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Keeping the Box (Packaging Survey)
Molybdenum
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Howdy. As part of my industrial design topical studio, I was wondering if you might answer a few open-ended questions about what comes in boxes and what you do with it.
The studio is title "package as product", and my individual focus is on consumer electronics- I'm thinking of cameras in particular, but anything in the small electronic vein would do- portable gaming, smartphones, mp3 players, the like.
So you bought this thing, and it comes in a package- probably a box, probably cardboard.
You have to open it.
Describe to me how you do this- do you videotape yourself "unboxing" ? Do you read the manual before trying your new widget? Do you make sure all the accessories are in place?
What do you think is good packaging?
Have you ever kept a box? Why? Did you keep all the stuff inside as well?
How does the process of opening the package change your view of the widget?
If you can, I'd appreciate some thoughtful discussion- the questions are just loose ideas, after all. (and there aren't many of them, so it shouldn't take long) You can be as specific or as general as you'd like, and if you are comfortable giving it I'd also appreciate some rough personal background- gender, rough age bracket (i.e. mid-20's, early 40's, junior high), etc.
Thanks very much!
The studio is title "package as product", and my individual focus is on consumer electronics- I'm thinking of cameras in particular, but anything in the small electronic vein would do- portable gaming, smartphones, mp3 players, the like.
So you bought this thing, and it comes in a package- probably a box, probably cardboard.
You have to open it.
Describe to me how you do this- do you videotape yourself "unboxing" ? Do you read the manual before trying your new widget? Do you make sure all the accessories are in place?
What do you think is good packaging?
Have you ever kept a box? Why? Did you keep all the stuff inside as well?
How does the process of opening the package change your view of the widget?
If you can, I'd appreciate some thoughtful discussion- the questions are just loose ideas, after all. (and there aren't many of them, so it shouldn't take long) You can be as specific or as general as you'd like, and if you are comfortable giving it I'd also appreciate some rough personal background- gender, rough age bracket (i.e. mid-20's, early 40's, junior high), etc.
Thanks very much!
Steam: Cilantr0
3DS: 0447-9966-6178
3DS: 0447-9966-6178
Molybdenum on
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This discussion has been closed.
Posts
Good packaging looks good and is easy to open and keeps the stuff inside safe.
I keep boxes for most things just incase they need to be returned. Eventually I get tired of keeping them around and throw out old ones.
Male, 21, Canada.
I generally do not read manuals, but I might look through a quick start guide if one is provided.
I appreciate good packaging, particularly if it is attractive and functional. Apple stands out in this regard. Actually, I'll take anything other than that awful plastic stuff that you have to cut open.
I did keep the box from my last Sony camera even though the it is a bit flimsy. I use it to keep the manual and accessories, so I can spot them quickly if I need to use them.
M/37/United States
Also, www.surveymonkey.com will let you create a free tabulated survey so the results are a little more organized (limited to 10 questions / 100 responses, though) .
Good packaging is any packaging I can open up without needing a knife and/or damaging the item inside.
I used to save all my video game boxes back when I was a kid and got better trade-in value for them at the store, nowadays, I generally throw out all my boxes after a week or so after I've determined that everything is in working order and I won't need to return anything.
Unless the box is so god damned hard to open that I swear off buying that damn thing again (kids toys are particularly bad for this), the packaging is usually irrelevant to my enjoyment of the item.
Age 30.
Is this really a thing? I thought the practical katana thing was like, an anomaly or something.
xbl - HowYouGetAnts
steam - WeAreAllGeth
I tend to keep boxes for major electronics (xbox, DS, my smaller sized TV) but mostly because I have been in flux for a bit, and it makes moving a ton easier. For things like an Xbox its more of a pain in the ass to bubble wrap that yourself, just stick it in the box and its fine.
I try to keep manuals no matter what. I enjoy skimming manuals when I first get a product, just so I can see what options are available to me.
Plastic hard to open packaging is the worst. When It comes to boxes I just want them to be durable, have a fitted, preferably foam cut out for the particular object, and be stackable. I only like novel packaging if it has some other functional use (like reusable tea tins) If its flashy and function-less, I feel like I'm paying extra for nothing important.
The only other packaging I keep is when I know there's a price difference on the used market for items with boxes. That's usually not something you can foresee when you design a product, though.
http://www.itworld.com/hardware/138740/asus-motherboard-box-doubles-a-pc-case
A motherboard box that can double as a crappy PC case.
The impossible to open plastic that controllers or other peripherals come in also gets thrown but I always keep manuals and other bits of paper.
