Shipping vinyl records through the mail sounds like a daunting experience, and is for many. With an increasing number of drivers preoccupied with delivering multiple parcel in one day, it’s no surprise that vinyl packaging issues are incredibly popular – for the wrong reasons – online. Whilst the bulk packaging of pallet delivery is more secure, utilising reinforced corners and ensuring that your parcel is securely sealed with strong parcel tape is a great way to ensure that your fragile vinyl arrives at its destination in one piece. Find out how else you can safely ship your vinyls below.
Sleeve Removal & Sandwiching
Before packaging and posting your precious vinyls, it’s paramount that you remove them from their sleeves. You may be questioning why, but here us out. Various impacts often cause the vinyl to knock and generally degrade the sleeves, and thus by removing them, you can rest assured that those all-important sleeves will remain in tip top condition. If your vinyl sleeves are particularly old or worn, consider a ‘snug-fit’ mailer. This helps limit the amount of movement that occurs inside your shipment, reducing damage.
Reinforced Corners
When it comes to safely shipping your vinyl, reinforced corners are crucial. This is because if your vinyl sleeve corners gets damaged at any point during transit, the value of the sleeve drops and there is nothing you can do. Depending on the vinyl you are shipping, your customer may even want a refund! Due to this, it’s paramount to use reinforced packaging when shipping vinyl records, including other precious goods, at all times!
Securely Sealed
If a potential thief knows what to look for, you vinyl’s can easily become targets, and if you’re package isn’t sealed securely, anyone could get their hands on your precious cargo! In the same way, the contents could spill out and get damaged – or worse – lost or separated. Due to this, in order to safely ship your vinyls, it’s paramount that you use strong parcel tape regardless of whether you are shipping your vinyl in a large envelope or box. This will help ensure that your vinyl arrives in one piece, and that it is not compromised on route to its destination.
Mark Your Package As “Fragile”
If you are shipping vinyl records in the posts, ensure that you mark your packaging as “Fragile” and “Do Not Bend”. This will help ensure that your vinyl doesn’t get damaged during transit, and will avoid big problems of having to replace the vinyl you sent, costing even more money.
With these top tips you can rest assured that your vinyl records will arrive safe and sound. Whilst some vinyls can be easily replaced, others are rare and more difficult to get hold of. Regardless of the exclusivity of your vinyl record, it’s paramount you understand the best practices to protect your vinyl not only to save heartbreak, but valuable money and time to. From removing your vinyl from its sleeve to ensuring it is properly sealed and marked as “Fragile” shipping your vinyl records with confidence has never been so easy to achieve.
