E-Commerce: Convenience Built on a Mountain of Cardboard
February 17, 2016 11:28 AM Subscribe
E-Commerce: Convenience Built on a Mountain of Cardboard (sl; nyt) Online shopping is even worse for the environment than traditional retailing, with environmental costs including additional cardboard and other packaging plus emissions from "increasingly personalized" freight services. "Consumers expect that even their modest wants should be satisfied like urgent needs [....]From a sustainability perspective, we’re heading in the wrong direction."
I love when I get an SD card delivered and it's in a box that could hold a thousand of the damn things.
posted by octothorpe at 11:40 AM on February 17, 2016 [19 favorites]
posted by octothorpe at 11:40 AM on February 17, 2016 [19 favorites]
As a lazy person who lives in Silicon Valley, it's a godsend that I can have so many things delivered. But I generate SO MUCH CARDBOARD. It's nuts. I don't want to buy Amazon shares, I want to figure out who supplies their cardboard and buy shares in that company.
I love when I get an SD card delivered and it's in a box that could hold a thousand of the damn things.
I did exactly this and someone in the warehouse messed up and shipped me an entire box of SD cards by accident although I wonder if that might have been cheaper than getting a whole new box just for the one card.
posted by GuyZero at 11:45 AM on February 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
I love when I get an SD card delivered and it's in a box that could hold a thousand of the damn things.
I did exactly this and someone in the warehouse messed up and shipped me an entire box of SD cards by accident although I wonder if that might have been cheaper than getting a whole new box just for the one card.
posted by GuyZero at 11:45 AM on February 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
Someone needs to invent "socially responsible" shipping.
Like, the item will come in frustration-free packaging rather than ridiculous giant bubbles designed to garner shelf space. And we will pay someone a living wage, to actually THINK about how to package this in a minimally-wasteful fashion, and send it via a minimally-wasteful shipping option. I would pay more and wait longer, for that!
posted by elizilla at 11:46 AM on February 17, 2016 [11 favorites]
Like, the item will come in frustration-free packaging rather than ridiculous giant bubbles designed to garner shelf space. And we will pay someone a living wage, to actually THINK about how to package this in a minimally-wasteful fashion, and send it via a minimally-wasteful shipping option. I would pay more and wait longer, for that!
posted by elizilla at 11:46 AM on February 17, 2016 [11 favorites]
There's sort of a death spiral to all this, too - I get most of my clothes and, truth be told, most of my durable goods used via eBay. I used to thrift a lot but the thrift stores have all cut deals with pickers, who buy stuff before it hits the floor and sell it online - plus ordinary people sell online now, too. So now even when I try thrifting, I can't find very much that meets my needs. I try to shop locally (and I'm not at the point of having my groceries delivered in a nest of cardboard - surely even your average local grocery delivery service doesn't box things up that much?) but beyond groceries and paper towels and so on, there's not much of what I want actually available.
Even with bookstores, and that's what kills me. There are several just dynamite small, heavily curated local bookstores here that are doing well, and I do shop there - but we no longer have a large, serious bookstore. If I want a curated selection of what's current and happening, I have places to go. If I want the lesser works of Henry James, or a good history of modern Scotland, or a biography of Nancy Cunard, I'm SOL. And none of these places are good at ordering books - you order, and it's like the order drops into the void and you never hear of it again.
posted by Frowner at 11:47 AM on February 17, 2016 [15 favorites]
Even with bookstores, and that's what kills me. There are several just dynamite small, heavily curated local bookstores here that are doing well, and I do shop there - but we no longer have a large, serious bookstore. If I want a curated selection of what's current and happening, I have places to go. If I want the lesser works of Henry James, or a good history of modern Scotland, or a biography of Nancy Cunard, I'm SOL. And none of these places are good at ordering books - you order, and it's like the order drops into the void and you never hear of it again.
posted by Frowner at 11:47 AM on February 17, 2016 [15 favorites]
On the plus side, if you end up moving as often as I have, all those boxes end up being really handy.
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:48 AM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:48 AM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
The other side of this is that there's literally no way that every e-commerce site out there isn't working their warehouse people to death, because they have to compete with Amazon and we know for a fact that's what Amazon does. My wife is really unhappy with Amazon for these practices but I can't find a company that offers a credible assurance about labor practices, unless I've missed something obvious.
posted by selfnoise at 11:49 AM on February 17, 2016 [9 favorites]
posted by selfnoise at 11:49 AM on February 17, 2016 [9 favorites]
I have to wonder if Amazon et al. will eventually be enough of the economy that manufacturers will change their packaging to fit Amazon's needs. For example, the last thing I bought off Amazon was a Logitech webcam. It certainly didn't need the photogenic clamshell packaging that it might need at Best Buy.
posted by explosion at 11:50 AM on February 17, 2016 [9 favorites]
posted by explosion at 11:50 AM on February 17, 2016 [9 favorites]
The other side of this is that there's literally no way that every e-commerce site out there isn't working their warehouse people to death...
I work at an e-commerce company and we don't work our warehouse folks to death. 40 hour work weeks, pay above minimum wage, decent benefits, etc.
posted by Jacob G at 11:52 AM on February 17, 2016 [10 favorites]
I work at an e-commerce company and we don't work our warehouse folks to death. 40 hour work weeks, pay above minimum wage, decent benefits, etc.
posted by Jacob G at 11:52 AM on February 17, 2016 [10 favorites]
I don't buy that this is a one-way loss. Sure, there are increased truck trips and more elaborate packaging. But there were a lot of truck trips before, and lots of cardboard shipping boxes to break down at the stores (and malls, remember those?) we all drove our personal vehicles to.