Good packaging? I like the box my Wii came in. The two blue trays and the rest of the box are kinda nice. In a way I guess the packaging does have some kind of effect because to me a well packaged item shows the company cares about even the most basic of presentation.
M/23/UK
I see videotaping the opening to be silly, I can't see the reason for it unless you really, really want to know how everything is packaged.
I appreciate packaging that protects my items from being damaged by the careless UPS driver. That crumpled paper? Ain't gonna cut it for electronics, but then again I've never seen any electronics packaged with nothing but paper.
Unless the package was super obnoxious to open, it has no effect on me whatsoever. Even then, it's not like I would stop buying products from them if it did what it was supposed to.
male, 21, USA
Remember this?
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/12/11/
I do not videotape myself unboxing.
I do read the manual before flipping the power on. Usually the quick start section and then a quick skim through the rest.
I do check all the accessories.
I'm always happy when all the packaging is recyclable - either corrugated cardboard, molded pulp or recyclable plastic. My county has a recycling program and I like to use it. The worst is when it's a huge styrofoam block with a tiny little doodad nestled in the middle.
I will usually keep the box for a month or two before throwing it away. If the product contained within need to be returned, it's easiest to just put it back in the original packaging.
I take the manuals out and keep them in my file drawer.
The process doesn't affect my view of the widget. A box is a box. As long as it protects the contents, i'm satisfied.
Male/29/United States
Now, blisterpacks, those infernal hunks of hermetically sealed plastic, those can go right to hell.
Thanks for the feedback so far!
It seems to me that for most of you packaging is a sort of obstruction, a hurdle that must be cleared before you get to the good part.
So would you say that good packaging is the kind that is as unobtrusive as possible? Or can packaging be elevated from a chore to a part of the experience?
One other thing that jumps out at me is that most people seem to keep the boxes around as a place to store accessories or just in case, but they don't really need to or want to. Recycling has come up a few times in this and other discussions, but it seems paradoxical to want something that can be easily disposed of and then to keep it for a few years on a closet shelf. Thoughts?
noisy- I bought a clamshell-packaged knife from IKEA last week and it was basically the worst thing ever trying to get it out without severing every limb in a four-block radius
michaelLC- thanks, I made sure to read the rules about surveys before posting. I believe this is in the clear. I'd prefer not to use a dull bubble-filling survey form since it tends to remove the personal opinions from things; I'm not necessarily looking for data right now, just a discussion.
3DS: 0447-9966-6178
1. videotaping? Not worth it unless it's a very fragile item and for insurance purposes which stipulate said unboxing techniques ( like 1 in a 200,000 type occurrence). The rest of the people who do that have some sort of OCD.
2. Goes back to my very first line. Gets me the product I want/need without damage.
3. I keep certain boxes for higher ticket items. Helps keep accessories or manuals in the boxes. Usually helps with situations. But I'm more of a packrat when it comes to that sort of stuff.
4. The box doesn't really impact the widget or gadget. It's superficial and doesn't have real point once the item is removed. However, a shoddy item will always have poor labels and poor item descriptions. Those stand out in my mind as being a lesser product with a poor package. Knockoffs always have the worst packaging and that's one of the main telltale signs of one.
Fyi, I work in retail. I see hundreds and hundreds of packages, boxes, items, containers every day. I would say I see a few thousand over a week. 500 items an hour at 8hrs so over a course of a standard week I see 80,000 to 140,000 items. Grocery items but items nevertheless.
I will say that more packages could be more durable to protect items especially in high ticket items like large flat panels. Microsoft is an excellent example of a solid packaging design while sony fails in that regard. Nintendo does a fantastic job as well for a good box design.
I'm in my 30's
I hope my feedback is useful to you.
I don't generally spend a lot of time with the manual either. If there is warranty information contained within it, I will hold on to it, but I will recycle it otherwise. I can't think of a single item I have purchased that had a manual that I couldn't find online. The only manuals that are necessary for me are motherboard manuals, and that's because it allows me to look up jumper settings without having to find another computer to use. That said, many motherboards have the jumper settings printed on them, and the manual is a waste (for me) in those cases.
I also recycle boxes when I get them, because I despise clutter. I feel like it's silly to hold on to boxes that don't have anything in them, especially for a purpose as nebulous as potentially using the box to move an item again one day. (Though, I do understand that people who move every semester would want to hold on to boxes to facilitate the moving process. Moving is the worst.) Anything that is delicate enough to need to go back in to a box is going to be gently packaged with like items when I ship it.
