E-commerce Packaging Enhancing the experience
DIEGO CUERVO Final Project MA Industrial Design Prof. Eduardo Milrud
SCAD
Deliver a package in perfect conditions has been one of the challenges faced by e-commerce segment, during its years of evolution. Companies spend millions in packaging systems and cushioning material to reduce the risk of damage during the transport. Although the product is well protected , most of the Online shoppers express nonconformity with the wasteful and awful experience of opening an e-commerce box. I see an opportunity to transform this situation into a delightful and meaningful experience by creating a solution for e-commerce packaging .
Context
E-commerce has driven innovation of products and services in areas such as robotics, logistics & time management. Eiciency is the premise
E-commerce & Packaging
that articulates the entire process in fulďŹ llment centers. High Technology such as autonomous robots and complex algorithm software are used in the process. Less than 60 seconds is the time of human labor that Amazon needs to ship a package.
However,
Image: lakenonasocial.com
packaging
is an area that
*Sources: CNN Money - BBC - New York Times - Wired.com
lacks Innovation .
Innovation
Online retailers have remained with the same model of
packaging in boxes for years. As a consequence several frustrations have been caused to the Users
The Opportunity
Image: Ken James | Bloomberg | Getty Images
PACKAGING USER EXPERIENCE Most of the customer´s frustrations come from the current boxes.
Hard to Open
Oversized Boxes
Waste of Space/Material
Excessive Packaging
Hard to Dispose
Overprotected products
Boundaries
The boundaries of the project are deďŹ ned by the user's interaction with the e-commerce packaging at home and intend to determine:
User Packaging Interaction
Sense of protection and privacy
Convenient and safe opening system
Established end of life for the product
Image: Personal File
User Research The research addresses scenarios that help understand user interactions with the e-commerce packaging. SpeciďŹ cally, The User’s Experience at Home during the time of receiving, unpacking and disposing of the packaging.
User Research
What do the customers say? The interviews were conducted with SCAD students, who are e-commerce users, to understand the final packaging experience.
“Its such a waste the amount of air pillows they use”
“I usually receive a box bigger than the product ”
“I feel I’ve paid for receiving trash, not for a product”
“Is really hard to take the tape off”
“Make no sense the size vs the stuff I bought”
“I don't like to throw them away because the city does not recycle”
Shouyuan Bai
Maria Posada
5 Packages/Month
6 Packages/Month
“I always use my x-acto knife to open the box. It is too difficult”
“I receive several packages a month, the waste is incredible”
“If it’s a big box Keep it to use when I move out to my next house”
“I try to reuse them, but I don't have more storage space”
“I usually throw them away”
Farzane Nozhari 10 Packages/Month
“Sometimes I return the product, but I don’t use the same box”
Andrea Karmazin 15 Packages/Month
User Research
Common Frustrations*
Why is this box so big?
Interview Findings
Why is Amazon using this amount of cushioning? What can I do with these boxes? Where do I store them? My city does not recycle, what can I do with the box? Why do they put a box in another box?
Image: Personal Files I wicked thoughts Blog
*Based on information retrieved from customer interviews
Framing
By creating a packaging solution which is:
Value Proposition
Adaptable
Eco-friendly
Easy to open
Easy to Dispose
The user experience will be Improved generating:
Image: ecreditdaily.com
Satisfaction
Comfort
Sustainability
Brand Loyalty
Direction
Product
Service
I will make a Packaging system that is received by the consumer as an all-in-one “container� which does not need additional internal padding, is easy to open and can be returned by the customer.
Strategy
Transform Product
Transform Service
from
from
Basic Box
Disposable
to
to
Adaptable Structure
Returnable
An efficient configuration of components
A service strategy that allows zero waste
& materials that is modified depending
on the consumer’s part because they no
on the content of the package, therefore
longer need to dispose of packaging and
reducing the material waste for the user
its excess material.
and the supplier.
Branding
Brand Values Customer Obsessed
A brand that cares about the customers' experience working vigorously to earn and maintain their trust.
Premium
A brand that provides high quality and grater value to its customers.
Eicient
Accomplish more with less. Using the constrains as ideas generator.
Environmental
A conscious brand that strives to reduce its impact on nature.
Dynamic
A brand that promotes active relationships with customers.
MoodBoard
Concepts Generation Based on the characteristics of the users, their frustrations, experiences and the value that I intend to provide them, a series of packaging concepts were developed thinking about how to transform and improve the customer's packaging experience.
