The treasure within... like the Russian nesting eggs where each opens to reveal another smaller one within, I have noticed recently that some packaging can be pervasive.  A group of colleagues and I ordered some sandwiches from a deli for a working lunch last week, and here is what the packaging included: A paper shopping bag to hold 6 sandwiches, chips and drinks in cans; A plastic bag inside the paper one; styrofoam boxes with the sandwiches in them;  sandwiches were wrapped in aluminum foil inside the boxes (to hold them together in transit?); wax paper under the aluminum foil to encase the sandwich.  There was a seperate plastic bag to hold six bags of chips, and another one to hold six soft drink cans. 

Now, while each component of the packaging may have had a purpose, that was a lot of packing material (think trash and being "green") for six take-out lunches.  I wondered if the deli calculated the cost of packaging and whether they considered the needed inventory and shelf space for each of the needed materials.  I would have been just as well served with just the paper bag, the styrofoam boxes, and some toothpicks to hold the sandwiches together in transit.  At least the toothpicks could serve another function after the meal.

I also recently purchased a small battery-powered bus for my grandson's Thomas & Friends train set from an e-Bay seller.  Initially, I thought that $8.95 was a bit much for shipping charges for a three inch by two inch by one inch toy from Ohio, but reckon that I got my money's worth.  I received a box that was about one foot in all dimensions with a UPS sticker noting $1.95 for the shipping charge.  Inside the box were styrofoam peanuts surrounding a bulging manilla envelope.  Inside the envelope was a mass of bubble wrap, which when unrolled revealed a plastic encasement for hanging on a store rack.  There inside the plastic was the bus!  Being both shoplifter and consumer proof, it took several attempts with a scissor to cut the plastic and remove the bus for my grandson.  Surprise... battery not included!  I would have been happier to just receive the manilla envelope with the bus and have had a battery enclosed, but then again, the battery would probably have required its own wrapping...

I was intrigued enough to talk to several entrepreneurs who ship items to their customers, both from e-Bay and non e-Bay sales.  Their view was that as long as the customer was willing to pay the shipping charge, it was better to overpack and be assured that the customer would receive an undamaged item than to lower shipping costs and risk an unhappy customer and the fuss and cost of an exchange item.  The e-Bay stores were also concerned about customer feedback and did not want any negatives about broken or items.  One of them said his metric was to decide what packing was reasonable for the item and then to double that.

Do any of you ship items?  If so, what is your philosoophy on packaging?  Does anybody want to comment from the buyer viewpoint?