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About Those Air Cushions in Amazon Packages

theatlantic.com

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Re: About Those Air Cushions in Amazon Packages

#91

Post by disposablezero »

disposablezero wrote: post #83

I stab them with my keys to let the air out and recycle at the store with other plastic material, since the local waste company doesn't recycle bags or film at all. It seems a shame considering how much plastic ends up in landfills, water ways, the ocean (great garbage patches in the gyres) and basically on every beach in the world. [0,1] Literally, (no pun intended), the oceans need a million or so plastic-skimming…

Also, another note:

Waste sorting and recycling regulations need to be continually ratcheted up because a few bins isn't working (ever see the disaster of the composting, recycling and landfill bins at Costco?). Do like Stanford does: have separate bins (up to 5) but also divert more of the waste stream for recyclables, composting, etc. with pre-landfill processing. Left to their own devices, people rarely voluntarily make changes which are vital to more sustainable ecology.

It seems also that at some point in the future, it may become economical to mine landfills for materials when scarcity drives prices high enough.

Re: About Those Air Cushions in Amazon Packages

#92

Post by allritenow »

krapp wrote: post #17

I had to package and tape boxes at an Amazon fulfillment center over peak season one day. One of the "problems" I found with the process is the system tells you the size of box to use. You're not allowed to use a smaller size, even if it would work, only that size or larger. It also tends to overestimate the size of the item, so many boxes wind up with a lot more empty space than would be necessary, and more packing.…

It has been several years, but I was a manager on the inbound side at multiple FCs over the span of a couple years. Most likely reason for the mis-matched box size recommendation is due to the Warehouse Management System (WMS) that tracks all things (what is where when and item dimensions) having incorrect measurements of the item dimensions. On the outbound side, as you definitely know, packers are absolutely discouraged from using their judgement when selecting a box. Hell, there was a specific metric that was basically the adherence to the recommended box size. But when an ASIN first appears in a warehouse, the WMS will send the item to be scanned. The scanning process is used to input the dimensions and weight of the item. I know for a fact that some of the associates that performed that function would get lazy. I even had receivers that would completely fudge the numbers when the system asked the item to be sent to cubiscan. So there you have it - can't blame the packer on the outbound side. The problem was usually found when inbound didn't properly enter the item dimensions.

Re: About Those Air Cushions in Amazon Packages

#93

Post by uptown »

Spooky23 wrote: post #74

We have a really innovative solution to this problem. There exists places that take bulk case packages of products, place them on shelves and make them available to the public. You give them money, put the items in a paper/plastic/reusable bag and take them home. They are called stores. Many are located near common places, like intersections or near commercial office areas.

Weird.

Re: About Those Air Cushions in Amazon Packages

#95

Post by jslabovitz »

This past summer, I ordered a container of household cleaner (16oz bottle with spray pump) from Amazon. Surprisingly, it arrived with no packaging whatsoever -- the bottle of cleaner was taped to a small piece of cardboard that contained the shipping label.

Not surprisingly, the bottle was empty upon arrival, its contents having leaked out during shipment.

I filed a complaint and they resent the product. The next shipment of the cleaner came wrapped in plastic bags, inside a traditional cardboard box (though no air cushions). I guess Amazon realized their experiment in minimization didn't work out all that well.

Re: About Those Air Cushions in Amazon Packages

#96

Post by kalleboo »

anexprogrammer wrote: post #36
greglindahl wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

UPS wants 2 inches of space between the product and the outer box... keeps real damage from happening if the outer box is slightly punctured by something. https://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/ship/packaging/g...

That's sensible. What isn't is the often vast oversize of Amazon packaging. Like sending one hard drive in a 2cu ft box with lots of packaging. There's now lots of scope for the item to move around so the single item inevitably ends up in a corner against the outer box. Amazon never seem to actually bubble wrap anything any more - which has led to damage more than once. Neither the string of air pockets, as in the ar…

Here in Japan the packaging I see most from Amazon is where they strap the item down with a strong plastic wrap to a thick piece of cardboard that's glued to the bottom of the box. This keeps it centered and they don't need any filler at all.

Re: About Those Air Cushions in Amazon Packages

#97

Post by mirimir »

anexprogrammer wrote: post #36
greglindahl wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

UPS wants 2 inches of space between the product and the outer box... keeps real damage from happening if the outer box is slightly punctured by something. https://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/ship/packaging/g...

That's sensible. What isn't is the often vast oversize of Amazon packaging. Like sending one hard drive in a 2cu ft box with lots of packaging. There's now lots of scope for the item to move around so the single item inevitably ends up in a corner against the outer box. Amazon never seem to actually bubble wrap anything any more - which has led to damage more than once. Neither the string of air pockets, as in the ar…

Yes, Amazon seems to have no clue about shipping HDDs. Especially OEM HDDs. They have come loose, in a huge box, in just thin plastic "cases", embedded in air pockets. Which had been pounded flat in transit. New Egg, in contrast, shipped HDDs with molded cardboard padding (as I recall).

Re: About Those Air Cushions in Amazon Packages

#98

Post by drcode »

CydeWeys wrote: post #55
drcode wrote: post #33

How 'bout those little things they put in the middle of pizzas to stop them from getting crushed? Too bad I'm not a journalist, because that would make for an awesome story. /s

What's the point of this comment? Packaging/shipping technology is hugely important, because the annual amount of landfill waste involved is staggeringly large. There's also a big economic component to it. And as the article says, this is a $5.6 billion industry in the US alone that is growing larger with every passing year.

A story on shipping as a factor in online sales, walking through the history of shipping strategies and packing techniques would be a super interesting story...

...but this does not (to me) appear to be that story- This seems like a story created by a journalist noticing the air cushions in his amazon package, making two phone calls to pad the story a bit, and then sending it to their editor as a finished work.

Re: About Those Air Cushions in Amazon Packages

#100

Post by douche »

dawnerd wrote: post #29
colinbartlett wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We order a from Amazon Prime Now occasionally and that stuff always just comes in a paper bag. No huge boxes, no packing material at all. Just a bag. I imagine that's because its time in transit is far lower and it's handled by only one currier. In the end, probably less efficient but at least on the packing materials side it's more efficient.

Had a prime now package delivered this morning and it was literally just the item. No box or bag. Kinda weird but it works.

This is really awesome when the delivery service has a tendency to just chuck parcels in the snowbank or mud puddle. Ive had to file more than a few complaints and get replacements because of this
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