How to Wrap

When one of your CDs is requested, the wrapper can can be printed from your account page. Our goal is to recommend safe, inexpensive and convenient methods of mailing. We do not recommend mailing the jewel case with the CD, due to the increased postage costs. We recommend keeping your old jewel cases and reusing them with the CDs you receive.

Our Recommended Method of Packaging:

  1. Wrap the CD and 1 to 2 pieces of non-corrugated (cereal box-type) cardboard with the SwapaCD Wrapper. ($1.36)
    • The stiffness of the CD and cardboard adds a $0.44 non-machinable surcharge to the $0.92 2-ounce letter rate.
    • The cardboard must be thin, to stay under the 1/4-inch thickness requirement.
    • One sheet of poster board could also be cut to mail many CDs.
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  2. Use the folding guide printed on the SwapaCD wrapper: be sure to tape the padding down (do not apply tape to the CD!) where indicated.

We recommend this method due to the low cost of mailing and its proven record of safely transporting CDs. Do not mail the case with the CD.

Alternate Methods Used By Some Members:


  1. Bubble Mailer: Place the disc in a small bubble wrap envelope (6x9) and tape the wrapper on the front.
    ($4.13 - Media Mail)
    • Some post offices will allow this to be mailed for $0.92 or $1.16 letter rate.
    • Using a 8.5x11 envelope is not allowed for the letter rate.
  2. Bubble Wrap: Wrap the CD with a sheet of bubble wrap and then enclose it in the SwapaCD Wrapper. ($4.13 - Media Mail)
    • The USPS has told us that using bubble wrap will cause the package to be irregularly shaped which will make it ineligible for letter rate.
    • If you carefully wrap your package to make it flat and rectangular you can check with your local Post Office and they may charge you $0.92 for the letter rate.
  3. Jewel Case in Bubble Mailer: Mail the entire jewel case in a small bubble wrap envelope. Lightly tape the jewel case shut to prevent the CD from coming loose while en route. ($4.13 - Media Mail)
    • If you mail the jewel case you will always have to pay the more expensive rate.
  4. Jewel Case in SwapaCD wrapper (not recommended): Mail the CD in a jewel or slim case, enclosed in the SwapaCD Wrapper. Please note, most jewel cases are broken when using this shipping method, but the CDs arrive safely. ($4.13 - Media Mail)
    • If you mail the jewel case you will always have to pay the more expensive rate.

Things You'll Need

Things you'll need
  • SwapaCD Wrapper
  • Tape
  • Requested CD
  • Padding (Pictured: Pieces of a manila folder)

Step 1

Working with the second page of the wrapper, place the CD and the padding on the drawing of a CD. Click here to see a close-up of the second page and the area with the instructions and folding guides.

Steps 2-4

Fold the left edge of the wrapper over the CD and padding. Tape the padding to the wrapper where indicated. Fold the right edge of the wrapper along the folding guide. Remember, on this page you're always folding towards the CD.

Steps 5-6

Fold the bottom and top edges of the wrapper together and apply tape to the seam and the edges.

Step 7 - 8

Fold the long edges of the first page of the wrapper over the back of the wrapper. When working with this page, you're always folding away from the printed mailing address. Fold the bottom edge of the first page along the guide, and place the wrapped CD in the pocket created by the three folds.

Step 8

Fold the top down over the bottom. Apply tape to the seam and the sides of the outer wrapper.

Completion

You're finished wrapping! Remember to apply the correct postage if you did not buy Printable Postage from SwapaCD. Most CDs wrapped in the manner outlined above can be mailed as a 1 or 2 -ounce letter with a $0.44 non-machinable surcharge.

Our members have also requested that you not fold any of the inserts that go along with your CD. We guarantee the safe and successful delivery of all CDs mailed using our instructions.

Please note shipping costs are directly related to the weight of the envelope. If you include extra packaging or do not follow our instructions then you should weigh your envelope or take it to your local post office. See our Help Center topic for details on postage costs.