How do I log-in?
Why is the server so slow on Mondays 1:00pm - 3:00pm?
What is the wish list for?
Why does the basket button not show on some items in my wish list?
Do you have an A-Z list of all items, regardless of genre?
Can I pay by cheque?

How does shipping work on pre-orders?
Why has the release date changed?
Can I order Limited Editions?

How do I check the status of my order?
Can I add items to my outstanding order?
Can I change my address / password / card details?

How do I return faulty items?
How do I cancel my order?
What happens if the courier returns my package to you?
What is the returns address?

What is an MP3?
How do magic mixes work?
Why do the MP3s sound muffled?
Which MP3 players do you recommend for PC?
Which MP3 players do you recommend for Apple Mac?
How do I get my PC to use Windows Media Player instead of Winamp?
How do I get my Mac to use the correct MP3 player in Internet Explorer?
Why do the magic mixes not always work in Hotmail?

How do I log-in?

All you've got to do is enter your e-mail address into the box in the bottom left hand corner.

Once you've logged-in, you can access your saved basket, wishlist, weekly guide settings and your order history.



Why is the server so slow on Mondays 1:00pm - 3:00pm?

We experience a temporary (but quite heavy) slow-down every week for a couple of hours just after we update the website. This is due to us sending out all the e-mails and also becuase of everyone hitting the site at once to get the new releases. If you are experiencing MP3s / pages timing out, just try again later on in the day and things should be okay!



What is the wish list for?

You can use your wish list to store items that you're interested in, but not quite ready to buy yet.

It is also a good place to store items which are temporarily unavailable. If we restock any unavailable items in your wish list you will automatically receive an e-mail.



Why does the basket button not show on some items in my wish list?

Once a record is no longer available (deleted or out of press) we remove it from the website.

If you have a record in your wish list which is no longer available, we still keep it in your list but you are not able to buy it - sorry!





Do you have an A-Z list of all items, regardless of genre?

If you really want to trawl through our entire catalogue of records one at a time just click here for full list.





Can I pay by cheque?

Yes you can, but please allow 28 days for cheque clearance and delivery. Please phone 0161 839 8008 for more details..

How does shipping work on pre-orders?

Pre-orders will be shipped on the day of release (in most cases this will be a Monday). They will be sent separately to stock items ordered at the same time and counted as two separate orders as far as postage is concerned.

When your pre-orders are ready to send, if you have another order ready to be sent at the same time, we will merge the two orders unless you request otherwise.



Why has the release date changed?

Please note that release dates are subject to change. We are given provisional dates by the record distributors and these frequently change. Sometimes we don’t find this out until a couple of days before the proposed release date. As soon as we know of any changes we will updated the website, but please bear in mind that if you pre-order 2 things that are both due out on the same day, they could end up being released on different days and so sent out separately. (Obviously you will then have to pay postage on each parcel as if they are separate orders).



Can I order Limited Editions?

Occasionally the orders we place for limited edition releases are cut back by the distributors. Normally we are notified of this and will update the site accordingly, however on very rare occasions, we will not find this out until the delivery arrives. If this means that we cannot fulfil all our customer orders, we will notify the unlucky customers straight away. We will always allocate stock on a first come first served basis.

How do I check the status of my order?

Two ways - you can either click the link at the top of the confirmation e-mail you just received, or once you are logged-in you can click the 'your account' link in the bottom right hand corner of the website.

From this page you can keep an eye on how your order is progressing and choose to have any in-stock items straight away.



Can I add items to my outstanding order?

Yes you can! All you need to do is make sure you are logged-in and then put the items you want to add into your basket as usual.

Your new items will be automatically added to your outstanding order which you can check on the basket page.



Can I change my address / password / card details?

Please just send us an e-mail explaining exactly what you'd like changing and we'll do the rest!

How do I return faulty items?

While we do our best to ensure all items are of merchandisable quality, we are occasionally supplied with mis-pressed / marked CDs and vinyl.

If you receive a faulty item, we will be happy to supply a replacement or a refund if no replacement is available.

Please enclose a note with your name, order reference number and a description of the fault. Package the item securely and return to the address below. We will refund the cost of the return postage onto your credit / debit card.



How do I cancel my order?

Under the United Kingdom's Distance Selling Regulations, you have the right to cancel your order up to 7 working days after delivery as long as the items are in their original condition and any shrinkwrap is still sealed. Unfortunately we are unable to accept returned magazines.

To cancel your order, please write 'cancel order' on the invoice and return the whole package to the address below. We advise that you send the parcel by Recorded Delivery and ensure the items are strongly packaged. If they are damaged in transit due to being inadequately packaged, we will be unable to give a refund.

After receiving the parcel we will refund your credit / debit card (excluding original shipping costs) within 30 days.



What happens if the courier returns my package to you?

If we have a package returned we will repost it to you as soon as possible. Please note that if it was returned to us because of an incomplete address or it was not collected from a local depot we will be required to charge you for postage costs.



What is the returns address?

Piccadilly Records Returns
53 Oldham Street
Manchester
M1 1JR
England

What is an MP3?

An MP3 is a digital music file that has been compressed to make it faster to download. MP3s are widely recognized as the most popular format for storing and listening to music on the World Wide Web.



How do magic mixes work?

When you click a magic mix link, your computer gets sent a file called an M3U. This contains a list of MP3s which your computer will begin 'streaming' from our website. The way they are 'streamed' means that you only need to wait a couple of seconds before the MP3 starts playing - the MP3 is constantly loading in the background as it is playing.

Don't forget that you can skip through tracks if you don't like them by pressing the >> button on your MP3 player.



Why do the MP3s sound muffled?

In order to get the magic mixes to stream properly, even for people with slow connections, we have to compress the size of the MP3s. We do this by removing a lot of the higher-frequency sound, which can lead to the MP3 sounding muffled.



Which MP3 players do you recommend for PC?

In terms of reliability, compatibility and amount of features, we recommend the following MP3 players...

   Windows Media Player v7.1
   Winamp v2.5 or higher

The following MP3 players are not recommended, but should work anyway...

   Quicktime 4.1 or higher
   RealOne
   Windows Media Player before v7.1



Which MP3 players do you recommend for Apple Mac?

In terms of reliability, compatibility and amount of features, we recommend the following MP3 player...

   iTunes

The following MP3 players are not recommended, but should work anyway...

   Quicktime 4.1 or higher
   RealOne



How do I get my PC to use Windows Media Player instead of Winamp?

Load Winamp
Go to Options -> Preferences
Go to Setup -> File Types
Deselect m3u (usually near the bottom)
Click Close
To test a MagicMix, click here and select 'Open file from its current location'.
Windows Media Player or other multimedia player should load

If the file type is not recognised, or Windows Media Player does not load,

Load Windows Media Player
Go to View -> Options -> Formats
Check the MP3 box
Click OK
Try the link again



How do I get my Mac to use the correct MP3 player in Internet Explorer?

Load Internet Explorer
Go to Edit -> Preferences
Go to Receiving Files -> File Helpers
Scroll down the list and select MP3 playlists (.m3u, .pls, .xpl) with file extension .M3U
Click Change
Click Browse and then select the MP3 player you want to use



Why do the MagicMixes not always work in Hotmail?

After a certain amount of time, Hotmail 'times out' all the links in an open e-mail. After the 'time out' period, clicking a link will take you to a page saying "There was an error displaying this link". You need to press 'Refresh' on your browser to get the links working again.