Amazon packaging.

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by Diorama, Nov 29, 2017.

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  1. EddieMann

    EddieMann I used to be a king...

    Location:
    Geneva, IL. USA.
    The logic is, that until their computers tell them its cheaper in the long run to pay for packaging than it is to replace an occasional piece of product, then we'll continue to get broken jewel cases.
     
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  2. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    Keep extra jewel cases / inner album sleeves / outer album bags in stock. Makes life much easier. :tiphat:
     
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  3. PeteH

    PeteH Shoes for Industry!

    Location:
    Way over yonder
    Remember Amazon's slogan, Little Box Big Smile? Back in the day, when Amazon always used a small box with the item shrunkwrapped to a piece of cardboard, I never had anything arrive damaged. Now that they just toss stuff in a bubble mailer, about hakf of what I order arrives damaged. UPS plus a bubble mailer is a recipie for disaster. Maybe the bew slogan should be Bubble Mailer Big Frown.
     
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  4. Myke

    Myke Trying Not To Spook The Horse

    The few nights my son worked for UPS was a big reality check for both of us. The idiot supervisors thought it was funny to drop kick packages, and abuse nearly everything they touched, while getting the trucks loaded as fast as possible.
    Explained the black boot print I'd see on a bubble mailer containing a smashed CD jewel case, every so often.
    .
     
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  5. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    It is not the last few months, it's been like that for a long time, dvd's that can fall on their own outside the box, things that clearly should not be posted in the manufacturer package which is clearly not intended for posting etc. They are awful, I left a review indicating that last occurrence and they censored me.

    Yes their packaging is awful!!!!!
     
  6. Runicen

    Runicen Forum Resident

    I'd actually forgotten about the "shrink wrap to cardboard" thing they used to do. Used to seem a bit excessive, but yeah - I miss it now.
     
  7. George McClellan

    George McClellan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Fall River, MA
    I usually order CDs from Amazon.com as a last resort, only if something is not available at my local Newbury Comics or even Target. Amazon's packaging is truly awful. I'm always getting cracked/broken jewel cases from them, as well as cases that are just dinged up. The use of those stupid oversized bubble envelopes is the main problem, they offer little protection for fragile items like CDs.

    I also complain to them and usually obtain a discount for the damaged items. So fair is fair. I keep a bunch of empty jewel cases on hand, although damaged digi-packs are a judgement call as to send back or not.

    Just wanted to vent. I also find that two marketplace sellers through Amazon that I use have excellent packaging: -importcds and Avatarmusic. Both use nice fitting cardboard boxes to ship. Rarely do I get damaged CDs from them, even with Avatarmusic shipping from the UK.
     
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  8. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    I've seen two Fedex employees playing soccer with one box on the footpath in the view of everybody. I still regret not telling them something but I was in such disbelief I couldn't think of anything at the time.
     
    Myke likes this.
  9. If it is any consolation, Amazon doesn't package anything well anymore. Toys, vitamins, posters, LPs, collectibles - their packers these days show the delicacy and intelligence of goldfish.
     
    Matthew Tate likes this.
  10. Roland Stone

    Roland Stone Offending Member

    It's about getting it out of the warehouse as fast as possible. I imagine their pickers would be penalized if they took the time to try to do things better.

    Posts upthread recall Amazon used to have shrink-to-liner packaging with a detailed packing slip. Sure, when they were still a media distribution company. Now that they're Internet Wal-Mart, selling toothpaste and socks, such niceties are now inefficiencies. Stuff is thrown into a box or envelope as fast as possible.
     
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  11. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    do prime members get better packaging?

    just asking.
     
  12. grsmnkey

    grsmnkey Forum Resident

    Location:
    U.S.A.

    NO!
     
  13. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    :targettiphat:
     
  14. PeteH

    PeteH Shoes for Industry!

    Location:
    Way over yonder
    I'm a prime member. I would consider paying extra if they offered little box big smile shipping again.
     
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  15. George McClellan

    George McClellan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Fall River, MA
    I just ordered Bowie's 'Welcome to the Blackout' from Amazon. Couldn't beat the price. Fingers crossed it arrives undamaged. I saw it in the store and it looks like a pretty sturdy digi-pack.
     
  16. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    i ordered the new graham nash from amazon UK............it shipped in a box, no exaggeration, 2 feet long and 6 wide and 6 inches deep.....packed tightly with brown paper and the the tape around the outside of the box was coming off so bad the mailman personally drove it up to my house because he felt it may fall apart, and not knowing what was in the package he was worried it could be damaged or lost.
     
  17. steelydanguy

    steelydanguy Forum Resident

    Glad to see I'm not the only one who's unhappy with Amazon's packaging these days.

    I've been a customer of theirs for many years, and it's only been in the past year or so that I've really been miffed about how they are packaging things.

