Shipping VHS during the Summer months?

[jontheoldone]

Hello, although I found an old thread that gave me good advice on how to package and ship a VHS tape, I had an additional question that I couldn't find a ready answer too. Can a VHS tape be damaged by the heat if I ship it during the summer months? Its nearly 90 here today and I can expect much the same for the summer so should I wait until fall to list a VHS tape I want to sell?

[wesk_36]

I don't think a temporary shipment in hot weather will do anything when it's covered in a package. Most of the degradation of magnetic tapes occurs over a longer period of storage time, especially in hot and humid weather, or, in direct sunlight.

Just my opinion, I'm not an expert.

[chapeau-noir · Accepted solution]

Very short-term exposure to heat shouldn't hurt VHS tapes (say shipping) - it's when the exposure is prolonged (in an attic or whatever for periods of time) that the tape deteriorates. VHS tape is pretty resilient.

(ETA: I used to sell a lot of VHS).

[stanley2erols]

I have sold about 70,000 VHS tapes over the past 20ish years and still sell quite a few.  No issues from the heat shipping them in the summer months.  Bubble mailers or small boxes work fine.  Once in a blue moon one might get cracked during shipment, but that is rare.  They are pretty durable.