Goodbye Twist Ties? Amazon Goes Green
Ever try to open a toy for an excited child on Christmas morning, or in the middle of a chaotic birthday party? First you rip through the seven layers of cardboard and cellophane. Then, just as you think you can free Batman or Han Solo from his corrugated prison, there are the flippin’ plastic twist tie fasteners. Dozens of them. You’re not sure who will have a tantrum first, you or the kid.
Amazon has launched Frustration Free Packaging, an initiative to go green and alleviate some of those woes.
The site has partnered with manufacturers such as Fisher-Price, Mattel, Microsoft and electronics maker Transcend to offer 19 items with significantly less packing materials. In a letter to consumers, CEO and founder Jeff Bezos says he hopes eventually all of Amazon’s products will be offered in such packaging.
This is a great move on several fronts. Obviously, its eco-friendly and makes Amazon and its vendors look good. Consumers will appreciate not having to get out the hacksaw to open a clamshell package just to put a new memory card into their camera. And ultimately, using less packaging materials will save manufacturers money. These days, that’s never a bad thing.
To show they feel consumers’ pain, Amazon has posted a video and some pictures illustrating how frustrating opening too-complex packages can be. And they’re inviting consumers to share their images as well.
I’d be more than happy to avoid “wrap rage” during the holidays. How about you?
