by sterling anthony, cpp, contributing editoramazon shops online for feedback about its packagingenlargethe email greeted me by name and went on to say, "did you know that you can help improve amazon&39s packaging by leaving feedback for your recent purchase" although i&39m a frequent customer, that was my first time receiving such an email. i concluded that the email was a new initiative in amazon&39s frustrationfree packaging ffp program, launched in 2008.whereas walmart&39s scorecard emphasizes sustainability, amazon&39s ffp emphasizes easytoopen otherwise, the two share much in common regarding other criteria. since being the biggest bricksandmortar retailer gives walmart clout in packagingrelated matters, it stands to reason that being the biggest online retailer does the same for amazon and amazon is determined to exercise that clout.brandowners seeking favored status with amazon have to acquaint themselves with ffp guidelines. and although amazon uses the term, wraprage, to describe consumers&39 frustrations with hardtoopen packaging, the company realizes that the ultimate frustration is opening the packaging and finding damaged contents. that realization is behind ffp certification&mdashlaboratory testing, using ista standards&mdashto affirm that the packaging can adequately protect against the hazards of the parcel post environment.from the beginning, amazon described ffp as a multiyear initiative. it now seems that the company has decided to go directly to customers to ask their opinions on how well ffp is working. the survey, although short, reflects the focus of the program. it also provides a basis for predicting packaging trends, both inside and outside of online retailing. the multiplechoice survey consisted of headings, under which questions were posed.rate delivery experience. was your package delivered when expectedthis might seem to do more with transportation than with packaging however, any attempt to draw a fine line of demarcation is to ignore that the two are interdependent components of a supplychain. online shopping has its conveniences in terms of savings in time and effort. the tradeoff is that customers willingly delay possession, a delay based on the choice of delivery service ranging from overnight to various days longer. since the cost of that service is included in the checkout price, ontime delivery is an understandably important component of customer satisfaction, in that no customer wants to wait a minute longer than promised. evidencing a willingness to blaze new trails, this year amazon announced its intentions to experiment with deliveries by drones.rate amazon&39s packaging. please rate the packaging protection on your shipment. was the box size and packaging appropriate for the itemscaution lay respondents might be inclined to answer in accordance with how customfitted the box is to its contents, without due regard for certain realities. the greater the number of box sizes, the greater the user company&39s purchase prices due to lower economiesofscale and the greater that company&39s inventorycarrying costs more sizes to store and account for. striking the optimal balance between the two necessitates considerable collection and analysis of data related to sales and logistics. no matter how well done, that exercise won&39t eliminate the need to compensate for voids, whether with bubblewrap, crumbled paper, expanded polystyrene peanuts, or other means. 