It could be that the personalized truck trips are worse for the environment than the personalized car trips. Or it could be that something else is driving the increase; at least one thing driving additional trips right now is low gas prices. If gas prices go up (or better, if we institute a carbon tax) I bet we start to see shipment consolidation and slower delivery times.
posted by anotherpanacea at 11:52 AM on February 17, 2016 [13 favorites]
It could be that the personalized truck trips are worse for the environment than the personalized car trips. Or it could be that something else is driving the increase; at least one thing driving additional trips right now is low gas prices. If gas prices go up (or better, if we institute a carbon tax) I bet we start to see shipment consolidation and slower delivery times.
posted by anotherpanacea at 11:52 AM on February 17, 2016 [13 favorites]
surely even your average local grocery delivery service doesn't box things up that much?
I've been receiving Peapod deliveries for years because of work, and I do. not. get. their packaging m.o. Say I buy 15 apples. They will come to me in about four different plastic bags: bag 1 contains 10 apples, which is about one or two more apples than that bag can properly contain, so I lift it out of the larger bag it's in and drop a couple of them on the floor. Bag 2 contains two apples. Bag 3 contains one apple. Just one, lone apple. Bag 4 also contains only one apple. These four bags of apples are distributed among at least two different larger bags.
They do this for all fruit.
posted by phunniemee at 11:53 AM on February 17, 2016 [6 favorites]
I've been receiving Peapod deliveries for years because of work, and I do. not. get. their packaging m.o. Say I buy 15 apples. They will come to me in about four different plastic bags: bag 1 contains 10 apples, which is about one or two more apples than that bag can properly contain, so I lift it out of the larger bag it's in and drop a couple of them on the floor. Bag 2 contains two apples. Bag 3 contains one apple. Just one, lone apple. Bag 4 also contains only one apple. These four bags of apples are distributed among at least two different larger bags.
They do this for all fruit.
posted by phunniemee at 11:53 AM on February 17, 2016 [6 favorites]
I have to wonder if Amazon et al. will eventually be enough of the economy that manufacturers will change their packaging to fit Amazon's needs. For example, the last thing I bought off Amazon was a Logitech webcam. It certainly didn't need the photogenic clamshell packaging that it might need at Best Buy.
I ordered an Anker USB Hub recently and the package design was clearly "we want this to look good when it comes out of the Amazon box" rather than "this needs to be visible from space on the shelf".
posted by selfnoise at 11:53 AM on February 17, 2016 [5 favorites]
I ordered an Anker USB Hub recently and the package design was clearly "we want this to look good when it comes out of the Amazon box" rather than "this needs to be visible from space on the shelf".
posted by selfnoise at 11:53 AM on February 17, 2016 [5 favorites]
Everything we have, do, is a matter of trade offs. The real problem is TOO MANY PEOPLE
posted by Postroad at 11:54 AM on February 17, 2016 [9 favorites]
posted by Postroad at 11:54 AM on February 17, 2016 [9 favorites]
I feel guilty about all the packaging and the labor practices, but on the other hand, on-line shopping had made finding shoes that fit and clothing I like that fits so, so much easier for me.
I used to thrift but it was my main hobby. I don't have the time anymore to spend all weekend in thrift stores and come home with nothing when I need work clothes.
I have wide women's size 10 feet and the shoe shopping model of asking someone to check in the back for you about each pair, and mostly have them come out to say they don't have it, or try to figure out if you like it while they stand there watching you was a pretty crap model for me. Warehouse places that have the stock on display are a little better, but usually are really lacking in selection of things like good quality running shoes.
Same for shopping for my current clothing size of 14 - hunting through rack after rack at Macy's hoping to find a 14 or an XL is really depressing and I live in a smaller market so variety of stores is limited. I could spend a whole day at the mall, or an hour or so on a few clothing sites that I know carry my size.
I did have my first experience with bad packaging on an Amazon order - it was something dimensional and delicate, sent to me in a manila envelope and it arrived crushed into tiny pieces. It made me think a little about why they default to sending everything in a cardboard box.
posted by Squeak Attack at 11:55 AM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
I used to thrift but it was my main hobby. I don't have the time anymore to spend all weekend in thrift stores and come home with nothing when I need work clothes.
I have wide women's size 10 feet and the shoe shopping model of asking someone to check in the back for you about each pair, and mostly have them come out to say they don't have it, or try to figure out if you like it while they stand there watching you was a pretty crap model for me. Warehouse places that have the stock on display are a little better, but usually are really lacking in selection of things like good quality running shoes.
Same for shopping for my current clothing size of 14 - hunting through rack after rack at Macy's hoping to find a 14 or an XL is really depressing and I live in a smaller market so variety of stores is limited. I could spend a whole day at the mall, or an hour or so on a few clothing sites that I know carry my size.
I did have my first experience with bad packaging on an Amazon order - it was something dimensional and delicate, sent to me in a manila envelope and it arrived crushed into tiny pieces. It made me think a little about why they default to sending everything in a cardboard box.
posted by Squeak Attack at 11:55 AM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
I want to figure out who supplies their cardboard and buy shares in that company.
Odds are, Koch.
posted by k5.user at 11:57 AM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
Odds are, Koch.
posted by k5.user at 11:57 AM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
Also, you guys want to see cardboard waste? Check behind your local hospital - mountains of cardboard boxes!
posted by Squeak Attack at 11:58 AM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Squeak Attack at 11:58 AM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
I love when I get an SD card delivered and it's in a box that could hold a thousand of the damn things.
An attempt to shed some light on the stupid shipping gang.
posted by cynical pinnacle at 11:59 AM on February 17, 2016 [7 favorites]
An attempt to shed some light on the stupid shipping gang.
posted by cynical pinnacle at 11:59 AM on February 17, 2016 [7 favorites]
Also, you guys want to see cardboard waste? Check behind your local hospital - mountains of cardboard boxes!
Check in my living room in the immediate vicinity of my couch.
posted by phunniemee at 12:06 PM on February 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
Check in my living room in the immediate vicinity of my couch.
posted by phunniemee at 12:06 PM on February 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
The giant piles of Amazon boxes has been a godsend for my cat. That counts as recycling, right?
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 12:14 PM on February 17, 2016 [24 favorites]
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 12:14 PM on February 17, 2016 [24 favorites]
I want to figure out who supplies their cardboard and buy shares in that company.
Odds are, Koch.
