How to properly pack vinyl records for shipping

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Vinyl continues to thrive as other analog systems fall by the wayside. In spite of what some people say, it’s not because vinyl has superior sound quality to digital. Actually, the opposite is true.

People still go in for vinyl because it represents an era in which going to a record store and shopping for singles, LPs, and EPs was a hobby in itself. For many music lovers, digital downloads can never replace that experience. Hence vinyl’s stubborn popularity.

Going to a physical record shop is great, but there are times when it’s necessary to buy online-for instance if you’re looking for a special edition vinyl or something that’s long been out of print. The online vinyl trade is big business these days.

On that note, suppose you find yourself wanting to unload some of your collection for cash. You have a few options here. Ebay is probably your best bet, but there’s also Discogs, MusicStack, and of course Amazon. You’d be surprised how much people are willing to pay for second hand vinyl.

You could also try selling to a record shop. This makes sense if you’re looking to sell a lot of vinyl very quickly. Most record stores are open to buying bulk vinyl from private sellers, and they usually pay a pretty good price. Make a few phone calls to your local shops to find out what sort of stuff they’re interested in.

So you’ve sold a bunch of your old records. Now you have to ship them. Any domestic courier, many of which double as interstate freight companies, can take care of that for you. Shipments within a major metropolitan area can typically be delivered same-day. Using a service like freight Syndey isn’t necessary unless you’re shipping a massive quantity of records and need to put them on a pallet.

In any case, it’s imperative that you take care to pack your vinyl the right way. Otherwise you run the risk of the records breaking during shipping. Then you have to refund your buyers, and the whole thing will have been a big waste of time.

This article walks you through how to safely and securely ship vinyl records.

Packing your vinyl

The first thing you should do is clean your records by wiping them gently with a microfibre cloth. This is a courtesy to your buyer. Place each record in its original inner sleeve.

Do not put the record into the cardboard outer sleeve, as it may slide around during shipping and break through the edges of the outer sleeve. Instead, place the record on top of the outer sleeve. Sandwich the record and sleeve between two pieces of stiff cardboard.

Wrap everything up nice and snug using shrink wrap, bubble wrap, or foam sheets. If using shrink wrap, go around the record two or three times.

Boxing your vinyl

Ideally, you should use a dedicated vinyl shipping container; these are commonly known as LP mailers. They’re designed to provide maximum protection for your records. You can buy LP mailers online or from your local record shop.

If you’re shipping vinyl in bulk, you’ll probably have to use a larger box. It should be roughly the same length and width as a vinyl sleeve. If it’s much bigger than that, the records will not be secure. Make sure the box is sturdy and undamaged.

Carefully slide your records (sandwiched in cardboard and wrapped in plastic of foam) into the box. Check for any open space inside the container. If you see any, fill it in with bubble wrap, styrofoam, or whatever packing material you happen to have on hand.

In addition to preventing your records from moving around in the delivery vehicle, the extra packaging helps to absorb and dampen vibrations from the road. Always err on the side of too much packing material.

Before sealing the box with packaging tape, gently shake it to confirm that there is no movement on the part of the records.

Print out a shipping label and stick it onto the front of the parcel. You might also want to slap a “Fragile” or “Handle with care” sticker on there.

Choose a courier service

Now it’s time to choose a courier service. To repeat, shipping via freight isn’t necessary unless you’re sending a very heavy bulk shipment of vinyl. Any domestic courier service will do. They all offer expedited shipping that guarantees your package will reach its destination within a day or two, regardless of how far it has to travel within Australia. Many of them can ship internationally as well.

You can use a cost comparison website to see what various couriers offer in terms of price and delivery speed. Choose the best quote, book your shipment online, and a driver will be dispatched to collect your shipment from your residence. Get a tracking number and send it to your buyer.

Depending on the value of the vinyl being shipped, it may be worthwhile to take out insurance on your package in case of damage. The last thing you want is for your buyer to open the box and find a cracked record. When in doubt, buy the insurance.