Walmart and Amazon Promote Frustration-Free Packaging

11/30/2011

Retailers are all about putting customers first nowadays, and with the holiday gift-giving season upon us, Walmart is doing just that. In an effort to make gift unwrapping as joyful as possible, the retailer is joining Amazon to promote "rage-free" packaging for a number of its non-food products, according to Business Week.

Both companies are putting pressure on suppliers to eliminate excessive and cumbersome packaging materials, such as hard plastic casings enclosing electronics and wire ties used to secure toys to cardboard backings. In addition to being more environmentally friendly, the push can improve supply chain efficiency and customer satisfaction.

In 2008, after Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos recounted the difficulties and frustration he encountered at Christmas opening packaging for his children, the company began a "Frustration-Free Packaging" initiative. The initiative has grown to include 80,000 products a year, with more than 12 million items expected to ship under the program.

By 2013, Walmart expects to reduce packaging by 5% compared to 2008 levels, saving an estimated $3.4 billion annually. HP, Plantronics and Procter & Gamble are among suppliers that have so far worked with the companies on the initiative.

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