Koch Industries owns Georgia-Pacific. GP is one of the largest board manufacturers in the world. Not just shipping cartons either -- a lot of club store cartons are printed by Colorbox, a subsidiary of GP.
posted by nathan_teske at 12:20 PM on February 17, 2016 [8 favorites]
Odds are, Koch.
Koch Industries owns Georgia-Pacific. GP is one of the largest board manufacturers in the world. Not just shipping cartons either -- a lot of club store cartons are printed by Colorbox, a subsidiary of GP.
posted by nathan_teske at 12:20 PM on February 17, 2016 [8 favorites]
First of all, it isn't ecommerce that is creating a "order it today, get it in 5 minutes" culture of demand: it's America. Second of all, it isn't ecommerce that is making packaging bloat and waste standard; it's Amazon. In America.
The rest of us carry on with our 2 to 5-day delivery and sufficient but not profligate packaging just fine.
posted by DarlingBri at 12:21 PM on February 17, 2016 [10 favorites]
The rest of us carry on with our 2 to 5-day delivery and sufficient but not profligate packaging just fine.
posted by DarlingBri at 12:21 PM on February 17, 2016 [10 favorites]
I tried Google Express recently and it had minimal packaging. Just a guy dropping off unwrapped cases of water, bags of coffee, packs of paper towels, etc. In this case, though, I think it was operating more like Peapod (but for bulk items only) - shipping from a local warehouse rather than going through the courier/mail system.
posted by theorique at 12:22 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by theorique at 12:22 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
Koch Industries owns Georgia-Pacific.
So what you're saying is that you can't even wipe your ass around here without lining the pockets of the Koch Brothers?
posted by murphy slaw at 12:23 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
So what you're saying is that you can't even wipe your ass around here without lining the pockets of the Koch Brothers?
posted by murphy slaw at 12:23 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
Regarding product packaging (and not shipping cartons) for things ordered from Amazon: Amazon has extensive requirements for product packaging if the product is to receive certain services from Amazon. I think it's mainly for fulfillment services, to optimize warehouses, picking, and shipping. It's also for processing and repackaging returned items. I'm tempted to think that the stress-free packaging is merely a side effect of Amazon optimizing things for itself.
posted by bonje at 12:26 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by bonje at 12:26 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
I like to say that around here, the recycling bins come in three sizes: regular, large and Amazon.
posted by Slothrup at 12:29 PM on February 17, 2016
posted by Slothrup at 12:29 PM on February 17, 2016
I just ordered an SD card that came in a flat envelope mailer the size of a postcard. I was legit excited not to get it in a box that'd hold four paperbacks!
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 12:37 PM on February 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 12:37 PM on February 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
Last week I ordered an memory card and a DVD... the later to make up my order so I could get free postage. They sent them separably. At least it was in two cardboard envelopes.
Back in the days when I would do a lot of selling on ebay I'd re used all my Amazon boxes to send stuff on to people.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 12:41 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
Back in the days when I would do a lot of selling on ebay I'd re used all my Amazon boxes to send stuff on to people.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 12:41 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
This is timely; I think about this with each daily recycling run to the bins. It doesn't seem sustainable, even with cardboard being very recyclable.
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 12:43 PM on February 17, 2016
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 12:43 PM on February 17, 2016
I have to wonder if Amazon et al. will eventually be enough of the economy that manufacturers will change their packaging to fit Amazon's needs.
This already happens to some degree. It's what they call "frustration free packaging." A lot of it still has a fair amount of excess material, but at least it's easier to open.
posted by primethyme at 12:50 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
This already happens to some degree. It's what they call "frustration free packaging." A lot of it still has a fair amount of excess material, but at least it's easier to open.
posted by primethyme at 12:50 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
The giant piles of Amazon boxes has been a godsend for my cat. That counts as recycling, right?
Technically its reuse I think, which is higher up the hierarchy from recycling, ie better.
posted by biffa at 12:51 PM on February 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
Technically its reuse I think, which is higher up the hierarchy from recycling, ie better.
posted by biffa at 12:51 PM on February 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
If online shopping allows you to live in a city and ditch your car (or simply ditch a car-based commute), or periodically trade your car commute for a bike commute, I'm fairly comfortable asserting that the change would be overwhelmingly positive for the environment.
Personally, I'm a bit surprised that Amazon hasn't done any experiments with reusable shipping containers, (although their seemingly world-swallowing ambitions always seems to exclude operating their own courier service for some reason).
posted by schmod at 12:52 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
Personally, I'm a bit surprised that Amazon hasn't done any experiments with reusable shipping containers, (although their seemingly world-swallowing ambitions always seems to exclude operating their own courier service for some reason).
posted by schmod at 12:52 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
Amazon has nothing on the tech sector.
A few months ago we had to order a couple dozen fiber sfp transceivers. Individually they are about the size of a pack of chewing gum. The manufacturer puts them in a 1"x4"x6" box with foam packing. From here our little friends are each put in a 6"x12"x18" box along with inflatable packing material. The 20 or so boxes are now stacked on a shipping pallet and shrink wrapped for delivery via 18 wheeler.
We figured the reseller had mixed up orders when a pallet the size of a refrigerator landed on our shipping dock.
posted by cmfletcher at 12:56 PM on February 17, 2016 [7 favorites]
A few months ago we had to order a couple dozen fiber sfp transceivers. Individually they are about the size of a pack of chewing gum. The manufacturer puts them in a 1"x4"x6" box with foam packing. From here our little friends are each put in a 6"x12"x18" box along with inflatable packing material. The 20 or so boxes are now stacked on a shipping pallet and shrink wrapped for delivery via 18 wheeler.
