How to ship vinyl records so they arrive safe

By GrailBin · Updated October 2026

To ship a vinyl record safely, take the record out of its cover, put it in a rigid LP mailer with a cardboard stiffener on each side, and fill any empty space so nothing slides. Shipping the record outside the cover is the single biggest step: it stops the disc from splitting the cover's seams in transit.

What you need

• A rigid LP mailer: a corrugated cardboard mailer sized for 12-inch records, with folding flaps. Use 7-inch mailers for singles.
• Stiffeners: flat corrugated pads cut to LP size. Use at least one on each side of the record.
• An inner sleeve for the record, and a plastic outer sleeve for the cover if you have one.
• Packing tape, and nothing else on the outside: no "Records" or "Vinyl" written on the mailer.

How to pack a record

1. Take the record out of the cover. Slide it in its inner sleeve, and put it behind the cover, not inside it. A loose disc moving inside the cover is what splits seams.
2. Protect the cover. Put the cover in a plastic outer sleeve if you have one, so tape and scuffs can't reach it.
3. Sandwich it. Place a stiffener on each side of the record and cover.
4. Fill the gaps. If the mailer is bigger than the record, add pads or flat cardboard so nothing can slide or bend.
5. Close and tape the mailer. Tape every flap and edge; don't tape anything to the record or its cover.
6. Take a photo before you seal it. A picture of the packed record is your proof of how it was shipped.

Sealed records stay sealed: ship them as they are, with extra stiffeners. Double LPs and gatefolds: take every record out and stack them together behind the cover. Box sets need a mailer or box that fits snugly, with pads on every side. A box set with non-media items, like a T-shirt or a poster, can't go by Media Mail.

What not to do

• Don't use padded envelopes or bubble mailers. They bend, and a bent record is a warped one.
• Don't ship a used record inside its cover, even if the seams look solid.
• Don't use a box that's much too big without filling the space.
• Don't write what's inside on the outside. A plain package draws less attention.

Choosing a shipping service

Always use a service with tracking, so you and the buyer can see when the record arrives. In the US, records qualify for USPS Media Mail, which is priced by the pound and usually the cheapest option. It's slower than other services, and Media Mail packages can be opened for inspection. For valuable records, add insurance or use a faster service.

Shipping on GrailBin

When a record sells on GrailBin, a prepaid shipping label shows up with tracking built in, so there's nothing to price or buy. Pack it in a rigid LP mailer with stiffeners and take the packing photo. If your packing photo meets GrailBin's packing standard, transit damage is on GrailBin, not you: the buyer gets a refund, GrailBin handles the insurance claim, and you still get paid. GrailBin hasn't launched yet, and its policies may change before launch.

Quick answers

Should I ship a record inside or outside its cover? Outside. Put the record, in its inner sleeve, behind the cover so it can't split the seams.

Can I send vinyl records by Media Mail? Yes. In the US, sound recordings qualify for Media Mail.

What's the best mailer for vinyl? A rigid corrugated LP mailer with a cardboard stiffener on each side of the record.

Source: USPS Domestic Mail Manual, 173 Media Mail. Checked October 21, 2026.