A Note to Our International Fans
Why We Are Currently Unable to Ship from Our Own Webstore
We have recently received questions from fans outside Finland about why international shipping is currently unavailable in the official Dark Sarah webstore.
We wanted to explain what is happening.
Dark Sarah is an independent band. Unlike major artists and record labels, we do not have a large company behind us handling international logistics, customs, tax compliance and the increasingly complex regulations surrounding physical merchandise.
Our music has always been about connecting with people around the world. It means a great deal to us that our albums, CDs, vinyl records and other merchandise have found their way to fans in so many different countries.
Unfortunately, the rules surrounding international sales and shipping have become increasingly complicated — particularly for small independent artists.
New EU packaging requirements
The European Union’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) begins to apply from 12 August 2026.
The regulation is intended to reduce packaging waste and make packaging more sustainable. We fully support the underlying goal.
However, selling physical products across borders also means complying with packaging and producer-responsibility requirements in the countries where products are sold.
For a small independent band, keeping track of different national requirements, registrations, reporting obligations and packaging rules can be a significant administrative and financial burden.
We simply do not have a large logistics or compliance department behind us.
We have a band.
We write music, record albums, create artwork, play shows and communicate with our fans.
And then there is the United States
Shipping physical music products to the United States has also become significantly more complicated.
Changes to US customs rules, including the suspension of the previous de minimis duty-free treatment for low-value international shipments, mean that even relatively small orders can now involve customs procedures, duties and additional handling costs.
For an independent band, this creates a difficult situation.
A CD or vinyl record may be a relatively small purchase, but international shipping, customs processing and possible additional fees can make the final cost disproportionately high.
More importantly, we do not want our fans to be surprised by unexpected customs charges when their order arrives.
Does this mean you can no longer buy Dark Sarah albums internationally?
No.
Our own webstore is currently unable to offer international shipping, but Dark Sarah releases are still available through selected record stores and distributors.
We are incredibly grateful to the companies that continue to distribute our music internationally and help our albums reach fans around the world.
If you are looking for a specific Dark Sarah release, we recommend checking with your local record store or one of our current distributors.
We hope this is temporary
This is not a decision we wanted to make.
As an independent band, every album sale matters. Every CD, vinyl record and piece of merchandise that goes directly from us to a fan supports the continued existence of Dark Sarah.
We are therefore continuing to look for a way to make international shipping from our own webstore possible again — without creating unreasonable costs or administrative burdens for either us or our fans.
Until then, thank you for your patience and understanding.
And most importantly:
Thank you for listening.
Thank you for buying independent music.
Thank you for supporting Dark Sarah.
We would not be here without you.
🖤
Dark Sarah