We figured the reseller had mixed up orders when a pallet the size of a refrigerator landed on our shipping dock.
posted by cmfletcher at 12:56 PM on February 17, 2016 [7 favorites]
(although their seemingly world-swallowing ambitions always seems to exclude operating their own courier service for some reason)
Oh, no, they have this and it's terrible.
posted by phunniemee at 12:57 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
Oh, no, they have this and it's terrible.
posted by phunniemee at 12:57 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
Exactly. The same people who bring their own re-usable bags to the grocery store don't think twice about having a bottle of vitamins shipped to their door, double boxed and bubble wrapped. There's a strange disconnect there. I'm guilty of it too, to some degree, but we need to do better.
posted by spilon at 12:59 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by spilon at 12:59 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
I plan on building my next home out of old Apple product boxes. Based on the number of iPod and iPad boxes that I have on the top level of my closet, I'm thinking 3 bed and 1.5 bath.
posted by Fizz at 1:01 PM on February 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by Fizz at 1:01 PM on February 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
If only there was some way to impose a penalty on wasteful practices by companies. Like say a fee by on packaging materials by type and weight. I can dream!
posted by benzenedream at 1:10 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by benzenedream at 1:10 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
Well, here in the UK, Ocado is incredibly eager to buy back the carrier bags they brought you last time. Like, the delivery drivers will not shut up about it. It's almost like they won't leave until you hand over some empty bags.
I don't see why Amazon couldn't do the same with cardboard packaging. Break the boxes down and next time you get a delivery, just hand 'em to the driver.
posted by tel3path at 1:14 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
I don't see why Amazon couldn't do the same with cardboard packaging. Break the boxes down and next time you get a delivery, just hand 'em to the driver.
posted by tel3path at 1:14 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
just hand 'em to the driver.
Does anyone ever actually see the delivery person? Mine are like ninja ghosts or something.
posted by aramaic at 1:16 PM on February 17, 2016 [12 favorites]
Does anyone ever actually see the delivery person? Mine are like ninja ghosts or something.
posted by aramaic at 1:16 PM on February 17, 2016 [12 favorites]
Yes, I do, all the time. They always ring the doorbell when i have a foaming toothbrush in my mouth and have one foot in and one foot out of the shower.
They probably think I'm the laziest person on earth.
posted by tel3path at 1:17 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
They probably think I'm the laziest person on earth.
posted by tel3path at 1:17 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
We often get deliveries by a 3rd party service that consists of a guy in a minivan who knocks once and jams the package between the front and storm doors. He's as recognizable to me as any other pair of tail lights.
posted by cmfletcher at 1:19 PM on February 17, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by cmfletcher at 1:19 PM on February 17, 2016 [5 favorites]
The same people who bring their own re-usable bags to the grocery store don't think twice about having a bottle of vitamins shipped to their door, double boxed and bubble wrapped.
Hey now, consumers didn't choose the packaging. I totally use reusable bags; I'd also love it if things I ordered didn't come in The Largest Box Possible. (Receiving orders of baby-related stuff for our new child sure does drive this home.) (As it were.)
[eta] Like, no shit, the box that could fit a bookshelf's worth of trade paperbacks, all for two packages of baby clothes.
posted by XtinaS at 1:20 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
Hey now, consumers didn't choose the packaging. I totally use reusable bags; I'd also love it if things I ordered didn't come in The Largest Box Possible. (Receiving orders of baby-related stuff for our new child sure does drive this home.) (As it were.)
[eta] Like, no shit, the box that could fit a bookshelf's worth of trade paperbacks, all for two packages of baby clothes.
posted by XtinaS at 1:20 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
This reminds me that I need to find some way to reward the complex owner's handyman for clearing the monster pile of cardboard on the far side of my apartment (one end of a triplex building with one wall opposite the street). The boxes had become too big and plentiful to put in the complex's designated 'recycling bin' (one big green can for 20+ residents, emptied twice a week). He put them all in with a trailer full of junk to go to the landfill, which I assume is not how the 'official recyclables' are treated... I assume. But with Amazon I try to consolidate orders, and he asked about one of my biggest empty boxes with a sticker "warning: lithium battery inside"... I explained the bag had multiple items, including a big bag of cat food (bigger than I could usually carry home on the bus and at a price lower than the non-sale prices at local stores) AND an LG cel phone. (The packaging inside separating the cat food from everything else did seem somewhat excessive)
My frequent use of e-commerce orders has also made it possible for me to get to know the 'regular drivers' for FedEx and UPS, as well as my Mon-Fri mail carrier (who I refuse to call 'mail lady') thanks to the limited size of the mailboxes facing the street.
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:25 PM on February 17, 2016
My frequent use of e-commerce orders has also made it possible for me to get to know the 'regular drivers' for FedEx and UPS, as well as my Mon-Fri mail carrier (who I refuse to call 'mail lady') thanks to the limited size of the mailboxes facing the street.
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:25 PM on February 17, 2016
My cat overlord is very pleased with cardboard mountain.
posted by srboisvert at 1:26 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by srboisvert at 1:26 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
In the U.S., GiveBackBox lets you fill those giant boxes with unwanted stuff for charity donation; they partner with UPS and USPS to get free shipping, and since a truck takes it straight to your nearest charity shop (usually a Goodwill), there isn't a ton of fuel usage. It doesn't cut down on the amount of cardboard used in the first place, but it at least gives it a useful second life.
I've got a seven-week-old baby and having things shipped is tremendously useful; right now we literally can't spare the time and effort to go to Babies R Us or Buy Buy Baby (at least 45 minutes each way), and if there ever was such a thing as an independent baby supplies shop, there no longer is, at least not in my area. But I'm really looking forward to going back to ordering things ship-to-store for store branches near my office: convenience of online ordering (get things the store doesn't have in stock, can order at 2 a.m.), minimal shopping effort (don't have to roam the shelves, can duck in on a lunch break), minimal waste.
posted by rosefox at 1:29 PM on February 17, 2016 [13 favorites]
I've got a seven-week-old baby and having things shipped is tremendously useful; right now we literally can't spare the time and effort to go to Babies R Us or Buy Buy Baby (at least 45 minutes each way), and if there ever was such a thing as an independent baby supplies shop, there no longer is, at least not in my area. But I'm really looking forward to going back to ordering things ship-to-store for store branches near my office: convenience of online ordering (get things the store doesn't have in stock, can order at 2 a.m.), minimal shopping effort (don't have to roam the shelves, can duck in on a lunch break), minimal waste.
posted by rosefox at 1:29 PM on February 17, 2016 [13 favorites]
They always ring the doorbell when i have a foaming toothbrush in my mouth and have one foot in and one foot out of the shower.
