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HP And Walmart Get Rid Of Laptop Box; Buy The Computer And Get It In A Messenger Bag
from the about-time dept
Having bought my fair share of laptops over the years, I've noticed that the packaging has gotten smaller. I remember years ago buying a laptop and receiving a huge box with the actual laptop suspended in a styrofoam suspension system. More recently, I've seen laptops coming in much smaller boxes. However, Wal-Mart and HP have apparently decided to try ditching most of the packaging altogether, and letting you walk out with your new laptop in a messenger bag, rather than a box. Yes, there are still boxes from when the machines are shipped from HP to Wal-Mart, but the company can now fit 3 laptops to a box, significantly reducing packaging and making life easier on customers in the long run.
Reader Comments
(Flattened / Threaded)
hmm
wow what a life changing decision!
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"3 laptops to a box, significantly reducing packaging" and making the probability that you purchase a trashed (by dropage) piece of junk increase 10 fold.
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Do the Math
Um, if there's a measurable risk of damaged equipment due to "dropage", wouldn't it be increased three-fold, not 10-fold?
I think this is an intelligent decision. The packaging to get it into Wal-Mart is still significant enough to protect the equipment, and anything that lets you carry home less trash from Wal-Mart (don't say it) is a good thing.
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Re: Do the Math
I WOULD THINK WAL-MART IS THE TRASH...
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Re: Re: Do the Math
On the plus side, I now know when place that I can go and avoid you.
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How can they do this? What about all the children who use to play with the empty boxes? Who's thinking of them!
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Re:
Let hope HP is at least generous enough to cover the laptop with a polyethylene bag that the kiddies will be able to enjoy!
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Ok, but does the messenger bag meet the TSA requirements ?
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"Um, if there's a measurable risk of damaged equipment due to "dropage", wouldn't it be increased three-fold, not 10-fold?"
Lol. The comment was more geared toward the shoddiness of the packing material, and less toward the laptop density per unit volume. If the bag can't take a few drops, it's not worth it to have. This whole process ensures your laptop is solid and the bag good protection for it provided you power it on in the store.
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I think this is a great idea, for a few reasons:
First off, I don't give a flying f--- about global warming, the environment, the size of my carbon footprint or leaving the planet a better place.
However, I think eliminating excess consumer packaging is an excellent idea, for several reasons. Those of us who live in urban areas don't have to worry about the meth addicts next door rooting through our recycle bins, finding the laptop computer box and then breaking into the house when we're at work and stealing the laptop we just bought.
If eliminating consumer-level packaging saves Wal-Mart or HP money, then it's better for all of us, because no matter what you think of Wal-Mart, they will eventually drop the price of their laptops if it's cheaper for them to obtain those products in the first place.
I am also highly reluctant to walk through a parking garage with my huge brand new laptop computer box advertising to every potential car jacker that I'm ready to be taken for a ride. It just makes common sense and this is a great idea.
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Re:
You have to be kidding, and I suppose you beat baby seals too? Your thoughts is why our world is the way it is. Dont get me wrong, I dont drive green or obey by all the so called green rules. But I still think about and do what I can to lessen our effect here on earth.
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Re:
By the sounds of your comment, you should be less worried about the laptop box and more concerned about moving to a better neighborhood.
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Re:
Somebody is paranoid.
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Re:
Are you Kidding? You worry about the Car Jackers and Meth Addicts, I'd say move!
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Re: Anne
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Re:
I was walking in the park and accidently stepped on something. I think it was you.
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Who in the fuck shops at China Mart?
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Send the packaging back?
Couldn't Walmart send the packaging back to HP to be reused for another 10,000 laptops? Yeah, the shipping might consume some carbon credits but I'm sure that keeping a couple tons of styrofoam out of the landfill would more than make up for it.
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What about desktops
I know this doesn't help those who are paranoid but What about taking the Styrofoam from desktop pc packaging and having it in a way so you could assemble it into a small desk. Their is a tv that comes packed this way why can't we do it with more things?
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down the road
"significantly reducing packaging and making life easier on customers in the long run."
Hmmm....
reduced packaging - saves money for HP and WalMart - does that get passed along to you? I don't think so. It should, because you are the one not getting a box
and that brings us to
making life easier on customers in the long run - in the long run, when your computer breaks, you have no box to ship it back for repair.
