Earlier this week, we were amused to see a reader’s submission of a roll of bubble wrap in a massive box, protected with a substantial wad of kraft paper. While we laughed, though, a reader who is quite familiar with shipping procedures pointed out why Amazon needed to wrap up the bubble wrap.

Reader Brittany is a “veteran” of the shipping industry, and points out that the problem isn’t necessarily protecting the contents of the box, but protecting all of the other packages that ship along with it. Why is that? A box with a too-small item is in danger of collapsing on itself if too many other items are stacked on top. Your package does not ship in a vacuum –– it ships surrounded by other boxes.

“Think about it –– if a box isn’t filled up, you could press on the box and it will flex,” Brittany explains. If other boxes are stacked on top of such an under-filled box and it collapses on itself, all of those packages stacked on top could collapse in an avalanche of cardboard boxes. Nobody wants a package avalanche.

There are people who work in packaging who know what they’re doing, and a package that seems “stupid” on your doorstep may be over-packaged for a reason. Brittany explains:

A well-packed box should be able to have at least 150 lbs stacked on top of it without a single crushed corner. In training, we actually had to group into teams and pack a single fragile item like a glass mug well enough that our instructor could stand on top of the box without any damage.

Any idea how this was accomplished? Ranpack, or “kraft paper” as you call it in the article. This paper can be stuffed and compressed enough (especially in the corners) so that any item will be protected from trauma.

Somehow, we feel reassured to know that what seems weird to us is happening for a reason in the warehouses of the world. Thanks, Brittany: keep up the good work, and may all of your shipments be avalanche-free.

PREVIOUSLY:
Amazon’s Stupid Shipping Gang Nestles Roll Of Bubble Wrap In Kraft Paper
Here’s How Fulfillment Centers Make Shipping Stupid By Making It Smart

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