They time their deliveries to arrive at my house within 15 minutes of the toddler's nap. A delivery is considered a success only if they hear the full chorus of woofing dogs and fussing baby.
posted by palindromic at 1:34 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
They time their deliveries to arrive at my house within 15 minutes of the toddler's nap. A delivery is considered a success only if they hear the full chorus of woofing dogs and fussing baby.
posted by palindromic at 1:34 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
The other day I ordered four things on amazon, which altogether could have fit in one box. "It will be great," I thought. "All of my items will arrive together in one nice box, and I won't have to worry about the FedEx driver thinking I'm weird or secretly hating me."
HOW WRONG I WAS. I have since received four individual boxes on four separate days from one consolidated order. On the plus side, now I can build a box fort.
posted by enjoymoreradio at 1:38 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
HOW WRONG I WAS. I have since received four individual boxes on four separate days from one consolidated order. On the plus side, now I can build a box fort.
posted by enjoymoreradio at 1:38 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
Personally, I'm a bit surprised that Amazon hasn't done any experiments with reusable shipping containers
USPS Flat Rate boxes are all reusable.
posted by tobascodagama at 1:48 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
USPS Flat Rate boxes are all reusable.
posted by tobascodagama at 1:48 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
The other day I ordered four things on amazon, which altogether could have fit in one box. "It will be great," I thought. "All of my items will arrive together in one nice box, and I won't have to worry about the FedEx driver thinking I'm weird or secretly hating me."
HOW WRONG I WAS.
I do wonder if it's the way the order's fulfilled? Like, the way the items are stored in the warehouses (or which buildings they're in) is more efficient for the retailer, so it would literally cost them more time/money to hunt down & package everything in one box than it does to have a few workers each tick off one item in their area of coverage.
posted by sobell at 2:09 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
HOW WRONG I WAS.
I do wonder if it's the way the order's fulfilled? Like, the way the items are stored in the warehouses (or which buildings they're in) is more efficient for the retailer, so it would literally cost them more time/money to hunt down & package everything in one box than it does to have a few workers each tick off one item in their area of coverage.
posted by sobell at 2:09 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
Does anyone ever actually see the delivery person? Mine are like ninja ghosts or something.
I don't see them unless I peek out, but I know when they're at my house because my dogs are united in their volcanic hatred of Fedex and UPS trucks. The mutts start flipping their ever-loving shit as soon as they hear those air brakes at the stop sign down the block and don't stop howling and barking until the offending van drives away.
posted by Squeak Attack at 2:13 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
I don't see them unless I peek out, but I know when they're at my house because my dogs are united in their volcanic hatred of Fedex and UPS trucks. The mutts start flipping their ever-loving shit as soon as they hear those air brakes at the stop sign down the block and don't stop howling and barking until the offending van drives away.
posted by Squeak Attack at 2:13 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
I can provide some answers to the questions raised in this thread as I have previously worked at a large distributor (McMaster-Carr) and now work in product development for a company that has annual sales to Amazon in the millions.
Why is the shipping box so much bigger than what I ordered?
There are a couple of reasons for this. First, corrugate box pricing is heavily, heavily volume dependent. A smaller box could actually cost more than a larger one if they don’t use as many of them. Second, the more box sizes you have, the more complex and difficult the packing operation is as you need to have more space to store all of those different boxes and have more difficult decisions to make.
Why does my item have retail packaging?
This is also volume related. Even with Amazon’s growth, the volume of sales for an individual item do not come anywhere close to that of a Walmart – for my company’s products at least. The difference starts at about an order of a magnitude and increases as the item sales rank decreases. Because of that, manufacturers have been hesitant to create special packaging for Amazon orders. They don’t want to have to deal with forecasting, maintaining inventory etc for multiple SKUs in different packaging. That being said, with the way Amazon is growing, I would expect to see more non retail packaging for ecommerce items in the next few years. Once that volume gets high enough, the savings of getting rid of the retail packaging will outweigh the costs of maintaining additional items. We already do it for a few of our top sellers for Amazon.
Why did I get multiple boxes for the same order?
Low selling items are not stocked in all the Amazon distribution centers so it is likely that the shipments came from multiple locations. Out of stock situations may also drive this.
If any else has any specific questions that I missed, I’d be glad to share my insights.
posted by nolnacs at 2:18 PM on February 17, 2016 [29 favorites]
Why is the shipping box so much bigger than what I ordered?
There are a couple of reasons for this. First, corrugate box pricing is heavily, heavily volume dependent. A smaller box could actually cost more than a larger one if they don’t use as many of them. Second, the more box sizes you have, the more complex and difficult the packing operation is as you need to have more space to store all of those different boxes and have more difficult decisions to make.
Why does my item have retail packaging?
This is also volume related. Even with Amazon’s growth, the volume of sales for an individual item do not come anywhere close to that of a Walmart – for my company’s products at least. The difference starts at about an order of a magnitude and increases as the item sales rank decreases. Because of that, manufacturers have been hesitant to create special packaging for Amazon orders. They don’t want to have to deal with forecasting, maintaining inventory etc for multiple SKUs in different packaging. That being said, with the way Amazon is growing, I would expect to see more non retail packaging for ecommerce items in the next few years. Once that volume gets high enough, the savings of getting rid of the retail packaging will outweigh the costs of maintaining additional items. We already do it for a few of our top sellers for Amazon.
Why did I get multiple boxes for the same order?
Low selling items are not stocked in all the Amazon distribution centers so it is likely that the shipments came from multiple locations. Out of stock situations may also drive this.
