LP PACKING: SECURE AND PROPER SHIPPING OF VINYL RECORDS
Whether you're a music purist who loves sharing your vinyl record passion or a small business owner who sells LPs for profit, you understand that the shipping process can be a bit difficult to handle. Many things could go wrong, and that rare vinyl record could even get damaged while in transit.
A damaged package will leave the wrong impression on the recipient. It would ruin the precious LPs, and if you're involved with vinyl sales, you'll lose profit. With that in mind, here are our quick tips to keep your vinyl records shipment in pristine condition every time.
The Resurgence of Vinyl Records in the Digital Age
Digital music dominates the entertainment scenes thanks to the rise of new technology such as the internet and smartphones. Still, there are music enthusiasts who prefer listening to old-school vinyl records instead of digital copies of their favourite songs.
Especially during the last few years, there has been a significant rise in LPs' overall sales and demands on the market. That means a surge in shipping vinyl records around the globe. If you need a reliable and secure delivery partner, you'll have to ensure that your delivery service provider will take care of your packages to avoid any unnecessary issues.
How to Safely Post Vinyl Records
Unlike most parcels that you ship with the help of your courier or local postal service, a package that contains a vinyl record must be treated with extreme care. This is to ensure that your LP retains its natural value.
Preparing a special delivery for your records shouldn't take much of your time. If you're a business owner, your customers will appreciate the extra protection you provide for their LP purchases. But how do you correctly send a secure parcel with a record inside? Simple, follow these tips.
Start With a Great Packing Material
Proper preparation before posting vinyl records is essential to avoid any unwanted damage while in the process of shipping. Records and LP covers will benefit from any card stiffeners. This minimises any potential damage to your shipment.
You can even re-use old cardboard box cutouts to reinforce each side of the vinyl. If you have a fragile tape on hand, this will help make the whole package more secure. You also need to prepare bubble wrap for an added layer of protection for the shipment.
Another vital element is to keep your package secured in plastic sleeves where the LP and its components can fit. You might need to use a measuring tape to make sure you get the perfect size for your precious LP shipment.
Take the Vinyl from its Sleeve
Collectible and vintage vinyl records are pretty sensitive to scratches. Apart from the damage caused, it also reduces the overall value of the LP. To avoid any of these unwanted occurrences, it is recommended to remove both the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve. Leaving the LP in the outer and inner sleeves might cause damage during shipping.
Lay the outer sleeves, then gently place the vinyl on top. Lastly, place the inner sleeve to cover the LP on the top making a record sandwich. Double-check if the LP is secured between the outer and inner sleeves and put them into the protective plastic sleeves. This will significantly minimise any movement while shipping.
Lastly, take your spare cardboard or card stiffeners and place them on each side of the plastic sleeves. If you're still not satisfied with the level of packaging materials you used for your secured vinyl shipping, then double up the stiffeners and wrap it with a fragile tape.
Use a Record Mailer
The other option for shipping records is to get yourself a proper cardboard mailing envelope specially designed for LPs. Investing extra money in quality cardboard LP mailers will give your business a good reputation.
Customers love the exciting unboxing experience. Using a sturdy and secured mailer will give that impression to them. On top of that, they will experience a first-class service on the shipment you've sent.
Just be mindful of the corners of the mailer of your choice. Some mailers offer sub-par protection on the corners and could lead to a split if bumped hard enough during the shipping process. Make sure you only use quality mailers that provide decent corner protection to avoid this.
Wrap up the Package
Wrap things up with fragile packaging tape to secure the mailer and its content. Most mailers come with an adhesive strip on them. However, these adhesives are easy to open. Save time and trouble with properly securing your parcel with heavy-duty tape.
It is best to use bubble wrap for shipping vinyl records in bulk. However, this would not be ideal for smaller batches because it eats up much of your packaging material.
The cost of mailing LP may vary depending on the courier, but if you're looking for an affordable yet, secured option, check our top-notch services at Packlink.
Label with the Appropriate Details
A secure LP shipment wouldn't be complete without a proper label. Strip any stickers, labels, or barcodes on your parcel to ensure it goes adequately to the correct destination country. When shipping vinyl records, the last thing you want is to lose them while the parcel is in transit because of erroneous details.
Double-check all the shipping information to ensure the post office delivers the package to the right doorstep. Another thing you shouldn't forget if you're shipping something is your return address. You don't need to put your complete details for the return. Instead, you can write down basic information such as your postcode and country. Usually, this will do the trick.
Why Spend Time and Effort on Packing your LPs?
Vinyl records are sensitive items. Just a tiny scratch can leave a long-lasting effect and could negatively impact the value of your LP.
Because of that, a well-packed record would go a long way toward retaining the overall quality of your LP. Sure, it may be a hassle, but the things you'll get from properly wrapping up your packages outweigh the time and effort you spent preparing for your shipment.
For instance, your customer might give your good business feedback in case you meet or exceed their expectations for your process of shipping vinyl records. Another thing is that you're more likely to get more returning customers for the kind of service and attention to detail you provide for your products.