I have about 100 or so records from my collection I'm going to start listing soon. I have some boxes from my purchases which I can re-use but for the most part I had to trash the others. I've looked at Amazon and a few other places such as Sleeves City but wanted to see what ya'll are using. From what I'm seeing those boxes are $3-4 each depending on the quality and number ordered. Seems expensive for such a small (thin) box but I know everything is expensive these days. I'm thinking I just need those boxes, some bubble wrap and tape. I'll send the more expensive records in the large Acoustc Sound boxes I've saved and will add extra padding. Thanks.
Buy the mailers that Amazon and others use, which are about 2" wider than the LP, and have wrap-around wings inside the mailer to keep the LP from shifting to the edge. Unless the carrier decides to break it in half, these will protect your LPs from damage in transport and shouldn't cost $3-4/each. I have lots of them from previous purchases, which I am still using when I sell something. So I can't tell you where to buy them.
If you order $250+ (easy to do by adding 100 cardboard stiffeners & outer poly sleeves) you get free shipping.
Yeah, those are basically the same as the ones I was talking about. Way overpriced, but I am not sure if you can find them at a reasonable price. At least they're cheaper than $3-4!
These Pratt mailers were about $1/each in lots of 25 from Amazon. They're out of stock at the moment. Not sure whether/when they'll get more in: Pratt PRA0821 Vinyl Record Mailer, Kraft (Pack of 25)
I regularly get seam splits & creases from these fold-over EZ mailers. You can buy some of the best mailers around at this price, and these are certainly not some the best mailers around. I've been using these for years, and have literally shipped thousands of them. They're not as good as whiplash mailers, but with some bubble wrap, stiffeners, and edge protection, they're VERY effective. Spending $3-4 per mailer is a huge expense that you'll have to pass on to the customer, and it's completely unnecessary.
I’ve been using these for almost 2 years now. Great mailers. I ship over 10k records per year and only had 1 complaint of damage in the past year with those. Which is really good odds actually. With the regular white mailers I would get damage with 1/1000 usually maybe even more. I’ve used every mailer and the mighty mailers are the easiest and most cost effective mailers to use of those that have corner protection. My only complaint is that the tape strips are terrible. I still tape every single package.
i haven’t seen those mailers in stock for years. Even when they did sell them the cost had gone up to $2/mailer I believe. It’s been 5+ years since the golden days of the $1 Pratt mailers.
Like what? Bags Unlimited are way less expensive than Whiplash. I've got way too many records with bumped and crushed corners to ever use that kind again.
Thanks all for the replies! I will probably start buying boxes next week. I also need to look into getting an account set up w/ USPS and however that works.
cool, I didn't know that either. I don't like PP but am likely stuck with them until I'm done buying and selling used records.
Free ones. I had a local buyer/seller give me a whole bunch for free, all I had to do was get him to meet me downtown in the homeless and free-fire zone. Both regular and Whiplash style. And I recycle all mailers that I get here. The term free-fire zone was learned in a tour of duty I had in Vietnam as a Marine Corps grunt in 70/71. Video at 11 from 'old town' not far from one of my workplaces. I'm not kidding.