If any else has any specific questions that I missed, I’d be glad to share my insights.
posted by nolnacs at 2:18 PM on February 17, 2016 [29 favorites]
I own an online yarn shop; I ship darn near everything in pizza boxes. One hundred plain, unprinted, recyclable pizza boxes are cheaper than a case of 100 un-recyclable padded envelopes.
posted by Mary Ellen Carter at 2:44 PM on February 17, 2016 [9 favorites]
posted by Mary Ellen Carter at 2:44 PM on February 17, 2016 [9 favorites]
If any else has any specific questions that I missed, I’d be glad to share my insights.
why do electronics still come packaged in those godawful plastic shells that can't be opened without either damaging the item inside or having the package itself become a deadly sharp weapon that immediately stabs you like 100 times and then you bleed all over your new ps4 controller
posted by poffin boffin at 3:00 PM on February 17, 2016 [5 favorites]
why do electronics still come packaged in those godawful plastic shells that can't be opened without either damaging the item inside or having the package itself become a deadly sharp weapon that immediately stabs you like 100 times and then you bleed all over your new ps4 controller
posted by poffin boffin at 3:00 PM on February 17, 2016 [5 favorites]
Nolnacs: if you could make one legislative change that would result in less packaging without damaging the company's bottom line too much, what would it be? E.g. taxing packing materials by weight and/or biodegradability?
posted by benzenedream at 3:02 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by benzenedream at 3:02 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
elizilla: "I wish the merchants offered a slower-but-greener shipping option."
If you have Amazon Prime, they frequently will offer you an incentive (like $1 Amazon Video credit) to use the "3-5 day" shipping option, rather than 2 day guaranteed.
posted by Chrysostom at 3:04 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
If you have Amazon Prime, they frequently will offer you an incentive (like $1 Amazon Video credit) to use the "3-5 day" shipping option, rather than 2 day guaranteed.
posted by Chrysostom at 3:04 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
If you have Amazon Prime, they frequently will offer you an incentive (like $1 Amazon Video credit)
You can ride the Amazon Prime incentive train for a while, too. One time I chose this slow shipping option and got a $3 Kindle credit. I spent the Kindle credit through the Amazon app. Then Amazon sent me a $25 app credit to thank me for using the Amazon app. Then once I spent a few bucks of that on a game they sent me a free digital download of Kung Fu Panda. I have yet to read the book, play the game, or watch Kung Fu Panda, but it's kind of cool getting so much free shit just because I didn't need the filters for my dog's water fountain (which itself was purchased from Amazon, natch) immediately.
posted by phunniemee at 3:15 PM on February 17, 2016 [6 favorites]
You can ride the Amazon Prime incentive train for a while, too. One time I chose this slow shipping option and got a $3 Kindle credit. I spent the Kindle credit through the Amazon app. Then Amazon sent me a $25 app credit to thank me for using the Amazon app. Then once I spent a few bucks of that on a game they sent me a free digital download of Kung Fu Panda. I have yet to read the book, play the game, or watch Kung Fu Panda, but it's kind of cool getting so much free shit just because I didn't need the filters for my dog's water fountain (which itself was purchased from Amazon, natch) immediately.
posted by phunniemee at 3:15 PM on February 17, 2016 [6 favorites]
Those horrible plastic shells are called clam shells and companies like them for three main reasons
1. The difficulty of opening the package means it is unlikely that the product will be stolen. This is a bigger issue in electronics than in my world.
2. Clam shell packaging is extremely durable compared to the alternatives [acetate box, corrugated box]. The more durable the packaging, the fewer damaged products either in transit or at the store. As a side note, you can tell a lot about the quality of a particular store's management by the packaging they have on the shelves. Well run stores will get rid of the half destroyed boxes while poorly run stores will leave them to clog up the shelves.
3. The clam shell style package does a fantastic job of putting the product on display. There is nothing like being abe to actually see the product [even if it is through plastic]
posted by nolnacs at 3:16 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
1. The difficulty of opening the package means it is unlikely that the product will be stolen. This is a bigger issue in electronics than in my world.
2. Clam shell packaging is extremely durable compared to the alternatives [acetate box, corrugated box]. The more durable the packaging, the fewer damaged products either in transit or at the store. As a side note, you can tell a lot about the quality of a particular store's management by the packaging they have on the shelves. Well run stores will get rid of the half destroyed boxes while poorly run stores will leave them to clog up the shelves.
3. The clam shell style package does a fantastic job of putting the product on display. There is nothing like being abe to actually see the product [even if it is through plastic]
posted by nolnacs at 3:16 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
Any legislative changes you make will end up hurting the vendors to some extent as the retailers certainly won't accept price increases because of it. There is nothing retailers love more than increasing standards and maintaining the same cost [I am looking at you Home Depot].
That being said, rules regarding recyclable/biodegradable content would not be particularly onerous since the vast majority of the packing materials used are one or the other.
This a bit bigger than your actual question but I would go with a carbon tax. That would provide incentives for companies to reduce oil based packaging as well as the size of packaging due to increased freight costs.
posted by nolnacs at 3:31 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
That being said, rules regarding recyclable/biodegradable content would not be particularly onerous since the vast majority of the packing materials used are one or the other.
This a bit bigger than your actual question but I would go with a carbon tax. That would provide incentives for companies to reduce oil based packaging as well as the size of packaging due to increased freight costs.
posted by nolnacs at 3:31 PM on February 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
nolnacs: How feasible would "socially responsible" shipping be, per elizilla's suggestion above, based on your experience?
posted by XtinaS at 3:31 PM on February 17, 2016
posted by XtinaS at 3:31 PM on February 17, 2016
So would delivery via drone make this better or worse? They don't use gas. But they might drop something on your head and kill you.
posted by emjaybee at 3:35 PM on February 17, 2016
posted by emjaybee at 3:35 PM on February 17, 2016
Slower shipping is very easy but actually isn't really any more socially responsible. the fact of the matter is that you can get two day service via ground shipment to nearly all the continental United States if you have just a handful of DCs.
