Amazon Recognizes That People Hate Annoying Packaging
from the customer-friendly-policies dept
Two years ago, around this time, we wrote a post entitled This Holiday Season, All I Want Is A Package That Opens Easily, noting how annoying some consumer packaging is. We were especially critical of the so-called "blister packs" or plastic clamshell packaging that is a source of not just frustration, but injuries to many as they struggle to open them. Apparently, Amazon has finally decided it's time to do something about this and has announced a new initiative for "frustration-free packaging." As Jeff Nolan notes, this is an example of a company recognizing that what's good for customers is good for the company.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Filed Under: bubble packs, clam shells, frustration free, packaging
Companies: amazon
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Great Idea, but..
I guess a pilot program is a good idea, I just hope it takes off...
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It just makes sense
However, it serves no purpose at all for an online merchant. The only reason we see it is because manufacturers don't want to have to deal with two types of packaging. But a program from somewhere like Amazon to help them repackage thing (or even repackaging items in-house) sounds like a great idea.
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Sticky CDs and DVDs
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Re: Sticky CDs and DVDs
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Pre-cut stuff?
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Re: Pre-cut stuff?
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Re: tool
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> recognizing that what's good for customers is good
> for the company.
More likely, what is good for the company (lower shipping costs) is good for the customer.
I don't believe for a picosecond that Amazon did this for
the altruistic reason that customers hate frustrating
packaging. I have no problem believing they found a
way to get more profit from each sale, and that ends
up being win (Amazon), win (customers), win (environment).
Lucky for Amazon.
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Trip to Urgent Care
After several minutes of applying a painful amount of pressure, it was straight to the Urgent Care for stitches.
That $4.99 pair of headphones ended up costing a cool $54.99 after co-pays.
I'd happily pay to have better packaging, or have the package "pre-sliced" as suggested by Jim. Why some manufacturer thought a pair of 5 dollar headphones should require tin snips to open is beyond me...
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Plastic's a whole different 'animal'.
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Re:
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This concept is quite fascinating, but isn't repeatable in the US because in China, there exists a huge surplus of labor.
It remains interesting to see how other cultures "Make Do" when we are pretty good at "Making Waste".
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Re: recycling
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Re: boxes
From talking with people and receiving a fair number of amazon deliveries, I think that the box size issue might not be a big deal for them. the Fulfillment Centers, labeling, shipping contracts and all the rest seem to work best with the mostly standardized shippers, probably with a tiny flat rate charge plus an added charge for weight past X amount.
When 90% of the boxes being handled are exactly the same size and shape, efficiency must be going up enough to more then cover a fractional-cent spent on extra boxed air being shipped along with my thumbdrive. Also, Kudos on the recycling!
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Bulls**t. This is an example of a company recognizing that when they sell all their goods online, then they don't have to worry about shoplifters... and then pretending that this somehow makes them better than anyone else.
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Re:
That being said, when I read this, I was very surprised. I suppose they weighed the increase costs of theft and determined that it would be exceeded by the profit from increased sales.
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Its a good start..
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Get a good set of kitchen scissors.
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plastic clamshell packaging
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Packing Peanuts
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Re: Packing Peanuts
I used to work for a company that made paper packaging many of yous have probably seen it or something similar. Long pieces of 3-ply paper folded over & crimped in the middle a few companies ship with it. I love when I get this when I order something on the internet. It is so useful later on when I need to pack something later, using it for moving or even use it as a fire starter. The thing is it actually keeps the product in the same position & place in the box & generally it won't break either. Paper will absorb most impacts.
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I have used heavy kitchen scissors to open this stuff and have on occasion been forced to use industrial tin snips to get in some of it.
And please, 52 wire ties to keep the my daughter's new barbie doll looking good in the package. Give it a rest! It takes so long to get out of the package, she loses interest in the thing and moves on to the next one! Now thats too much!
The old days are not always good but the packaging from yesteryear was better.
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Blister Packs? I have an easy solution...
two words...
CAN OPENER.
Thats all you need... go try it now, it really works.
(Thanks to wired magazine for that suggestion...)
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Reduce returns
If I buy a box of something, carefully open it, then decide I don't want it I'm not a bit shy about returning it. One I've destroyed of those impossible to open packs, it's no longer in resellable condition, so I'm a little more sheepish about it.
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I agree with poster #26
And I know theft is a terrible thing, but like the other posters have said, do we really need 50 to 100 small ties to hold a Barbie doll in its box? It's a sad state of affairs when a 5 year-old can't get her own doll out of the box and needs mommy with a super-sharp razor blade to cut the doll out of the packaging!
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