Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/25/2025

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased a custom vinyl from Freestyle Vinyl on January 21st 2025. Shortly after receiving the order (February 12th), I reached out (same day) to report multiple problems. Problems Ive had include: playlist was in wrong order, sound was all static, vinyl was warped, etc. I had to have it in time for my sisters birthday on ********* and after reaching out to customer service and mentioning this, they didnt apologize. They didnt offer to help at all. They only said Id have to return so they could analyze the record but I saw reviews on Reddit about how they returned vinyls for the same reason and never got a replacement or another bad replacement and no refunds. I explained that I had to order from a different company in order to make the time frame of my sisters birthday and they disregarded everything I said and blew me off. I disputed it and they still refused a refund even when I offered to cancel the dispute. Theyre being rude, unprofessional, and they scammed me. Im stuck with a vinyl that doesnt work and no refunds. I have a video of the vinyl playing the static but Im unable to upload here

  Business Response

  Date: 02/26/2025

  Hi! We have repeatedly offered return for replacement, but you've thus far refused, choosing instead to spam negative reviews across the internet and issue multiple chargebacks on your method of payment. As per our returns policy, please do send back your record so we can review and ensure you have a 100% flawless record! 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/26/2025

   
  Complaint: 22989664
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  The company has told me it was too late in regards to any sort of return and/or refund. Company has ignored my constant reminder that it is a very time sensitive issue (I needed it for my sisters birthday on *********) and therefore had to order from a different company. Also, plenty of reviews claim that company will just replace the vinyl with just as poor of quality as original. I do not have time or patience for this as I stated before- I had to order from a different company in order to keep with the timeline. Now Ive paid for 2 vinyls and only one is of good quality and plays correctly. (Not from this company) And honestly, a simple apology goes a long way and I havent even received a generic, basic apology in any of this mess. Plus, the condescending names/comments. 

  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *****

  Business Response

  Date: 02/26/2025

  Hi - we commented that it was too late for a refund, as per our returns & refunds policy. A return has always been available to you, as we want to make sure our customers get a great record! Again, this option is always available to any of our customers who report a potential issue. 

  Business Response

  Date: 02/26/2025

  Hi - we commented that it was too late for a refund, as per our returns & refunds policy. A return has always been available to you, as we want to make sure our customers get a great record! Again, this option is always available to any of our customers who report a potential issue. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/26/2025

   
  Complaint: 22989664
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The attachment shown will show proof that the company told me it was too late. I was told I could only return/replace it, not a refund. Im not looking to argue here. I feel as if Ive been screwed over with this purchase and the fact I had to order a new  vinyl from a different company is not okay. The simple lack of apology is also not okay- that is customer service 101. 
  I was disregarded for days and didnt receive a response from customer service until after I started a dispute.  

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/03/2025

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Regarding Freestyle Vinyl, the record album i received is unplayable. Freestyle Vinyl told me in their response email that they do not offer refunds. They said I should return the ** and they would evaluate it and possibly send me a new one but as I responded if the first album that they sent me sounds so bad how am I to believe any future **'s would be any better? My recommendation is to not purchase from them.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/05/2025

  Hi - as we've noted by email, we are more than happy to issue a return for replacement! You've not yet provided an order number so that we can do so (needed as we have no record of you or your email address in our system). But would be more than happy to make sure we can get you a great record if there were any issues with the first! 

  Of course no production process is 100%, so mistakes may happen... this is why we 100% offer returns / replacements for any order we ship out! 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/06/2025

   
  Complaint: 22893357
  
  I am rejecting this response because: As I told whoever I was emailing at the business, the record is not playable so what assurance do I have that the next one will be? I do not want to return the record or album cover because this was a gift from my daughter and I do not want to take the chance that something happens and I don't get it back. I will keep and use it as a display. This business should advertise that these records sound bad, just so the consumer's expectations aren't disappointment. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *****

  Business Response

  Date: 02/07/2025

  Hi ***** - we remain ready to issue a return to analyze and re-cut a replacement record if the record you have actually came from us! Please let us know an order number and we'll be happy to get that process going.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/10/2025