Concepts
Elastic Mesh This concept uses elasticity as its main feature. The idea is to create an elastic element that wraps the product and adapts to the product’s shape. The thickness of the material could generate an airbag that protects the product.
Concepts
Collapsible Bag Moving from rigid to exible packaging, this concept aims to develop a bag with an origami-based structure which allow its collapse. The origami construction can make it adaptable to dierent sizes and provides a cushion structure.
Concepts
Floating Structure The "oating structure" is also a deployable element that aims to keep the product oating to avoid any kind of impact.
Concepts
Collapsible Container This collapsible structure combines origami deployable walls along with rigid structural fasteners generating a dynamic container that can adapt, hold and protect one or more products. The rigid fasteners connect the walls that can move in 2 directions. Likewise, the walls create
a cushion
structure protecting the products inside. Structure fasteners
Development
Floating Structure
Elastic Mesh
After a concept analysis, the proposed solution will be a combination between a oating structure and a elastic mesh which will hold the products into the container as if they were oating on air during the transport. This will be a reusable system that is going to be returned to the company.
Floating Structure
Elastic Mesh
Development
Final Solution The ďŹ nal solution proposed is a new system of packaging for e-commerce, which does not need any internal padding to support and protect the products thanks to the use of internal elastic membranes stretched over a rigid frame that create a supportive skin. In addition, the system includes a returnable packaging service, which will reduce the waste of resources making it more sustainable.
Final Solution
returnPack
Final Solution
Elastic Membrane Structural Frame Protection Case
Label Straps
returnPack
Silicone Polypropylene Micro-corrugated cardboard
Final Solution Protection Case
Fasteners
Membrane Holder Living Hinge
Silicone Membrane Label Straps
returnPack
Structural Frame
How does it work? The “all in one� packaging is reliable in terms of protection and safety. It uses an easy system to open and some simple steps to return it to the warehouse, transforming positively the experience and adding value to the process of purchasing Online.
Final Solution
Easy to Open 1. The user only has to tear the safety label which seals the box. Thanks to the pre-cut label, the user does not have to deal with tapes of additional tools to open up the packaging.
Final Solution
Easy to Open 2. Then, by pressing the fasteners, the tension is released and the box opens automatically.
Final Solution
Adaptable The product is suspended between the two membranes as if it were oating in the air. The membranes conform to the product shape, regardless of how irregular it may be and get rid of the cushioning material that used to be used
Final Solution
RE
Easy to Dispose The user receives the package and then returns it to the warehouse using a dierent
color label.
Service How does the service Work?
RE
1. The user chooses the returnable packaging option when purchasing a product on the Amazon website.
Service How does the service Work?
2. The user unpacks the purchased product, as mentioned previously.
Service How does the service Work?
3. The user reseals the box using the green label that comes inside the box along with the product purchased.
Service How does the service Work?
4. The box is placed again at the door of the house to be picked up by the courier service.
Service How does the service Work? 5.
RE
The user informs Amazon that the box is ready to be collected. Now the user does not have to worry about getting rid of the packaging or storing it. If the user wishes to keep the package, it will be charged to the registered credit card.
Final Solution
Box Sizes: A1: 10x7x3.25 N3: 16x12x5
Inches
Inches
2A8: 26x19x9
Inches
The system will start with 3 box sizes that cover a wide range of product dimensions. In addition, thanks to its versatility, returnPack
these three sizes of boxes will help reduce the inventory of references currently used
RE In 5 Years
What's next? Bioplastic Returnable Box
Appendix 1 An additional research was conducted which addresses the scenario of the Fulfillment Centers. It intends to give an idea about the journey of the goods into the warehouse, the packaging process and its impact in the user’s final experience. This information was meaningful to understand the concept of efficiency and the level of innovation of the e-commerce warehouses.
Appendix 1 Mapping the fulfillment centers
This infographic is an original work, created with information retrieved from the sources listed below* *Sources: CNN Money - BBC - New York Times - Wired.com
There are two elements in the system that contain, protect and carry the goods from the shelf to the customer. Why do these elements have to be dierent? Could those be combined in the future?
Appendix 1 Mapping the fulfillment centers
= /
Packing Station
A computer indicates the proper box for the item. It is manually packed, filled with cushioning and taped.
This infographic is an original work, created with information retrieved from the sources listed below* *Sources: CNN Money - BBC - New York Times - Wired.com
returnPack
Thank you!
SCAD 2018
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