Rigid cardboard mailers sized for 12-inch vinyl.
Typical price
£10 to £18
Why we pick it
- Typical price
- £10 to £18
- Works with
A folding board mailer holds one 12-inch record flat with stiffeners either side, so the corners and sleeve seams survive the sorting belts. Buy them if you sell vinyl every week; for a box set or a stack of records, use a small box with bubble wrap instead.
Our approved alternative for the same job: Small single-wall boxes, 25 pack
The guide
Each step in the order you'll need it.
Who LP mailers suit
LP mailers suit you if you post 12-inch records every week on eBay, Vinted or Depop. A record buyer judges the sleeve as much as the disc, and a folding board mailer keeps both flat and square.
A 10 pack covers clearing a collection or selling a few records a week. Regular dealers buy packs of 25 or 50 to bring the cost per mailer down.
Sizing a mailer for a 12-inch sleeve
A 12-inch mailer needs an internal space a little over 31 cm square, the size of a standard LP sleeve. Some hold one record and some up to three; adjustable depth scores or crease lines take a gatefold or a double album.
Corrugated board with folding flaps wraps the record on all four sides, and a peel-and-seal strip saves you tape. Some packs include card stiffeners, which add protection against bending.
The packed mailer is larger than a standard letter format. Measure it and compare it with Royal Mail's size guide or your courier's limits before you set postage.
Packing a record
Take the disc out of the outer sleeve and put it in its inner sleeve behind the jacket, or in a separate plastic outer. Seam splits often start when the disc shifts inside the jacket in transit, and moving it out stops that.
Put a stiffener either side of the record, lay it in the mailer and fold the flaps in order. Press the strip down firmly, then write "Do not bend" on the front if the mailer has no printed warning.
Put the label on the front panel, away from the folding edges, and weigh the parcel. Store flat mailers upright in a slot beside your record shelves.
Box sets, singles and CDs
For box sets or a bundle of several records, a Small single-wall boxes, 25 pack box with Bubble wrap, 500 mm x 100 m round the records protects better than squeezing them into an LP mailer.
For 7-inch singles, use a smaller single mailer, or Board-backed card mailers, C6, 100 pack for a light single. CDs and cassettes travel well in Kraft padded envelopes, D/1, 100 pack.
Cost per record
At £10 to £18 for 10, each mailer costs about £1 to £1.80. On a £20 record that is a real share of the price, so build it into the postage charge.
Board mailers protect better than a padded bag, and record buyers leave feedback on how a record arrived. A dented corner or split seam can turn a sale into a return.
Common mistakes
Each one costs you money or reviews, and each has a fix.
- Move the disc behind the jacket before posting. Left inside, it splits the seams in transit.
- A padded envelope lets an LP's corners bend; use a rigid mailer.
- A basic mailer without stiffeners flexes, so add a board either side.
- Three records squeezed into a single mailer bow the sides. Bundles go in a box.
- Measure the packed mailer first, then price the postage.
Setups that use it
Complete kits this product is part of.
Questions
Should the record stay in its sleeve?
Take the disc out of the jacket and place it behind, in its inner sleeve. That protects the jacket seams.
How many records fit in one mailer?
Most hold one to three records. The listing gives the depth and crease options.
Can I post an LP as a Large Letter?
A 12-inch mailer is larger than Large Letter size. Royal Mail's size guide shows the right service.
Do I need stiffeners?
Yes, if the mailer has no built-in pads. A board either side stops the record bending.
Are LP mailers worth it over a box?
For single records, yes. A box suits sets and bundles.
Alternatives
Other picks for the same job, cheaper and pricier.
Small jewellery boxes, 50 pack
A foam insert holds the piece still in the box. The box fits in a padded envelope, so most orders still go as a Large Letter.
Typical price£8 to £14
See on AmazonSmall single-wall boxes, 25 pack
Use these for boxed toys and beauty sets that a padded bag would crush, when double-wall board costs more than you need.
Typical price£8 to £14
See on AmazonLarge Letter postal boxes, 50 pack
A slim box under 25 mm deep protects a small item better than an envelope and can still go at Large Letter postage. Measure the packed box before you buy postage.
Typical price£14 to £22
See on AmazonDie-cut postal boxes for small parcels, 50 pack
These fold flat, close without tape and sit under the small parcel size of 45 × 35 × 16 cm. Pick a depth that fits your usual item with a little padding.
Typical price£18 to £28
See on Amazon