I don't really see this as a big plus for me. I have never had a problem storing, reusing, or disposing of boxes. How about leaving that decision to me WM? Must you run the world?
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Re: down the road
Yeah, but you're forgetting something. You get the bag in place of a box. And if it breaks right away, bring it back with the receipt. If it doesn't (I know for sure I can't hang onto a useless box for more than a week), then you're probably going to end up buying a new box in any case. They're around a dollar from Staples/U-Haul. And even then, why worry about the condition of the computer when you ship it back?! Its already broken!
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Re: down the road
Of course. Why on Earth would we want that money going to *them*??!
They might use it to do something incredibly Evil....like make better computers!
You entitled morons really make me laugh. A Companies savings are not "automagically"" yours. You are not entitled to a single penny of the money they save in any cost savings initiative, Jr.
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You are still required to ship the Item back secure
You forget Warranty People, they will say, the computer was not Properly Boxed when Shipped, Since this is a requirement... Warranty Denied...
The Issue of Walmart Employee's Handling my PC before I do, doesn't give me any warm and fuzzies either...
Looks like I'll still get my computer from Dell who kills 5 trees to box up my PC and send it.. (At least it's in a known good condition.)
Laugh
(Can you tell I live in Oregon, Doing this Takes away Oregon Jobs.
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Re: You are still required to ship the Item back secure
You apparently didn't read the summary. The laptops are shipped from HP to Wal Mart in boxes. Boxes that HP packed the computers into, 3 to a box. Then at the store they're taken out of the boxes and put into bags. HP is not going to tell you they were shipped improperly.
My question is, is the messenger bag a dismal piece of **** like I would expect from Wal Mart, leading to throwing away a messenger bag instead of a cardboard box, or is it actually worth having?
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FedEx
Has a great shipping box for notebooks when you ship it overnight.
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If you buy a laptop at Wal-Mart, you get what you deserve!!!
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Re:
Best Truth in the entire Blog! Well Said..
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So how would I ship a defective laptop back to HP?
The messenger bag wouldn't offer much protection. I also notice a few of you throwing the words "carbon credits" around like there is actually such a thing. Could someone please explain what a carbon credit is?
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Re: So how would I ship a defective laptop back to HP?
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No returns...
without the original box! Clever!
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Carbon Credits
Carbon Credits are a recent attempt by Western governments to stop the externalization of environmental costs incured in the operation of business. Before, if I owned a factory which put coal dust into the air I didn't have to pay anyone when the local hospital had to install new air filters every month because my factory polluted the air. There was no way to measure the amount of filter degradation my factory was causing, after all there are a lot of other businesses, factories, people driving cars, and so on. By polluting a public space/the environment, I don't have to pay for that one particular consequence of my business. Things like pensions and on-the-job injuries I do have to pay for, but polluting a public space, no.
Nowadays businesses need to buy carbon credits from the government in order to put crap into the air, water, and ground. This increases the costs of doing business which then provides a monetary incentive for businesses to reduce their waste output. Nowadays a business can't just externalize these costs and let taxpayers pay for the cleanup. In theory. The reality is more complex as business can buy and sell credits to other companies. Environmental advocacy groups buy the credits so there are less in circulation, etc.
It's not like printing money.
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Re: Carbon Credits
Oh yeah? Just where do those "credits" originate? As said previously, they're just made up. And then sold. That sounds an awful lot like "printing money" to me.
To quote a recent Penn and Teller Bullshit! episode: "Hey, no worries! You may be a carbon sinner, but now you can buy yourself a clean, green conscience for cash. It's a new craze based on eco-guilt and it's bullshit!"
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Re: Re: Carbon Credits
some industries are required to buy them individuals can buy them
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Re: Re: Re: Carbon Credits
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Recycle Foam packaging material
Blue Earth Solutions recycles number 6 plastic commonly known as styrofoam (which is actually a trademark of a Dow Chemical product) or its correct name is "expanded polystyrene" (EPS).
Blue Earth takes in EPS foam from companies across Florida and, using its state of the art processing, returns the EPS foam back into its original plastic form so it can be reused in the making of new plastic products. It is 100% recycled. For every pound of foam that comes into the factory, one pound of usable plastic comes out.
Look Blue Earth up at www.blueearthsolutions.com
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