DVD Mailers

[zgrm100]

Hi guys. Quick question. I need to snail mail some of the DVDs that I make. Can you guys recommend some cheap DVD mailers? Something like Netflix uses or something but that I still will be able to get it mailed with a 37 cent stamp. Is it even possible to do this?

[redwudz]

You can go to an office supply store like Staples and get a padded DVD/CD mailer envelope. Pretty safe. If you put the DVD into a hard DVD case, even better. The post office will tell you how much the mailing cost is. Usually about $.60US.

[zgrm100]

Thanks redwudz. I dont need padded cases though. Just something like netflix that is cheap. I was hoping I oculd just put one stamp on it and thats it. So what do you guys suggest? Are there any cheap paper-type mailers like netflix uses?

[Supreme2k]

First off, it's 39 cents now, not 37.

Second, don't be such a cheapskate! Do as redwudz suggested.

If they and you have broadband, FTP/P2P/whatever to transfer the files (create an iso to burn).

[redwudz]

What Supreme2k said. The US post office can destroy almost anything if given the chance. ( I apologise to US Postal workers, but shit happens, I know. ) A cheap padded envelope more than doubles your chances of the DVD coming through the mail system whole. I have had plenty of Netfix DVDs destroyed because of their cheapie mailer. They just play the odds and hope it gets through intact.

Try this: Throw your DVD on the floor and jump on it several times. That is about equivalent to what happens occasionally with the US Postal Service. (Again apologies to USPS, but you know it happens at times. )

It will generally survive this in a padded mailer, especially when in a DVD hard case.

It's up to you.

[ROF]

These are the ones I use for my monthly mailings.

http://www.meritline.com/dvd-mailer-mailers.html

I haven't had any problems yet with these in the USPS system.

[davideck]

I've used the Staples CD/3.5" Diskette Mailers many times. They are lightly padded. I just put two 39 cent stamps on each and drop them into the mailbox around the corner. It saves a trip to the post office and I've never had a problem.

[manono]

I've had probably 10 or so DVDs in NetFlix mailers get broken. Greencine uses cardboard, and I haven't lost any DVDs from them yet. If you have an envelope big enough, you could cut a couple of pieces of cardboard to put on either side of the DVD, tape around the outside, and put it it in the envelope with a couple of stamps on the outside.

It's probably similar to ROF's suggestion, but it'll save you buying anything, as most people have those slightly larger manila envelopes around the house somewhere.

[Doramius]

You can put a $.39 stamp on anything up to 1oz. You Disc with a media mailer will take it just over 1 oz. in most instances.

1 < 2oz. is $.63, so you're probably best off paying the rate you're supposed to. The best thing is to get a slimline case and mail it off. You'll be just under 2oz. and that's the best way I've seen discs get mailed without problems. I've even had extremely cracked cases and the disc had very minor scratches on it, but still worked beautifully.

[terryj]

What Supreme2k said. The US post office can destroy almost anything if given the chance. ( I apologise to US Postal workers, but shit happens, I know. ) A cheap padded envelope more than doubles your chances of the DVD coming through the mail system whole. I have had plenty of Netfix DVDs destroyed because of their cheapie mailer. They just play the odds and hope it gets through intact.

Try this: Throw your DVD on the floor and jump on it several times. That is about equivalent to what happens occasionally with the US Postal Service. (Again apologies to USPS, but you know it happens at times. )

On behalf of my Dad, he accepts your apologies.


Yes, I THIRD the suggestions made here.
Not only do I have *first hand experience* in the reasons why
Netflix renters suffer so badly, but as my Father puts it
"You get what you pay for." A cheap paper mailer always
gurantees it won't make it intact.

Either get a sturdier mailer, or send them via Priorty Mail
using the Priorty Mail Cardboard Mailers for letters. They wil hold a DVD
upright, and the cardboard is sturdy enough to stand the sorters
the PO uses.

[lordsmurf]

For mailing discs to customers, I put them in those round cases that lock down securely. Fry's sells them for $5 for a 20-pack. The disc cannot move around, fall out of the tab, etc. I suggest those. Then mail in a box or bubble mailer.

[Jester700]

Well, you never said how many you send or how important each disc is. If you send a LOT of them, they're not for profit, and you have a backup where you can always make another, going cheap is a reasonable option - that's why netflix does it, after all, and THEIR replacements are more than a 30 cent blank. You'll save $$ in the long run - blanks are cheaper than the extra stamp. But if an occasional wrecked disc (and attendant time & hassle of replacing it) would be costly to you or a client, safer is better - all the way to a DVD case in a padded envelope.

[dun4cheap]

Myself, I put them in regular DVD cases which I get like a 100 for $8.99. I use Jiffy #0 bubble Mailers. 250 for $44 from uline.com thats like $.17 each. Postage with the DVD case is $1.29. Now if you do just the dvd it will be a lot cheaper.

I get my dvd cases from www.finodisc.com

[ozymango]

I've put CDs/DVDs into hard, protective cases, then put these cases into padded envelopes, and the USPS still manages to break 'em as often as not!

But yeah, if you really are concerned with shipping cost (and if you ship enough I know the pain, it can really add up), you might want to check out some flat paperboard mailers, like these CD mailers. You can get them from a bunch of different places, and they're pretty much the cheapest way to send single CDs or DVDs, plus they're relatively sturdy. That is, they're paperboard, not as tough as corrugated cardboard but a lot better than paper; I've sent a few hundred of these through the mail and my breakage rate was about 2%, which also happens to be my breakage rate using other methods, so it's sort of a wash.

A caveat: It's virutally impossible to come in at the "single stamp" rate when sending CDs or DVDs because the USPS also adds a charge for irregular shaped packaging (e.g. squares, like these mailers), so no matter what way you go, figure an additional ounce of postage. But because, if you use the flat pressboard mailers, the "envelope" can be used as a storage case later on (sort of), for the absolute cheapest way to get DVDs from one place to another, it's hard to beat.

[alexgeo]

Hi,
may i suggest C-Shell plastic cases like these :

http://svp.co.uk/products-solo.php?pid=332

The former dvd rental service i used here in France sent its DVD in those and i never had a single disc broken.

[hech54]

Hi guys. Quick question. I need to snail mail some of the DVDs that I make. Can you guys recommend some cheap DVD mailers? Something like Netflix uses or something but that I still will be able to get it mailed with a 37 cent stamp. Is it even possible to do this?

#1 - Netflix is most likely getting bulk rates.
#2 - Even without any kind of DVD case...37/39 cents
is a bit unrealistic if you want it to arrive in one piece.
I personally use small thin cardboard mailers here in
Europe...and ship DVD/CD only via airmail for
€3...and that is to America and most anywhere else. I'm
sure it will be a whole lot cheaper than that if you are mailing
within the confines of your own country....even with a good mailer
(package/envelope).
And for the record....the US Postal System is very good compared
to some other "popular" countries....like the UK's Royal Mail. They are
not as famous for damaging stuff as they are for just losing stuff.

[lordsmurf]

Use these!
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=20PK-3CLRCDCASE

Only 72 cents plus shipping for the 20-pack, on sale.

If I bought 5 packs of these (100 cases), it would be a total of just under $12. Not bad for 12 cents each!