Why does Amazon keep using padded envelopes?

[MrHT]

Amazon used to use boxes before, but now, 90% of the time, they're using padded envelopes. Since I live in an apartment and the mailboxes are small, the mailman likes to fold the padded envelopes and shove them in my tiny mailbox. My packages get damaged that way. With boxes, the mailman never does that. I tried ordering multiples items (like 3-4 BDs) hoping that since there are more items, they will use a box, but nope... they just shove the 3-4 BDs in one padded envelope.

Anyone else have this problem with Amazon lately? Or is it just me?

[varmintx]

That sounds like more of a problem with your mailman than Amazon.

[bsweetness]

Amazon has been using padded envelops for years, and people here have been complaining about them for years.

Post pictures of your damaged Amazon.com blu-rays due to bubble mailers

Amazon & those stupid yellow envelopes!

Anybody else tired of the poor Amazon packaging?

Amazon & BD Shipping

...and that's just a few of the threads complaining about them.

[Blu-Benny]

Mine have been coming in padded envelopes for a few years now.

[Monterey Jack]

Hell, I prefer envelopes...twice over the last month I put in orders at Barnes & Noble, and they arrived in boxes jammed so tightly into my (tiny) mailbox that it literally took me minutes to pry them out.

[MrHT]

Originally Posted by varmintx

That sounds like more of a problem with your mailman than Amazon.

My regular mailman is cool. He doesn't do that. But when he's off and there's a substitute, my package gets shoved into the mailbox. And people wonder why I hate USPS.

[The_Donster]

Originally Posted by MrHT

My regular mailman is cool. He doesn't do that. But when he's off and there's a substitute, my package gets shoved into the mailbox. And people wonder why I hate USPS.

I hear you. I have the same problem and when companies mail in padded envelopes it gives them the excuse not to knock on my door. Our house is in rural part and it has taken me years to get all of the carriers to stop leaving things on my doorstep. The only holdout is FedEX and that's where most of my high ticket stuff comes from.

[MrHT]

Originally Posted by The_Donster

I hear you. I have the same problem and when companies mail in padded envelopes it gives them the excuse not to knock on my door. Our house is in rural part and it has taken me years to get all of the carriers to stop leaving things on my doorstep. The only holdout is FedEX and that's where most of my high ticket stuff comes from.

In our apartment, the mailman just leaves it with the Super and we can pick it up any time when him or any of the porters are around. Since I live in a building with over 200 apartments, I'm sure there are other packages he has to bring down. So, I really don't understand why he has to shove the envelopes in the mailbox. Just bring it to the Super along with the rest of the packages...

[Captain Kirk]

Everything I've ordered came in a box. Only disney movie club sends me movies in crappy envelopes.

[Mr.Terry]

Happens to me also and I dislike it,but the mailman did manage to get a box in my apartment mailbox.I had a heck of a time getting that out,so now I don'
t mind the folded bubble envelopes as much as I did.
Goes with the territory.

[remake]

All of my single blus usually come in a padded envelope.



No damage.

[PopcornBandit]

When I order two or more items they always ship in a box. I don't really have a problem with the padded envelopes. I've received maybe two damaged blu-rays that were shipped in a padded envelope in the five years I've been shopping with Amazon. What I dislike is when they ship multiple items in a box without any padding so they're free to rattle around in transit. I've received many blu-rays with broken cases due to the lack of air pillows or any sort of padding in the box.

[MikeCL]

Originally Posted by MrHT

My regular mailman is cool. He doesn't do that. But when he's off and there's a substitute, my package gets shoved into the mailbox. And people wonder why I hate USPS.

my post man is really cool, I live at a apartment and he does not see me much but he knows who and what apartment I live at, I had a movie that was in a thick padding envelope and he held it for me and told me I had more in my mail box.

It always sucks when he goes on vacation.

[Tony208]

because the majority of customers vote the packaging too big

[DarkEco910]

I've never had anything arrive in an envelope from Amazon. I've always received boxes, no matter how big or small my order.

Originally Posted by Tony208

because the majority of customers vote the packaging too big

Most times, I do laugh at how large the box is for one tiny item...

[MikeCL]

Originally Posted by mertz523

Most times, I do laugh at how large the box is for one tiny item...

can't beat this.. and this was that stupid $25 Add-on order for prime members.. boy was a pissed off when this box came.. a super huge waste of cardboard.. It was not so much I had to spend the $25 to get it to ship but just wow..



I stopped leaving package feedback because they never listen.. and the fact that they say they wont get back to you quickly made up my mind about leaving feedback.