I was somewhat familiar with unboxings, but after looking at a few of them on youtube, I can't help but think they're commodity fetishism at its worst.
I hope this was somewhat helpful.
M/26/US
Good packaging is always easy to open - those hard plastic shells are the absolute worst. It is also as small as possible without compromising its purpose of keeping safe whatever is inside.
I keep a few boxes. Mainly for items that are awkward to transport, things I want to keep extra safe while moving, or boxes that are convenient and possibly reusable. So my computer case boxes (for the customized styrofoam padding), my Rock Band drums box (for the awkward factor), and a lot of Amazon boxes (because they're handy).
Opening a box has no effect on the way I view a widget. However, it can significantly effect how idiotic I think the manufacturers are if the packaging is horrible.
Demographics: Male, married, mid-20s.
Why? I don't like finding scissors, and it is wasteful. If you must have stickies on the flaps to keep them down, make them easy to remove. A tab or really unsticky solution so I can peel it with my fingernail.
Why am I like this? 10 fucking years of dealing with form fitted plastic that you need industrial grade scissors to open.
If I can't use my nail clippers as impromptu scissors, it's too much packaging.
I don't read manuals unless the setup or operation is complicated. After dealing with technology for 20 years, this is hardly ever the case unless I'm buying a $1000 camera.
Demographics: Male, single, mid-20s
The way the Wii was packaged was probably the best use I've seen. Everything just perfectly in place, labeled and whatnot so even the least tech-savvy people could figure it out and hook it up
I do keep my boxes for high-dollar items, just in case they have to be RMAd or the like. As for the unboxing itself, unless it is very thoughtfully done (see Wii comment above) I hardly notice
Demo: Male, married, 26-34
PSN - MicroChrist
I'm too fuckin' poor to play
WordsWFriends - zeewoot
If the box has wrapping paper on it, I carefully remove the adhesive tape, carefully roll it up into a swiss roll shape - if it gets crumpled, I straighten it and roll it again. I then remove the wrapping paper, smooth it out, and fold it up carefully. Apparently, its very annoying to watch me.
Step 2. (If it had wrapping paper on it, otherwise Step 1.)
I open boxes very carefully, trying to remove as much of the adhesive tape intact and not torn, then I carefully roll it up into a neat ball. I take all the tape off first, roll it up, and put it down somewhere safe before I open the box. Apparently, its very annoying to watch me do this, as well.
Step 3. (or, maybe Step 2.)
I then take all the contents out, replace the internal packaging neatly, fold the box closed again, and then do exactly what the manual tells me to do. I read the manual thoroughly. Apparently, this is also annoying.
I keep my boxes - you never know when I might need them again. But, I do put boxes inside boxes, so I don't have a massive pile of boxes.
OK, I have mild OCD, it doesn't really matter, I just like all my packaging to be neat. I fold yoghurt pot lids, as well, and hate it if people mess up my jam pot or chutney pot lids.
I like shiny boxes best, and I hate it when the adhesive tape/sticky label doesn't come off neatly, or tears, or leaves a mark on the box. It upsets me. I like tape and labels that come off neatly. That makes me happy.
Demographics:
I think I'm the oldest person on PA, I'm married, own more than one house, have an MA in HRM, like dark chocolate best, have 2 adult children and no pets.
For paintings in progress, check out canvas and paints
"The power of the weirdness compels me."
Male, late 20s
Good packaging to me follows two potentially separate schools of thought: 1. Does this package effectively advertise its contents in a pleasing way? 2. Does this package protect its contents adequately?
While I'm not the sort of consumer who goes into a store knowing I need a widget but unsure of which widget to purchase, I do really like simple packaging. As others have mentioned Apple does this very well, almost to the point of absurdity.
The second question is one of pure functionality, and I can probably count the number of times I felt a product wasn't protected well on one hand.
Materials should ideally be recyclable. Cardboard is by far my preferred substance, and like everyone else I despise clamshell plastic packaging and have in the past not purchased widgets due to them being entombed in this manner. Overall I like the tabbed cardboard design with the thin adhesive covers. I prefer things to only require my pocketknife to open.
The value of the widget determines how long I keep the box. I generally will use the product for a week or a month before making the call, and recycle the box. The more expensive the thing, the longer I'm likely to keep the box.
The process of removing a widget from its packaging brings me a weird sort of pleasure. I equate it to finding a treasure chest in your average game: what's inside? Who knows! However I will completely forget about this experience almost immediately after getting at the widget and starting to play with it.
Demo: male, mid-20's, USA