible to explain the situation and request a refund. Then, report the fraud to Discogs through this form.

• If you paid with PayPal, PayPal .
• If you paid using a credit card, your credit card company to see what sort of protection or financial guarantees they can offer you.

Report Suspicious Activity

If you see a suspicious listing or seller, report it to Discogs through this form. We take fraud very seriously and will investigate reports immediately.