Frequently Asked Questions: Placing Your Order.

Welcome to our Connectbrazil.com 'Frequently Asked Questions' (FAQ) page. You will find answers to many of your questions regarding the placing of your order here. If you can't find an answer to your question here, please do not hesitate to contact us if you are in need of further assistance.

Consumer Information:
We at Connectbrazil.com are pleased to welcome all Brazilian music fans to our online store, and we hope to keep you as a happy and satisfied customer. We provide this information to help you clearly understand our business procedures and to insure your rights as a customer. The information on this page is accessible with one click from any page within our e-store. When you place an order with Connectbrazil.com, you are agreeing to accept the terms and conditions of our business as stated and linked below.

Please contact us directly if you need a helping hand, or with any questions or concerns you have. Unlike other web stores, we do not hide or 'bury' our contact information. Please understand that we do our best to respond within 24 hours, but sometimes it may take a little longer.

Please click on the links below to learn more:

Is the Connectbrazil.com e-store safe and secure?
Can I buy at Connectbrazil.com without becoming a member?
Can I place an order by phone, fax or mail?
Payment options, Refunds, Discounts. How to Order Using Coupon Codes.
Special Orders
How is my order processed?
What if I want shipping insurance or have special needs for delivery?
What about Availability and Backorders?
What is the status of my order?
Do you a have a local store?
How do I contact you?

 

Is the Connectbrazil.com e-store safe and secure?

Yes. Our on-line transaction partner is Authorise.net - which provide the highest state-of-the-art encrypted security for credit card authorization available, along with consumer fraud protection and AVS verification. When you place your order with Connectbrazil.com, your payment information processing is automatically directed to our authorizing agents.

Your credit card information is neither entered, transmitted to, nor stored at Connectbrazil.com.

 

Can I buy at Connectbrazil.com without becoming a member?

Of course you can! We're Brazilian music fans just like you are, and one of the main reasons we started Connectbrazil.com was to be able to make Brazilian music, DVD's, books and more available to others who share our love and enthusiasm. Any item offered for general purchase is available to anyone, anytime, And if you don't see what you're looking for, just contact us for a quick reply.

We've put a lot of thought and effort into our Buyer's Club and we think that you'll appreciate its many benefits. Our goal is to create a community of Brazilian music fans and our Buyer's Club is part of that vision.

To learn more about who we are and how Connectbrazil.com came to be, click on the 'About Us' tab on the 'Contact Us' drop down menu at the top of this page.

 


Can I place an order by phone, fax or mail?

Yes. If you live in the USA you may order toll free at 1 888-497-4545, Monday - Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm CST. Voicemail is available after-hours, or if we are busy assisting other customers.

You may also place your order by fax 24 hours/day at 1 240-358-3096. Please be sure to include your name, billing address, shipping address, daytime and evening telephone numbers and your e-mail address along with your order. Be sure to include your payment information with your fax order.

International orders can be placed by fax (as above) or through our e-store. For information on mailing your order to us, please see 'What are my payment options?' below.

Sorry, Connectbrazil.com does not accept orders via e-mail because of Internet security concerns with e-mail transmission. We will only accept inquiries on availability by e-mail.

Note: All orders placed by phone, fax or regualr mail must be paid for at the time of order. This includs all 'special order' items. Orders paid by check will not be processed until the check clears.

Print out our handy 'Fax or Mail' order form by clicking here.

 


What are my payment options?

Your Connectbrazil.com order will not be processed until your payment has been received and confirmed.

Connectbrazil.com accepts payment by credit card: Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express, along with debit cards that include the Visa or MasterCard logo. Typically, this type of transaction is processed within 72 hours.

We accept money orders and bank checks denominated in US funds and drawn from the US Post Office or a US-based bank, paid to Connectbrazil.com. Typically, there is a 5-10 day transaction delay for payments of this type.

Payment by personal check, paid to Connectbrazil.com and denominated in US funds, drawn from a US-based bank is accepted. Please allow 2 to 3 weeks for this type of payment if sent from a U.S. address, 4 to 6 weeks if payment is sent from an international address. Personal checks returned for NSF (non-sufficient funds) will be subject to a $50.00 administration fee by an outside collection agency.

