While this generation of millennials appears to accept only the most cutting-edge technologies, they are, at heart, purists, which is why vinyl albums are making a comeback.
In 2018, nearly 16.8 million records were sold in the United States alone, representing a significant rise from 900,000 in 2006 and 3.9 million in 2011. As its popularity has grown, eBay has listed roughly 2.3 million used records from American vendors, while Discogs and Amazon have listed approximately 5.7 million and 900,000 recordings, respectively. Of course, this means that ways of shipping vinyl albums have also increased.
If you’re an online record seller, you know that after your orders arrive, you’ll have to get to work safely packing your shipments according to vinyl record sizes and delivering them to their receivers. But how can you achieve this while protecting the security of your records?
Shipping vinyl records:
When you understand how to ship your documents swiftly and safely, you dramatically lower the possibility of the records being destroyed or lost in transit.
Here are some pointers to think about:
Choose the Correct Shipping Box:
You already know the size of the records you’re shipping to your consumers, so you should choose the correct-sized vinyl record shipping box. It will save you money by removing any extra space surrounding the records.
Arrange Drop Offs and Pickups:
To make things easier for yourself and your clients, you should arrange for your record shipping boxes to be dropped off or picked up at your courier service’s nearest specified locations.
Get Them Insured:
These records, including rare releases or original editions, can be valuable. To be on the safe side, you should insure your package. Many courier companies include insurance as part of their delivery services.
Track Your Order:
Just because the record has shipped does not imply your work is over. Track your order if feasible until you are sure it has been delivered to your clients.
How Much Does Vinyl Shipping Cost?
The cost of transporting your data is challenging to quantify since several factors influence the cost of shipping these records. Among these elements are:
- The messenger service
- Mailing costs
- Material costs for padding
- Location of the recipient
- The quantity sent
- Insurance Type
How Do You Pack Vinyl Records Safely?
Vinyl record packing and shipping must be done correctly, but it does not have to be a complicated procedure. Don’t overpack your vinyl when preparing it for the mail service. If you plan, you will save time, utilize fewer packaging resources, and avoid high shipping expenses.
Before shipping your records, ensure they are packed correctly to increase the likelihood of their arriving in excellent shape.
Here are some ideas for carefully packing your vinyl records:
- Take the vinyl out of its jacket.
- Dust carefully with a cleaning machine or your regular vinyl brush.
- Place the recordings in plastic sleeves for protection.
- Fill in new cardboard record mailers with the sleeves.
- Include package stiffeners or fillers such as bubble wrap and cardboard.
- The record mailer should be folded and taped shut.
- Affix shipment labels
Shipping Vinyl Records:
Make a good seal:
Make sure the mailer is well-sealed and as waterproof as feasible. Nobody likes to be welcomed with damp cardboard or have their new record leak out of its package and crash all over the floor.
Label it correctly:
Check all of your address and shipping information. You don’t want anything this precious to end up in the wrong hands or the place. You don’t want to harm the cardboard sleeve before it leaves your house, so write on labels before you put them on the packing.
When sending vinyl, be careful to write “FRAGILE” on the sides of the boxes. It increases the possibility of the package being handled with care. You may also use your phone to take photos of the front and rear of your package. You never know when you’ll need it; it might be beneficial in legal battles or insurance claims.
If you’re shipping precious or rare vinyl, you should seriously consider insuring it for the duration of the journey against possible harm. Someone who understands what to look for could notice your box contains vinyl and try to intercept it.
What Custom Crating and Logistics Can Do for You?
Nobody wants (or accepts) a soiled record. Using Custom Crating and Logistics’ packaging and shipping vinyl record advice, your antique and precious records will arrive in their new homes with a song in their step.
Given the growing popularity of these discs, you must have a dependable method of shipping vinyl records to your clients. Custom Crating and Logistics can put you in touch with the best services.