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by MikeCL

can't beat this.. and this was that stupid $25 Add-on order for prime members.. boy was a pissed off when this box came.. a super huge waste of cardboard.. It was not so much I had to spend the $25 to get it to ship but just wow..

[Show spoiler]

I stopped leaving package feedback because they never listen.. and the fact that they say they wont get back to you quickly made up my mind about leaving feedback.

At least the box is recyclable unlike the padded envelopes.

[blu-ray_girl_fan]

Originally Posted by mertz523

I've never had anything arrive in an envelope from Amazon. I've always received boxes, no matter how big or small my order.

Different distribution centers have their own ways of sending out stuff. Some ship BDs and DVDs only in padded envelopes. Padded envelopes are fine for one or even two movies of the same case size, but multiples will get damaged.

[Kirben]

Amazon is getting worse again, I just had a boxed set sent in a padded envelope. Which provided no real protection, and the box set was dented and squashed.

I don't mind one or two single releases sent in a padded envelope, since they use plastic cases, and are rarely damaged. But I hope this doesn't continue with boxed sets, or people are going to get lots more damaged items.

[RowdyBurns]

Originally Posted by Kirben

Amazon is getting worse again, I just had a boxed set sent in a padded envelope. Which provided no real protection, and the box set was dented and squashed.

I don't mind one or two single releases sent in a padded envelope, since they use plastic cases, and are rarely damaged. But I hope this doesn't continue with boxed sets, or people are going to get lots more damaged items.

I typically try to order multiples blu rays so that they will ship in a box. More times than not, Amazon will ship in one of those cardboard "boxes" that is really just a piece of cardboard that folds over on itself and then has a glue adhesive. I'm sure Amazon users know what I'm talking about.....more often than not, the cardboard will be folded tightly enough so that the blu rays aren't moving around and the cardboard provides much better protection than those flimsy bubble envelopes.

I HATE the bubble wrap envelopes.....it's almost guaranteed that slipcovers will be damaged. When envelopes are squashed in transit, there's no protection. If there is no slipcover, or better yet a steelbook, I would be less worried, but I still don't like it as both would still be more prone to dents in either the plastic or metal.

However my anger has spurred the last few days when I look in my mailbox over the weekend to find that THREE blu ray movies, each with slipcovers, were stuffed into ONE envelope. This was a first for Amazon. I was not happy and now I'm worried if this will be the norm.

Fortunately Amazon has great customer service as far as returns and exchanges go, but this is still frustrating and they'll likely ship replacements out the same way.

I just placed a big order with Amazon - 6 blu rays - and now I see that they have split the order, shipping two packages with 3 blu rays each. One has already shipped via USPS so I'm not feeling very confident they will be in boxes. You can't win.

Unfortunately there is no other online retailer that will ship with better protection, unless someone has any better ideas??? I ordered 6 movies from Wal-Mart's online store once. Laughably, they all came in a padded wrapping. I ordered from Target's online store. Even more laughably, the movies came in a thin wrapping with ZERO protection - not even bubble-wrap lining.

It's a complete lack of respect for the customer's merchandise just to save a buck. You would think that it would be beneficial for both the consumer and retailer to ensure proper packaging to avoid the headaches that come with returns......but apparently not enough people care.

I'm at the point where I don't even know how you get a slipcover in good condition anymore - unless you pick-up the movie at a physical store on release day, before shelf-wear and people carelessly picking through them and putting them back - I don't know.

I guess Amazon has become a big enough giant that they are the clear kings of internet retail and don't have to worry about going the extra mile anymore. Or their whole "free shipping" thing means we suffer quality. Amazon used to place DVDs on a piece of cardboard backing, then cover the whole thing with plastic, THEN place inside a cardboard box - the cardboard backing was the same exact size as the box. NOTHING moved inside the box. I still get this packaging but it is an extreme rarity nowadays. I guess the Amazon distribution centers here on the West Coast - Bernadino and Tracy, CA - just suck.

What they SHOULD do is come up with a system that is more tailored to each customer's specific needs. For example, if the consumer wants to pay an extra 5 bucks for more shipping materials, he/she should be allowed to do so. I have e-mailed and asked Amazon to please ship my items in a box securely and then of course you get one of those canned e-mails from one of their reps in India - about how their system finds the "right size" packaging and they don't know which distribution center your package will come from and bla bla bla......useless. They can't adjust to a customer's specific needs. They have only one way of dealing with their incredibly massive wave of shipping out packages - and that is their way.