Amazon pushes for frustration-free packaging

Amazon introduced frustration-free packaging in November 2008 to minimize what CEO Jeffrey Bezos called "wrap rage." Clamshells exist to make products look good in stores and to help prevent theft by being difficult to open surreptitiously -- neither concerns of Amazon. So Amazon worked with manufacturers to design cardboard packages that contained the products and could be shipped straight to consumers.

While there were hiccups, like hard drives damaged in transit (Amazon switched that packaging back), for the most part, the change has been popular. Recent converts include Polaroid and Procter & Gamble. Brands like Duracell, Bounty and Tide introduced their own frustration-free packages. Duracell, which offers a 28-pack in a frustration-free version on Amazon, had "been getting rave reviews from consumers about the packs on Amazon," said Bob Jacobs, Duracell marketing director. Duracell made that packaging available to all Web sites that sold the 28-pack, but a check on Target.com and Walmart.com showed that they were still selling only the plastic-encased retail packs.

Now Amazon, still determined to get more manufacturers to sign up, is making the case by taking the angry customer feedback on old-school packages directly to the product makers. Compared to the traditional versions of the products, frustration-free products have a 73 percent reduction in negative feedback on the Amazon site.

The strategy worked for Philips, the electronics company. It recently made the packaging change on its Essence electronic toothbrush when the company saw the feedback. Philips asked the supplier AllpakTrojan if it could create a new package. Within three weeks, AllpakTrojan had designed a new container, tested it by dropping it from various heights and putting it on a vibration table and had it ready. The toothbrush's travel case protected the brush head, and cardboard compartments held the charger and toothbrush base. Without the fancy printing, shiny cardboard backing and plastic, "it's much less expensive," Mr. Hoover said. And the environmental benefit was significant: the square footage of material used was much smaller, and the cardboard was recycled and recyclable. Philips said it was so happy with the change that it was looking to switch the packaging for other items. The company said it was also pushing other online retailers to adopt this packaging, to tepid response.

(Source: November 2010 WasteWatch)

Back to Plastics main page

Back to Resources main page

Back to Home page