   
  Complaint: 22893357
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 

  Hi, I don't understand why you're answers always have a little bit of snark, here's a picture of the business card that came with the "record?". I don't trust the way you operate which is why i won't send the album back.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *****

  Business Response

  Date: 02/10/2025

  Hi - again, we are more than happy to issue a return and replacement if you can just get us your order information! We mean no snark or anything, just trying to help get to the bottom of any quality issues that may exist. We've been very open this entire time about trying to get that done for you, but haven't been able to get a return in order as you've refused to give us any info! 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/10/2025

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/22/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Took a chance on a custom gatefold jacket, and unfortunately the quality was much below my expectations. While the print quality itself was fine, there was significant scuffing, cracks, and folds on the jacket itself, which arrived sealed in shrinkwrap. While this was a nice touch, I'm surprised my order passed quality control inspection, as these issues clearly occurred during the manufacturing process. I sent an email with images depicting the damage to the site's customer service address, but never received a response. I even sent a follow up message, but still nothing. I was just hoping to receive a replacement jacket, not even a refund. For the price paid of $54.99 shipped (and that was jacket only, no actual vinyl records) I definitely would not recommend Freestyle Vinyl.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/11/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I paid for a custom vinly on August 20th, 2024 and I paid ******.The company website said to put the song EXACTLY as it is, so I did. When I receive the vinly on September 9th, 2024 the last song on side A was wrong. I emailed the company to get this issued fixed (the vinly is for my wife) he said that the song wasn't wrong and that he was sorry about that but he refused to help me out and said No to any refunds. When I proved that he was wrong he said he won't reply to any farther emails nor will do anything and he just took my money. Please help me out. I have all the emails that we sent back and fourth and have all of this information to back up my claim, I don't want this to happen to anyone else who is a vinly enthusiasts (as my wife is one)The song I put on the was "Might Fortess by ********************** and he put the another version even after I was spefic.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/11/2024

  Hi ******* - Im sorry youre unsatisfied with our response, but as has been discussed in dozens of emails, our team helped create exactly the record you requested. 
  

  I am very sorry you were surprised by a certain song version being used, but as our team has previously explained, they followed our published procedures exactly to use the most popular version available  you did not, unfortunately, specify otherwise when you ordered  
  

  Im glad you are enjoying your record outside of that one small hiccup!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/12/2024

   
  Complaint: 22271802
  

  I am rejecting this response because: If you pay close attention to what you have on your website, you asked for the Song Name and Artist. (1st Picture) I properly put the song from the Artist I wanted. When the song had another artist featured I was absolutely positive to include them on it as I did for the example in the second picture (Side A2). I see that you just typed the title and pickt the first "Mighty Fortess". I want the one from Sovereign **************** only, I didn't include any other artist and you took the song "Mighty Fortess by ********************* and *********************" (3rd Picture). This song is a completely different song from a different artist, it is not another "Variation" of the song. The song I wanted was listening properly (Picture 4) and the 5th picture will show that I had no discriptincies in what I put. You just put the wrong song on there.
  Thank you for taking your time to read this and I hope we can come to a solution that we're both happy with.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Business Response

  Date: 09/12/2024

  Hi ******* - I'm sorry you are unsatisfied, but we stand by our team's work and the fact that we followed exactly our published procedures with regard to song selection and production. We hope you enjoy your record!  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/02/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Business failed to adhere to common law warranty as applies to custom items. Refuses to properly test returned product sent for defects. The product I received is defective and seller failed to properly test and warranty product. Now I'm stuck with an unsatisfactory product. Seller returned faulty product without agreement. ****** appears to refuse to try and settle issue politely. Full refund is required.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/04/2024

  Hi **** - I'm sorry you are unsatisfied with your record and our returns / reviews process! As we have discussed via email, through thorough review our team has determined that your record is high quality and returned it back to you. We encourage you to test turntable and other audio settings at home to ensure a high quality playback!

