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Why does amazon use so much packaging?
I wonder what the impact would be if amazon actually matched the shipping box to the product.
I challenge Amazon to stop being so wasteful. Who's with me? (Click "I have this question too" below)
I challenge Amazon to stop being so wasteful. Who's with me? (Click "I have this question too" below)
I’m sad and confused
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Inappropriate?I wonder this sometimes, too. Occasionally, I'll get a package that has tons of plastic air baggies in it -- all to cushion a little tiny item that's not even breakable.
Your post got me to thinking about how excessive some of Amazon's packaging is, and I found a bunch of other examples online, like this one: http://www.adamreeve.com/2007/09/14/a...
What bugs me is that I have been thinking about signing up for Amazon Prime. This gives me pause.
I’m always trying to do the right thing, but it is sometimes hard
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Inappropriate?I forwarded a link to this topic to Amazon's customer service department asking them to respond.
6 hours 36 minutes later (impressive):
Hello from Amazon.com.
We make every attempt to package items securely to protect them during shipping, but sometimes damage does occur.
We always appreciate customer input on how we can improve our store, and I've passed your message along to our shipping department.
I've included some additional information below in case you have any further questions.
Thanks for shopping at Amazon.com.
*****
WHAT IF MY ITEM IS DAMAGED WHEN IT ARRIVES BECAUSE OF POOR PACKAGING?
We take full responsibility for the safe delivery of your order. If any item you order is damaged during shipping, please let us know so we can take appropriate action. To send us an e-mail with the order number, name of the item, and details of the damage, visit this page:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/contact...
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ARE YOUR PACKING MATERIALS RECYCLABLE?
Yes! For more information, please visit our Help page about Amazon and the Environment:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custome...
I'm looking forward to hearing from their shipping department seeing as this email didn't address my question at all.
What I did learn from the link above was that those plastic air cushions are low-density polyethylene and are 100% recyclable.
I’m optimistic
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Inappropriate?Wow.... some people are looking for things to complain about.
It's only wasteful of amazon if you don't recycle. ;)4 Comments
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This answers the question
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Scott, recycle is not as good as reduce and reuse. -
But is it good enough? The world has many more important things to worry about when it comes to resource usage than the strain too much cardboard puts on the environment. I'd rather we concentrate on world hunger before we start getting complainy about Amazon's packaging stances.
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BTW, Amazon doesn't recycle.
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Yeah, but I recycle most everything that amazon sends to me.
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Inappropriate?I've thought this many times and really wish that Amazon would get on board here. I would honestly even pay a small surcharge on my orders for "Green Shipping" that would use much (!) more environmentally friendly practices and offset carbon emissions.
C'mon Amazon! I challenge you!
I’m disappointed.
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Inappropriate?Sounds like the stupid shipping gang, just let consumerist know and they'll post your complaint to the front page in no time, since they do for everyone else.
I’m undecided
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Inappropriate?It is due to their warehouse is fully automated. You may not know that it is the machine that does the job, from folding the boxes, all the way to sealing the tape for the box, and put up the address shipping label.
See Amazon's warehouse in action, video here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/seller/fba/f...
So for machine that handle certain sizes of boxes, I assume this is why you see bigger box arrives with less things in there.
I do agree that it is a waste, but having Amazon to debate about changes of their operation vs to save the environment... it's hard...
If anyone of us here could invent a new machine that uses bubble envelope mailers, that might be the solution~
I’m concerned
1 Comment Add a comment
This answers the question
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You noob, it's not fully automated! Listen to the video again, it says they've mixed a precisioned choreographed computer system with good old fashioned man power! You see people on the lines grabbing products off conveyor belts, packaging and putting them on conveyor belts, no where does it show a machine filling these orders. The computers do choose the packaging type depending on the type of product and number of items.
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Inappropriate?Check out Amazon Green (http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Green/b/ref=amb_link_7534832_1?ie=UTF8&node=394379011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=right-2&pf_rd_r=0HEDV77PH41JV8QE472J&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_p=457517701&pf_rd_i=1000276271)
Also Amazon just announced "Frustration-Free Packaging" that makes it easier to remove that which you bought from the packaging + reduces the packaging.
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Inappropriate?I am actually one of the packers for Amazon.com, for the season. They have only a limited assortment of boxes to choose from, the computer chooses the appropriate box and we have to go with the that or the closest to it. Usually though the choices are too big but the next one down wouldn't fit. It's odd but that's how it is there.
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Inappropriate?I just ordered some stuff and they didn't put enough packaging in the box and the items came damaged because of insufficient packaging. Your complaint causes problems for others. How nice for you.
