Unnecessary Shipping: The Surprising Contents of My Recent PC Order

[c00p]

Ok, I just have to see if anyone else sees this as silly as I do or if it's just me. I received a box from PC yesterday, a rather large box - not a huge one as if I had ordered 100 catalogs, but the next size down. I didn't open it until just now and couldn't for the life of me remember what I had ordered that would be in something so large. Wanna know what it was? It was the Patriotic basket liner in that huge box!!!! It would've fit into a 9x11 envelope because it's all nicely folded and flat!!! Now, how much shipping was just wasted on that box? It's the little things like this that just make me wonder, is this really necessary????

 

[vwpamperedchef]

I agree!! There have been times I ordered some small items from PC from the outlet or whatever and it always comes in a huge box.

WHAT A COMPLETE WASTE....SAVE THE EARTH sheesh!

 

[Geekgirl69]

I had a direct ship order from a show that was just the two new green knives and it is in a huge box. I think a padded envelope would have done fine.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I also recently got an order for 2 pink scoops and 2 pink brushes in a #2 box - which is the large cube box. Hello??!! That is a total waste of resources - cardboard, mailing costs...

Janet, I thought you said they were working on fixing that kind of thing?!

 

[cathyskitchen]

Just be sure to re-use the box and any packing materials that came with it. That's what I do! Don't send them to a landfill - reuse!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Yep - my mom ordered a bottle of vanilla, and it came all alone in the middle sized box, along with some brown packing paper. You could shake the box, and feel the vanilla flying all over inside....I'm amazed it made it in one piece!

 

[chefann]

That's how my sisters received seasonings I ordered them, too. 3 bottles of rum in a medium box.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

That's how my sisters received seasonings I ordered them, too. 3 bottles of rum in a medium box.

We sell Rum? How'd I miss that?

 

[Kitchen Diva]

You are Preachin' to the chior!

Ok, I just have to see if anyone else sees this as silly as I do or if it's just me. I received a box from PC yesterday, a rather large box - not a huge one as if I had ordered 100 catalogs, but the next size down. I didn't open it until just now and couldn't for the life of me remember what I had ordered that would be in something so large. Wanna know what it was? It was the Patriotic basket liner in that huge box!!!! It would've fit into a 9x11 envelope because it's all nicely folded and flat!!! Now, how much shipping was just wasted on that box? It's the little things like this that just make me wonder, is this really necessary????

I hear you and I second everything you said! I have had things damaged because they used a box that was clearly 50% larger than it needed to be, yet they were stingy with the packing paper. Go figure! I agree- let's streamline boxes and not make them so expensive so that companies that use a ton of them can't afford to upgrade and streamline to save money...

 

[baychef]

We sell Rum? How'd I miss that?

*HICKUP* what page is that rum on? *HICKUP* I need a refill myself!!

I know they are trying not to have damaged boxes, but this seems like over kill.

 

[chefann]

Oops- I meant to type RUBS. Stupid fingers...I must have still been thinking about the Mojitos from last night.

 

[quiverfull7]

I'm wondering if sometimes it would take more man powers dollars to get different packing materials than it costs in a larger box? Who knows though.

 

[pamperedlinda]

thinking about them or drinking them

 

[dianevill]

Just be sure to re-use the box and any packing materials that came with it. That's what I do! Don't send them to a landfill - reuse!

They make excellent trains, planes and cars for children! My kids are so excited when the big boxes arrive, and it's an evening of free fun for me.

Liked your typo, Ann, and the posts after. Mojitos sound good today!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Oops- I meant to type RUBS. Stupid fingers...

I must have still been thinking about the Mojitos from last night.

I knew what you meant...just couldn't resist teasing you a bit! :love:

 

[janetupnorth]

OK, I think we've covered this before, but here are some "general facts" about shipping from a major company.1. If these orders are shipped FedEx vs. another method - which when you want speed and tracking for your customers is sometimes the most cost effective method (remember companies get special rates, not what you see shipping), envelopes do not work well, they get lost, damaged, etc. in the FedEx trucks and system! You need to use a small box.2. On choosing box size, this is a more difficult task that you imagined. We (at my company not PC) currently have a program calculating box size and packaging using the two largest dimensions of the products. We need to have 3 dimensions for the accuracy but the heuristics of this can really give you a headache - trust me! PC is working on their cubing too but it is a project so sometimes things are off a little and when the system is as automated as PC's is, the box is already to the void foil/taper before you notice the box is too big. Since it is already taped and labeled the box is already "used". To destroy is would be a waste so you might as well ship it since its dimension weight won't cost you any more.3. At our company we have 50 million box sizes (not literally but you get the picture). Our cost per box is higher due to using smaller amounts of each and it is a waste of labor trying to pick the "right one" - we need to consolidate! By PC using only so many box sizes, they are saving us a lot of money! I know they constantly evaluate things like this and if they aren't currently doing it, it is definitely on their project list to re-evaluate size boxes as overall product mix changes to see what works the best.4. Also, you never know when your box supplier cannot meet your needs of a certain box size...maybe supplies are low, a machine broke, whatever. So, if you are out, you are out and use the next biggest.I have no clue which of these scenarios may apply to PCs current situation, but they are all common things in manufacturing and could be the reason.If you have issues with how your box arrives, politely contact HO with your order #, contents and box size (there is a number on each box) and ask that they notify the warehouse of your concern. If there is a problem not listed above or their product dimensions in the system are possibly off - they will look at it!

