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Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

Answers to all your questions, hopefully.

Below you'll find answers to most of the commonly asked questions.  If after reviewing these you still haven't found what you’re looking for, please contact us at hello@thesoundparcel.co. We love hearing from you and talking gear.

The Sound Parcel Rental Process

How does this all work?

Our rental process is designed to be easy and convenient. Simply find the item you’d like to rent, choose your RENTAL PERIOD and START DATE, click the ADD TO CART button, and follow the steps during checkout. Your order will arrive on the day requested. We pay the return shipping.  At the end of your rental, just tape the box back up, put the provided return label over the original label, and give the box to USPS. That's it, you’re done!  For more information on our process, visit this page.

Can I reserve an item?

Of course! To reserve an order, simply indicate the start date of your rental period. Rentals cannot begin or end on Sunday (as shipping is not available).

Is there an approval process?

If you’re cool… we’re cool. We send all orders through verification. The goal of verification:

  • make sure that no identify theft has taken place
  • ensure the person placing the order is who they say they are, and
  • make sure that each potential customer is someone we can trust with our awesome gear

For most customers, nothing else is required after placing an order. For some customers, we may email or call and ask for some additional information. If you don’t get back to us, your order will be cancelled at the end of the day on the scheduled ship date. Occasionally, even when all additional information is provided, we are not able to approve an order without a deposit, although that's rare.

How is the rental period calculated?

Your rental period typically starts on the date selected when submitting your rental request. In the event shipping is delayed, your rental will begin on the date of the first delivery attempt.

Are there any special requirements for renting certain items?

Unfortunately, yes. With some of our very high value items, there are additional requirements for rental. Occasionally, even if you don’t rent one of these items, but you rent a very large amount of gear, there will be additional requirements. In these cases, we ask you to obtain independent insurance. We will need to have a certificate of insurance that covers rented equipment for at least the replacement value of the items on your order. The certificate must name The Sound Parcel as an additional loss payee. We require this insurance even if you pay for our damage protection. We do this because, with high value items or large orders, our primary worry is that some of our equipment might be stolen. With the high value of these items, the amount owed to us if it gets stolen is more than most people can pay out of pocket. The insurance help us sleep easy that if equipment disappears, we’ll be compensated.

Sound Parcel Tokens

I tried gear and don't want to say goodbye! Can I buy it?

Yes. Much of our inventory is available for purchase as well. We apply 15% of your rental towards purchase of gear and accessories. You can use your Sound Parcel Tokens right away, or save them up (for up to one year) towards a purchase.

How do I find out the price for purchasing a piece of gear?

Visit the Vintage and Demo purchase shop or contact us at keepit@thesoundparcel.co. Our prices will vary based on age of equipment, usage and wear-and-tear.

What are Sound Parcel Tokens?

When you rent from The Sound Parcel, you get part of your rental back as a token, for use towards gear on thesoundparcel.co. In most cases, 15% of your rental is applied as tokens. Please note that Sound Parcel Tokens can only be redeemed towards gear and accessory purchases; not towards renting other items.

How long are Sound Parcel Tokens good for?

Sound Parcel Tokens are valid for one year. For example; if you rented gear on June 1st those tokens would be available until May 30th the following year.

How do I know how many Sound Parcel Tokens I've accumulated?

Please contact keepit@thesoundparcel.co and we'll send you your Sound Parcel Token count to redeem towards a purchase.

The Equipment

Is the equipment in good condition?

All of our equipment (with the exception of vintage gear) is bought new and typically sold after a few years of rental use. Before and after each rental we check the equipment and verify that it is fully functional. The equipment is used regularly so there will probably be some scuff marks but nothing that impacts functionality. If you ever receive an item that is not working or was damaged in shipment please contact us immediately.

Can I ask for help in deciding what to rent?

We hope you do! At The Sound Parcel we take pride in our gear knowledge and are always happy to help. We check email daily so please contact us at hello@thesoundparcel.co.

Damage and RoadCase Protection

What if I accidentally damage equipment?

Stuff happens, we get it. With that said, let us know immediately. Our contract states if the equipment is broken you are responsible for either replacing it or paying for repairs. If it is not repairable, we’ll charge you for a replacement of comparable quality.

What do you consider damage?

Impact damage to equipment housings and broken jacks and knobs are examples of damage. Dust and minor scuff marks are considered normal wear and tear, not damage.

What is RoadCase Damage Protection?

The RoadCase protection plan is an optional add-on that limits your liability in the case of a covered event causing damage or total loss of products on your rental. If a covered event occurs to equipment protected by RoadCase, you will pay 50% of the cost of the replacement item or the repair fee, whichever is cheaper.

What is covered by RoadCase?

Learn more about RoadCase here.

What isn’t covered by RoadCase?

RoadCase does not cover theft, water damage, intentional damage, or general stupidity which leaves you unable to return the items you rented.

