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The e-ink display part triggers thoughts of an Amazon of the future that uses entirely reusable boxes to ship things to consumers. Hard plastic containers w/ e-

The e-ink display part triggers thoughts of an Amazon of the future that uses entirely reusable boxes to ship things to consumers. Hard plastic containers w/ e-ink labels. Boom, no more millions (billions? trillions?) of cardboard/plastic boxes used to enclose packages. Still millions/billions/trillions of boxes/plastic packaging for the items themselves, but at least the transit envelope would be reusable.

fuball63 6y ago
That's a cool idea. I wonder how many re-uses a box like that would take to make it cost effective over the same amount of cardboard. Should be feasible I'd think.
- jayd16 6y ago
  If the cost to return the box is more than a cardboard box, its not feasible.
  - CobrastanJorji 6y ago
    Not necessarily. If the box costs 10 times as much, but they come up with a way to use the box 12 times, it was worth it. That won't work if the recipient doesn't have a need to mail something back, but for a use case where you expected most boxes would be shipped back (maybe a phone repair company?), it could absolutely make sense.
    - Dylan16807 6y ago
      The post you're saying "not necessarily" to has nothing to do with the cost of the box itself. If returning it costs too much, the box could be free and you'd lose money.
      - jcims 6y ago
        Just make it up in volume! ;)
  - ceejayoz 6y ago
    A lot of Amazon users get daily/weekly drop offs, and increasingly via Amazon’s own logistics. Seems fairly trivial to have those drivers pick up last week’s carriers when they drop off this one’s.
    - bentcorner 6y ago
      They did that with Amazon Fresh, and (at least from my perspective of several years ago) I think the asymmetry between # of packages and frequency of delivery didn't work out for them that well. We'd end up holding onto a stack of 4-5 crates for a week or so, which means Amazon would have to float probably a ton of these across their customers. That's all a guess though, but these days we get deliveries in plastic/paper bags, no reusable containers, so something must not have worked out. That said, grocery delivery is much more "bursty" than package delivery.
icelancer 6y ago
They tried reusable plastic boxes for Amazon stuff in Seattle years ago. It was a pretty colossal failure. People just kept the plastic boxes and used them for stuff around the house. "Bill the people who keep the plastic boxes," is the oft-heard refrain! What if they're stolen off your porch due to living in a not-great neighborhood? You still owe?
- noisy_boy 6y ago
  Bill upfront and credit back on return. Amazon shouldn't be responsible for the stealing happening in your neighbourhood.
  - master-litty 6y ago
    They often shoulder that responsibility to reduce friction, and I think it works net-positive in their favor. Billing the customer and then penalizing them for being a victim of theft introduces so much friction and frustration.
    - noisy_boy 6y ago
      That is true and besides the point which is that they are not responsible.
ckrailo 6y ago
It'll happen eventually... just attach wheels and some AI like this company: https://www.starship.xyz/ https://www.starship.xyz/
coredog64 6y ago
At one point, Amazon was arranging pickups of the boxes if you filled them with charitable donations (clothing?). Probably not 1 for 1, but it’s something.

fuball63 6y ago

That's a cool idea. I wonder how many re-uses a box like that would take to make it cost effective over the same amount of cardboard. Should be feasible I'd think.

jayd16 6y ago
If the cost to return the box is more than a cardboard box, its not feasible.
- CobrastanJorji 6y ago
  Not necessarily. If the box costs 10 times as much, but they come up with a way to use the box 12 times, it was worth it. That won't work if the recipient doesn't have a need to mail something back, but for a use case where you expected most boxes would be shipped back (maybe a phone repair company?), it could absolutely make sense.
  - Dylan16807 6y ago
    The post you're saying "not necessarily" to has nothing to do with the cost of the box itself. If returning it costs too much, the box could be free and you'd lose money.
    - jcims 6y ago
      Just make it up in volume! ;)
- ceejayoz 6y ago
  A lot of Amazon users get daily/weekly drop offs, and increasingly via Amazon’s own logistics. Seems fairly trivial to have those drivers pick up last week’s carriers when they drop off this one’s.
  - bentcorner 6y ago
    They did that with Amazon Fresh, and (at least from my perspective of several years ago) I think the asymmetry between # of packages and frequency of delivery didn't work out for them that well. We'd end up holding onto a stack of 4-5 crates for a week or so, which means Amazon would have to float probably a ton of these across their customers. That's all a guess though, but these days we get deliveries in plastic/paper bags, no reusable containers, so something must not have worked out. That said, grocery delivery is much more "bursty" than package delivery.

icelancer 6y ago

They tried reusable plastic boxes for Amazon stuff in Seattle years ago. It was a pretty colossal failure. People just kept the plastic boxes and used them for stuff around the house. "Bill the people who keep the plastic boxes," is the oft-heard refrain! What if they're stolen off your porch due to living in a not-great neighborhood? You still owe?

noisy_boy 6y ago
Bill upfront and credit back on return. Amazon shouldn't be responsible for the stealing happening in your neighbourhood.
- master-litty 6y ago
  They often shoulder that responsibility to reduce friction, and I think it works net-positive in their favor. Billing the customer and then penalizing them for being a victim of theft introduces so much friction and frustration.
  - noisy_boy 6y ago
    That is true and besides the point which is that they are not responsible.

ckrailo 6y ago

It'll happen eventually... just attach wheels and some AI like this company: https://www.starship.xyz/ https://www.starship.xyz/

coredog64 6y ago

At one point, Amazon was arranging pickups of the boxes if you filled them with charitable donations (clothing?). Probably not 1 for 1, but it’s something.