 

[Shawnna]

You never know what size box your are going to get. Sometimes I get a huge box with 1 small item in it...like a scraper...and then other times I get a box overflowing with stuff and very little packing paper...should have used a bigger box or two boxes. But, we do have small boxes...look what our paperwork comes in. I don't have a clue about shipping production, so I can only guess what goes on, but there has to be some sort of compromise. I re-use the boxes when I can, but I can only hang on to a few boxes. I prefer rubbermaid tubs...so most of my cardboard boxes get broken down and hauled to the trash for them to pick up.

 

[janetupnorth]

Only certain boxes go to certain areas - there are smaller boxes for paperwork, but these do not get put or travel on the main line.If you have issues with how things are shipped, kindly send a message to HO - they listen!

 

[janetupnorth]

Oh, and we burn boxes here. I took use rubbermaid tubs...

 

[pamperedlinda]

We recycle in our house. DH makes a trip to the recycle center @ once a month. Glass, Cans, Plastic, Magazines, Newspaper, Cardboard (I'm even getting better about recycling cereal boxes and paper rolls too). Our trash service says they recycle, we just have to put it in a clear bag and set it out on trash day - I don't trust them to actually do it though so we take it ourself. I'm amazed at how little 'trash' we actually have now too!

 

[janetupnorth]

We separate plastic and glass for the garbage guy - they get really cranky when together although most dumps put everything together anyway!Actually, separating in a landfill is what causes things not to compost correctly and stay for years and years.Cans, well we save those and turn them in for $. Paper and cardboard we burn - most newspaper goes in our woodburning stove.

 

[chefmeg]

we are recycling fools here! If we can't use whatever box PC sends us (and is a RARE that we can't) it gets broken down and out by the curb every other Tuesday!
I guess I am naive, but I just don't ever ponder these kinds of things as I figure PC almost always has the right motive for doing whatever they do...maybe I should question more??!!

 

[Shawnna]

not much recycling goes on around here...cans only. There is not recycle center within 75 miles of here...nobody is going to drive that far to recycle a bag of plastic containers and it is too much trouble and looks bad to stack it up until you get a lot. I use to take my WalMart bags back because they recycled them, but my WalMart doesn't do that anymore...and I rarely go there because it is a 40 minute drive.

 

[kcjodih]

We recycle everything here - well pretty much. One blue box is for cans and glass, one for plastic of almost all types and one for newspapers and cardboard and it's put out separate from the garbage. We have a garbage truck in the morning and then a recycling truck comes around midday.

 

[kspry]

My city wants to charge me for recycling, whch makes no sense. When I lived on the east coast, the city I lived in MADE money off recycling.

I paid to recycle for a few years, but it finally got to me, when they stopped accepting glass. It all goes into the trash, now.

 

[elizabethfox]

I too have gotten huge boxes with like one item in it. But what really bugs me is when I order a bunch of stuff off of the supply order and they ship at all to me in a large envelope. All of my fliers and paperwork get bent! They have done this twice now, and then I get a huge box for a measure all cup?? WTH??

Oh.. and we recycle newspapers and laundry detergent containers. Pop cans we recycle and get money for, and cardboard boxes we reuse unless they are beat up...then we burn them.

Ok think I covered everything being talked about in this thread...LOL

 

[BethCooks4U]

We recycle too. All glass, paper, cardboard, cans, plastic. It can all be together here. We are charged $5 per month with our water bill for city services which include garbage pickup but I don't believe that includes recycling since that's a private company.

I don't bother with selling the cans - don't even know where I would take them and we have so few anyway (except when DS is visiting from college). We aren't allowed to recycle laundry detergent or other bottles containing cleaning chemicals.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

We recycle too. All glass, paper, cardboard, cans, plastic. It can all be together here. We are charged $5 per month with our water bill for city services which include garbage pickup but I don't believe that includes recycling since that's a private company.

I don't bother with selling the cans - don't even know where I would take them and we have so few anyway (except when DS is visiting from college). We aren't allowed to recycle laundry detergent or other bottles containing cleaning chemicals.

We are fortunate - here in Michigan, all cans/bottles get recycled right at the grocery store. We pay a deposit when we buy them, and then it gets refunded when we return the empties back to the store.