  Your return was thoroughly reviewed and evidence provided to you (you can see the video here: ****************************), which I see you have not yet reviewed. 

  Please feel free to reach out to us at ***************************************************** with any questions! 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/22/2024

   
  Complaint: 21519894
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  Hi there! I just now reviewed the latest communications related to this complaint. The business did not attempt to reach out to me to resolve the issue but I did receive his reply to this complaint today when I reviewed it under the communications for this BBB complaint. . 

  
  

  I explained the business provided me with a custom product; a custom vinyl record but that the record was defective in both that it had a distracting hum and the timing of the music was off. The hum, presumably was caused by over-amplification when they made the record.

  
  

  My complaint to the BBB was that they 1) refused to properly test the record, 2) they failed to adhere to common law warranty as it appears to custom records.

  
  

  1. The business did not address either of these complaints. Instead they stated, they tested the record. They did not do so properly as evidenced here:

  
  

  *******************************************
  

  
  

  The above link is their entire testing process. As you can see and hear they made zero effort to listen for the hum of the record which generally requires speakers or a headset of higher quality and a comparison of my record to other records. Take note that the business required of me to test my equipment for proper sound which I did. All my store bought albums sound excellent while the one sent to me by Freestyle Vinyl clearly has a hum that distracts greatly from the listening experience. In comparison Freestyle did not appear to check their equipment, use any form of quality listening device or make any comparison between my album and another. Instead they listened to the record with poor quality speakers and in a sound filled room where they couldn't possibly listen to the hum of the record. It is just a fact that the business's testing procedures are substandard and you can clearly see this in the video. Moreover, when I pointed this out to the business they refused to address my concerns. 

  
  

  I also suggested ways they could test the album to corroborate my concerns but they refused. Their only version of testing for problems is to listen to records in a noisy environment and through tiny little speakers which have no real sound quality to them. 

  
  

  Secondly, my first complaint was also the music was unlistenable because the music on the record was slower than the actual songs that I paid for. In other words the songs were slow enough as to make listening to the record devoid of enjoyment. Again, as  evidence by the link above you can see they never made an attempt to compare the timing of the original song with that imprinted on the record. 

  
  

  Freestyle Vinyl failed to both check for the hum properly and check for the timing of the music. Both failures can be witnessed in the video. Lastly, it is appalling they think they can get away with "testing" a record under the environmental conditions shown in the video. There is literally music competing with that being tested. How can they hear, clearly, the sounds of my records when there is separate music playing? 

  
  

  2. They refused to deal with the issue. They refused to offer an exchange or a return. They have violated the common law warranty of fitness and have refused to provide a remedy. This was part of my complaint and they did not address it. 

  
  

  It should be noted that I have managed a radio station before and know what over-amplification sounds like. The album I received from this company is aweful and it is because when making the record they turned up amplification too high which results in a loud hum. 

  
  

  Thanks for your review!

  
  

  *******************

  
  

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business Response

  Date: 04/22/2024

  Hi **** - Im sorry you are unsatisfied, but we stand by our thorough testing and quality control. If you test and adjust your record playback setup appropriately at home we are confident you will come to the same conclusion and will enjoy your record for many years to come! 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/22/2024

   
  Complaint: 21519894
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I ordered a custom vinyl record from Freestyle Vinyl for over $120. What I received was a record that is of poor quality. My wife and I cannot even listen to it. The hum of the record is just overpowering and the music sounds lethargic. Nothing warm or wonderful about it at all.
  The owner recommended I check my system for issues, which I did.It's very easy to tell that the problem isn't my system when all my other records sound great. Nonetheless I spent some time double checking everything. So,the owner let me send in the album for him to "test" it. This is what he considers to be a "test."

