If you’re getting ready to move soon or have a bunch of stuff you need to ship to Siberia, you’ll be glad to know that cardboard boxes are likely about to be cheaper than usual. [More]
boxes
Should You Keep The Box For Your New Gadget? Maybe
By 12.29.14
We’ve already established today that when you buy a new gadget at a brick-and-mortar store, you should tear open the box before leaving to ensure that it contains the thing that you paid for. Once you get your new toy and its box home, though, how long should you keep it? That depends on a few factors. [More]
18 Cats That Can’t Resist Lounging In Amazon Boxes
By 10.23.13 — Updated: 1.26.15
As everyone who has owned a cat or seen the Internet knows, cats love boxes. America’s cats aren’t quite sure what to make of the news that Amazon has increased the free Super Saver Shipping threshold to $35, from the original $25. On the one paw, this might mean that their households will be getting fewer packages from Amazon and fewer boxes to lounge in. Or could it drive more cat owners to get Amazon Prime and thus have more boxes to lounge in? [More]
The Cardboard Box That Fits Everything
By 4.26.10
Hey Amazon, et. al., I think we just figured out how you can solve your Stupid Shipping Gang problem: switch over to this kind of box that fits every item, no matter what size, perfectly. It’s called the “Universal Packaging System” and it’s amazing. [More]
Cheap Package Design Tricks People Into Dropping Motorola Droid On Floor
By 11.23.09 — Updated: 10.25.12
The Motorola Droid is a sweet phone, but the box it comes in is a case study in bad package design. Where every other gadget these days comes in boxes with lids, or boxes designed to be opened in a specific manner, the Droid box can easily be opened so that the brand new phone falls to the floor.
Last Chance To Request $40 Digital TV Converter Box Coupons!
By 7.25.09
Alright slowpokes, you have less than a week to finally request your digital TV converter box coupons. The Department of Commerce plans to hand out the last $40 coupons on July 31. You don’t need a converter box if you pay for TV or have a newer set, but if you’ve been wondering where your stories have been since June 12, request a coupon while they’re still available.
This Think Geek Sticker Clearly Wouldn't Fit In The Other Box
By 4.17.09
We may have to invent a new tag just to accurately describe how absurd Think Geek’s shipment to Micah in Ontario was. It was bad enough that the shipping was over $30, but that’s a consequence of stupid shipping options from the US to Canada. What really elevates this story to the top of the stupid shipping mountain is how they packed a sticker. But hey, at least the sticker didn’t get broken in transit. Update: Think Geek responds in the comments below (which is awesome because we felt kind of bad talking about a site we like so much).
Amazon Introduces Packaging Feedback
By 4.10.09
Is Amazon trying to kill off our “stupid shipping gang” tag? Alex wrote to us today to point out that now there’s a new “Packaging Feedback” link under your “My Account” page on their site. Among other things, you can leave feedback on the size of the box relative to what’s inside.
By 2.4.09
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Find or give away free moving boxes at freecardboardboxes.com.
Revealed: Apple's Secret Membership In The Stupid Shipping Gang
By 6.22.08
Apple may have Al Gore on its board of directors, but that won’t stop them from shipping teeny tiny remote controls in cartoonishly large boxes.
Canon Uses Comically Oversized Box To Send You Something They Could Have Taped To A Postcard
By 4.29.08
Earlier this week I ordered a part from Canon USA Service for one of my Canon cameras and it arrived today. I am impressed for the fast shipping but not so much by the efficiency of the packaging.
Additional photo inside.
Dell Still Ships Tiny Items In Massive Boxes
By 4.20.08
From the looks of David’s package, Dell isn’t close to honoring its promise to switch to alternative packaging within the next two months. This obscenely large box contained nothing more than a 2GB flash drive. David’s son snapped a few pictures, which appear as an eerie slideshow after the jump.
Dear Microsoft, Please Send This Man A Shipping Box
By 4.2.08 — Updated: 10.25.12
He just wants to send his Xbox in for repair, and you keep losing his request. He swears he’s not a “crazy blogger,” but despite that, we still want to help him. So please? You’ve got all his phone numbers and contact info now. Can you send a box?
Unplugging Your DirecTV Box Could Cost You $79.95
By 2.2.08
A DirecTV CSR claimed that reader Mark changed his installation by following troubleshooting instructions to unplug and reconnect his box, and now owed $79.95. Mark, who paid $6 per month for DirecTV’s protection plan, refused to pay the fee and asked to cancel to his service.
Dish Network Sends Prepaid Return Boxes To Wrong Address Three Times, Bills For Unreturned Equipment
By 11.17.07
Reader Ryan called the Dish Network three weeks before moving to disconnect his service. Dish graciously offered to send prepaid return boxes for his equipment, but instead of sending them to Ryan’s new address, Dish sent them to his old address. Three times. Oddly, Dish managed to properly address a bill to Ryan’s new address. Ryan writes:
Get Moving Boxes On The Cheap With Box Exchange
By 9.19.07
We’re going to say something positive about U-Haul! No, not about the company (it has a rich history of complaints on our blog), but about the community trading service they’ve enabled on their “U-Haul Box Exchange” forum where people give away or sell their boxes after they’ve moved—although hopefully you won’t find an unpacked baby in any used boxes you get your hands on.
There's Apparently Not Enough Room For Jell-O Pudding Pops Nutritional Information
By 9.8.07
“I was out shopping the other day when a box of Popsicle brand Jell-O Pudding Pops caught my eye. My local supermarket doesn’t carry them, so I thought I’d pick up a box as a treat. When going to open the box at home, I noticed a very suspicious location for the perforated tear-away opening strip.
FreshDirect Packaging Is Extremely Wasteful
By 5.14.07
FreshDirect is a grocery delivery service that is very handy if you, like many urbanites, do not have a car. Sadly, we have to limit our Fresh Direct usage to the 2 weeks before we move, because they pack everything in huge, mostly empty cardboard boxes. It’s insane.
