Who Designed This Crap? Product Packaging, Where\'s My Chainsaw?

[bgerber]

Mobile computers and accessories are cool. However the way they\'re packaged is a real horror show, almost literally. With impenetrable shipping boxes and envelopes, as well as plastic blister packs sealed tighter than most tombs, it seems like vendors really don\'t want you to get to their products.

 

[ilader]

I would never use a chainsaw. I use a bandsaw: much safer.

I complained to Panamax about their impenetrable packaging, and they switched to simple cardboard boxes!

 

[beltonius]

http/www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2002/09/30

Though I generally assault such packaging with my Gerber multi-tool, though I may have to start using my table saw.

 

[foshizzle]

It seems like there's just no winning with this one. One the one hand, I hate the packaging that you just can't open. (I can't tell you how many owner's manuals I have ripped through when trying to open those types of packaging...not to mention small cuts...) But on the other hand, if I was a company that sold things both through retail stores and online vendors I probably wouldn't want to add the expense of packaging my stuff two different ways.

Darn thieves ruin it for all of us...

 

[torque79]

seems a bit paranoid to me. The manufacturer is not the one who loses from stolen packaging, the stores do (they already bought a skid of the product, it no longer has anything to do with the manufacturer).

Why is the manufacturer siding with stores who have poor security procedures and whine about it? The consumer is the one who drives demand, right?

If a store has so much theft it is affecting their bottom line, the problem does NOT lie in their product packaging. the store is either too big to monitor properly, there are insufficient or improperly trained security personnel, or thieving employees even.

 

[jschauf]

Check out this product, looks like it will make opening these types of things quite easy and only like $5-10

http/www.myopenx.com/home.htm

 

[foshizzle]

Whoa, that's pretty cool. And it's only $5 shipped! Not bad at all.

 

[torque79]

are you kidding? buy another product so that you are able to OPEN other products? then why don't they just start selling everything in aluminum cans since we already own can openers!

who cares how cheap it is, that idea is just rediculous.

 

[foshizzle]

are you kidding? buy another product so that you are able to OPEN other products? then why don't they just start selling everything in aluminum cans since we already own can openers!

who cares how cheap it is, that idea is just rediculous.

Ummm....yea that would be totally crazy. And while we're at it, I think skissors are a riduculous idea too!

 

[torque79]

I had a feeling someone would say that about scissors. However, scissors have been around for a VERY long time, and therefore would be a reasonable tool to plan for the consumer to use for opening packaging. However, I personally find these titanium plastic containers to be quite difficult to open sometimes even with scissors due to their thickness, and also how sharp they are once cut.

Cans are also practical, because they keep food fresh for a long time.

These kind of insane boxes/plastic are not practical in any way. They produce more waste, make products more difficult to open, and only serve store owners and not consumers.

OK, so now maybe you found a cheap solution for CURRENT shipping materials. What happens if nobody complains, and then you have to then buy ANOTHER cheap tool for opening your PURCHASED items when they develop some other packaging material?

Easy suggestion: the stores who are concerned about package tampering develop their own containers which can be opened at the cashier when the item is sold. I have seen these in stores such as Best Buy, and it works very well.

there is no reason manufacturers have to be involved in this step.

 

[I]

I just don't get it, what's so hard about opening a package? Ok, so you have to actually spend a minute. There is no packaging that takes several minutes unless your opening tool assortment lacks such basic items as a shallow-bladed razor knife, large sturdy scissors, and diagonal cutters (type used in electronics work).

That package featured in the article with the chainsaw on top would take about 20 seconds (not rushing, casually doing it) with good scissors. If you can't spend 20 seconds, did you need the product bad enough to spend far longer ordering it?

A few things in the article don't quite wash either, for example:

TAPE- sure, some people are obsessive compulsive when it comes to overapplying it, but the FACT is, a good tape job tapes over ALL the seams (not just longitudinally) AND at 90' to the top and bottom seams. This DOES make a box more crush resistant in many situations because of the higher structural integrity at the edges of each panel, they don't slide or buckle as easily. We hope our packages never need it, and it seems wasteful, BUT once again there is no amount of tape that any competent human should have trouble with because it's still only 3 swipes with the shallow bladed razor knife, 10 seconds tops.

 

[I]

FedEX Boxes - same thing, a simple swipe or two with a shallow razor knife takes 10 seconds. I hate to be insulting but the author of the article has a unique problem if clawing at a box like an animal instead of using tools like a human. Don't fool with the pull tab at all, just routinely grab for the tool you need in the first place.

Amazon Boxes - same as FedEx, use tools, not claws.

Bike lock - NO you do NOT have to cut the curved coutours. Cut on the three straight sides, flex it a little and it'll slide right out, easy as it gets unless someone stole your scissors.
"royal f'ing nightmare"? That's ridiculous.

