For me, Powells Books is the only place I've ordered from that does that. Never from Amazon in 15 years and many damaged books. It's such a smart way to ship books.
I recently had a single SD card (64Gb before anyone makes the 'smart' joke) delivered from Amazon UK, it came in a box that could have taken several paperback books, a few CDs and about two dozen SD cards.
Records have been arriving lately in large boxes with air packs.... not the usual record mailers that do a good job of protecting the record. Needless to say, many records have gone back because they’re damaged. It’s disappointing.
Have you gotten any records recently in the blue and white plastic Amazon bags? I've received two this month. Not good.
No, but thats a new level of carelessness. I will say, since I've posted this, the dedicated LP mailers have returned and I only see the careless packaging for warehouse records. Its a shame because it almost always adds more damage.
A few months ago I was having terrible experiences with amazon packaging, I even received records with no packaging at all! This year I have had better luck with most records coming in proper LP mailers.
For the past few years, I've had good experiences purchasing vinyl sold by/shipped from Amazon US. They package in a rigid LP mailer placed inside a sturdy outer box. However, I just received a record sold by "Amazon Global Store UK", purchased through Amazon US. The tracking showed it originated in Australia. The record was packaged in a thin (not corrugated) cardboard envelope ... basically a larger version of the type used for paper documents. And that envelope was placed inside a soft, unpadded outer paper bag. This record wouldn't have made it undamaged from the next zip code to me in Ohio, let alone via international shipping. The packaging, and LP sleeve, were completely bent on two corners. Needless to say, it was returned. Anyway, just a caution if you're looking at something sold by "Amazon Global Store UK."
Their packaging woes don’t apply just to records. I ordered a pack of flat lithium batteries. It arrived in a 5 x 5 x 8 box with bubble wrap, when a padded envelope would have done just fine.
Lithium batteries have special packing and shipping requirements. Amazon have to follow the regulstions.
I haven't bought any vinyl in a while from Amazon. but recently placed an order on three lps. Surprisingly all three came in proper vinyl cardboard boxes. two in one larger box and the other shipped separately.
Amazon have always been hit and miss for me, I'm in the UK. I can buy a £12 LP and it will come in a record mailer placed inside another box with air cushions. Then buy a £400 box set like the Floyd Later Years and it's just sent loose in a box with literally nothing to protect the item. Think it took 3 attempts in the end. This week The Beatles Mono CD Box. Sent loose no packaging, first one was dented and torn. Requested replacement it arrived fine but only through luck as it was packed exactly the same.
I got a 32 oz plastic bottle of record cleaner fluid in one of their padded paper envelopes. It was placed inside of a plastic bag, but it did leak in transit. It should have been placed inside a cardboard box for proper protection.
As bad as Amazon is, they're nowhere near as bad as Costco. Don't EVER order anything from them that could possibly leak or melt!
No matter who you are buying liquids from you have to be careful not to order in the winter, they freeze, expand and leak like crazy when they thaw out. It was worse when I lived in Wisconsin, but it does freeze out here in Oregon sometimes.
