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Packaging That May Not Cause You To Throw A Fit

Posted by: Andrew Swanson, at 7:12 pm on September 13, 2009
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Amazon has recently begun a new phase of their user friendly packaging initiaitve which they have termed ‘Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging’.  When the program began, it was commenced with a letter by the CEO of Amazon talking of the issue of “Wrap-Rage” that many customers were encountering.  The all too familiar clamshell plastic cases that house (far too) many products that will almost assuredly leave one with at least one cut.  Metal tie-wraps that frustrate to no end, and needlessly oversized and underutilized packaging are just some of the things that Amazon is hoping to do away with it’s multi-year project.

Amazon’s new phase has introduce two new features to the immensely popular shopping website.  The two features enable users to give feedback to both the manufacturer and Amazon itself based on the packaging it receives, suchpackaging-eliminates as whether it was easy to open or very difficult (1-4 based system), or whether there was too much packaging, or not enough.  With the sheer amount of visitors (almost 70 million unique users to Amazon monthly) and customers Amazon receives, they are quickly able to gather customer feedback responses in the tens of thousands, and then use that information to better their services.  Furthermore, they are working in conjunction with leading manufacturers in order to make the most efficient, eco-friendly, packaging that benefits both the end user with easy to open and use packaging, the manufacturer with less costly methods of production and less wasted materials, and the environment with better choice of packaging materials that are sensitive to eco cause.

Initially it the effort began with 19 leading manufacturers committed to the cause, such as Kingston, Mattel, and Fisher-Price.  Since that point, the amount of manufacturers that have joined on is quite significant, including such notables as Microsoft and Motorola.  As this iniative grows, it can only net positive results for user, manufacturer and the environment.  As more and more people are beginning to show signs of wanting to be eco-friendly, this both reflects positively for Amazon and the companies leading the charge, as well as helps these manufacturers to shape their product packaging based on the enormous amount of feedback they receive through Amazon.  The importance of this type of raw, genuine user feedback, in such a large quantitity simply cannot be stated enough, and such a giant of industry like Amazon, stepping up to the plate and starting a large endeavour like this should be applauded and rewarded for their efforts.  The amount of feedback people give is going to indicate to these companies the amount of interest level or caring that there is from consumers, so next time when you order something online, take the few minutes to answer a few small questions.  It may very well shape the packaging you’re receiving next time you buy something.

letter_ceo_amazon

Letter from Amazon CEO Regarding Frustration Free Packaging

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Comments (1)

  1. Posted by:
    John Lally
    Sep 15, 2009 at 9:41 am

    One of the most often overlooked parts of the Customer Experience lifecycle is the point at which a customer opens the package. This is commonly referred to by industrial, product and packaging designers as the “OOBE” or the Out Of Box Experience.

    While this can be a great opportunity to deliver an enriching, or at least consistent brand message for the retailer and/or manufacturer, it often is the time when the anticipatory thrill of using a new product is met with harsh disappointment. It’s a buzz kill that can be more than just a momentary distraction.

    And there are so many ways to ruin the party–missing batteries, confusing assembly instructions, hermetically sealed plastic, cheap cartons, poor graphics, etc. Very few brands really take the time and energy (Apple comes to mind immediately) to get this chance to make the un-boxing experience a good one.

    As someone who worked in the packaging business for several years, the reasons for the poor experience are equally vast. Often packaging is a low cost bill of materials commodity and the decisions around material design quality and composition are in the hands of purchasing clerks who are being evaluated on savings, and often will buy based on lowest price. Manufacturers who sell via large retail channels are often subject to very specific guidelines for packaging that may not be aligned with serving the end use customer, but the retailers’ needs–particularly related to distribution/logistics, display, and theft/shrinkage concerns. Theft control is the primary reason small electronic products often have excessive plastic packaging that is welded shut.

    It’s not surprising that Amazon is a retailer that is actively addressing the OOBE issue, and it’s a good lesson for both manufacturers and retailers to keep in mind that the customer experience extends beyond where they are directly involved.


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