Packaging - has it gotten worse?

[Carl Beckett]

Over the last few months I have purchased, and had shipped 3 items that were somewhat 'heavy', and multiple pieces. All 3 were simply 'thrown' into a cardboard box and shipped. Meaning they banged around, destroyed the box, and arrived with damage. None of the small pieces were missing, but I was quite surprised at what was deemed 'acceptable' packaging for shipping.

I read some other posts commenting on 150# items shipped in cardboard box... not adequate. And sometimes 'precision' equipment!

It seems much worse than in the past - but maybe it is 'me'. Has it always been this way?

(it is quite a hassle to return, especially if on a deadline, even though the suppliers 'made it right' in the end I much much prefer getting it right to begin with).

[Zachary Hoyt]

I ordered a 19x25 vanity top and the first one had the backsplash broken almost half off the sink. It was just packed in a cardboard box with a cardboard folded protector thing and some brown paper. Zoro said I could keep it, and it may be repairable, I need to look into that. The second one had both corners broken off the backsplash and was packed the same way. That one they sent me a return label for. The third one was packed the same way but arrived unbroken. They said it was a third party sale and they had sent a note to the seller to ask them to pack it better for the third try, but apparently the message was not applied to the situation, and I just was lucky the third time.

[Jim Becker]

In general, I have not had issues with packaging and product damage, but I know that many folks have. I have occasionally received boxes with smaller boxes inside without any form of "soft stuff" to keep things from banging around.

[Richard Coers]

The sheer volume of freight has probably quadrupled over the past 3 years at a minimum. And in my opinion, everybody expects their shipment to arrive in a couple of days. Perfect storm for damaged freight. Edit; According to this page, Domestic truck freight has gone up 5,700 million tons from 2017 to 2020. https://data.bts.gov/stories/s/Moving-Goods-in-the-United-States/bcyt-rqmu

[George Yetka]

It is unfortunate that shipping goes one of 3 ways. 1. No protection 2. Order a roll of bubble wrap and they stuff it with plastic air bags or styrofoam to protect it/ cardboard inside cardboard. Or 3. Right

Usually only get the first 2

[Mark Gibney]

George you nailed it, bubble wrapped bubble wrap!

[Dave Roock]

The volume of shipping is irrelevant to the careless packaging. Mostly a failure of management to oversee packaging procedures leads to these issues. Other issues are caused by uncaring clueless shipping personnel/individuals. I ship fragile items with very few issues ever - we package as if we are shipping to ourselves, using FedEx. Return all items packaged with such careless packaging.
Grizzly is a perfect example of a clueless company who ships out the worst crates I have ever seen. Horrible enough that the Taiwan/China manufacturers build such ultra cheap shoddy crates - far more inexcusable that Grizzly ships the same shoddy crates to customers without reinforcing the crates. If the owner of Grizzly received a tool in the ultra shoddy crate like the bandsaw ( and shaper) I received, he would be furious. Children build better tree forts. Putting $10-15 of additional wood at origin would solve most of Grizzly's issues. Instead, they would rather spend far more shipping parts out for broken tools. Pathetic way to run any company, build the crate decently and at least pretend you care about your customers.

[Alex Zeller]

Companies shipping new products rely too much on EPS foam. Shipping is more brutal now than in the past. I think the people that transport stuff don't really care. It seems like more than half the time I see a product protected by it I see lots of broken foam in the bottom of the box. The last TV I got had tons of those foam EPS balls all over it from the broken foam while the box had no damage at all. Lately I have seen molded cardboard that tends to hold up better IMO replacing EPS. It might not cushion as well but it doesn't fall apart when hit. It's too bad companies don't put more thought into packaging. Maybe they just assume

[James Pallas]

If anything it has gotten a bit strange. I bought a special type hoe. Only a five foot handle. Head was separate only 6” wide and 2” thick. It came in a box 2’ 6” wide 6” thick and 5’ high. Would have held a mower deck. From a company not an individual. Many times small items in a huge box just rattling around, most survive some don’t.
Jim

[Ron Citerone]

I suspect time and expediency are a higher priority than proper packaging. Put it in the box that fits best and send it out the door. I worked at a major trucking company a little bit in college (circa 1980) protecting items from damage was not a priority.

