How Amazon’s Frustration Free Packaging Works

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What frustration-free packaging is and which brands (like LEGO) use it
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When you place an order on Amazon, you may notice an option to have an item in your cart shipped in its own packaging. That’s a benefit Amazon offers as part of their frustration-free packaging initiative, which aims to make it easier for you to open your orders and reduce environmental waste. Discover what your orders look like in frustration-free product packages and learn their impact on price, your favorite products, and Amazon’s sustainability efforts!

Frustration-Free Packaging: Quick Overview

Amazon’s frustration-free packaging is packaging that is easy to open, lightweight, and more environmentally friendly because of fewer packaging materials. Household brands like LEGO, Tide, and Dove use frustration-free packaging to ship some of their products through Amazon.

Section 1 of 5:

What is frustration-free packaging?

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  1. Products with frustration-free packaging are wrapped and shipped with as few packing fillers and in as small a package as possible. Amazon launched frustration-free packaging to make it easier for customers to open their packages, to help sellers cut down on shipping costs, and to reduce packaging waste that harms the environment. [1]
  2. This program includes two shipping certification tiers for sellers. It also gives Amazon customers a “Ship in product packaging” option for qualifying items they put in their cart, like these LEGO sets . [2]
    • Tier 1 is the FFP certification, which requires products to be easy to open, use recyclable packaging materials, ship in their own packages with minimal damage during transportation, and not require Amazon overboxes (the cardboard boxes or mailers with the Amazon logo on them).
    • Tier 2 is the Ships in Own Container (SIOP) certification. Unlike the FPP, it doesn’t require recyclable packaging materials or easy-to-open packages. When a customer receives an SIOP product, they will find it in its original container and not in an Amazon-branded package.
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Section 2 of 5:

Why use frustration-free packaging?

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  1. Plastic packaging is part of the 20 million metric tons of litter that end up in the environment every year. Choosing brands that use frustration-free packaging is a small but meaningful action anyone can take. [3]
    • Since 2015, Amazon has reported saving 2 million tons of packaging and cutting shipment weights by 41%. The FPP and SIPP are some of the efforts that made that happen. [4]
    • In October 2023, an Amazon fulfillment center in Ohio became the first to eliminate plastic packaging from its delivery system. And in June 2024, Amazon announced they had replaced 95% of their plastic air pillows with recyclable paper materials. [5]
  2. This means more people who can’t use scissors or box cutters can access their Amazon orders without someone helping them. That’s a big step for the inclusion of disabled individuals in product development!
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Section 3 of 5:

Is frustration-free packaging cheaper?

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  1. If you order, for example, a LEGO set through Amazon and select “Ship in Product Packaging,” it won’t cost you any extra.
    • It also won’t save you money, but you can feel better knowing you’re reducing your environmental footprint by opting for fewer packing materials.
  2. That’s because there are fewer packing materials and the packages are generally lighter, which translates to lower shipping costs. Additionally, Amazon offers incentives to FBA sellers who get SIPP-certified. [6]
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Section 4 of 5:

Which brands use frustration-free packaging?

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  1. Below is a list of other well-known brands that package some of their products following Tier 1 (frustration-free) or Tier 2 (ships in its own container) guidelines. [7]
    • LEGO (Tier 1)
    • Windex (Tier 1)
    • Method (Tier 1)
    • Aussie (Tier 1)
    • Scotch (Tier 1)
    • Hue (Tier 1)
    • Rubbermaid (Tier 1)
    • Hills (Tier 1)
    • Degree (Tier 1)
    • Hasbro (Tier 1)
    • Fisherprice (Tier 1)
    • Playmobil (Tier 2)
    • Newton Baby (Tier 2)
    • Colgate (Tier 2)
    • Honest (Tier 2)
    • Samsung (Tier 2)
    • Melissa & Doug (Tier 2)
    • Cottonelle (Tier 2)
Section 5 of 5:

Frustration-Free Packaging FAQs

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  1. LEGO sets packed in frustration-free packaging may arrive in a basic cardboard box with no plastic fillers. [8]
  2. Standard packaging uses a lot of plastic filler items and may ship products in containers that are much larger than necessary. Frustration-free packaging requires fewer packaging materials and smaller shipping containers.
  3. When you receive a product from Amazon that was packaged in frustration-free packaging, it will be free of packing peanuts, plastic inserts, blister packs, shredded paper, and welded clam shells. It will also come in a container that isn’t much larger than the product itself. [9]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/bgw3EmszzLY?si=VWS8On1QP57eC0wo
      2. ↑ https://cdn.amazon-packaging.com/49/18/56c745064be3a0f9094efb535dec/vendor-amazon-sipp-packaging-program-certification-guidelines-20231114-en-us.pdf
      3. ↑ https://iucn.org/resources/issues-brief/plastic-pollution
      4. ↑ https://www.amazon-packaging.com/
      5. ↑ https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/sustainability/amazon-replaces-plastic-air-pillows-in-packaging-north-america-us
      6. ↑ https://sellercentral.amazon.com/seller-forums/discussions/t/e16c45b7-6e9e-41f7-9877-fcc13cffb196
      7. ↑ https://www.amazon-packaging.com/case-studies
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/3ef9OLjbKcg?si=SmHT7oMgpFFV-pTr
      9. ↑ https://cdn.amazon-packaging.com/49/18/56c745064be3a0f9094efb535dec/vendor-amazon-sipp-packaging-program-certification-guidelines-20231114-en-us.pdf

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