Sell vinyl records online with grading collectors can trust

1. 01

   Grade media and sleeve separately

   Use one standard scale, such as Goldmine (Mint, Near Mint, Very Good Plus, Very Good, Good, Poor), for the record and for the sleeve, and note seam splits, writing and ring wear. Collectors come back to shops that grade the same way every time.

2. 02

   Name the pressing

   Label, catalog number, country, year and anything from the runout that identifies the pressing. Collectors search for exact pressings, and an original sells very differently from a reissue.

3. 03

   Sell each used copy once

   Make one product per copy with a stock of one. When it’s paid for, stock drops to zero and checkout stops, so two people can’t buy the same record.

4. 04

   Import a big inventory

   If your stock lives in a spreadsheet or an export from another platform, import products from a spreadsheet on the Growth plan, then check titles, grades and photos before you publish.

5. 05

   Pack records to survive the post

   Use rigid record mailers with stiffeners, and take the record out of the outer sleeve so the sleeve doesn’t split in transit. Say on your shipping page that this is how you pack.

6. 06

   Take preorders for new releases

   Switch on “sell when out of stock” for a new pressing, put the release date in the description, and post the copies when they arrive from the label.

• Grade on the cautious side

  Under-grading earns thank-you emails; over-grading earns returns. When a record sits between two grades, pick the lower one and say why, and play-test anything you call Very Good Plus or better.

• Discogs and your own website

  Many collectors check prices and pressings on Discogs, and you can sell there too. Cornerrr doesn’t connect to it, so when a record sells in one place, remove it from the other by hand.

General information to help you get started, not legal advice. Rules differ by country, state and product, so check the ones that apply to you.