OT - Amazon packaging

KennyCJR

Got a new Victorinox 12” slicing knife today, shipped from Amazon.  When I got the box, it measured 30”x6”x6” and was packed full of paper and bubble wrap.  Figured the wife added a little something extra to the order, being that it’s a late Father’s Day gift.  Nope...it was just wasted packing.  Needless to say, the knife arrived just fine. 

blasting

I think Amazon knows that we get more excited with a bigger box.

dopey

blasting said:

I think Amazon knows that we get more excited with a bigger box.

Bigger box never excited me.

Spaightlabs

dopey said:

blasting said:

I think Amazon knows that we get more excited with a bigger box.

Bigger box never excited me.

Some of us can handle a bigger box just fine, some of you can't.

blasting

Dad forgot to log off again?  lol

SemolinaPilchard

blasting said:

I think Amazon knows that we get more excited with a bigger box.

Help me find my keys...

Botch

I just got a set of challenge coins, representing the five services, from the White House Gift Shop, on sale for $19!!  
It came in a shipping box about the size of a backpack, tightly taped, bubble wrap and cardboard dividers inside, finer bubble wrap over the presentation box (about 1" x 5" x 5"), but of course no padding in the presentation box so the coins all came loose and bounced against each other, no harm done.  
 
And on the very same day I get the set of five, doofus introduces a "Space Force" so my coin set is obsolete already.  Gah.  

epcotisbest

Gloves that arrived today. Huge box.

tenpenny_05

I've read about this before. Their box choices are carefully calculated based on shipping requirements and packing efficiency. That's why you get boxes that are unnecessarily large sometimes.

pgprescott

tenpenny_05 said:

I've read about this before. Their box choices are carefully calculated based on shipping requirements and packing efficiency. That's why you get boxes that are unnecessarily large sometimes.

Exactly. They intentionally limit the box size
selection. It is ultimately a cost savings and in some ways more efficient. 

stlcharcoal

tenpenny_05 said:

I've read about this before. Their box choices are carefully calculated based on shipping requirements and packing efficiency. That's why you get boxes that are unnecessarily large sometimes.

It's "dim weight."  Years ago UPS & Fedex implement dimensional weight (mainly because of Amazon).  Before, you could ship a huge box full of packing peanuts for dirt cheap because you were paying by weight.  Now, you have to multiply the dims of the box and divide by 139.  Before Amazon and ecommerce, their trucks had a lot more room.

To give you an idea of bulk density, lump charcoal is right about there.  Our boxes are usually just shy of the weight limit.  A 3-bag box is 24x17x25 @ 66-68#, but it gets a dim weight of 74#.  If we could shave one or two inches off, it would work, but then the boxes would bulge a get caught by the scanners anyway.

So that knife was definitely more expensive to ship.  But maybe they didn't have a box long enough or it was entered into the computer wrong.  The software chooses the boxes in these fulfillment centers.  I've been in a few of them and they are fascinating.

TEXASBGE2018

stlcharcoal said:

tenpenny_05 said:

I've read about this before. Their box choices are carefully calculated based on shipping requirements and packing efficiency. That's why you get boxes that are unnecessarily large sometimes.

It's "dim weight."  Years ago UPS & Fedex implement dimensional weight (mainly because of Amazon).  Before, you could ship a huge box full of packing peanuts for dirt cheap because you were paying by weight.  Now, you have to multiply the dims of the box and divide by 139.  Before Amazon and ecommerce, their trucks had a lot more room.

To give you an idea of bulk density, lump charcoal is right about there.  Our boxes are usually just shy of the weight limit.  A 3-bag box is 24x17x25 @ 66-68#, but it gets a dim weight of 74#.  If we could shave one or two inches off, it would work, but then the boxes would bulge a get caught by the scanners anyway.

So that knife was definitely more expensive to ship.  But maybe they didn't have a box long enough or it was entered into the computer wrong.  The software chooses the boxes in these fulfillment centers.  I've been in a few of them and they are fascinating.

Not sure why anyone flagged you for this but, thanks for the insight!

RRP

Here's a similar wasted postage and packing. All that for that tiny ice maker auger in the middle! BTW I have that slicer as well and I love it!

fishlessman

stlcharcoal said:

tenpenny_05 said:

I've read about this before. Their box choices are carefully calculated based on shipping requirements and packing efficiency. That's why you get boxes that are unnecessarily large sometimes.

It's "dim weight."  Years ago UPS & Fedex implement dimensional weight (mainly because of Amazon).  Before, you could ship a huge box full of packing peanuts for dirt cheap because you were paying by weight.  Now, you have to multiply the dims of the box and divide by 139.  Before Amazon and ecommerce, their trucks had a lot more room.