  
  ****************************

  
  In my view this is completely unsatisfactory. For starters you can clearly hear that the speakers they are testing the sound with are substandard.The "tester" doesn't bother using a sound room or headphones or anything. He just played my music on these tiny little speakers without looking or listening for a hum. The employee can be seen skipping around playing songs without checking for anything. As a reminder the defect wasnt that the album didnt play the defect was that it was too slow and had a loud hum. Meanwhile his coworker is in the background listening to music that sounds louder than my record being tested. I dont believe you can clearly hear the hum of music while other music is playing loudly in the background. Not once does the test ever check the blank space between the songs for the hum which would clearly have been heard under testing conditions. Unfortunately, thats their entire substandard testing process and when asked to take additional, necessary steps to test the album the owner refused to do so. He claims his testing procedure is sufficient when it is objectively not sufficient. When I explained to him that I felt he failed to conduct a complete test (no comparison between albums, no listening for a hum properly, doesn't check the speed, etc), the owner suddenly got rude with me.

  
  Lastly the owner wont honor any returns so if you spend over $140 (The album plus shipping for their testing) like I did and you don't like the record they produce then you are out of luck. It doesnt matter that the law requires him to make a refund, the owner is refusing to offer one.  His only response is that he thoroughly tested the album, but he clearly did not. I am very dissatisfied, and this company is not reputable if they are not accepting returns or make refunds when they make faulty products.

  
  The owners answer that he tested the album is also insufficient. The owner should justify his testing process and explain how they came to the conclusion that there was no hum under their objectively awful testingconditions. This should include why they felt it was not necessary to listen to the music in a quiet environment, why they chose not to use a good sound system or headphones for their review, why they did not compare the hum of this album to other albums, why they did not check the timing of the songs on the record to the actual timing of the original songs, and why they didnt take other prudent measures to ensure good sound quality. If Freestyle Vinyl cannot make products of a good quality, they should state this on their website. They say they value high quality sound on their website but they either cant deliver on their promise, or they apparently wont deliver if there is a problem. 

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/26/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Product delivered defective. Loud hum making vinyl record unplayable. Same as the other complaints listed. This is a fradulant business.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/26/2024

  Hi ****** - I'm sorry to hear of issues with your record! It doesn't look like you've emailed or otherwise notified us at all about your issue, but if you can reach out to us directly at *****************************************************, we'd be more than happy to process a return! 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/04/2024

   
  Complaint: 21349933
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the business is fraudulent and knowingly delivers inferior/damaged products and refuses to refund orders. They only contact customers after the BBB complaints and then demand to review their own products for damage. There needs to be an independent body to review their damaged products. I will take my experience to social media. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business Response

  Date: 03/04/2024

  Hi ****** - we're very sorry to hear of any issues with your record. As discussed over email, we have provided a pre-paid return label, and look forward to receiving your return for analysis and replacement. 

  I am not sure the reason for the invective both here and toward our staff via email, but we are proud of over ****** satisfied customers, and hope to ensure the best possible record for you if you can just follow the return process! 

   

  --*****, Owner

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/05/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  It is unfortunate that I've had to come here but I have exhausted all other forms of communication. I ordered a vinyl for a Christmas present. Prior to delivery, Freestyle Vinyl was very communicative with me answering email questions in a timely fashion. Unfortunately when we received the gift it had a mistake in the track list. I have emailed 5 times (to the same email address that was previously responding) to ask about a fix (I am not looking for a full refund just a partial adjustment), I have used the "Contact Us" form on their website twice and even DM'd on Instagram as a last ditch effort with absolutely no answer from any of those. After looking up reviews online I see that many others have had to come here for a response and while I'm not happy to do it I am just looking for an answer. The gift was expensive and I'm really just hoping to get what I paid for properly.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/11/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We ordered a custom vinyl from this company in Nov. My husband confirmed with the business that they could provide the song files to produce the record. They said they could so he placed an order. When we got it, we played the record on a new, respected-brand, high-quality record player. That record player is attached to high quality speakers. When the album was played there was a loud hum behind the song that made it unlistenable. It hurt our ears to play the record. The only way to stop the hum was to put the record on very quietly. On top of that the sound quality of the music was poor. It sounded muffled & low quality, like it was taped from the radio. So there was low-quality music, & a loud hum that was apparent once you started playing the music more than quietly. We contacted the *************** offered to listen to the record and see if there were any damages on it. They emailed us back with "video proof" that the record was fine & suggested the issue was on our equipment/setup. However they give no proof that the record IS actually free of defects, just their "word." The video "proof" they sent us actually proves our case more than theirs. In their video - where the music is hard to hear due to loud background noises - the record player doesn't sound good. It also only has internal, tiny speakers thus you don't get a good example of the sound nor is the music turned up high enough to hear the hum. This is very deceitful that they offered this as "proof."They claim its our setup/equipment but we have many other professional albums we played and every single one sounds amazing and perfect. The only album that sounds very bad is theirs. The only album with a hum is theirs. When I emailed them to explain we weren't happy with their resolution and offered to film how bad their record sounds & how every other record we have sounds amazing, they started ignoring us and haven't responded in weeks. I've emailed them 3 times in total and no response.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/11/2024

