How to Ship Cassette Tapes Without Risking Any Damage
How to ship cassette tapes is pretty simple if you bubble wrap them accordingly – pay special attention to the case, as it is less likely to break around the hinges. A few packing peanuts will also add to the cushioning for safe transportation.
Cassette tapes represent a thing from the 1990s.
With all these, they are still around.
Finding players is not hard, but then the vintage profile of these things makes them well appreciated worldwide.
Besides, they work wonders if you are into the vintage collection and have an old car too.
Now, how to ship cassette tapes is a different story because despite coming in cases, they are quite fragile.
If you remember, those cases always wore out and broke, especially around the hinges.
This guide will give you all the details you need to ensure proper shipping.
Table of Contents
What You Need to Prepare
How to Pack Cassette Tapes
In this guide, you will learn how to ship cassette tapes safely and efficiently, like a pro. By following these steps, you can minimize the risk of damage during shipping.
1. Prepare the Cassette Tape You Want to Send
Get the tape inside its original case.
If you no longer have it, getting a random cassette tape case pays off – a bit of protection will never hurt.
While cases tend to get broken all the time, the truth is no one cares about them.
You can use any case you want and transfer the paper part with song lists or lyrics, assuming you still have it.
If not, any random case will do.
2. Bubble Wrap the Cassette Tape for Protection
A couple of bubble wrap runs around the cassette tape case will do.
Make sure you bend the edges and use some tape to prevent the cassette from slipping.
If you send more than one cassette tape, put a piece of corrugated cardboard – case size – between two cassette tapes.
You can wrap two or three together – more is also doable but not very safe.
If you want to send dozens of cassette tapes, it might be a good idea to cover every two cassettes in bubble wrap, then use some tape to keep everything together in an excellent cubic shape.
It will help with the shipping – after all, the more items move around the box, the more likely they will break.
3. Prepare the Box and Pack the Item
The box should be a bit bigger than the size of the package. If you send one cassette tape only, you will need a relatively small box. If you send dozens of them, it needs to be bigger. They must be well packed to prevent moving around.
Now, if you use a padded envelope and a few packing peanuts, you could probably sell a cassette without a box. However, the box ensures greater protection, especially if it is a rare collectible.
Unless they are exposed to severe risks – such as heavy stuff thrown on top, cassettes are likely to survive a trip, even an international one. Cases are more likely to be affected, but they can easily replace them should any unexpected situations arise.
All in all, put some packing peanuts at the bottom of the box. Put the tape or tapes in the middle, then add packing peanuts around them and on top. You want them to float in a sea of packing peanuts.
Close the box, shake it or push packing peanuts around to settle, then fill the new gaps. Do it until there are no gaps left.
4. Seal the Box and Mark it as Fragile
Grab the tape and scissors and go all around the box – all directions, angles, and especially the openings and sides.
These parts are more likely to get damaged.
Having tape all around the box will prevent things from coming out.
Write fragile on all sides of the box.
If you have stickers, put them on.
This technique will not guarantee that courier employees will be more careful with the parcel.
Play it safe, though.
Most people are less likely to throw the box around like a bag of potatoes if they know it is fragile.
5. Get Shipping Labels and Send the Parcel
Choose a courier, get the shipping labels, and your package is ready to go.
It pays off shopping around because while most couriers can transport your package, different companies will charge different rates.
How Much Does it Cost to Ship Cassette Tapes?
You can send a cassette for anything between $2 and $5.
Most couriers will charge per weight – unless you send many cassette tapes, a few will not bring in any extra fees.
Shipping internationally will also add to the price, not to mention express shipping – faster but more expensive.
It is worth noting that most couriers will not include shipping labels in their rates, so this is an extra expense.
The Cheapest Way to Ship Cassette Tapes
There are more couriers, and finding the cheapest one implies shopping around – a bit time-consuming.
Now, most people running online businesses or those who rely on couriers a lot would instead use shipping software.
Shipping software like Pirate Ship allows you to weigh the parcel, introduce the box size, and print shipping labels for free.
Moreover, Pirate Ship also displays the top couriers based on price.
USPS is among the most popular choices, but FedEx and UPS are usually among the front runners.
Having your shipping labels saves more than just money – also the time needed to be in queues.
Final Thoughts
Bottom line, figuring out how to ship cassette tapes is not as difficult as it may seem.
People ship more fragile items without any issues at all.
If you bubble wrap them accordingly and provides some cushioning, your tapes will make it safely to the destination.
Saving money on shipping is also a good idea, especially if you can print shipping labels yourself.
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