All checks must include a valid nine-digit bank routing number (ABA code) MICR-encoded on the bottom of the check.

Our mailing address is:

Connectbrazil.com
5250 Grand Avenue, #14/111
Gurnee, Illinois, 60031-1877
USA

Connectbrazil.com Gift Certificates are accepted for payment and are valid for a period of one year from the date of purchase.

Connectbrazil.com does not accept cash, wire transfers or electronic check payments. We do not process COD or Purchase Orders, with the exception of Institutional sales, which are subject to a term of 30 days, paid in full.

 

Discounts, Refunds & Coupon Codes

Connectbrazil.com frequently offer discounts via our coup code program. Discounts are always offered with a specific coupon code, which is valid for a specified period of time.

Sometimes we will offer a choice of discounts, such as "Free shipping" or "10% off". In such cases, please note that there is a limit of one coupon code per order. You may return to place additional orders to access available discount programs being offered.

We provide this information to help you clearly understand our coupon code programs. This information is accessible with one click from any page within our e-store.

Invalid coupon codes (due to date stamp or other limitations), will not be honored. In such cases, the invalid discounted amount will be re-billed to your credit card.
We regularly offer special discount incentives for initial membership to our Connectbrazil.com Buyers Club, with the code BCM-01 and BCM-02 used for one- and two-year membership terms. These specific codes may be applied to the cost of initial membership ONLY, and will not be honored for any other items ordered.

If these two specific codes (BCM-01 and BCM-02 ) are used in any other way than as stated above, an additonal fee of $49.99 (for BCM-01) and $79.99 (for BCM-02) will be charged to your credit card, and you may be banned from future purchases at Connectbrazil.com.

Discounts and coupon code offers do not apply to certain 'Rare' Items and to all 'Used' items and will not be honored. In such cases, the invalid discounted amount will be billed to the customer's credit card.

 

How To Order Using Coupon Codes

Make note of the exact spelling of the coupon code you wish to use, and follow these instructions:

1. Add items to your Shopping Cart. Use the 'Continue Shopping' button to place additional items in it.

2. When you are ready to check out, click the 'Place Order' button. A new screen will list your selections and the total. You will also see the 'Enter coupon code' field directly below your selections.

3. At this time, enter your coupon code. Please be sure to type carefully. Then click on the 'Apply Coupon' button. You will now see a new screen with the shipping charge and the discount showing.

You may now enter your state or international destination and your shipping option. Then click on the 'Continue with your order' button.

4. The new screen will now reflect any shipping changes made, plus any applicable tax amount. You may now change the shipping option if you wish. If you do, then you will need to select the 'Recalculate Shipping and tax' option. Review your order and then click on the 'Submit' button.

5. This screen is where you will enter your shipping information. Please note that we include a 'Special Instructions' text box at the bottom of this page. Use it to request insurance for your order, or to convey your needs.

Once completed, click on the 'Submit Order' button to move to Authorize.net's 'secure server' payment screen.

6. This screen looks different from our Connectbrazil.com site. You are now in Authorize.net's 'secure server' system. Complete the information as requested and then click on the 'Submit' button.

Please note that this Authorize.net screen will not show your discount or the discounted total. The discount and discounted total will be shown as 'applied' on the next screen.

Please note that Connectbrazil.com does not see, store or transmit your personal data and payment information. Authorize.net uses the same level of security encryption as financial institutions in the processing your payment information.

7. This final screen may be printed for your records. It will show your complete order transaction, including the discount you entered earlier. You will also receive a confirmation e-mail message within a few minutes.

Your Connectrbazil.com order will now enter the fulfillment process - usually within an hour of placing you order. Once your order has been prepped for shipment, you will receive an e-mail containing mailing information, including your order tracking number.

If any of your ordered items are delayed, we will advise you of your order's status.
We welcome your feedback, questions or concerns. Please click here to Contact Us.

Refunds and Returns

Connectbrazil.com will provide a credit card refund for orders which have been cancelled before entering our fulfillment process. For all other circumstances, Connectbrazil.com may - at its sole discretion - offer a refund on a case by case basis. Refunds are provided in the form of an in-store credit only and we will provide a specific coupon code for this purpose.

