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Amazon Tries To Figure Out the Packaging Box Problem It Created (t.co)
Have you noticed that your tiniest ecommerce items, which used to be shipped in a box, are now arriving in a padded envelope? WSJ reports: Amazon is trying to ship each order in one correctly sized package instead of multiple boxes, responding to rising shipping costs and consumers' concern about the environmental impact (Editor's note: the link may be paywalled) and general nuisance of all that cardboard. That means adding bubble envelopes, tweaking algorithms and negotiating with manufacturers to make smaller packaging specifically for online sales, not store shelves. [...] This year, Amazon added machines in its warehouses that create padded mailers on demand to fit smaller items, all of which used to go into the company's smallest-sized box. Almost half of all of Amazon's products fit into the new mailers and poly bags, says Kim Houchens, director of customer packaging experience. Her team has been working to improve algorithms that help decide which size box and how many items should be packed together in each shipment. The algorithms use machine learning to test out new combinations -- for example, shipping a breakable item in a smaller box with less cushioning. The algorithm can scan customer reviews and other data to see if it worked and adjust as needed.
I would think the cardboard packages are much more reusable and recyclable than the plastic lined paper envelopes.
Amazon should be leading the way into sustainable packaging, even multi use returnable packaging.
When ordering multiple items from Amazon, from what I can tell the algorithm is "throw all items in bon with a few inflated tubes and let everything fend for itself".
To be fair as this article says, some things have stated coming individually packaged and in better shape. But even recently we've received a number of items that had a few dings from being loose in package. Were I ordering anything like an action figure I didn't want a card even slightly bent on, I'd be super leery of Amazon still.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
When they stop SHIPPING MY BOOKS IN ENVELOPES.
I get books with the corners all beat the fuck up.
This should be banned on ./
Doesn't anyone else understands the risk of a shortened URL as a "news source"? ...Unless of course, everyone only reads the summary...!
-ACnoRTFA
"A bit inconvenienced". Sure. Tell that to your kid on Christmas eve when you don't have the toy he sooooo wanted because Amazon shipped it in a cardboard box and the delivery guy wanted to find out whether he can punt it directly to your door.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
I don't know where you live, but if you leave an Amazon package on the porch in many areas, they'll certainly be picked up very soon, but I have my doubts that it's going to be an Amazon employee who does it.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Yes, "a bit inconvenienced" is how that scenario would be described, since we are talking about a Christmas present and not a meal. May all your inconveniences remain small and related to consumerism, not subsistence.
Why is the link to a t.co URL? So Slashdot's not only doing slashvertisements but also click tracking now?
Right, like shipping bare hard disks piled up in a cardboard envelope instead of the proper padded box -as the manufacturer states must be- to save, what 20 cents? and then replacing the drive and inconvenienced by losing all your data?
And cardboard envelopes so stuffed that the tabs slide open on transist and the contents drop off so the postman have to give it to you in a bag?
After this happened twice y the last two years, no more HD purchases from Amazon for me.
You don't f*cking ship f*cking HDs in an envelope via USPS. Idiots.
Yes, it is a first world problem. Like everything discussed in the whole topic here. You think anyone in Central Africa gives half a shit about whether cardboard or plastic boxes are too big or too small to deliver some garbage?
But that's what we have. First world problems. We have the basic needs covered, so our wishes, desires and needs rise above them.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
If only there was a place you could go to buy goods at your convenience precisely when needed, avoiding the shipping step... That would be amazing!
Well when they invent such a thing then I'll change my buying habits because the options now are anything but convenient. As it is I have FAR too busy a schedule to want to want to spend hours getting in my car, driving to a random location on a map, browsing through merchandise on a scavenger hunt, paying an exorbitant markup, and being unable to do something else more productive with my time.
Oh and stores still ship stuff they just use YOUR vehicle to do the shipping instead of theirs. So unless you have a store with a star trek transporter I don't know about it's still getting shipped and probably less efficiently.
Yeah because Plastic bubble wrap in a padded envelope is much more planet friendly then a cardboard box.