Amazon offers those incentives to reduce warehouse labor costs not to reduce freight costs [with a few exceptions]. If they don't have to commit to 2 day delivery, they can spread their picking and packing over a greater span of time and not have to staff for peak ordering times
posted by nolnacs at 3:41 PM on February 17, 2016 [7 favorites]
Amazon offers those incentives to reduce warehouse labor costs not to reduce freight costs [with a few exceptions]. If they don't have to commit to 2 day delivery, they can spread their picking and packing over a greater span of time and not have to staff for peak ordering times
posted by nolnacs at 3:41 PM on February 17, 2016 [7 favorites]
Ordering times and days that is. If our d2c orders are any indicator, Amazon gets a disproportionate number of orders on the weekend which would make Monday a very rough day for them if they had to ensure 2 day delivery.
posted by nolnacs at 3:49 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by nolnacs at 3:49 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
So would delivery via drone make this better or worse?
- someone with a big net might steal your delivery
- delivery may be attacked by nesting falcons
- when the robot uprising comes the deliveries will be death and not pocky
posted by poffin boffin at 4:15 PM on February 17, 2016 [7 favorites]
- someone with a big net might steal your delivery
- delivery may be attacked by nesting falcons
- when the robot uprising comes the deliveries will be death and not pocky
posted by poffin boffin at 4:15 PM on February 17, 2016 [7 favorites]
The boxes and padded envelopes are great as I do tend to sell stuff used when I am done with them, so why not ship with a used box/envelope? Granted, some boxes don't get used that way, and they end up in the blue bin outside. I'm thinking Amazon Air will solve this problem, seeing as it very likely will be stuff in a basket that the drone takes with it after delivery.
For all we know, the expense of cardboard is already a known issue and it may be a major factor in developing the drone program to deliver small crap that needs to be put in boxes just to survive being in a van with big boxes.
posted by linux at 4:19 PM on February 17, 2016
For all we know, the expense of cardboard is already a known issue and it may be a major factor in developing the drone program to deliver small crap that needs to be put in boxes just to survive being in a van with big boxes.
posted by linux at 4:19 PM on February 17, 2016
The slow ship option has gotten me a lot of free ebooks.
Personally, I'm a bit surprised that Amazon hasn't done any experiments with reusable shipping containers, (although their seemingly world-swallowing ambitions always seems to exclude operating their own courier service for some reason).
When I worked for an ecommerce company not actually Amazon but not too unlike Amazon, I suggested just that, parntering with a certain shipping company that also has shipping outlets that could serve as collection points. It was turned down flat.
posted by tilde at 5:23 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
Personally, I'm a bit surprised that Amazon hasn't done any experiments with reusable shipping containers, (although their seemingly world-swallowing ambitions always seems to exclude operating their own courier service for some reason).
When I worked for an ecommerce company not actually Amazon but not too unlike Amazon, I suggested just that, parntering with a certain shipping company that also has shipping outlets that could serve as collection points. It was turned down flat.
posted by tilde at 5:23 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
After spending my childhood having "reduce, reuse, recycle" hammered into my head (along with messages to buy dolphin-safe tuna and snip plastic pop-can rings) I'm surprised at how easily we seem to have embraced a fully disposable, pre-packaged style of living. It's not just online shopping, look at UberEATS. A driver gets half-a-dozen boxed meals and puts around the downtown core until someone requests a delivery. So there's garbage and gas from your lunch, and the disposable cup, plastic dome lid, and cardboard sleeve for your morning and afternoon coffee, and if you're trying to kill me, you stick one of these goddamn things in the sippy-hole because it's that hard to walk and drink at the same time. And let's not forget subscription boxes and meal services like Blue Apron.
posted by Rora at 7:29 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Rora at 7:29 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
but it's kind of cool getting so much free shit just because I didn't need the filters for my dog's water fountain (which itself was purchased from Amazon, natch) immediately.
If only my dog didn't drink out of the toilet, I too could be cashing in.
I don't mind it when I get boxes that have been sensibly packed, but it feels very wrong when it is one tiny item to each huge box, plus extra packing material. The cost of the packaging is clearly incidental to their operations, and it sure does not feel like the costs are high enough to be internalizing any of the externalities.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:36 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
If only my dog didn't drink out of the toilet, I too could be cashing in.
I don't mind it when I get boxes that have been sensibly packed, but it feels very wrong when it is one tiny item to each huge box, plus extra packing material. The cost of the packaging is clearly incidental to their operations, and it sure does not feel like the costs are high enough to be internalizing any of the externalities.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:36 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
- when the robot uprising comes the deliveries will be death and not pocky
Well pocky is disgusting so this can only be considered an improvement
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 7:39 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
Well pocky is disgusting so this can only be considered an improvement
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 7:39 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
explosion: "I have to wonder if Amazon et al. will eventually be enough of the economy that manufacturers will change their packaging to fit Amazon's needs. For example, the last thing I bought off Amazon was a Logitech webcam. It certainly didn't need the photogenic clamshell packaging that it might need at Best Buy."
The unboxing experience is something that enough people care about (I mean look at the completely ridiculous packaging that iFoo products come in) that I don't see photogenic packaging going away. Clamshells of course aren't needed but fancy packaging will be forever.
posted by Mitheral at 7:51 PM on February 17, 2016
The unboxing experience is something that enough people care about (I mean look at the completely ridiculous packaging that iFoo products come in) that I don't see photogenic packaging going away. Clamshells of course aren't needed but fancy packaging will be forever.
posted by Mitheral at 7:51 PM on February 17, 2016
Well pocky is disgusting so this can only be considered an improvement
come over here for a minute and tell me what the inside of this wicker man looks like, it is as cozy as i'd planned
posted by poffin boffin at 8:36 PM on February 17, 2016 [7 favorites]
come over here for a minute and tell me what the inside of this wicker man looks like, it is as cozy as i'd planned
posted by poffin boffin at 8:36 PM on February 17, 2016 [7 favorites]
Too much cellulose in it.
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:40 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:40 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
The wicker, that is; the pocky I don't know about.