    I've ordered countless CDs and DVDs (mostly TV shows on DVD) from Amazon. The problem these days is that they're almost always arriving in a flimsy padded envelope that has lots of room for the item to get shifted around and damaged. DVDs in already-flimsy plastic packaging and CD jewel cases are especially vulnerable to damage, and I've also ordered DVD box sets where the cardboard is torn/damaged. ... Years ago, Amazon set a pretty good standard with its packaging. I think they used cardboard holders that fit tightly around the item and protected it better.

    A few months back, I learned through experience that Amazon's return policy is quite liberal -- like, you could probably send back almost anything as long as you do it relatively quickly (I think it's a 30-day window) and you keep it in "unopened or original condition." You usually have to write a brief explanation about why you're returning it, but I haven't had any issues with this process. There definitely are a few things I had ordered previously that I would have returned had I know about their policy.

    In any case, even with Amazon's good prices, good return policy and quick shipping for Prime members (of which I am one), I find myself hesitating to buy things from them at times because of the packaging issue. Frankly, if you're buying online, you probably can get a better experience from a third party with a stellar seller rating -- the packaging almost surely will be better.
     
    George McClellan likes this.
  18. Amazon's return policy is quite generous until it isn't - they've been known to permanently ban customers they feel are returning too many items. Given Amazon's ever-growing presence in American retail, returning a few mildly damaged CDs and DVDs is probably not worth the risk. I almost always now go with other vendors if it's a collector's item or something that is fragile, you just can't trust Amazon will deliver a clean, pristine item.
     
  19. eddiel

    eddiel Senior Member

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    Speaking of Amazon packaging...I bought a record from Amazon.ca recently...all I saw was the typical big box and figured well the record is sliding around in there protected by some crumpled brown paper. But nope. The record was in a record mailer which was in the bigger box. I nearly fainted... :)
     
  20. steelydanguy

    steelydanguy Forum Resident

    That's interesting that Amazon bans some people if they return too many items. I've returned just things two ever, I think, out of hundreds or orders over the years, though both returns were in recent months. I guess I'm safe for now, LOL. Yes, I agree that you wouldn't want to be banned from Amazon, even with the packaging issues. Their prices and selection are too good.

    I think the issue could partly (mainly?) be the two-day, self-inflicted speed pressure that Amazon puts itself under with Prime orders. Yes, it's great to receive items in just two days. But I'd be willing to sacrifice another day or two in delivery time if it meant the items were packaged better. It's really just been in the past year or two that I've noticed the substandard packaging issue. I know that Amazon used to be better on this matter. ... I've considered writing to them but am not sure who to write to or whether it would make a difference.

    For what it matters, I live in the Washington, D.C., area, and I receive many items from the Lexington, Ky., distribution center. But it sounds like this is an issue that is affecting people all over the country (maybe the world?).

    I do buy CDs, vinyl records, DVDs and books from many third-party sellers on Amazon, eBay, Discogs and other sites -- and generally have positive experiences on those sites when asking questions beforehand and dealing only with the highest-rated sellers. I guess that's the "safer" way to go if you're a collector on the picky side regarding condition. But there are times when Amazon is the only place that has something for a reasonable price.

     
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  21. zongo

    zongo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Davis, CA
    I got a CD from Amazon France the other day. It was packaged in a box that was approximately 2 feet long, 8 inches wide and 4 inches tall. It was stuffed with squished up paper. I dug through the paper and found the single CD in the middle of that giant paper-filled box. The CD was totally fine, but sending a CD in a box that large defies common sense. Actually was kind of humorous.
     
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  22. Spitfire

    Spitfire Senior Member

    Location:
    Pacific Northwest
    If you buy a CD from Amazon that comes in a jewel case you can almost guarantee there will be some damage. The one I got yesterday was cracked on both sides in multiple places.
     
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  23. Cliffamuford

    Cliffamuford Active Member

    Amazon is clearly trying to hasten the CD's demise by making sure the remaining stocks are destroyed in shipping!
     
  24. Dave Garrett

    Dave Garrett Senior Member

    Location:
    Houston, TX
    Hadn't ordered any books from Amazon in a long time, but had heard from multiple sources that their book packaging now sucks as well. I got a large and heavy book from them today, and it was in a box, but the box wasn't as sturdy as the ones they used to use. One end was squashed a bit, and the book (which was a tight fit) was inside with no other protection. As I expected, it was slightly dinged in a couple of spots but not too bad. Since I only paid around half of what the next-cheapest seller out there had it for, I can live with it. I'd already factored in the likelihood of getting it in less-than-perfect condition and was willing to roll the dice given the low price. If I'm paying closer to MSRP, I'd expect no flaws or wear and would likely opt for another vendor with more trustworthy packaging.
     
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  25. SJP

    SJP Forum Resident

    Location:
    Anaheim
    I see such comments repeatedly but in all my years of buying CDs (among other things) from Amazon, I don't recall one being damaged in the least bit and certainly no CD has required a return.

    Rather than call these comments hyperbole though, I'll just assume that some people have lots of bad luck.
     
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