Labels, bands and publishers who ship media
Independent record labels and bands are a large group of buyers. They ship vinyl, CDs and cassettes from webstores and after tours.
Small presses and zine makers ship printed media in short runs. Photographers ship photo books and art prints in the same parcel.
Game studios and film distributors ship boxed DVDs, Blu-rays and printed manuals. Course creators send printed workbooks with a disc or USB card.
The common thread is a flat product with sharp corners. A dented corner on a sleeve or cover lowers its value straight away.
Bookshops with a mail order side and comic shops order too. Their stock arrives in every size, so they often keep three or four box sizes on hand.
Vinyl records need extra care
A 12 inch LP is the most demanding item on this page. It is large, heavy and its sleeve corners crush with little force.
Records ship best in a square B-flute box with spacers in each corner. The spacers keep the corners away from the outer walls.
Ship the record out of its outer sleeve when you can, with the inner sleeve and record placed behind the jacket. This helps stop seam splits caused by the disc pressing outward.
Labels that only ship records can see dedicated builds on our vinyl record shipping boxes page.
Double LPs and gatefold sleeves need a deeper box. Tell us the spine width so the lid closes without pressing on the jacket.
CDs, cassettes and DVDs in small flat boxes
Discs are light but brittle. A cracked jewel case is the most common complaint for CD sellers.
The cure is a box with almost no spare space. When the case cannot move, its hinges cannot snap.
Cassettes ship well in the same small box. Two or three tapes can sit side by side with a thin corrugated divider between them.
DVD and Blu-ray cases are taller and thinner. A slim E-flute box with a side loading tab lock slides them in from one end.
Slipcased DVD sets need a little more room for the slipcase edge. We add a thin pad so the slipcase does not scuff against the wall.
Bundles that mix formats
Music and publishing bundles mix sizes in one order. A record with a CD and a poster is common, as is a book with a disc tucked inside the cover.
Plan the box around the largest flat item. Smaller items then sit on top with a divider sheet between them.
Never place a CD directly against a vinyl sleeve. The hard case leaves a ring-shaped dent in the jacket.
For book-only orders, our custom book shipping boxes are cut close to trim sizes.
Posters deserve their own plan. If they must ship flat, place them below the record, never folded beside it.
- LP plus CD: CD in a corner pocket of a corrugated pad.
- LP plus poster: poster rolled in a tube, or flat behind the record.
- Book plus disc: disc in a card wallet inside the front cover.
- Zine bundle: issues stacked with a divider every few copies.
- Photo book plus prints: prints in a sleeve below the book.
Packing a record and CD bundle step by step
Bundles cause most of the damage reports we hear about. This packing order keeps each item safe.
Pin a photo of a packed bundle above the bench. New helpers on a busy release week can copy it without asking.
- Fold the box and drop a corrugated pad into the base.
- Place the record jacket flat, centered on the pad.
- Lay the inner sleeve and disc behind the jacket, not inside it.
- Add a divider sheet over the record.
- Set the CD on the divider, in a corner pocket if one is cut.
- Add a top pad, close the lid and press the strip or tuck firmly.
Flat boxes for the merch table
Bands and authors also sell at shows and fairs. A printed media mailer doubles as a carry box for buyers at the table.
Flat boxes stack tightly in a van or a car trunk. Fold them at the venue as orders come in.
Print the band or press logo on the lid and a track list or contents inside. Fans often keep the box as part of the release.
Ideas for inside panels, from lyric sheets to a thank-you line, appear in our unboxing experience planning guide.
Bring folded samples to your first show and time how quickly they assemble. A tab-lock style folds in seconds without tape.
Kraft for everyday sends, print for releases
Many labels keep two boxes. A plain or one-color kraft mailer covers daily webstore orders at the lowest cost.
A fully printed box is saved for special releases, preorders and box sets. That is when fans film the opening.
Kraft takes white ink well, so a simple logo still stands out. White liners suit full-color album art reproduced on the lid.
You can compare kraft and printed stock on our kraft mailer boxes in natural brown page.
Printed boxes also help on preorder campaigns. A box design teased online before release day gives fans a reason to order early.
Mistakes that dent corners and covers
A box that is too big is the main cause of dents. The item slides and its corners take each knock.
Thin envelope mailers for records are the second. They bend in a mail bag and the sleeve bends with them.
Loose fill is the third. It shifts during the trip and leaves the corners exposed.
Check each new format against the box before a large send. One trial parcel through the post shows any weak point.
Overfilling causes trouble too. A box packed so tight that the lid bulges puts pressure on the record from above.
Wet doorsteps are a quieter risk. A matte or aqueous coating helps the outer print shrug off a light shower.
Picking the right inner size per format is covered in our guide to measuring box sizes.
Quotes, proofs and timing for media mailers
Send your format sizes, bundle plans and artwork. If you only have a logo, our team designs the panels for you at no cost.
Your free digital proof shows the box and any spacers. Ask for edits as often as the release needs.
Production takes 4–6 business days after approval. Transit takes 2–3 business days, free to the US, UK, Canada and Australia.
Prices start from $0.30 per unit, and each build is priced on your media mailer box quote. Time preorders so boxes land before stock does.
Damage reports and how to reach us
Report misprints or transit damage to your box order within 10 days. We reprint or refund under our reprint and refund policy.
Call or WhatsApp (503) 461-4788, or email info@shopmailerboxes.com with photos of the item you need to ship.
For large release days, give us the dates early. We can plan the proof stage so flat boxes are ready before your pressing arrives.
