$1 SHIPPING
PER RECORD?
Here’s how our $10 A+B program charge covers setup, pre-mastering, handling and USPS Media Mail shipping — plus how Rush Production, Priority Mail, Express shipping, tracking and USPS Informed Delivery work.
At Lathe Cut Vinyl Records, we’ve built our shipping and production system around keeping small-run custom vinyl affordable.
Our standard $10 A+B program charge covers more than putting postage on a box. It covers the setup and pre-mastering of one unique Side A + Side B program, handling, packaging and standard USPS Media Mail shipping.
For records without jackets, one $10 charge covers a mailer containing up to 10 identical records.
That means if you order 10 identical records without jackets, the entire $10 setup, pre-mastering, handling and shipping charge works out to just:
With jackets, our mailers hold up to 5 records per $10 mailer.
Up to 10 identical records per $10 mailer.
Up to 5 identical jacketed records per $10 mailer.
10 records without jackets = $10
20 records without jackets = $20
5 records with jackets = $10
10 records with jackets = $20
20 records with jackets = $40
THE $10 ISN’T JUST POSTAGE
This is important because we sometimes simply refer to the $10 as “shipping.”
It’s actually our A+B program setup, pre-mastering, handling and shipping charge.
Before we cut your records, your Side A and Side B program has to be prepared for production. We then handle the production setup, cut your records, prepare and package the finished order and ship it through USPS.
For one unique A+B program, that $10 charge covers up to 10 identical records without jackets or up to 5 identical records with jackets in one mailer.
WHAT IF I ORDER MORE THAN ONE MAILER?
The $10 structure repeats as your order gets larger.
Without jackets, we package up to 10 records per mailer. With jackets, we package up to 5 records per mailer.
So 20 identical records without jackets require two mailers. Twenty jacketed records require four mailers.
This allows us to keep shipping predictable instead of charging every record as an individual shipment.
WHAT IF MY RECORDS HAVE DIFFERENT AUDIO?
There’s another important part of the system: one A+B program means one unique Side A + Side B.
If you order 10 copies and all 10 records contain the same Side A and Side B, that’s one program.
If those records contain different audio, they are different programs and require separate setup because each program has to be individually prepared for cutting.
Our quantity discounts are designed for identical copies of the same A+B program.
WHY WE SHIP VINYL RECORDS WITH USPS MEDIA MAIL
Most of our standard U.S. record orders ship through USPS Media Mail.
Vinyl records are sound recordings, which makes Media Mail an economical way to ship qualifying physical recorded media throughout the United States.
Instead of automatically forcing every customer into a more expensive expedited service, we use Media Mail as our standard shipping method and let you decide when faster shipping is actually worth paying for.
MEDIA MAIL IS ECONOMICAL — NOT EXPRESS SHIPPING
Media Mail is our value option. It is not our fastest shipping option.
If your record is needed for a birthday, wedding, anniversary, release, corporate event or another specific date, don’t assume standard Media Mail will behave like an overnight service.
That’s why we offer Rush Production and faster USPS shipping upgrades.
Priority and Express pricing is based around a package of approximately 10 records. USPS postage can increase with package weight, size and destination. Additional shipping charges may apply to larger orders. If additional postage is required, we will contact you before shipment.
WHAT DOES RUSH ACTUALLY MEAN?
Rush means production priority. It does not mean instant production.
When you purchase Rush, your order moves ahead of our standard production orders.
Rush orders themselves are handled first come, first served.
If another customer places a Rush order before yours, that project is already ahead of yours in the Rush production queue. Your order still receives priority over standard production orders, but it does not jump ahead of Rush orders that were received first.
A LARGE RUSH ORDER STILL TAKES TIME
Rush changes your place in our production schedule. It doesn’t change how long it physically takes to make a record.
A one-record Rush order may sometimes receive very quick attention when the files are ready and our production schedule allows it.
But 50, 100 or 200 records still require the actual time necessary to cut, inspect, finish, package and ship every record.
If a 200-record Rush project was received before another Rush order, that earlier project remains ahead in the Rush queue.
Paying for Rush cannot turn several days of physical manufacturing into a one-day job.
PRIORITY.
Rush gives your project priority attention and moves it ahead of standard production. It is not a guaranteed production or delivery date.
SMALL RUSH ORDERS CAN MOVE VERY FAST
This is where Rush can make a huge difference.
If you’re ordering one or just a few records and your audio and artwork are completely ready, we can give that project priority attention rather than leaving it in the normal production queue.
