The kit for books, records and games
Buy a shipping scale first, then rigid mailers or book wraps for books and bubble wrap for discs. Small boxes cover bundles.
Add a stack of cardboard stiffeners for records and large hardcovers.
Pack heavy media rigid and weigh it to the ounce, so it arrives intact and costs less to ship.
What you need to sell books, games and vinyl
The kit our builder picks for a typical Books, games and vinyl seller. Change the answers to fit yours.
1 of 2Setup Builder
Storage
5-tier steel shelving, 72 in
Holds tubs or boxes floor to ceiling in a small footprint.
Label printer
Phomemo thermal label printer
A compact thermal printer for your first few hundred labels.
The guide
Each step in the order you'll need it.
Packing so corners and sleeves survive
Pack each book in a rigid wrap or a box with no room to slide.
Vinyl needs a box made for records, with the record taken out of the jacket 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 catalog number on every listing.
Shipping heavy, flat items
Most single books and games weigh under 1 lb and go by USPS Ground Advantage. Heavier books and record lots can go by Media Mail, which is cheaper but slower and limited to media.
Weigh a sample bundle of the same books before you quote shipping 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 shipping tool such as Pirate Ship that pulls orders from all your platforms. Keep stock codes in the label notes so picking is quick.
Common mistakes
Each one costs you money or reviews, and each has a fix.
- Shipping a record inside its jacket. The disc can split the seam, so pack it beside the jacket in a record mailer.
- Sending books in a thin poly mailer, where the corners dent in sorting.
- 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
Complete kits for one kind of seller, costed and laid out.
Shipping per order
What most orders like these ship by, at today’s published rates. Rates checked October 7, 2026.
USPS Ground Advantage, under 1 lbUsual$6.93 to $8.95
TrackedUp to 1 lbClothing, cards in a mailer and other small items under 1 lb. Tracked, with $100 insurance included.
- USPS Ground Advantage, 1 to 2 lb
$7.61 to $13.42
TrackedUp to 2 lbShoes, jeans and boxed items up to 2 lb, tracked with $100 insurance.
- USPS Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Box
$21.17 to $25.80
TrackedUp to 70 lbFlat Rate box for dense items like books or ceramics, priced the same to any state.
How to pack it
Thin envelopes for hardcovers. The corners push through and arrive dented.
- 1Wrap books and games in a layer of bubble wrap to protect the corners.
- 2Use a padded mailer for single items, a small box for bundles and box sets.
- 3Weigh it to the ounce, and try a Medium Flat Rate Box for heavy stacks.
One roll covers a couple of hundred small packages.
Light boxes for boxed toys and beauty sets.
Selling books, games and vinyl
Books, video games and records are flat and heavy. Weigh each one before you buy a label, because shipping depends on weight.
Pack in boxes or padded mailers with cardboard stiffeners so corners don't dent and sleeves don't bend.
Questions
Straight answers to what sellers ask about this.
Should vinyl go in a box or a mailer?
Use a proper record mailer or a box with stiffeners on both sides. Take the record out of the jacket and pack it beside it, so the seam doesn't split in transit.
Can I use USPS Media Mail?
Media Mail is a cheaper USPS service for books, records, CDs and DVDs. Video games and anything with ads don't qualify, and USPS can open the package to check. It is also slower than Ground Advantage, so compare both prices on Pirate Ship.
Is it worth selling cheap paperbacks?
A single cheap paperback rarely covers your time once shipping 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.