Once your order has entered our fullfillment process, we wil not not refund any amount in cash or to your credit card. No exceptions.

Please note that all in-store credits are valid for a period of one year from the date of e-mail notification, and the full credit amount should be used as part of a single order if possible. If multiple orders are required to deplete the credit amount, Connectbrazil.com will charge a $10.00 handling fee for each transaction until a 'zero' balance has been reached.

In all cases, in-store credits do not apply to applicable taxes or shipping and processing fees.

Refunds do not apply to orders shipped to an incorrect, incomplete or othewise invalid shipping address (see "How is my order processed", below). We will charge a $5.00 handling fee in addition to the regualr postage amount to resend any returned package.

Refunds or credits are available for unopened items only. For CD, books and DVDs: In the rare instance of 'manufacturer defect', Connectbrazil.com will provide a replacement for the same item in exchange, if it is available as an in-stock item. For electronics and 'Special Offer' items: Connectbrazil.com will assist you in contacting the manufacturer for replacement or warranty service but carries no responsibility - either written or implied - for the manufacturer's responsibility for these items.

In-store credit requests must be made in writing and are limited to 14 days after the original order date. After this time, a in-store credit may be issued, For returns, the customer must first request an 'RMA' (Returned Merchandise Authorization' number by writing to us via our 'Contact Us' page and then return the item to the address above.

Connectbrazil.com will not be responsible for RMA items which are 'lost in transit'. Shipping for all returned items must include a tracking number and the RMA number written on the return package. Shipping insurance for RMA packages is required. All return costs are the responsibility of the customer.

Refunds or credits apply to the cost of the item only: Shipping and Handling costs are not refundable. All 'special order' sales are final (see below).

Special Orders

Looking for a long-lost CD or a rare Brazilian gem? Connectbrazil.com can help!

Often, Brazilian CDs are pressed in limited quantities upon their release. This is especially true of some import titles, making availability difficult - especially as the years go by. Further, many Brazilian titles are released by small, independent labels which may or may not still be in business. And many well-known US-based labels have been absorbed by larger entertainment companies who have a limited interest in making certain Brazilian CD titles available again.

Connectbrazil.com specializes in locating these new or 'previously played' CDs and securing them for our customers. All purchases are 100% guaranteed.

How To Place A Search for Hard-To-Find CDs:

We work with dozens of suppliers worldwide and can locate almost any Brazilian CD, DVD, LP or book new or old, and we'll do our best to secure the items you are seeking.

Please contact us and be sure to include your name, daytime and evening phone numbers and the artist and title of the CDs you would like to order. We'll contact you with the results of our search, assign you an RBG code number and receive your payment instructions.

Please understand that some searches may take weeks to complete. Pricing is based on rarity, availability and supplier cost. Our prices are not dependent on whether a CD is new or 'previously played' as long as the condition of the CD is 'like new'.

Payment Policy for Special Order items:

Beacuse we expend funds to secure 'special order' items on your behalf, payment is expected at the time of purchase. Payment by credit card allows us to proceed with your order 'same day'. Payment by check will delay the 'special order' process until the check clears.

Refunds or Cancellation of a Special Order:

Because many 'special order' items may be of limited interest to other customers, Connectbrazil.com will not accept cancellation of a 'special order' once it is placed with us. Please do your comparison shopping before you place your order with us. All 'special order' sales are final.

Likewise, Connectbrazil.com will not refund payments made for a 'special order'.

Our policy allows an exception for the following circumstance: If the 'special order' item cannot be obtained from the supplier, and no other supplier can provide the item at the price quoted to us, we will refund 100% of your cost.

How To Sell Your CDs to Connectbrazil.com:

If you would like to have us consider the purchase of your new or used Brazilian CDs, please send us your list of titles with artist information by following these instructions. You may also call or mail your list. We'll consider your list and reply with our "offer to buy" price. Here are a few things to consider:

1. You must rate each CD in writing, according to the following grades:

Excellent (EX) - Mint condition. No blemishes or surface marks.
Very Good (VG) - Like New condition. Very few blemishes or surface marks.
Above Average (AA) - Like New condition. Some blemishes or surface marks.