  Hi **** - I'm confused about your statements that we haven't emailed you back, as we've been in active discussion with you for multiple days across multiple emails.

  We have reviewed your record both on multiple turntables and with a microscope looking at the grooves themselves. As has been discussed via email, we have found that the record is of high quality and have recommended a course of action to review your turntable / audio playback setup at home to rectify any particular audio playback issues you may be having. While one video does not encapsulate the extent of our vinyl review, we do like to provide video evidence of the issues at hand. 

  I look forward to you receiving your record back at home, and working through your home audio set up to ensure the highest quality audio experience possible! 

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/11/2024

   
  Complaint: 21121176
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  the Business is falsely representing a timeline of events and actions. Reader beware: this business will ignore you unless you complain here and then they will be rude and be very unhelpful when they do finally communicate.  How they respond on BBB is all a show and them claiming that they responded to me multiple times is telling a half truth to manipulate the truth. While the seller did finally respond to me multiple times in one day, it was only after I complained here and all their messages were rude and unhelpful.  

  Facts: The business ignored 3 emails requesting a better resolution than they had initially provided my husband (which wasnt a resolution, they literally just said its your equipment, our record is fine. Only after I contacted the BBB did the seller actually reply to my emails, literally within hours.

  When seller finally responded they were rude and condescending, accusing me of refusing to understand things about how their custom records sound as well as how to play a custom record. Since I had never heard from seller until that moment, I wasnt aware of any of these facts so I couldnt have possibly been refusing to accept them. But it took multiple emails back and forth that one day once  to actually get a screenshot from their FAQ that gives broad tips on how to address bad sound. Please note: I couldnt have possible refused to accept something I had never been told so seller saying I was somehow to blame here is, again, manipulative. I even combed through their site and tried to find info on how to fix bad sounding records and never found it.  Finally seller emailed me a screenshot of an FAQ on their site that helps with this issue.  Spoiler alert: to get a custom record to sound good, youre supposed to manually find the right groove to play the song or they admit that it wont sound right. So you can just play the record, you have to sit there and help the player find the songs in the exact groove or it wont sound right. That costs $250 for those curious. Meanwhile you can get professional, amazing sounding records that dont take so much work to (still sound bad) for $35. 
  

   Also according to their site you have to expect a hum between songs. I could tolerate that but that hum is present throughout our record and behind all the songs.

  Seller again claimed the problem was on our end (and for multiple emails ignored multiple offers on my end to film how bad the sound was compared to every single other record I have). Seller simply ignored all these requests and said we have over ****** sales and only like 10 complaints, the problem isnt us. Seller mentions their reviews on website but they filter out bad reviews. I know because I left one and it has yet to appear on their site. 

  Also seller relies on saying they viewed the record with a microscope to find defects. However the record itself could be without scratches but if seller downloaded POOR QUALITY music then of course the record will also, in turn, sound bad. Which it does. It sounds like illegally downloaded music. If the music they downloaded is poor or the mechanisms to copy the music to record are poor, the sound will be poor. Scratches dont need to be present or distortions in the grove in order to have bad sound. ****** is arguing in bad faith by ignoring this. 

