Before you buy an audiobook

Are the audiobooks compatible with my PC/Mac/phone/tablet/Kindle?

Our audiobooks are standard MP3 files which means they will play on any device that can handle regular audio and has all of the usual requirements for listening to audio (speakers/headphone socket etc.) Note that some Kindles do have speakers and a facility for audio but other Kindles do not.

Do I need special software or can I play the audiobook in iTunes, Spotify, Windows Media Player etc.?

No specialist software is needed to play our audiobooks. Any standard audio player on your device should be fine.

Are the audiobooks abridged (shortened by editing) at all?

We don’t abridge (cut down/edit) audiobooks – we aim to be as faithful as possible to the original published version. Some minor interpretations may come into the final product as part of the actor/narrator’s vocal performance but no significant changes to the original text are ever intended.

Do the audiobooks contain DRM (digital rights management) playback and usage restrictions?

The audiobooks that are sold on sherlockaudiobook.com do not contain DRM. This means that you are free to copy them to as many of your own devices as you like, listen to them as many times and play them back on the audio software/device of your choice. Should our products in the future be made available on sites such as audible.com which do include DRM then it is possible that third parties may encrypt them as part of their standard terms, but be assured that the version you have bought direct from sherlockaudiobook.com will never contain DRM.

If I buy an audiobook on my smartphone (iPhone/Android, Blackberry etc.), will it cost me a lot in data charges?

Audiobook files can be quite large, for example around 30 MB is typical for an hour long story/chapter, so if you are paying your mobile/cellphone provider for internet data usage it could end up costing you money to download any large file over a mobile/cell network. This is true of audiobooks just as it is of music that you may consume from iTunes or Spotify. That is why we recommend if you think you may be subject to mobile/cellphone internet data charges, you should only download when your smartphone or tablet is connected over a wi-fi network.

Do you sell CDs, vinyl or cassette audiobooks?

At this stage our audiobooks are only available as MP3 downloads. This may change in the future but for now this is the case.

Buying/downloading an audiobook

Do I need to create an account to shop at sherlockaudiobook.com?

There is no need to create an account with us, all the information you need to provide us with in order to buy an audiobook is your name and your email address so we can send you the link to access your file.

Can I pay with cash or a check (cheque)?

No, we only accept payments online.

Do I need a PayPal account to buy an audiobook?

All payments on sherlockaudiobook.com are handled and processed by PayPal but you do not need a PayPal account – major debit and credit cards (Visa, Mastercard etc.) are accepted by PayPal. When you get to the first PayPal page during the checkout process you will be given the option to log into a PayPal account (if you have one) or to pay with a debit or credit card.

Once I’ve paid, how long will it be before I get my download?

As soon as your payment has been processed you will be redirected to a page on sherlockaudiobook.com which contains a summary of your purchase and a link to download your audiobook file. You will also be sent an email containing the link (providing you have given us your accurate email address). This should all happen within a matter of a few seconds. Very occasionally there might be a longer delay in you receiving this email and getting directed to your download page caused by internal issues within the PayPal payment processing system but this is rare and you should get your email soon. In the unlikely event that you are waiting more than an hour for your audiobook link please contact us and we will investigate and manually resend you the file.

I live outside of the US and don’t use dollars – can I shop in my own currency?

You do not need to be paying in US dollars to shop with sherlockaudiobook.com – other major currencies are very welcome. Our payment processor PayPal will convert from the default dollar price to a new price in your chosen currency at its own latest exchange rate which will be available on the PayPal website.

I think my audiobook has already downloaded but I can’t find it – where is the file?

Your download should start immediately after you have clicked on the link to download your audiobook (from either the purchase receipt page or from the email we send you). Where the MP3 file actually ends up on your device will depend on how your system is set up. For example, if you are using the Google Chrome browser you can select the ‘customise’ button with three little horizontal lines in the top right corner of the browser window and choose ‘Downloads’ from the drop down menu. Many PCs and Macs are set to download internet files to the desktop or a dedicated ‘Downloads’ folder somewhere on the system. If you are stuck you can search online for finding downloaded files and get some advice on how to choose where to download your files from the internet.

The audiobook I bought is divided into several chapters – can I download the whole book in one go?

It is likely that an audiobooks of a full length novel will result in a total file size which is in the hundreds of megabytes (MB), which is why most audiobook retailers, sherlockaudiobook.com included, break them down into a series of more easily downloadable files – for example 10 files of up to 30 MB each rather than a single 300 MB file. This is why you can’t download a whole long audiobook in one go, but by chapter or section instead. In the future, as internet bandwidth increases this may change. For short stories however you will be able to download complete files in one go.

After you’ve bought an audiobook

Once I’ve downloaded my audiobook, how do I actually play it?

When your purchase is complete and you have found your downloaded MP3 you should be able to play it by simply clicking/pressing/selecting the file and it will open in your default audio playing software. You could also go straight to your preferred audio player (e.g. iTunes or Windows Media Player) and browse to find and open the file.

Can I get a refund if I don’t like the audiobook or simply change my mind after purchasing?

Due to the digital nature of an MP3 audiobook and the fact it cannot be ‘returned’ as such – we do not offer refunds if you simply don’t like the audiobook. We maintain this policy as a means of deterring bad faith attempts to deprive us of monies owed for the product we have provided but of course we operate within the legal parameters of the relevant jurisdiction.

Can I make a CD of my audiobook download?

You are welcome to copy our audiobooks onto a CD for your own listening pleasure and you may not attempt to sell it for commercial gain.

Can I share your audiobooks with my friends?

Yes, we are happy for you to allow your friends to ‘borrow’ and listen to your audiobook within reason, the same way we believe it is reasonable for friends to lend each other physical books. The important requirement is that nobody then abuses this trust that we are extending by uploading the audiobook to a file sharing service, sending it to a big email list or similar. If it transpires that you have sent the audiobook to a friend and they have shared it with strangers online, you, as the original purchaser, will be deemed by us to be responsible for that breach of our copyright. So in essence, we are happy for you to share with your friends on a small scale but please make sure they don’t breach our terms which we think are pretty light and fair.