Whole Story Audio Books

Delivery Options

Please note that we offer our customers the option to select their preferred delivery method. There are two methods available:

Royal Mail (UK standard mail service)

Orders despatched via Royal Mail will be sent as First Class post. For UK customers, the delivery time is 1-2 days, excluding Sundays. For UK non-mainland and EU customers please allow 3-5 working days.

Express Courier Service (available to UK Mainland customers only)

For orders despatched via Express Courier Service, please allow 1-2 days delivery time, excluding weekends. This service is recorded delivery and will require someone to receive and sign for the consignment. All orders of 4 items or more will be sent via courier service.

*4 titles or more will be sent via courier within the UK (mainland only).
All shipping charges shown are inclusive of VAT.

Policy for Undelivered Orders

Whole Story Audio Books aim to ensure that every order is delivered within 14 days from point of order. However, if you have selected the Express Courier Service option and have not received your order after 14 days please contact Customer Services in the first instance. For orders sent via Royal Mail please allow 28 days before contacting Customer Services.

Delivery Time

After placing an order the goods will be despatched as soon as possible and normally arrive within a week from ordering. However, please allow up to 14 days for titles to arrive (Express Courier Service option only) and 28 days if you have selected the Royal Mail option. For pre-order titles please refer to the individual product pages for more specific delivery information.

We accept most major credit and debit cards. We do not accept cheques, postal orders or PayPal (or any other internet-based payment).

We accept the following debit and credit cards:

Please note: your credit or debit card will be charged at the point of sale during the final stages of the checkout process.

General Questions

• What is an audio book?
• What is the difference between an abridged and an unabridged audio book?
• What do I need to play an audio book?
• How do I look after and maintain my audio books?
• How do I send you my comments/questions/complaints?

Website and Ordering Information

• Is ordering online safe?
• Are there methods of ordering, other than online?
• Once I've submitted an order to you, can I cancel it if I change my mind?
• How do I know you've received my order?

Payment and Delivery

• Can I specify a delivery date?
• Can I collect?
• How do I know when you have dispatched my order?
• Do you deliver outside of the UK?
• When will my credit/debit be charged?

Refund, Exchange and Replacement Policies

• Can I get a refund/exchange if my book is damaged during delivery?
• Can I get a refund/exchange if I've damaged my audio book?
• Can I get a refund/exchange if I don't like the book?
• Can I get a replacement copy if the goods are faulty?
• Should I return broken CDs to you?

General Questions

What is an audio book?

An audio book is a recorded narration of a standard printed book or novel. Audio books are sometimes referred to as 'spoken word' or 'talking books'.

What is the difference between an abridged and an unabridged audio book?

An abridged audio book is comprised of selected chapters or excerpts of a book, where as an unabridged audio book contains the complete text of the book, read in full, as the author intended. All of our audio books are complete and unabridged.

What do I need to play an audio book?

Audio books work just like music CDs. If you have access to a CD player then you can play an audio book (many of our customers listen to audio books using personal stereos or their in-car audio system).

How do I look after and maintain my audio books?

We recommend you keep your audio books in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight; place the individual CDs in their cases when not in use.

How do I send you my comments/questions/complaints?

Please consult our Contact Information page for our telephone, fax, email and postal details.

Website and Ordering Information

Is ordering online safe?

Ordering and paying online is safer than placing an order over the telephone. When your information is submitted to us via the website it is encoded using strong 256-bit encryption. The credit or debit card transaction itself is performed by Secure Trading, a specialist in secure online payment solutions.

When entering any personal information into a website look for the padlock icon in your browser and make sure the website's URL begins with HTTPS://. This shows that the information exchanged between your computer and the website is being encrypted, thus making it incredibly hard to intercept and virtually impossible to decrypt.

Also, we strongly recommend that you virus check your computer regularly to prevent being compromised. Popular anti virus programs include Norton, McAfee and the free alternatives AVG and AntiVir.

Are there methods of ordering, other than online?

Visiting www.wholestoryaudio.co.uk is the best method to browse titles, discover special offers and place your orders online. However if you are experiencing problems with the online ordering process, or if you are visually impaired, please contact our Customer Helpline on 01664 423018, where a trained member of our Customer Services Team will be happy to help you with your order.

Once I've submitted an order to you, can I cancel it if I change my mind?

We offer our customers the chance to cancel immediately after order submission. There may also be a grace period before your order enters the 'Processing' stage, but this is largely dependent on the time that you place your order and should not be relied upon or expected. We ask that you carefully consider your order before you submit it to us.

If you need to cancel an order urgently you can do so by telephoning us using our Customer Helpline. However, this can only be done before the goods have been dispatched.

How do I know that you have received my order?

After successfully completing and submitting an order to us you will receive a confirmation email at the email address you supplied (please ensure that you have entered your email address accurately.) If at any time during the ordering process you want to check the status of your order, please contact us.

Payment and Delivery

Can I specify a delivery date?

At this time we cannot offer any guarantee as to when you will receive your order. After we have dispatched your order the delivery of your goods is the responsibility of the carrier or postal service in your area. Within the UK this is normally 1-2 working days after dispatch, 7-10 for international customers.

Can I collect?

Sorry, we do not offer the option for you to collect your order.

How do I know when you have dispatched my order?

Please allow 14 days for delivery for regular titles. For pre-order titles please refer to the individual product pages for more specific delivery information. If there is a problem with your order or if there are going to be delays you will be informed.

Do you deliver outside of the UK?

We no longer deliver internationally. We only ship goods within the UK and to countries within the European Union.

However, some shipping restrictions apply to certain titles in our catalogue. Please consult each product's information page for it's shipping eligibility details.

When will my credit/debit card be charged?

Your card will be charged at the point of sale, during the final stages of the checkout process.

Refund, Exchange and Replacement Policies

Can I get a refund/exchange if...

...my book is damaged during delivery?

If the goods are damaged during transit please contact us immediately and arrange for a replacement. Keep all the packaging and goods for return to us.

...I've damaged my audio book?

It is your responsibility to keep your audio books in good condition once purchased. Unfortunately we can not offer replacements for individual CDs, free or paid-for.

...I don't like the book?

Books are very personal and subjective, as such we cannot guarantee you will like any book your purchase and will not offer a refund if the books you order are not to your tastes. We recommend you read all available literature and reviews about the titles you intend to order before purchasing them so you can make an informed decision whether to buy or not.

Can I get a replacement copy if the goods are faulty?

If the audio books you have received from us are faulty, for example, there is a manufacturing defect or the sound is of poor quality, then we will happily replace these items for free pending inspection of the faulty media. Please return faulty items with a description of the faults you've encountered to the address show on the Contact Information page so we can identify and confirm any errors.

Should I return broken CDs to you?

You only need to return broken media to us if you have found a fault and wish to claim a replacement.