To give you an idea of bulk density, lump charcoal is right about there.  Our boxes are usually just shy of the weight limit.  A 3-bag box is 24x17x25 @ 66-68#, but it gets a dim weight of 74#.  If we could shave one or two inches off, it would work, but then the boxes would bulge a get caught by the scanners anyway.

So that knife was definitely more expensive to ship.  But maybe they didn't have a box long enough or it was entered into the computer wrong.  The software chooses the boxes in these fulfillment centers.  I've been in a few of them and they are fascinating.

make a package deal, 3 bags and some wood chips, fill that box up

DoubleEgger

Surely that flag was in error @blasting

blasting

DoubleEgger said:

Surely that flag was in error @blasting

It was, thanks.  Sorry @stlcharcoal .

I think an email should be sent to you when you flag / off topic / disagree.

stlcharcoal

fishlessman said:

make a package deal, 3 bags and some wood chips, fill that box up

 70# [actual] weight is the limit on ups and fedex before they hit you with a big fee for "additional handling".  They have a size limit too for additional handling, but I forget what it is.

Btw, which is total BS because it's not like a second person is helping or their driver is doing anything different.  He's still stuck handling it by himself at drop off (we always help load the truck though.)  It probably just goes in their piggy bank for all the back injury claims they get.  

Our usually Monday outbound load.....that fills half the truck easily.

GrillSgt

SemolinaPilchard said:

blasting said:

I think Amazon knows that we get more excited with a bigger box.

Help me find my keys...

Can I borrow your flashlight?

MaskedMarvel

I thought of this thread when I got my 2 1/2 inch large cast iron pizza pans.
 The box also contained a book, and a DVD. That’s it :-) 

GATraveller

GrillSgt said:

SemolinaPilchard said:

blasting said:

I think Amazon knows that we get more excited with a bigger box.

Help me find my keys...

Can I borrow your fleshlight?

FTFY

SemolinaPilchard

Not exactly related to Amazon using too big of a box, check out Amazon's "frustration free packaging."

Legume

I’m so confused.  I’m supposed to love Amazon and order grills from them because they don’t sell towels and have a kick-ass return policy, but hate them because of the packaging.

TEXASBGE2018

Legume said:

I’m so confused.  I’m supposed to love Amazon and order grills from them because they don’t sell towels and have a kick-ass return policy, but hate them because of the packaging.

Correct. I've also heard their fresh ground meats are exquisite. 1 pound comes in a 3ft by 3ft box for easy consolidation.

SemolinaPilchard

Legume said:

I’m so confused.  I’m supposed to love Amazon and order grills from them because they don’t sell towels and have a kick-ass return policy, but hate them because of the packaging.

All the extra cardboard because we buy so much from Amazon instead of brick and mortar is not all bad, at least we now have something to put on the ships that are headed back to China.

saluki2007

SemolinaPilchard said:

Legume said:

I’m so confused.  I’m supposed to love Amazon and order grills from them because they don’t sell towels and have a kick-ass return policy, but hate them because of the packaging.

All the extra cardboard because we buy so much from Amazon instead of brick and mortar is not all bad, at least we now have something to put on the ships that are headed back to China.

But they aren't taking any of it back right now.

SemolinaPilchard

saluki2007 said:

SemolinaPilchard said:

Legume said:

I’m so confused.  I’m supposed to love Amazon and order grills from them because they don’t sell towels and have a kick-ass return policy, but hate them because of the packaging.

All the extra cardboard because we buy so much from Amazon instead of brick and mortar is not all bad, at least we now have something to put on the ships that are headed back to China.

But they aren't taking any of it back right now.

Good. Since the economy crashed like Paul Krugman and many other liberals said would happen if Trump won, all of the newly homeless people can live in the boxes.

Legume

Politicized shipping thread.

SemolinaPilchard

I can live with it.

saluki2007

BulletGrillHouse

MaskedMarvel said:

I thought of this thread when I got my 2 1/2 inch large cast iron pizza pans.
 The box also contained a book, and a DVD. That’s it :-) 

Same here, box was destroyed, a little shocked at the lack of normal packing.

MaskedMarvel

BulletGrillHouse said:

MaskedMarvel said:

I thought of this thread when I got my 2 1/2 inch large cast iron pizza pans.
 The box also contained a book, and a DVD. That’s it :-) 

Same here, box was destroyed, a little shocked at the lack of normal packing.

And the book didn’t have even a wrinkled page.... bizarre...