[Dave Roock]

Companies shipping new products rely too much on EPS foam. Shipping is more brutal now than in the past. I think the people that transport stuff don't really care. It seems like more than half the time I see a product protected by it I see lots of broken foam in the bottom of the box. The last TV I got had tons of those foam EPS balls all over it from the broken foam while the box had no damage at all. Lately I have seen molded cardboard that tends to hold up better IMO replacing EPS. It might not cushion as well but it doesn't fall apart when hit. It's too bad companies don't put more thought into packaging. Maybe they just assume

There are also different grades/densities of EPS - the thicker grades will not break up if allowed a decent thickness - really strong. A Suzuki Outboard motor I bought last summer had the best packaging I had seen from a company in years. Plenty of good companies doing good packaging, boycott companies who do not care about you as a customer.

[Jason Roehl]

A friend worked at a major parcel service about 10 years ago. He said loading and unloading of trucks was very fast-paced work, and, around Christmastime, they would be literally throwing TVs onto trucks, and hearing them break. His superiors said, “That’s what insurance is for.”

[Bill Dufour]

Companies and shippers use several standard size boxes not unlimited options to fit. Many people drop the item into a box and add padding on the edges and top, nothing on the bottom.
Bill D

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Packaging has gotten so bad sometimes that I have resorted to using my cell phone's camera to photograph each step in the opening process on some of the larger, more expensive items I order. So I have photographic evidence/proof of what was involved.

[Carl Beckett]

Packaging has gotten so bad sometimes that I have resorted to using my cell phone's camera to photograph each step in the opening process on some of the larger, more expensive items I order. So I have photographic evidence/proof of what was involved.

Yes the same. Always.

[John TenEyck]

Over the last few months I have purchased, and had shipped 3 items that were somewhat 'heavy', and multiple pieces. All 3 were simply 'thrown' into a cardboard box and shipped. Meaning they banged around, destroyed the box, and arrived with damage. None of the small pieces were missing, but I was quite surprised at what was deemed 'acceptable' packaging for shipping.

I read some other posts commenting on 150# items shipped in cardboard box... not adequate. And sometimes 'precision' equipment!

It seems much worse than in the past - but maybe it is 'me'. Has it always been this way?

(it is quite a hassle to return, especially if on a deadline, even though the suppliers 'made it right' in the end I much much prefer getting it right to begin with).


That might have come from a thread down in the CNC forum. Onefinity just launched a new line of "prosumer" 4 x 4 machines. The X-gantry weighs about 150 lbs. They shipped it in the same manner as for the prior generation machine I have; foam supports around both ends slid into a heavy duty cardboard box. Mine had a hole punched in the side and a split corner, but arrived unscathed. It "only" weighed around 80 lbs; still not light, but far less than the new machine. Still, some people who bought the machine I have received damaged components. The percentage, though, must have been pretty low. Not so with the new model. Lots and lots of reports of packages arriving with severe damage, and damaged components inside.

I have no clue why 1F didn't evaluate the ability of their packaging to protect the contents during shipping prior to launch but, to their credit, in less than 3 weeks from launch they just announced that the packaging has been changed. Managing disappointed customers and shipping replacement parts probably drove the decision to make the change, but it's still impressive they were able to do it so quickly.

John

[Rich Konopka]

It depends on the vendor and the logistics. I recently purchased a SOLO firepit from Amazon. It arrived dented and had to be returned. The packaging from SOLO was very poor and there was not enough protection on the sides.

On the Flip side I purchased an engine hoist from my local Northern tool. It was in a thick cardboard box banded together and packed very well.

[Dave Roock]

Certain heavier items need to be shipped in wood crates with freight shipping. Freight shipping will cost more to a consumer but having your item arrive in mint condition is well worth it. FedEx Ground is the best company to send packages - when packaging all people/companies need to picture how delivery would occur. Shipping a 135 package, for example, would require much extra care in packaging to insure no/limited movement of item in box. I have talked with many FedEx drivers, they often bring their own handcarts on their trucks to handle heavy packages. The advantage of using FedEx Ground is that the delivery truck routes are owned by third party companies who are held to a higher standard than corporate employees( UPS etc) and are held financially responsible for safe delivery.