Just curious if other folks here have experience ordering from Presto? If so, how did it go?
I ask because I placed an order with them a month ago, and received a message indicating that my order was shipped on January 4th via standard airmail*, and it hasn't arrived yet. I was not provided a tracking number, and my two e-mails to the company have only produced auto-generated, "Thank you for your inquiry" replies. I'm starting to get (mildly )concerned....
It's a long time since I've ordered from Presto. Their service used to be good. I recommend you give them a call, @jchokey. Unlike many companies, they actually display their phone number on their contact page. Hopefully you can get a human and not an automated response.
It's a long time since I've ordered from Presto. Their service used to be good. I recommend you give them a call, @jchokey. Unlike many companies, they actually display their phone number on their contact page. Hopefully you can get a human and not an automated response.
Thanks. Since that's an international call 8 time zones ahead, I'll have to plan that out, but I'll give that a try.
FYI: I also see that they list an additional e-mail address on their website (shop@prestomusic.com) than the one listed in my order receipt (info@prestomusic.com). Maybe I'll also try re-sending my e-mail there.
My experiences with Presto are more than good. I used to order CDs quite often in the pre-covid era. Sometimes the discs were delivered in a week or so, sometimes it took no less than a month, but I think that this was Serbian customs' guilt and not Presto's. Now when the shipping is increasingly expensive and unpredictable I find it more convenient to download. Presto offers some really fine lossless and hi-res recordings with digital booklets included. To be honest, I prefer buying CDs because I can rip them and have the purchased items in both digital and physical forms, but... download is just fine.
@capriccio Horrible! I am so sorry about your lost collection! 
If I remember well, Katrina was almost 20 years ago. Have you renewed at least a part of the collection? You say "almost exclusively", so I asume that there have been other options...
@capriccio Horrible! I am so sorry about your lost collection!
Thanks, Nenad.
My brothers in Australia and my nephew in England sent me some replacements. And I bought a small number of autographed CDs after performances by Angela Hewitt, Yo-Yo Ma, Gil Shaham and a dozen others. So I have about 100 or so now. I figured that it’s safer to not have a large physical collection.
Minor Update: I did hear back from Presto today (after having sending a separate follow-up e-mail to their 'shop' e-mail address yesterday), and they confirmed my package was sent out on January 4th, but without any tracking number available. They mentioned long delays in customs and shipping and asked me to check back in again if I still haven't received the package in 5 weeks.
They also apologized for the delayed response to my initial e-mail, noting that they have many inquiries to respond to at the moment. (I guess I'm not the only in a similar situation...)
So, hopefully the package will come. If not, I guess I check back in March!
I live in Canada and have been purchasing from Presto for many years now. Their service is magnificent and always friendly and helpful. Now that they have a streaming app, you can stream the majority of your purchases immediately: even if you ordered CDs. While not all purchases are available (and this saddens me for I just purchased the sublime Rothenberg and Wunderlich singing of La Boheme in German, because I purchased only the few tracks, they are not available) for a variety of reasons, my Complete Callas is available, and many others. As well, their prices are unmatched (I don’t have to pay the 20% VAT, and customs never charges duty, etc.
Now that they have a streaming app, you can stream the majority of your purchases immediately: even if you ordered CDs.
I didn't know this. What a great feature.
Hello everyone 👋
Hi, @jchokey,
I, too, used to order physical recordings pretty much exclusively from Presto pre-covid, now it's almost only downloads (I can't seem to trust international shipping at the moment!). They're a wonderful provider: a wide selection, reasonable pricing. I trust they'll manage to resolve your issues very soon, just give them some time.
@capriccio, so sorry to read about your collection. Can't possibly imagine what it would feel like to lose 1000+ recordings! 😳
Just wanted to post an update here that my package did indeed arrive! Hooray! It took 30 days after mailing, but it's here. I guess airmail ain't what it used to be!
Still, it's not the shop's fault-- they did process and mail the order promptly.
Just wanted to post an update here that my package did indeed arrive!
