Why do shop assistants still put items in carrier bags without asking me if I want one? I despair at the vast amount of collateral I gather if I ever go to McDonalds, and at my local baker's the assistant smiles with mocking recognition at me when I buy a single cake saying "you don't want a carrier bag do you". Surely we're all aware these days of the impact that needless waste has on our environment?
What I just don't get, though, is that training staff to ask "would you like a carrier bag" instead of assuming is an opportunity to (1) save your business the cost of the carrier bag (2) demonstrate to your customer that you care about the environment, both local and worldwide, and (3) encourage people to recycle their old carrier bags.
What brought this on was reading a post about packaging on Seth Godin's blog. A watch purchase led to a ridiculous amount of accompanying packaging. I couldn't resist sharing a photo I took of the packaging that came with the watch I bought my wife for her birthday in November. A pound and a half of wood, plastic cloth, cardboard and paper. The vast bulk being completely unnecessary. Surely all of the brochures at least could be online?
Seriously, as opposed to making products more luxurious, I see the waste and it turns me off. Not a good feeling to create in a prospective customer.
Stu
I completely agree with you on these over-packaged items. New to marketing and product development, I found packaging surveys showing people cared more about functionality and re-usability than sustainability. So I worked with our production dept to design the DisposaCone retail packaging to be reusable and minimalistic, just a simple resealable poly bag with a hangtag. You can imagine how many "cool ideas" I had to put my foot down on!
Posted by: Kathy | January 18, 2010 at 21:36