Ahead of Prime Day October, Amazon is making a controversial change
Amazon's latest effort to improve delivery speed and sustainability raises concerns
Amazon is implementing a major change to how it delivers your items in the future. The e-commerce giant is planning to move forward with boxless shipping, meaning your goods will be on display and not concealed by Amazon’s iconic brown packaging.
Amazon is making the change to reduce delivery costs, make faster deliveries and reach its sustainability goals ahead of Amazon Prime Day October, which will offer big discounts once again.
Amazon delivered around 11% of items without a box in 2022, according to Amazon’s sustainability report, but it’s clear the company wants to increase that number significantly moving forward.
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: Amazon boxless shipping
📦 Amazon wants to deliver your items without a box
♻️ The company will make boxless shipping the default option
🤔 You’ll still be able to request a box, but it may be phased out in the future
💰 The decision comes ahead of Prime Day October
And sometimes boxless shipping makes sense. Many items are already boxed, so it seems silly to unbox something that’s already been safely packed away.
However, somewhat predictably, Amazon’s ambition to go boxless will raise concerns in terms of security and theft. You’ll have no doubt seen countless videos of thieves stealing Amazon orders off people’s porches or have even fallen victim to criminals yourself. If a criminal can see what’s arriving in plain sight, even if you’re just taking it inside, it feels like a recipe for disaster.
A report from CNBC said 260 million packages were stolen in 2022, a 50 million increase from the year prior.
There’s also privacy to consider. Personally, I don’t want my neighbors to know what toiletries I buy each month or how much I spend on dog treats and toys. (It’s a lot, guys. She’s very demanding.)
The good news is that users will have the option to add Amazon’s packaging to their order for no extra charge when they checkout. But Amazon told Fortune that the default option moving forward will be boxless shipping. Whether that remains the case down the line is anyone’s guess, but it’s clear the company wants to cut back on boxes.
Honestly, I’d prefer Amazon to just make better decisions when it comes to packaging. We’ve all experienced tiny items arriving in a massive box for no logical reason, so using appropriate boxes for customers' orders would be a start.
Still, in a world that’s becoming more environmentally conscious and green, many will welcome Amazon’s decision to ditch the box in favor of saving the planet – but more specifically, allowing the company to make more money.