The exact turnaround still depends on the Rush work already ahead of your project.
Our rule is simple: Rush gets priority. Earlier Rush orders remain ahead of later Rush orders.
PRODUCTION SPEED AND SHIPPING SPEED ARE DIFFERENT
Rush Production determines where your project sits in our production schedule.
USPS Media Mail, Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express determines how your finished package travels after we hand it to USPS.
THE FASTEST RUSH ORDER IS A READY-TO-CUT ORDER
If you’re paying to move your project forward in production, don’t lose that advantage waiting for files.
Have your Side A audio, Side B audio and artwork ready when placing a time-sensitive order.
Missing audio, missing artwork or later file changes can delay production regardless of which Rush or USPS shipping service you selected.
YOU ORDER ONLINE.
KNOW WHAT’S COMING TO YOUR HOUSE.
We strongly recommend USPS Informed Delivery to our customers — and not just because you’re buying a record from us.
If you receive mail and packages through USPS, it’s a useful service to have.
PREVIEW INCOMING MAIL
Eligible letter-sized mail can appear as grayscale images of the exterior address side before delivery.
SEE EXPECTED PACKAGES
See package information and USPS tracking for expected packages associated with your address.
GET DELIVERY UPDATES
USPS provides options for package tracking notifications so you can follow delivery progress.
DAILY DIGEST
Your Daily Digest can give you advance visibility into eligible incoming mail and expected packages.
MANAGE DELIVERIES
Depending on the shipment and eligibility, USPS may provide delivery-management options such as redelivery or Delivery Instructions.
MORE VISIBILITY
Instead of simply waiting for the mailbox or porch, you have another source of information about what USPS says is heading toward your address.
Informed Delivery doesn’t physically guard your mailbox or guarantee that a package can never be delayed, lost or stolen.
What it gives you is information and visibility.
If you know a piece of mail or package is expected, you can pay attention to your mailbox or delivery area and recognize sooner when something doesn’t match the delivery information you were expecting.
That can be useful when you’re waiting for one of our custom vinyl records — but it’s also useful for bills, letters, documents, online purchases and other mail coming to your address.
Once you have Informed Delivery set up, you can continue using it for other eligible USPS mail and packages coming to your address.
INFORMED DELIVERY ISN’T JUST FOR MEDIA MAIL
We’re recommending Informed Delivery because we ship our records through USPS, but it isn’t something you sign up for specifically for Media Mail or specifically for Lathe Cut Vinyl Records.
It’s associated with your eligible USPS address and can provide a broader view of qualifying incoming mail and packages.
So after your record arrives, keep using it.
The next time you’re waiting for another USPS package or wondering what mail may be headed to your address, you’ll already have it set up.
WHAT DOES INFORMED DELIVERY SHOW?
For eligible letter-sized mail processed through USPS automated equipment, Informed Delivery can show a grayscale image of the exterior address side of the mailpiece.
It isn’t showing you the contents of your letter. The preview comes from the outside of eligible mailpieces processed through USPS equipment.
For packages, Informed Delivery can provide tracking and delivery information in one place.
The point is simple: you have more information about what USPS expects to deliver to your address.
TRACK YOUR LATHE CUT VINYL RECORD TOO
You can also sign into your customer account at LatheCutVinylRecords.com to view your order information and available tracking details.
Remember that creation of a shipping label does not necessarily mean USPS has physically received and scanned the package yet.
We may create your label while we’re finishing inspection, packing your records and preparing the mailer.
Once USPS accepts and scans the package, tracking information begins reflecting movement through the postal network.
WHY HAS MY TRACKING NUMBER NOT MOVED YET?
A tracking number doesn’t automatically mean your package is already traveling across the country.
If the tracking information shows that a shipping label has been created and USPS is awaiting the item, your package may still be in the preparation or handoff stage.
Once USPS receives and scans it, you should begin seeing additional tracking activity as the package moves through the network.
And remember: tracking provides information about the shipment. Tracking itself doesn’t make a package move faster.
THE $1-PER-RECORD MATH
The more identical records we can safely package into the same mailer, the better the shipping value becomes.
Remember: the 10-record capacity applies to records without jackets. Jacketed orders are packed up to 5 records per $10 mailer.
$10.
$1 PER RECORD.
That $10 covers your A+B program setup, pre-mastering, handling and standard Media Mail shipping for up to 10 identical records without jackets.
Have a deadline? Light the fire and move your project ahead of standard production with Rush.
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