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:52 PM on February 17, 2016
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:52 PM on February 17, 2016
Obviously, the cardboard is a real issue, but I'm not convinced by the carbon argument in the article. Are people really driving to the store just as much as they would without online shopping? Are delivery trucks really worse than people driving to the store in their own cars?
I definitely think there is a lot of room for improvement in the delivery arena as far as efficiency, but I really doubt that going back to brick and mortar retail is going to be better.
posted by ssg at 9:11 PM on February 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
I definitely think there is a lot of room for improvement in the delivery arena as far as efficiency, but I really doubt that going back to brick and mortar retail is going to be better.
posted by ssg at 9:11 PM on February 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
I use the boxes for lasagna bed gardening to assuage my sense of complicitness and keep the 96gallon recycling bin from overflowing between each fortnightly pickup.
posted by deludingmyself at 9:26 PM on February 17, 2016
posted by deludingmyself at 9:26 PM on February 17, 2016
Ugh, the worst is getting a box that is clearly labeled "READY TO SHIP"...packed inside another box three times its size with a bunch of plastic balloons filling the space. YOU GUYS IT WAS READY TO SHIP ALREADY
posted by town of cats at 10:01 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by town of cats at 10:01 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
The ready to ship box probably had one dimension that didn't meet roller size minimums.
posted by Mitheral at 10:43 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Mitheral at 10:43 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
Related to that, there's always biblio.com. I'm in no way affiliated, but recently found an out-of-print book there that I decided to buy because the carbon emissions caused by shipping it to me were offset by an investment in a renewable energy project.
posted by Captain Fetid at 3:58 AM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Captain Fetid at 3:58 AM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
lasagna bed gardening
i can't believe this isn't a magical noodlegrowing operation. what a betrayal.
posted by poffin boffin at 5:07 AM on February 18, 2016 [3 favorites]
i can't believe this isn't a magical noodlegrowing operation. what a betrayal.
posted by poffin boffin at 5:07 AM on February 18, 2016 [3 favorites]
Lasagna bed gardening is how you get ask me questions and ruined lace shirts.
posted by phunniemee at 5:23 AM on February 18, 2016
posted by phunniemee at 5:23 AM on February 18, 2016
Yeah, the amount of cardboard I generate online shopping concerns me. But I don't have a car and some things are just a pain in the ass to get locally without one. I can do car sharing to run errands, but free super-saver shipping is cheaper than $9/hour car rental.
posted by jacquilynne at 10:37 AM on February 18, 2016
posted by jacquilynne at 10:37 AM on February 18, 2016
Everything we have, do, is a matter of trade offs. The real problem is TOO MANY PEOPLE
The average North American generates about 20 tons of CO2-equivalent each year. Yeah, you probably could make a lot of cardboard boxes out of that amount of carbon.
To all of you who have trouble opening packaging, utility/pocket knives are pretty cheap.
posted by Thoughtcrime at 4:49 PM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
The average North American generates about 20 tons of CO2-equivalent each year. Yeah, you probably could make a lot of cardboard boxes out of that amount of carbon.
To all of you who have trouble opening packaging, utility/pocket knives are pretty cheap.
posted by Thoughtcrime at 4:49 PM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
nolnacs I don't know if you are still monitoring this thread but I really really love McMaster Carr and would like to know how/why it is possible that they put so much effort into so thoroughly documenting every tiny spring and washer sold on the site. What a bunch of overhead that must be, to make it possible for me to select from 5 diameters and 3 thicknesses of 6mm washers and not only purchase, but download a 2d drawing or a frigging 3d model of a WASHER in a variety of CAD formats. I use them as a CAD library as much as a hardware store. And they started so early with the eCatalog stuff; I am a complete McMaster fanboy.
I edited my comment just to add that the site is a thing of organizational and functional beauty. I mean just search "about ball nuts" for instance.
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 10:39 PM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
I edited my comment just to add that the site is a thing of organizational and functional beauty. I mean just search "about ball nuts" for instance.
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 10:39 PM on February 18, 2016 [1 favorite]
McMaster-Carr's niche is referred to as MRO - maintenance, repair and operations. They are primarily concerned with keeping those customers happy. They care much less about the needs of individuals who happen to buy their products as well [that being said, their level of customer service for everyone is at an exemplary level].
Anyway, that core customer base cares a great deal about the specific specifications of each individual item. For example, let's say you have a processed cheese factory and one of your cheese squirting machines has broken down. That break down is costing you $10k/hour. You need to get it fixed as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the machine is 30 years old and the manufacturer is no longer in business. You turn to an MRO distributor like McMaster-Carr. You then need detailed models and drawings in order to make sure that the part you are considering buying will work in your machine.
That is why they have all of the drawing and technical files which is quite an undertaking for 400k items. If I recall correctly, many of the files come from the actual manufacturer instead of being creates there.
As far as the wide selection of washers etc, that again goes back to the core customer base and their wide ranging needs. Much like Amazon, McMaster-Carr wants to be a one stop shop for their MRO needs which entails having an extremely broad range of products.
Hope this helps
posted by nolnacs at 10:14 AM on February 19, 2016 [4 favorites]
Anyway, that core customer base cares a great deal about the specific specifications of each individual item. For example, let's say you have a processed cheese factory and one of your cheese squirting machines has broken down. That break down is costing you $10k/hour. You need to get it fixed as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the machine is 30 years old and the manufacturer is no longer in business. You turn to an MRO distributor like McMaster-Carr. You then need detailed models and drawings in order to make sure that the part you are considering buying will work in your machine.
That is why they have all of the drawing and technical files which is quite an undertaking for 400k items. If I recall correctly, many of the files come from the actual manufacturer instead of being creates there.
As far as the wide selection of washers etc, that again goes back to the core customer base and their wide ranging needs. Much like Amazon, McMaster-Carr wants to be a one stop shop for their MRO needs which entails having an extremely broad range of products.
Hope this helps
posted by nolnacs at 10:14 AM on February 19, 2016 [4 favorites]
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posted by elizilla at 11:36 AM on February 17, 2016 [14 favorites]