OCZ Flash Memory - Quote, "easy to open with your fingers. I still advise wearing gloves,"
No, No, NO!!!!!!!
Quit clawing at it. S C I S S O R S.

I realize what I'm writing might be insulting but that's the reader's problem because these are plain truths to opening packages. Learn how instead of complaining that the way you do it is hard compared to doing it the easier way. I LIKE well-packaged products and by well I mean what you consider hard to open. I don't want a package any random Joe Employee can open, or that lets in moisture or who-knows-what on the boat ride over to whichever continent.

The one concern I have is when packaging is non-recyclable, or rather, not widely recycled as that varies from region to region.

 

[tuna2517]

WHAT A POINTLESS ARTICLE. for real dude get a job or something, because this writing buisness is not working out.

like are you that goddamn lazy, you cant get a pair of scissors. for the love of shit its plastic

your just giving fat lazy americans more excuses for multi-million dollar corp. to come up with stupid gizmos and gadgets to eat away at your money.

this all started with people like this dumbass author complainen that there products were defective because the packaging wasn't secure. now you lazy ass is complaining you cant open it.

 

[woodchuk]

I watched a little kid cut himself on one of these plastic boxes, he wasn't
trying to open it he just rubbed his palm across the edge, which was sharp
as a razor. You should recognize that. It was red, and it was Christmas.

 

[cjmu]

Ok, so am I the only one who noticed the perforated plastic panel on the back of the Defcon lock package. those things take about 2 seconds to rip open with your hands. pretty much all packaging has a specific way to open it, without resorting to tools, most people just don't look, and then get all frustrated. slow down and use your brain. (no offence intended, I'm sure you all have brains)

 

[Halberd388]

That has to be your funniest one yet, Barry, good show.



Being an ex shoplifter (served my time, paid my dues) I can tell you it's very easy to get into a blisterpack in less than 30 seconds.

Tools needed -
X-acto craft knife (with curve blade XAC222)

2 Cloth Finger Guards (gloves are conspicous) one for fore finger and thumb

If you know when to go into a store and what products are easy to confiscate it's no trouble.

I won't give what stores or times or anything else, but I suggest to you all never to do it. I was caught not by RFIDs or carrying merchandise but by a little lady's words that convinced me to do better and turn myself in for past crimes. *shrugs*

Point is... blisterpacks and tight packages don't help, it's just a pain in the neck for honest consumers.

 

[superbrett2000]

Point is... blisterpacks and tight packages don't help, it's just a pain in the neck for honest consumers.

Seems to be the trend for DRM and software activation as well...

 

[torque79]

I watched a little kid cut himself on one of these plastic boxes, he wasn't
trying to open it he just rubbed his palm across the edge, which was sharp
as a razor. You should recognize that. It was red, and it was Christmas.

an excellent point everyone seems to be ignoring... how SHARP the plastic usually is. With regard to I's points, yes if you have the proper tools available it can be SOMEWHAT easy to open a package, and I have those tools quite handy as well... at WORK. However, these hard plastic cases, especially when they are very thick and folded over all around the edges, are hard to cut through at all, and are USUALLY excessively sharp after that. that is really unecessary. Maybe you are a younger person and do not remember packaging materials of 10-20 years ago, when it was easy to open almost anything with your hands? Why have we gone BACKWARDS in packaging development?

Most of us do not run home businesses with razors, box cutters, etc all over the house, they tend to be down in the basement somewhere for those occasions where (rarely) needed. We are talking about consumers here. These days, they are even making many products which must be assembled, but do not even require tools. Why is that mentality reversed in packaging?

good point from the (ex) thief, the packaging does not stop an experienced one anyways. However, I would imagine these are only geared for the casual and unexperienced shoplifter. that still does not preclude my earlier point of a store's security being insufficient, rather than blaming product packaging.

Every time I go into Best Buy, even some of the $20 products right at the door directly in front of the employees are wrapped in cemented plastic. give me a break.

 

[foshizzle]

Lol, sorry I couldn't resist the comment about scissors.

 

[tutmondigo]

seems a bit paranoid to me. The manufacturer is not the one who loses from stolen packaging, the stores do (they already bought a skid of the product, it no longer has anything to do with the manufacturer).

Why is the manufacturer siding with stores who have poor security procedures and whine about it? The consumer is the one who drives demand, right?

If a store has so much theft it is affecting their bottom line, the problem does NOT lie in their product packaging. the store is either too big to monitor properly, there are insufficient or improperly trained security personnel, or thieving employees even.

Having packaging that is resistant the thievery is a selling point for the manufacturer. Remember, the store is a consumer. They just sell what they've bought. That being said I have a set of tin snips that I use to open this crap.