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Frustration-Free Packaging, My Ass!
What does this term really mean?
When I get frustrated, I follow a pattern: swear, scream, cry, berate myself, try again. If I am frustrated by an inanimate object, you can add “throw the damn thing across the room” to that pattern.
When Amazon introduced “frustration-free packaging” several years ago, I was delighted. I can throw out the box cutter, I thought. While a box cutter is a useful tool, when it is wielded by a person suffering “unwrap rage”, the blood loss can be significant enough to consider a visit to the urgent care clinic.(Hmm, how many more paper towels will it take to stop the bleeding? Do I need stitches?)
Anyhoo, I didn’t realize that “frustration-free packaging” was not a synonym for “easy to open,” although that is supposed to be one of the goals. According to Safe Load Testing Technologies the packaging also has to meet the following requirements: measurement of resistance to horizontal pressures or clamp test, free fall or drop test, resistance to compression, resistance to vibrations, and stability of the package during transportation.
Now I am totally confused. On the one hand, I now know why some items are still packed in those next-to-impossible-to-open, hard plastic shells, that lead to significant injury for someone like me. On the other hand, if the…
