We all experienced it as little kids. It was Christmas morning, you tore open the wrapping paper on a brand-new, much desired toy, and your face lit up with pure joy. After the rest of the gift giving was finished, you returned to your exciting new present — only to discover that it was entrenched so deeply in its plastic clamshell, plastic zip ties, and paperboard liners that it was nearly impossible to actually open and use. Chances are, one of your parents got out the scissors and went to battle with that packaging on your behalf. Frustrating for everyone, right? Exactly right. Though relatively new in the packaging world, there is a type of material that can eliminate this problem when it comes to our ecommerce orders and purchases — frustration-free packaging. But exactly what is frustration-free packaging? 

Frustration-Free Packaging vs. Standard Packaging 

Usually, when you order something online, it arrives in a box or mailer that contains the product and its primary packaging. This means that you have at least two levels of packaging, if not more, to get through before you can access your purchase. Frustration-free packaging eliminates many of these materials. This type of packaging was popularized by Amazon beginning in 2008 and is a pretty simple concept. When an item is packaged in frustration-free materials, it does not include any extra or unnecessary supplies — its primary and secondary packaging are one and the same. That means that when you open up the box your new item arrived in, it’ll be right there waiting for you, instead of sitting underneath yet another layer of packaging. This brings with it many benefits for the manufacturer, shipper, and consumer.  

The Advantages of Frustration-Free Packaging 

There's no small reason why frustration-free packaging is becoming increasingly popular among shoppers and retailers alike. Not only does it offer benefits to the people who utilize the product, but also to the world around us. Take a look: 

Less Waste: The most fundamental aspect of frustration-free packaging is that it uses less material than standard packaging. This means that there’s less tape, fewer boxes, reduced plastic, and beyond. Using less packaging is good for the environment, for your bottom line, and for anyone trying to open a package.  

Sustainable Materials: In addition to wasting less material, frustration-free packaging tends to consist of packaging supplies that are better for our planet. Generally, frustration-free packaging is 100% recyclable, rightsized and compact, and is more likely to consist of only one type of substrate (just corrugated cartons and mailers, for example). This makes it easier to dispose of responsibly.  

Cost: Fewer packaging materials means a lower overall cost. Keeping shipping and material costs down is always a benefit to the retailer and manufacturer, and can even translate into advantages for the end user.  

Ease of Use: What consumers tend to love the most about frustration-free packaging is how easy it is to use. All you need to do is open one layer of packaging and there’s your new item! There’s no longer an excess of material to cut your way through. Frustration-free packaging is also much easier for the shipper, as there’s no need to waste time adding more material on top of what’s already there. 

Leverage the Benefits of Frustration-Free Packaging 

Frustration-free packaging is always a win-win situation. It offers a huge range of advantages to everyone who comes across it, from the manufacturer to the shipper to the customer. If your business is interested in learning how to make this effective variety of e-commerce packaging a possibility, give us a call today at (800) 277-7007.