Amazon.com Expands Eco-friendly, Frustration-Free Packaging Initiative
Amazon.com has launched the next phase of its “Frustration-Free Packaging” initiative.
Now, electronics manufacturers Kingston and Monster are on-board, offering dozens of their top-selling items in new easy-to-open, environmentally friendly packaging.
Amazon introduced Frustration-Free Packaging back in November 2008. This March, the company added innovative features on its website that allow customers to rate the packaging used by both Amazon and product manufacturers. Since then, tens of thousands of customers have provided feedback, which Amazon says it is using to improve the way products are packaged and shipped to customers.
“Kingston strives to be as eco-friendly as possible and we’re proud to be a part of Amazon’s Frustration-Free Packaging efforts,” says David Sun, co-founder and chief operating officer, Kingston. “The majority of Kingston memory products that are sold on Amazon.com come in easy-open, recyclable cases that are just slightly larger than the products themselves, and we’ve even reduced the size of the product guide to fit this smaller package.”
Likewise, Monster’s “Digital Life Green Power Centers” are no longer encased in hard plastic clamshells, and they can be shipped in their own cardboard boxes.
According to Amazon’s website, the Frustration-Free Packaging initiative is just one part of the company’s commitment to reduce packaging waste.
Amazon has also developed software that determines the “right-sized” box for any given item based on dimension and weight. As a result, the company has achieved a dramatic reduction in the number of packages shipped in oversized boxes, significantly reducing waste. What’s more, in 2008, Amazon sent 35% of its larger-sized packages to customers without any additional packaging, reducing packaging waste and transportation costs even further.
Green packaging has been described as the new breakthrough consumer issue of our time, and it’s clear that sustainable packaging is quickly becoming a preference for consumers worldwide. Kudos to Amazon for recognizing (and capitalizing on) these trends –and for taking steps to lead the internet shopping sector toward a more sustainable future.
More information on how Amazon is reducing its environmental impact is available here.
Nice work on the blog. I definitely know how hard it can be to start to gain a following!
The issues we are facing just seem to get worse and worse and seems like people care less and less. Anyway to 2010 being a greener year!
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2I didn’t quite understand this to begin with. But when I went through it a second time, it all added up in my mind. Thanks for the thought. Certainly something to spend some time on.
3This is a very fascinating read. I have been involved in the photovoltaics sector for around 5 years and it is absolutely amazing how quickly the industry is changing. For most of us this is a very thrilling chapter of history so let’s hope stay on the pace.
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