# Books, games and vinyl > Pack heavy media rigid and weigh it to the gram, so it arrives intact and costs less to post. Books, video games and records are flat and heavy. Weigh each one before you buy a label, because postage depends on weight. Pack in boxes or padded envelopes with card stiffeners so corners don’t dent and sleeves don’t bend. ## How to pack it - Wrap books and games in a layer of bubble wrap to protect the corners. - Use a padded envelope for single items, a small box for bundles and box sets. - Weigh it to the gram and choose the cheapest band it fits. Avoid: Thin envelopes for hardbacks. The corners push through and arrive dented. - **[Kraft padded envelopes, D/1, 100 pack](https://sellersetups.com/product/padded-envelopes)** (£14 to £22): Enough padding for a lipstick, a small figure or a sealed booster pack, with no box to fold. - **[Small single-wall boxes, 25 pack](https://sellersetups.com/product/single-wall-boxes)** (£8 to £14): Use these for boxed toys and beauty sets that a padded bag would crush, when double-wall board costs more than you need. - **[12-inch LP record mailers, 10 pack](https://sellersetups.com/product/lp-record-mailers)** (£10 to £18): 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. - **[Bubble wrap, 500 mm x 100 m](https://sellersetups.com/product/bubble-wrap-roll)** (£10 to £15): A long roll costs several times less per metre than the small packs sold in shops. - **[100 x 150 mm thermal labels, 500 fanfold](https://sellersetups.com/product/thermal-labels-fanfold)** (£12 to £18): Fanfold stacks feed flat behind the printer and hold more labels than a roll. 100 x 150 mm matches the label size UK couriers and marketplaces print. ## Postage per order - Royal Mail Tracked 48 Small Parcel: £3.75. Clothing and small boxed items up to 2 kg, with tracking for less than untracked 2nd Class. - Royal Mail 2nd Class Small Parcel: £4.40. Folded clothes, books and boxed small items up to 2 kg, posted from a postbox or Post Office. - InPost locker to locker, medium: £2.59. Shoe boxes, books and bags up to 19 cm deep, sent between lockers when the buyer picks a locker. ## The kit for books, records and games Buy a parcel scale first, then board-backed mailers or book wraps for books and bubble wrap for discs. Small boxes cover bundles. Add a stack of card stiffeners for records and large hardbacks. ## Packing so corners and sleeves survive Pack each book in a board-backed wrap or a box with no room to slide. Vinyl needs a box made for records, with the record taken out of the sleeve and placed beside it so it can’t split the seam. DVDs, CDs and games are lighter and fine in padded mailers if the case is wrapped. ## Storing stock by location code Give every shelf and box a code from your first listing and note it on each listing, so an order tells you which shelf to go to. Store books upright and records vertically. Don’t stack them flat in tall piles: records warp, and the weight crushes spines. ## Photos and listings Shoot the cover, spine and back, plus any damage. For books, include the copyright page if edition matters, and for records, the label and the vinyl surface under good light. Buyers search by edition, so fill in the ISBN or catalogue number on every listing. ## Postage for heavy, flat items Many paperbacks and slim cases sit near the line between Large Letter and small parcel. Check the current Royal Mail size guide and weigh each item rather than guessing. Weigh a sample bundle of the same books before you quote postage on a lot. ## Growing past the first 50 orders Once you pass your first 50 orders, list in one session and pack in another. At that point, add a thermal label printer and a postage tool that pulls orders from all your platforms. Keep stock codes on the label notes so picking is quick. ## Common mistakes - Posting a record inside its sleeve. The disc can split the seam, so pack it beside the sleeve in a record mailer. - Sending books in a thin bag, where the corners dent in the sorting office. - Tall flat piles of records warp them. Store them upright. - Calling a book a first edition before you check the copyright page. - Buyers ask about dust they can see in photos, so wipe each record before you shoot it. ## Setups - [eBay books, games and vinyl setup](https://sellersetups.com/setups/ebay-books-media): Two scales, rigid mailers and shelves sorted by code, so 20 to 80 books, games and records a week go out in the cheapest postage band that fits. ## Questions ### Should vinyl go in a box or an envelope? Use a proper record mailer or a box with stiffeners on both sides. Take the record out of the sleeve and pack it beside it, so the sleeve doesn’t split in transit. ### Is a parcel scale enough for books? For single books, weigh to the gram so you know which side of a weight band you’re on. Bundles and box sets go on the larger parcel scale. ### Is it worth selling cheap paperbacks? A single cheap paperback rarely covers your time once postage is paid, so bundle them by author or genre and sell them as lots. ### How do I find a book among hundreds? Give each shelf a code, add it to the listing, and keep books upright in code order. ### Do I need to clean records before selling? Wipe the dust off every record and describe each mark and scuff in the listing. A clean record plays and photographs better. ### Should I sell video games with or without the case? Complete games with case and manual sell better. If something’s missing, say so in the title and the description.