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Information Technology News Amazon's simplified packaging: save frustration, save the planet
Information Technology News Amazon's simplified packaging: save frustration, save the planet | Amazon's simplified packaging: save frustration, save the planet |
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| by Stephen Withers | |
| Tuesday, 04 November 2008 | |
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Or maybe you're used to shaking your head in dismay at the pile of rubbish that's left when your child unpacks a new toy? "I think we've all experienced the frustration that sometimes occurs when you try to get a new toy or electronics product out of its package," said Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com. While Amazon officials say the company's frustration-free packaging initiative is designed to make it easier for customers to open products and to be more environmentally friendly by reducing the amount of packaging used, it's probably fair to say that cost reduction is another important consideration. The redesigned packaging is simpler and significantly reduces the number of packaging components. Furthermore, the recyclable cardboard boxes do not require an additional shipping carton. The first products to be shipped in the new packaging are a small selection of toys from Fisher-Price and Mattel, SD memory cards from Transcend, and the Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000. For example, the new packaging for the Fisher-Price Imaginext Adventures Pirate Ship is said to eliminate 36 inches (91 centimetres) of plastic-coated wire ties, 1,576.5 square inches (just over 1 square metre) of printed corrugated package inserts, 36.1 square inches (over 230 square centimetres) of printed folding carton materials, 175.25 square inches (1130 square centimetres) of PVC blisters, 3.5 square inches (23 square centimetres) of ABS molded styrene and two moulded plastic fasteners. Similarly, the Transcend memory cards are shipped in recyclable cardboard envelopes instead of a plastic clamshell and outer carton. These changes should reduce weight and volume, both of which affect shipping costs. Since Amazon provides free shipping on many orders totalling at least $US25 - including all the frustration-free items we checked - such savings are clearly to the company's benefit. "It will take many years, but our vision is to offer our entire catalog of products in frustration-free packaging," added Bezos.
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