2. analog
  3. 1398472101

gloves to touch vinyl surface

Hi,
I'm in the quest of equipping my record store with gloves for walk-in customers visiting the record store. This hasn't been done at any locations I've seen so far, but quite a few Mint records after a while are full with customer finger prints. They will also protect covers as well.

I don't normally sell any record bellow Goldmine EX grade and don't really want it to be finger-printed or sometimes accidentally scratched by nails.

What will be the best material that would be quite thin? It also shouldn't inflict any additional static.

After a pair of gloves used by customer one drops it in the basket and at the end of day I'll laundry them. I have to order them via uniform store I guess with store logo. I also plan to sell those as well
czarivey
whart's avatar
whart
3,047 posts
 
Princeton Record Exchange used to keep the expensive vinyl behind the
counter, only the jackets (which were in a poly bag, if memory serves) were
out in the stacks- if a customer was serious about a record, he/she would
grab the jacket and go to the counter to have a staff member pull the
record for inspection. Not sure going through the trouble of gloves is going
to get you to any better place. Just the process of re-sleeving can create
scratches, even if one doesn't touch the vinyl with a naked finger. Thus, for
the tres cher stuff, it may be better if you or your staff do the handling.
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,701 posts
 
Isochronism, Thanks for your response. My wife and I are still laughing!
buconero117
2,311 posts
 
If you are serious, best to convert your store to a clean room environment, that way your possible customers will know you are a serious seller. Obvious you have not discovered the difference between 'collectors', those that never actually play a record, and one who does. 'Player's could care less about using gloves.
dickson
30 posts
 
Vinyl gloves are becoming more expensive and we have switched to Nitrile powder free gloves which helps as some patients are allergic to vinyl. Nitrile is not as stretchable as latex but will stretch a little. You will need to purchase boxes of several sizes; say small, medium and large.

Since latex or Nitrile gloves are thicker than those thin disposable translucent gloves worn by those in the food industry, you can be reassured that no sharp finger nail will poke through the glove and damage the playing surface of the LP.
czarivey OP
5,946 posts
 
Thanks for responses and laughs as well!
I don't think that I can offer my clients to stretch neither vinyl or nitrile or latex gloves.
Chef's plastic gloves are easy to slide and OK as temporary solution.
My store IS a clean room and I'm serious seller with over 30 years of media retailing experience. New arrivals at the store are cleaned inside and out including jackets before shelving and filing pretty much at any price point. In the future still I'd want to have light cotton ones and have a white glove as part of my store logo. Mints, Near-Mints are usually store-sealed with sticker note
More to discover