 

[BethCooks4U]

We are fortunate - here in Michigan, all cans/bottles get recycled right at the grocery store. We pay a deposit when we buy them, and then it gets refunded when we return the empties back to the store.

I remember doing that for a while in WI. It was a real pain - IMHO.

 

[rennea]

I recycle EVERYTHING!!!!! When the rubbish man comes around to collect household garbage we only ever have 1 bag and it's not full

We have 4 recycling spots here in my little city alone. Every week we take ours in. Takes matter of minutes.


I also agree with the boxes being way to big.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I remember doing that for a while in WI. It was a real pain - IMHO.

Really? Maybe it's because we've been doing it so long - since I was a kid - so I don't think of it as a pain.
It really cuts down on trash by the road too - even if people throw cans and bottles out - others are right there to pick them up!
My nephew did that one time at the Races, and earned almost $200 picking up pop cans!

 

[janetupnorth]

I remember doing that for a while in WI. It was a real pain - IMHO.

Me too - Springtime Soda in Kenosha - I'm really glad that went away...

 

[pamperedthorpe]

What bothers me now is that they have switched from using paper to plastic. We could recycle the paper but can't recycle the plastic!

 

[Sheila Gildersleeve]

My husband and I recycle everything we can. We take paper goods to the schools. Klein ISD has recycling bens
( Looks like a DUMPSTER ) for all the paper goods, News Paper, Cardboard Boxes, ect.. Haven't been able to find anyone out here that recycles Plastics though. We also give all our old clothes and shoes that are either to small, or big and take them to a ben for the needy that sit out in our Kroger's Parking lot. This ben is really a good I idea to make sure our needy family in our are are clothed too! God Bless thier souls! We do what we can to help.

 

[Sheila Gildersleeve]

I'm half Native American, and I remember reading books in history class about how Indians lived off the land, and gave back what they took. Now I have seen how we have learn from our mistakes, and are trying to undo the damage we have done to our planet. I also remember when I was a very young girl, there was a commercial with an Indian standing above a freeway looking at all the trash on the sides of the road. When he turn around to walk away, HE WAS CRYING! That image has stuck in my head every sense then. I suppose that is part of the reason why I've been trying to do my part on my end of the planet. God Bless the Indians!

 

[etteluap70PC]

What bothers me now is that they have switched from using paper to plastic. We could recycle the paper but can't recycle the plastic!

I was actually reading some interesting articles lately that Paper bags are not only costlier to pruduce but use more petroleum to produce than plastic. the basic plastic bags are supposed to be biodegradeable and are recycleable, at least here in the US. Most grogery stores thay have bins to bring these bags. I am loving the trend of using your own bags. I just have to remember to bring them into the store! Another great tip I got was if you forget your reuseable bags in your car. Tell the bagger (if you have one) not to bag everything. Just put it back in the cart and bag it when you get to your car? What a Concept!!!

 

[PChefPEI]

LOL! Yep, that's happened to me too! The courrier guy drops it off and says "Here's an empty box for ya!" hehe

 

[katie0128]

Many of the grocery stores in our area now sell reusable shopping bags. They are about $1 each and are almost as bit as the paper bags. Even though we reuse the plastic bags at home (garbage can liners mostly), I'm thinking of getting a bunch of these and just keeping them in the car. Then when I go shopping, just grab them, put them on the bottom of the cart and pull them out at the checkout.

So here is a question for your eco-friendly people... If you don't use plastic bags for garbage, is there something else you use? Or is there a good eco-friendly producer of plastic bags?

 

[janetupnorth]

Many of the grocery stores in our area now sell reusable shopping bags. They are about $1 each and are almost as bit as the paper bags. Even though we reuse the plastic bags at home (garbage can liners mostly), I'm thinking of getting a bunch of these and just keeping them in the car. Then when I go shopping, just grab them, put them on the bottom of the cart and pull them out at the checkout.

So here is a question for your eco-friendly people... If you don't use plastic bags for garbage, is there something else you use? Or is there a good eco-friendly producer of plastic bags?

Not eco-friendly but I use those reusable bags. They are very sturdy and we use them for everything - DD used one as a swim bag today. They can hold the weight of 2 gallons of milk without an issue.

Also at our local grocery store you get 5 cents off your bill each time you use on. Use it 20 times and it's paid for...

 

[katie0128]

Ooo... saving money with them!!! I'll have to look and see if we get that same deal as well. After all, a nickel is a nickel and I'd rather have it in my wallet than in the store's cash register!

 

[Sheila Gildersleeve]

Yes, I do believe there are bio-degradable trash bags. However, I have yet to find any, let alone know the names of them. Katie0128, you have a valid point. Guess, you could say thats food for thought, but I think the appropriate phrase here is: " That PLASTIC for thought! " lol Sorry, had to make a funny...I do realize this is a serious matter, and I am truly sorry if I affended anyone.