What If Something Goes Wrong?

Can you guarantee my order will arrive on time?

We guarantee that we will ship your order on time so that when we hand it to the shipping carrier, it has a scheduled arrival date on or before the date you requested it to arrive. Past that, it is completely out of our control. Although USPS is great, they do make mistakes, and sometimes, bad weather gets the best of them.

What are my options if my package is delayed?

If your package is delayed because of a carrier error, we can offer a refund of the outbound shipping, as well as extend your order by the length of the delay.

What if I receive damaged gear?

Check your items as soon as you receive your box from The Sound Parcel. We test and inspect every item that goes out, but sometimes items may get damaged in transit. If you see any damage with the packaging or have any issues using the items, please contact us IMMEDIATELY. This will allow us time to provide back-up gear or offer credits if required. If you do not contact us immediately, you will not be eligible for refunds or credits for future rentals. By renting, you agree that if you don’t notify us of a problem within 24 hours of receiving the equipment we are not responsible for replacing or refunding the equipment.

How do I return the items I rented?

It's simple! A return shipping label is included in your package.  Use the label along with the the original box to pack everything up. Then drop it off at your local United States Postal Office (USPS).

What happens if the equipment is returned late?

We really hope that doesn't happen... as others may be wanting to rent the gear as well. It is expected that gear be shipped at the end of the rental period. Proof of shipment is when USPS scans your prepaid shipping label. If anything comes up that delays shipping, please contact us immediately.

As outlined in the rental agreement, equipment is deemed "late" or "unreturned" if not shipped within three days of the end of the rental period. At that point your credit card on file will be charged for a suitable replacement.

  • For New Gear this would be the retail rate of the item, sometimes referred to as MAP.
  • For Vintage & Demo Gear this would be the price listed on the vintage & demo pages of our site.

Late returns are subject to a fee of twice the daily rental rate at the time of rental, for each day it is past due. If an item is unreturned for 15 days all sales are considered final.

Billing

Does The Sound Parcel charge a deposit?

For the majority of our orders there is no deposit. In the case of high value items, rental kits, and multi-item rental orders a security deposit is required. When required security deposits are proportional to equipment value and refunded upon return of equipment after rental period.

What forms of payment does The Sound Parcel accept?

The Sound Parcel accepts the following major credit cards: Visa, American Express, Master Card and Discover Card. We do not accept prepaid cards, cash, check, money orders, or COD.

Does The Sound Parcel accept PayPal?

Yes. If you are interested in purchasing new, used or vintage gear we accept PayPal during checkout. While PayPal is accepted for rental orders, a credit card authorization is also required prior to processing and shipping all rentals. 

When am I charged?

Your credit card will be charged as soon as your rental is confirmed, typically within a few days of placing your order.

What is your policy on cancellations?

If you cancel your order before it leaves our warehouse, there is no penalty or fee.

Shipping

What shipping carrier do you use?

We work with the United States Postal Service.

What time is my package guaranteed to arrive by?

Packages are guaranteed to arrive at the end of the business day on the arrival date you selected.

Is a signature required?

Yes. A direct signature is required on all of our packages.

But I won’t be home to sign for it.

Have the package shipped to where you will be… for instance your office.

Where do you ship?

We ship to the USA only. We don’t ship internationally at this time.

How are your shipping rates calculated?

Our shipping rates are calculated automatically in the shopping cart. All gear rentals include outbound and return shipping for free.  Economy shipping for small items is $4.95.  Most standard size items are $7.95. Certain oversized items or orders with multiple items are $14.95. We provide USPS Priority Shipping Free on all orders of $75 or more.

What about return shipping?

Return shipping is free.  A return shipping label is included in your original package.  If you happen to misplace it, you can also request a return shipping label by emailing labels@thesoundparcel.co.  Just put everything back in the box, tape it up, and place the return label directly over the original label.

Other Questions

What does it mean when gear is part of the Reserve Collection?

These items could be unique, hard to get, or we may only have limited availability. Gear that is part of the Reserve Collection is not available for sale.

What if I want to rent for more than 30 days?

We offer extended rentals up to 6 months. Please email us at hello@thesoundparcel.co, and we’ll be happy to work with you.

Is it possible to have multiple rental orders with overlapping time periods?

Customers may have one active rental order at a time. As you might imagine multiple simultaneous rentals would get tricky with shipping logistics quickly. If you are interested in multiple pieces of rental equipment at the same time, be sure to include them in the same order.  If you do place a new rental order that will overlap with a current order not yet returned, we will adjust the start date of the new order to begin after your current rental is received back.

What if I want something you don’t carry?

Submit a request through our Suggestion Box. We'll make every effort to add it to our inventory. We'll be sure to let you know... so you can be the first to try it out.

Visit the PURCHASE SHOP FAQ to learn more about vintage and used gear available for purchase, financing options, and return policies.