The Clamshell Rebellion
Nothing looks better than a clamshell package. Nothing is more secure than a clamshell package. Nothing protects a product from being damaged better than a clamshell package. Nothing makes consumers crazier than a clamshell package.
The toy industry side of me loves clamshell packaging. The consumer side of me hates it.
Well, apparently, we are going to see some changes in America’s love/hate relationship with the clamshell. According to an article in the November 15, 2008 New York Times (front page no less) Amazon has worked out a deal with some manufacturers to end the clamshell and ship products in (of all things) cardboard boxes.
Entitled, “The Latest Marvel? Packages You Won’t Need a Saw to Open,” the article reports that Amazon has launched a “frustration-free packaging” initiative that has gotten the cooperation of “Mattel, its subsidiary Fisher-Price, Microsoft and Transcend, an electronics maker, the companies will ship some of their best selling products to Amazon in cardboard boxes that don’t fight back.”
The article explains why clamshells came to be.
A decade ago, as toys and consumer electronics items grew more complex, retailers decided they needed to attract shoppers by showing off items on shelves in clear plastic, instead of opaque boxes.
To do so while protecting the items, they decided to seal the hinges of containers with tough epoxy that would resist shoplifting, or what retailers call “shrinkage.”
It’s easy to see, therefore, why Amazon can launch the initiative. They don’t have to worry about shoplifting. It appears, however, that even in bricks in mortar retail, the clamshell is going to morph into a kinder, gentler product.
Microsoft recently unveiled an unusual container for the Explorer computer mice it sells at Best Buy. …The container actually has a plastic zipper on each side — inspired by the packaging of food items, Microsoft said — with blue arrows that guide buyers into easily unlocking their purchase.
Sony, meanwhile, has started an ambitious internal project it optimistically calls “death of the clamshell.” The electronics giant is developing three packaging prototypes it plans to test in the coming months at Best Buy and Wal-Mart Stores. One uses an adhesive that is easy to pry open but makes a loud Velcro-like noise — intended to deter thieves.
Will toy companies be inspired to create new forms of packaging? You can bet they will if Wal-Mart says they have to.
Oscar commented:
I'll preface this by iantstg that I'm not a super-tech-saavy user. I won't be able to wow you with a bunch of technical facts and figures. I can tell you, however, how this product worked for me, your typical end-user. First, I'll comment on the frustration-free packaging . It's about as simple as CD-ROM packing comes, but isn't remarkably different from 50- or 100-packs from other manufacturers. A nice, sturdy shell surrounds the CDs positioned on a center spindle. If you want each of your discs to have individual cases, you'll have to buy them separately. This actually saves a great deal of space and makes the overall packing very compact. The shell is, mercifully, easy to open. As for the discs themselves, they're about as plain-Jane as they come. I only use them for making audio discs, NOT for data storage. As far as accuracy of storage, I did note one disc that had some spotty audio quality, which was disappointing. When re-ripped, the next disc was just fine. Honestly, I'm unsure if the problem was the CD-ROM or my hardware. In any case, I figured you should know. Overall, I'm quite pleased with this product. The price-point is nice, while not extraordinary. One star was removed for the spotty disc, but I would definately buy this set again if I need CD-ROMs in bulk.
Tiri commented:
[Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging] (Electronics) Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program () I tesetd these CD-R's on an iMac running OS X 10.5.8 with an external LaCie DVD/CD burner containing TSST guts. The burner is connected to the iMac via FireWire. I did not encounter any problems using the CD-R's. My burner was able to write to them at high speeds. The burnt discs were readable by other devices without any hassles. A minor quibble, though, is that the discs themselves seem to be more flexible and lighter in weight than the CD-R's I normally use (Verbatim and TDK). Another, more personal, quibble is that the discs have a glossy finish on the label side. I prefer a matte finish because the CD marker pens I use don't work terribly well on slick surfaces. For this product, the Frustration-Free Packaging isn't a big deal. The discs come on the usual spindle with a plastic, lockable cover. The only real packaging difference is that the spindle is shipped in a special box that doesn't require air packs or foam peanuts to protect the spindle while it is in transit. That's environmentally nice but the spindle itself isn't any easier or harder to open than others. Bottom line: a good choice for everyday disc burning. However, I won't be using these CD-R's for archival or mission-critical purposes until they establish more of a track record. 3.5 stars. Update (April 2010): These discs have been working without any problems on my i7 iMac's internal Superdrive, using Snow Leopard 10.6.3 .
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The Consumerati commented:
