One step closer to 'frustration-free' packaging

Like many of you, I hate the frustration of struggling with packages that are hard to open -- particularly those impenetrable clear plastic "clamshells" fitted around everything from inkjet cartridges to cordless telephones.

Consumer Reports got so steamed at the problem that we recently created the aptly-named Oyster Awards to bash products that force you to fight tooth and nail to get at what's inside.

(Note added couple of weeks later: Our friends at the New York Times have also discovered the problem, as their story on impenetrable packaging from Nov. 15 shows ...)

Now, Amazon.com may have joined the movement. In an open letter to customers the other day, Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos announced a multiyear initiative designed to alleviate "wrap rage." He says the company will work with leading manufacturers to deliver products in "smaller, easy-to-open recyclable cardboard boxes with less packaging material -- and no frustrating plastic clamshells or wire ties."

As an example, Amazon points to the new packaging for the Fisher-Price Imaginext Pirate Ship, which is shown here Amazon says the new packaging eliminates 36 inches of steel-wire ties; 36 inches of folding carton materials; and 3 1/2 inches of molded styrene. They've also cut out plastic fasteners and blister material, leaving little more than a toy ship stuffed into a plain brown cardboard box.

But bad packaging is more than an inconvenience; it can be dangerous too ...

When we asked readers about their experiences with particularly troublesome designs like clamshells, many told us how's they'd cut themselves while doing battle with knives, shears, box cutters, and screwdrivers - anything they could get their hands on to crack open the container.

Other readers, meanwhile, lamented how their children were brought to tears while futilely working to free their toys from a combination of wires, bands, tape, glue, tabs, and stitches. Christmas morning can get really ugly.

Amazon spokeswoman Patty Smith says the company's ultimate goal is to offer just about every product it sells in user-friendly packaging, a lofty target that the company admits will take years to achieve. For starters, however, Amazon is repackaging 19 best-selling toys and small electronics products from Fisher-Price, Mattel, Microsoft, and electronics manufacturer Transcend.

In fairness, Amazon has it easier than conventional retailers. It doesn't have to cater to shoppers who want to touch and even play with the toy, something that requires more imaginative packaging that let's you try before buying without destroying the package or the toy.

Still, we applaud Amazon's symbolic effort -- it's a move in the right direction. Now other retailers need to step up, particularly the warehouse clubs, which tend to have very difficult-to-open packages.

By the way, if you've seen examples of packaging that's particularly good, bad or wasteful, let us know -- either through posting a comment here or writing to me at tightwad at cro dot consumer dot org. We'll either run another blog entry or pass them along to my colleague Leslie Ware as candidates for our next Oyster Award roundup!

Comments

[Leandro Gobbo]

What a coincidence - I just read a review from Wired on the ridiculously massive box packaging of SanDisk Extreme IV, at http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/11/hands-on-with-s.html

[Money Funk]

I do remember hearing about Amazon doing such a thing.

I think it is a fantastic idea that should have been done sooooo long ago. I know what I am talking about when it comes to packaging because I used to be a manager at a popular toy store. And people wanted to 'test' the product outside the box. Didn't happen often, but when it did... Ugh! The steel twisty ties, the tape, the thread and the cardboard. It's such evil packaging! ;)

[Patricia Sprinkle]

I am so delighted that somebody is taking on the packaging industry. I have long maintained that there is a special circle in hell for packaging engineers who design packages consumers can't open once they have lawfully bought them. Perhaps Amazon and Consumer Reports will prove to be their salvation!

[bobmungovan]

"Other readers, meanwhile, lamented how their children were brought to tears while futilely working to free their toys from a combination of wires, bands, tape, glue, tabs, and stitches. Christmas morning can get really ugly."

Indeed. When I first heard about this I remarked that as a father of 4 I'm usually setting aside an hour or two after every birthday party just to unpack things. Seriously, does Barbie really need to be that locked down in her package?

At least at Christmas time Santa brings gifts already out of the packages. I'm sure that takes 2-3 hours as well.

I'm pleased with the development.

[Kathleen]

I was impressed this past week to receive my first-ever laptop--a Mini 9 from Dell--packaged mostly in cardboard. I could recycle most of the packaging. My thanks to Dell!

[Jane Whinn]

US EPA recently ran a "Question Of The Week" to ask about overpackaging and what people do about it. Some people just go with it but others try to do something about recycling or just avoid overpackaged products if there's an alternate.

The Question was posted at http://blog.epa.gov/blog/2008/11/10/qotw-overpackaging/

[Jack]

Good Luck - for clam shell packaging, I use kitchen shears, the heavy duty ones that cut through chicken breasts. They're perfect for cutting through the plastic and keep you safe from knife or scissor cuts.