Amazon.com vs. Plastic Packaging

    At once, several retail chains and large manufacturers began to experiment with product packaging, which is radically different from the familiar and well-known transparent plastic packaging, which is almost impossible to open without a knife. This is specially done so as to prevent theft in self-service stores, although initially plastic was invented with a good purpose as an alternative to opaque boxes so that the buyer immediately saw the goods.

    It is logical that industry representatives are constantly looking for alternatives, because forcing a consumer to pick up a knife is at least inhumane. In America alone, the opening of sealed packages of hard plastic forces about 6,000 people to go to the hospital each year. Almost everyone can recall their own story about the war with packaging, when it ended with cut fingers or the use of teeth.

    NY Times publishes an overview of alternative packaging that Amazon.com, Sony, Microsoft, and Best Buy are experimenting with.

    The main problem is that the “friendly” packaging does not look so beautiful in the window of an offline store. That's why Amazon is the main initiator of this reform. After all, the online store, by and large, does not care how the goods are packaged after the sale.

    However, some offline companies have also joined the Amazon initiative. For example, Microsoft is releasing new Explorer mice in packaging with zippers on the sides. Sony will soon release three alternative packaging options, one of which uses a loud velcro lock: it is easy to open, but only with a lot of noise (this solves the problem of thieves).

    According to Amazon management, it will take many years for absolutely all of its products to be transferred to new packaging.

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