In all cases, blemishes or surface marks cannot affect the quality of play.

2. Each CD must include all liner notes in "normal" (or better) condition and the jewel case (We deduct 50¢ for cracked or broken jewel cases, $1.00 or more for deficient liner notes). We will not consider items that are water or fire damaged.

3. Please be aware that Connectbrazil.com does not purchase CDs of lesser quality than as described above. Connectbrazil is under no obligation to pay for CDs that do not match the supplied rating. If the appearance or play of a CD is questionable to you, then it's probably something we wouldn't be interested in. If you are not sure, please contact us.

4. We cannot accept CDs that are stamped 'Promotional', however some distributors and labels mark special sale items with a hole punch through the bar-code or booklet. We'll consider these "cut-outs" as long as the artwork is otherwise intact and the disc is in EX, VG, or AA condition.

5. All CDs purchased by Connectbrazil.com from our customers are considered as 'preowned.' Even if you haven't played it or opened the shrink wrap. Because the quality of our 'previously played' CDs is our primary concern, we will always pay you more for a higher rated CD.

6. Once we have set our "offer to buy" price, you must send your accepted CDs to us within 10 days. Upon receipt of your shipment, we will send you a check or issue a credit for merchandise at Connectbrazil.com within 30 days. Credits are valid for one year from date of issue and do not apply to travel packages, event admission, tax or s/h charges.

7. Connectbrazil.com reserves the right to refuse payment for CDs that do not meet the provided written rating and other requirements.

 

How is my order processed?

Connectbrazil.com can locate virtually any Brazilian CD available anywhere in the world. We regularly work with more than 100 international suppliers to provide you with access to the best possible variety in Brazilian music. Sometimes, an item may not be inventoried in our warehouse and will arrive from a supplier, creating a delay in the fulfillment of your order.

Orders placed with Connectbrazil.com are usually processed within 72 hours. Please note the 'Availability Status' (see 'Availability and Backorders' below) on the item page as you place items into your shopping cart. This will give you an indication of when to expect processing of a particular item. Orders comprised of in-stock items are shipped immediately.

Connectbrazil.com's goal is to ship all ordered items as soon as possible. This means that when a backordered item arrives from a supplier, it is processed immediately for shipment, regardless of the status of other backordered items. Connectbrazil will do its best to group delayed items into a single additional shipment, but reserves the option to ship delayed items in multiple packages. Regular shipping and handling charges will apply to all additional shipments.

Shipping Errors:

When you place an order in our e-store, you are accepting the responsibility for providing us with the correct information to successfully complete the order. Connectbrazil.com only can ship your order to the mailing address you provide during the checkout process so please be sure to confirm the shipping address before you place your order.

You should also check the information contained in the order confirmation and shipping confirmation notices we send to you by e-mail once your order is placed and enters the fulfillment process.

If you wish, you may indicate your preference for processing your order on the order form in the 'Special Instructions' text box during checkout. If your order contains both 'in-stock' and 'delayed availability' items, you can choose to type the following instruction in the 'Special Instructions' text box on the order form.

"Hold Order Until All Items Are Received."

This means that we will hold your order until all items are received and ship it in one package.

For all US-bound, Domestic orders, Connectbrazil.com will send you a Delivery Notification e-mail on the day your order ships from our warehouse. This message will contain package tracking information for your order.

Please note: Connectbrazil.com is not responsible for delays or loss of your order during shipment. For your convenience, Connectbrazil.com automatically includes 'Delivery Confirmation' package tracking for all packages shipped to US addresses.

 

What if I want shipping insurance or have special needs for delivery?

If you believe that additional security options such as insured mail, special handling or signature confirmation are required for this order, please use the 'Special Instructions' text box on the order form to specify your needs. We'll send you an e-mail to confirm these additions to this order.

These additional delivery options must be listed in the 'Special Instructions' text box on the order form before you submit your order.
Sorry, they cannot be added to your order once it has been submitted.