  Lastly seller has yet to address my claims of a loud hum present on the record which could be heard when record is played above minimum sound. When quiet, hum isnt as noticiable but as soon as the record is louder, the hum is quite loud throughout each song and not just between songs. 
  

  Seller is manipulating situation and arguing in bad faith to try and paint us, the buyer, as bad. I will happily send all email communications to BBB to corroborate my claims.  We are so serious about this complaint that we will be fighting CC charges as well as filing a report with **************************************** as well as the ******* Business Compliance enforcement. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  Business Response

  Date: 01/14/2024

  Hi this is very strange as this is a complaint that we didn't respond to emails, made many days after we had what we felt was a productive back-and-forth via email. 

  As previously stated, we stand by the extensive testing our team has done to ensure that your record is of good quality, and we look forward to you receiving and further testing your audio set up to ensure a high quality playback experience! 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/15/2024

   
  Complaint: 21121176
  

  BUYER BEWARE! Seller is blatantly lying. ****** their name and "reddit". I'll be posting a thorough review of what has happened with this complaint and will show screenshots with emails/timestamps so you see how much Freestyle Vinyl lies and how rude they are to customers. 

  I am rejecting this response because: I've attached email proof of the seller's false claims of communication and proof that their responses ONLY happened after we posted a complaint to BBB.  For curious buyers trying to assess legitimacy of Freestyle Vinyl: I emailed them three times between January 3rd and January 9th.  I posted a complaint about Freestyle Vinyl on January 9th at 1:04 PM.  Freestyle Vinyl FINALLY started to (poorly) respond to me starting January 9th at 4:14 PM.  ***** at Freestyle Vinyl was who was responding to me and I have attached proof of my timelines. 

  Also notice how they don't actually respond to anything here; they lie about when they responded which could easily be proved with the attached screenshots I provided and they ignore multiple requests via email and on this complaint to prove how bad their record sounds on our high quality systems AND they keep repeating the same "well we looked at it under a microscope and tested it, it sounds fine."

  The record still hums and sounds poor. We want a replacement if you can guarantee that the sound quality and hum will be gone or a refund of the purchase. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/06/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On July 2, 2023 I purchased a custom vinyl for my husbands birthday. The very first song on the record is warbled and distorted. There is also warbling on the first song of side B and multiple places where it skips. I requested a remake and shipped the record back. Upon ****** review, they dont find any problems with record or none that warrant a replacement. They claimed it must be a problem on our end, record player, speakers etc. They even sent a recording of the vinyl playing on their record player, warbling and all. They shut down my request quickly and cut off communication with me. They sent it back immediately. We inquired once more that they please actually listen to it and compare it to the original recording and we sent it back again. We havent had an email response since 10/23/23 and they are in possession of the record. At this point, we are disappointed with their level of disdain toward creating a quality product and it seems they have no interest in working with us to remedy it. I planned this gift for months and am extremely disappointed. The distortion and sound quality was cringy and embarrassing to present as a gift. I would like a refund because I no longer believe they know what music is supposed to sound like. Order # *****

  Business Response

  Date: 11/06/2023

  Hi ******* - I'm sorry you're unsatisfied with the record that you purchased! We always are bummed when a dispute goes to BBB, as it means we just haven't been able to be clear in our communication. But as we previously discussed via email, our team provided a return and analyzed the record that you sent back to us, both via multiple plays on multiple turntables as well as microscope analysis of the grooves themselves to search for defects. 

  Through our team's analysis, it was clear that the record itself was without defect and played clearly without skips or warps in all of our tests. We provided full video evidence, and provided advice that you may want to examine other elements of your playback system (e.g. the turntable, speakers, tone arm, stylus, etc.). Given that vinyl playback involves not only the vinyl itself but also a number of other elements, we are confident the issue is not with the record itself but with another element of your playback setup.

