The above photograph shows a gym box that has been strapped and then the strapping has been sellotaped down. This may look kind of strange, but this is something we introduced a few months ago and is actually saving us money. It does look a little odd, but it now forces people to carry the box properly and not use the strapping as the handle. Often one person would be carrying this and now two people will be required.
The boxes are damaged through movement when people pick the heavy items up by the strapping which then causes the strapping to cut into the carboard box. The strapping if you are wondering helps keep the boxes together and stop them from bowing due to the weight of the items inside. Gym boxes are known to burst open on regularly and trying to get this box delivered to the customer in good condition has always been challenging as it could pass through 4 or 5 other companies before the customer receive this. Imagine what a box of weights looks like as the box is non existent or looks terrible with just a couple of moves and now it should have a chance.
After a few movements the box is falling apart and often then is unsellable and comes back as a return often with missing components that have either been stolen or have just fallen out. Courier companies see this as a flat surface so they will just stack other objects on top not caring what might be inside. I have seen couches and fridges on top of boxed pool tables in the past and we know the damages this causes. Not everyone is as smart as you and I and they do not care what happens to the products.
I have seen people doing things that you would not believe like a group of workers moving televisions in a Walmart offsite warehouse dropping the boxes off trolleys due to ignorance and damaging the brand new products. A lack of management creates havoc as everything has to be over seen or you pay the price. This was one of the reasons I cancelled the idea of supplying televisions to Walmart back in the late 1990's and staffing problems still exist today.
Packaging is very costly and finding replacement boxes is a night mare so these items often end up on the show room floor at a discounted clearance price. This eats into any profits and this turns out to be the simple fix that is working.
I have been working in the logistics and warehouse game for nearly 20 years and this has been a constant problem and never thought of before. This was not my idea and whoever came up with it has saved a boat load of money. Yes the added expense of sellotaping is not cheap, but compared to the returns this is minimal.
The aim is to get this done at the factory from now on as this is time consuming and it also offsets the expense on our side. The Chinese may not like this lol, but they have to listen to their customers needs and this is now a requirement they need to follow.