Connectbrazil.com does not automatically add insurance to orders, but for larger orders and for various rare and hard-to-find items, we will add insurance to the shipment(s) at our discretion.

Shipping Insurance is provided by our preferred carrier, The United States Postal Service, or an alternate shipping carrier according to the terms and conditions set by each agency. Claims must be entered directly with the agency.

Connectbrazil.com charges a flat rate of $1.00 per item plus a $5.00 service fee for insurance coverage.

 


What about Availability and Backorders?

We carry many Brazilian CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, books and other items in stock but sometimes availability can slow your order due low production runs or supplier delays. Each item page at Connectbrazil.com contains current information on that particular item's availability.

Please note that these are general guidlines and that availability, or delays from suppliers may affect this timeline:

This item usually ships in 1-3 days:
This usually refers to an 'in stock' item which we expect to process and ship within 76 hours. This item's availability usually means that processing begins immediately.

This item usually ships in 5-10 days:
This refers to an item that we expect to receive from a US-based supplier. We expect to process and ship it within 5 to 10 days of your order.

This item usually ships in 10-21 days:
This refers to an item that we expect to receive from a US-based or International supplier and ship it to you within 1 to 3 weeks of your order.

Backordered:
This refers to an item that cannot be obtained from a supplier in less than 21 days, but we expect to be able to process and ship to you within six weeks or less.

Sometimes an item that was expected to ship according to any of the above 'Availability' categories can have it's status changed to 'Backordered' without notice, due to depleted inventory or supplier error. If this should occur, you will be informed of the item's change of status via e-mail.

If you have not received the backordered item within the six-week time frame, you will be contacted via e-mail to choose between a time extension or a refund.

Low Stock:
This refers to an item with less than five copies 'in-stock' at our warehouse.

Available as a Special Order item:
This refers to an item that must be ordered directly from the label, manufacturer or publisher. We expect that we will be able to process and ship this item to you within six to 10 weeks of your order.

No Longer Available:
This refers to an item that is not longer available for sale. Based on the best information from our US-based and international suppliers, we do not expect to be able to offer this item again in the foreseeable future.

Out of Stock - Place your order as a request:
This refers to an item that is not 'in stock' at our warehouse and cannot be reliably obtained from a supplier within six to ten weeks. When you place an order for this type of item, you are reserving a new or 'excellent condition' used piece on a first-come, first served basis.

This is usually reserved for rare and hard-to-find CDs and books with extremely limited availability. You will be notified when the item becomes available.

Pre-order:
This refers to an item that has not yet been released. Your payment for this item secures immediate delivery of this item upon its release date as shown on the item page.

For all orders: Our processing time does not include the time it will take for your order to be delivered to you once it is shipped. Shipping time depends on your mailing address and the shipping option you choose.

Please note that the 'Availability' categories (above) apply specifically to single-copy orders of a particular item. Orders for multiple copies of the same item may take longer to process. Connectbrazil will inform you by e-mail if any item in your order proves to be unavailable.

Availability and pricing of items for sale at Connectbrazil.com may change without notice.

 

What is the status of my order?

Connectbrazil will update your order's status on request by e-mail, fax or phone. Please see our section: 'How do I contact you?'

 

Do you a have a local store?

No. Connectbrazil.com is exclusively an e-commerce and mail order company. As such we do not keep office hours for public access.

 

How do I contact you?

Do you have a question, idea or request? Are you seeking additional information or recommendations? The easiest way to contact us is to use our 'Connectbrazil.com e-mail form page by clicking here.

You may also contact us by phone - toll free in the US at 1 888 497-4545 or 1 847 855-8546 internationally Monday - Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm CST. Voicemail is available after-hours, or if we are busy assisting other customers.

You can also reach us by fax 24 hours/day at 1 240-358-3096, or by mail to:

Connectbrazil.com
5250 Grand Avenue, #14/111
Gurnee, Illinois, 60031-1877
USA

We're here to serve you and are always pleased to assist you as best we can.

 

 

 

US Trademarks and content internationally copyrighted by Connectbrazil.com,
a world service of The Montage Communications Group, Inc. 1997 - 2008.
All rights reserved. Please view our copyright and fair use policies here.