In the price rise for postage in Spring 2008, you may not have noticed but one option actually got cheaper!

Royal Mail Standard Parcels is now cheaper provided you can keep the package below 2 kilos weight.   That now costs only £4.20.    This applies only for UK internal postage -sadly.

It may still be cheaper to send one or two 78rpm records by First Class post but generally the most economical, easy option will be to use Standard Parcels.   It should be no problem to pack up to FIVE 78s in a parcel, safely packed, below 2 kilos.  The only problem would be if you use excessively heavy packing materials.  Generally you will need some squares of robust cardboard to secure the 78s in a safe inner sandwich where they cannot slide about but the outer packing should be very light eg bubble wrap, styrofoam.  Just received one using crumpled paper - not my first choice but it worked ok and still kept within the weight.  See my guide to packing 78s for more detailed advice on how to pack securely.   I have on occasion squeezed SIX 78s into a 2 kilo parcel but this requires enormous care and checking the weight on an accurate scale - it will involve a high proportion of bubble wrap to cardboard.  Also look out for the vinyl 78s such as some 1950s pop ones, which are lighter - an extra one may not tip you over the 2 kilos.   Naturally I take no responsibility for keeping your package below 2 kilos - you will have to check the weight yourself and watch out for the sharp jump in cost if you go over into the next price band!

Unless your sale or purchase is of high value - unusual for 78s - or is needed very urgently, Standard Parcels (which usually arrive well within a week) are prompt enough and if you have packed properly, breakages would be rare.   See my packing guide.   Royal Mail provide free insurance, covering the value of the contents only, they will not refund the postage cost, you just have to ask for the proof of postage and hang onto this in case you need to make a claim.  This provides insurance up to £32 and for an extra £1 you can extend this to £100.

So what should sellers charge/buyers pay for postage?   I think that Royal Mail insurance is so cheap (or mostly free) that sellers should bear that cost, if any, though buyers should take the risk in respect of the actual postage cost.  Whenever you are selling/buying a bundle of 5 records, which will be far more economical than buying single 78s,   something has to be allowed for packaging costs on top of the Standard Parcels charge, but I thing £6 is a fair price to both buyer and seller.   I recently negotiated the charge down from £8 as the seller proposed to post First Class and I explained Standard Parcels was fine for me and would be much cheaper - both of us are happy with the deal, though it took a bit of communication.

Obviously, if you are buying one or two 78s, you should expect to pay a bit less than £6 for postage, but don't expect it to be massively cheaper, if the seller is packing securely.  If you are buying a larger quantity, the price will be significantly higher, though Standard Parcels still provides a good option for a large bundle.  Unfortunately the price jumps in weight bands, so posting seven 78s will be bad value, while a larger number might be good value.