  Your record was returned to you last month, as was confirmed by you by email. We have not had any other correspondence or reason to reach out since then! 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/06/2023

   
  Complaint: 20830847
  
  I am rejecting this response because you have not acknowledge the fact that in the video YOU provided on YOUR own turntable with YOUR speakers and setup, it sounds just like it does in our home: terrible. We have provided original recording to compare it to but that email was ignored. The most obvious distorted sound is in the first 20 seconds of play. Not to mention skips throughout and warbling on Side ** You dont need a microscope to know this, you need to compare original recording to the product you provided.  If youre unable to discern the original recording and the warped playback of the vinyl, then you should probably not be in the music business. We have over ************** our home that play perfectly, do not insult us further by suggesting it is because of anything on our end. We returned the record on 10/31/23 in the original packaging with the return label you provided. We are tired of the extremely poor customer service and repetitive responses that ignore the evidence. Please take responsibility for your product and issue a refund.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

  Business Response

  Date: 11/07/2023

  Hi ******* - I'm sorry for any negative experience, but the tests that we conducted on the record in our shop -- and the video evidence we provided -- clearly demonstrate a match to the audio you provided. There are no skips, and there is no distortion. This is why we noted in our correspondence that the issue may be with your turntable or playback setup. 

  We also did not provide a second return label, only the first. So I'm not sure what you sent or where, but it wasn't as a return processed through our company! 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/07/2023

   
  Complaint: 20830847
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  You are either lying about the warped sound which we clearly heard in the video or you have extremely poor hearing. Please provide a shipping label and a full refund. That is the only acceptable outcome. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

  Business Response

  Date: 11/07/2023

  Im sorry you are not satisfied, but we stand by our teams review and analysis of your record! 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/01/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I placed an order (#*****) on Nov 23 2022. It was meant as a gift for my fiancee (now wife) during Christmas and I test played it, noticing that the **Side of the record was significantly warbled. I emailed FreeStyle Vinyl and ********************* was quick to respond but told me nothing would be returned before Christmas and so I should send it after. I did. Right after Christmas I reported to a new unit in the ************ and my wife was unable to visit for a few months as a result. When she finally was able to come I wanted to listen to our custom vinyl but when I asked if she had gotten it back in the mail she said no and thought I had gotten it. Essentially I paid ****** to listen to a record one time and mail it back. I immediately emailed **** back. No response, I tried again the next week, no response. I've emailed him again this week. Still No Response. I found ****'s phone number and called, left a very pleasant message, and received no response. I called again a few days later. Straight to voice mail and when I followed up with a text I noticed it had no delivery receipt leading me to believe that ************** has in fact blocked me. I'm a hair's breadth away from flying to ******* and filing a small claims court lawsuit for the cost of the record, my travel, and legal fees. I wish they had another place to leave a review because this is unsatisfactory behavior and I can see they do not communicate with many of their customers.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/02/2023

  Hi ****** - we do not have a customer service phone line and any number you called is not affiliated with Freestyle Vinyl at all... it's no wonder you got blocked, because that wasn't us! 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/02/2023

   
  Complaint: 20408778
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I know that you do not have a phone number associated with it. It is the phone number of the owner/operator ********************* which I found by contacting the seller of the property currently used to conduct business at *************************************************************************. If you would like to resolve this please respond to any one of the plethora of emails I've sent, including the one I've sent today. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

  Business Response

  Date: 08/06/2023

  Hi ****** -you have not contacted any phone numbers associated with this business or its employees... please stop harassing random people thinking they are Freestyle Vinyl :-) 

  We have responded to your concerns, and will summarize here. After your complaint last December, we provided a **** return shipping label and the promise that we would of course review any concerns and re-issue a record if necessary. You never sent your record back (we keep meticulous records on what returns have or have not come into our shop), and now in August started emailing claiming that we never processed your return. From your emails, it seems the record changed hands with your loved ones a few times and perhaps there is confusion about where it is, but I can *******% assure you that we never received your return and are not able to process it, as we never received it. **** tracking information confirms it was never shipped.

  Again, please stop harassing random people with phone numbers online -- we've googled ourselves, and there are 3-4 numbers that pop up, none of which are in reality associated with this business.