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Random Vinyl Shipping Rant: Split Seams


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I am working from home today and using this time to update my collection on Discogs. As I go through them, I realize how common it is for the seams to split during shipping. While getting those albums after waiting months is always awesome, it's also heartbreaking to see the sleeves split up. 

 

It feels like this a fairly new phenomenon. Am I the only one?

Edited by Deathbyart
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With vinyl's popularity being on a continued upswing, the level of careful packing by a majority of distros is a downward trend. Sure, a lot are using better LP mailers for corner protectors and all...esp. in the U.S....but it won't save the records from being jostled around and getting those seam splits. 

 

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53 minutes ago, tipyourbartender said:

Seam splits on the printed inner-sleeves can be even worse. It's really disappointing to open a new record and see that. 

Getting printed inner sleeves is pretty disappointing. I think some labels (Fat) are realizing these always get destroyed and are moving away from them.

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IDK how "common" it is, but it does happen. I also suspect some sellers try to get away without disclosing seam-splits before selling as I have received a record or two over the years that made me wonder, as the packaging was solid all around aside from a small split. Not incredibly common, in my experience.

 

Personally as a seller, I take all used records out of the cover. If it has a picture sleeve, I remove the vinyl from the sleeve and include paper inner and plastic outer sleeves.

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I’ve always looked at splits and dings as the price of buying records online instead of locally.  I mean you are getting cardboard sent inside thicker cardboard and it is going hundreds of miles, things can happen with the best packing jobs

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14 hours ago, ROVVLES said:

Personally as a seller, I take all used records out of the cover. If it has a picture sleeve, I remove the vinyl from the sleeve and include paper inner and plastic outer sleeves.

Ditto. This isn’t hard

 

Seam splits suck on sealed records but they happen so I don’t get super stressed anymore about it

 

The thing that confounds me is someone shipping the record in the jacket and the whole thing “naked” in a mailer; vinyl inside sleeve inside mailer with no plastic sleeve/bubble wrap/etc

Edited by derby625
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I ship all used records with the records outside the jacket, if I'm selling a new record I offer to slit the record along the edge and remove it from the jacket.

If it's new and you want it sealed, no shipping method can 100% stop a record inside a sealed sleeve from potentially shifting and causing a split. 

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I don’t get the obsession with seam splits. You have a flat plastic circle with sharp edges inside a paper sleeve,  yea seam splits are gonna happen.  

so what?  How often are you looking down at the top of your record, you’re not gonna see it, and then just store the record outside of the jacket, problem solved.

 

seam splits, corner bends...who cares?  It adds character to your record.  Nothing stays pristine forever..besides it’s just paper

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17 hours ago, apirk said:

I’ve always looked at splits and dings as the price of buying records online instead of locally.  I mean you are getting cardboard sent inside thicker cardboard and it is going hundreds of miles, things can happen with the best packing jobs

 

8 minutes ago, crossedoutname said:

I don’t get the obsession with seam splits. You have a flat plastic circle with sharp edges inside a paper sleeve,  yea seam splits are gonna happen.  

so what?  How often are you looking down at the top of your record, you’re not gonna see it, and then just store the record outside of the jacket, problem solved.

 

seam splits, corner bends...who cares?  It adds character to your record.  Nothing stays pristine forever..besides it’s just paper

Kinda feel exactly these ways about it. I hate when something is fucked up, but it really doesn't matter if it plays appropriately. My biggest complaint is when brand new records sound like scrotum dragging under the needle.

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Seam splits dramatically increased with the popularity of fucking 180 gram vinyl.  I hate that shit.  No need for it other than to jack up the cost on the manufacturing end as well as for the end user.  There's zero sonic benefit.  I laugh when a store expects you to accept a record that arrives with seam splits and keep your mouth shut.  They don't consider it damaged when it's going from their hands to yours...but when you walk in to sell a record with a seam split jacket then they're sure as fuck going to ding you for it.  It's bullshit.  Seam splits on the jackets and inner sleeves are damaged product.  End of story.

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5 hours ago, jmpatrick said:

I laugh when a store expects you to accept a record that arrives with seam splits and keep your mouth shut.  They don't consider it damaged when it's going from their hands to yours...but when you walk in to sell a record with a seam split jacket then they're sure as fuck going to ding you for it.  It's bullshit.  Seam splits on the jackets and inner sleeves are damaged product.  End of story.

Agreed 100%. It is the seller's responsibility to ensure that items arrived undamaged.

 

I can semi-agree with someone above who said there is no way to ensure 100% against damage, but I would argue that better packaging practices can eliminate a vast majority.  Some places still use a single LP mailer, or a single box that can easily be damaged by one careless drop, or by being smashed by heavier packages in transit.

 

There is no excuse for sending items worth $50 or more in simple cardboard box when items can easily be double boxed and shipped media mail without adding too much to costs. The investment in packaging is worth the money saved in potential returns, or money lost from buyers who may be deterred from making additional purchases from sellers who don't pack securely.

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I definitely agree with double boxing if it's costly, but also there is absolutely no way to prevent seam splits if it's staying sealed. It has nothing to do with packaging and everything to do with handling. If a sealed record gets shaken up enough, seam splits are going to happen. If you don't care if a record is sealed, then have em take it out. If you're one who cares about that, it's gonna be a gamble. I don't care how many boxes, stiffeners, bubble wrap, literal steel cases, etc that are used.

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1 hour ago, Fowty Dollaz said:

If you don't care if a record is sealed, then have em take it out. If you're one who cares about that, it's gonna be a gamble.

This too. If you buy a sealed record and don't ask for it to be shipped outside the jacket its on you. Opening sealed records is not general practice.

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11 hours ago, jmpatrick said:

Seam splits dramatically increased with the popularity of fucking 180 gram vinyl.  I hate that shit.  No need for it other than to jack up the cost on the manufacturing end as well as for the end user.  There's zero sonic benefit.  I laugh when a store expects you to accept a record that arrives with seam splits and keep your mouth shut.  They don't consider it damaged when it's going from their hands to yours...but when you walk in to sell a record with a seam split jacket then they're sure as fuck going to ding you for it.  It's bullshit.  Seam splits on the jackets and inner sleeves are damaged product.  End of story.

I refuse to believe a 180 gram record without a split inner sleeve exists.

 

Never seen one. Never will.

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