So I just finished struggling to open this @$%& polyethylene packaging that encased earbuds for my mp3 player. This is a waste of packaging for a product that could fit into a gumball toy capsule. And for what? Couple of reasons: to deter shoplifters, and for ‘product visibility’ on the shelves.

I am often confronted with examples of excessive and wasteful packaging. Video games and movies could fit into a thin music CD jewel case. Magazines don’t need to be shrink-wrapped. A large bottle for pills just so 60% of it can be stuffed with cotton.

And the packaging has to be colorful and glossy too. I’d be perfectly happy to go down the cereal aisle at the grocery store to see everything packaged in a brown cardboard box.

Unfortunately, doing away with all the excessive and colorful packaging would make products an easy target for thieves. So why not look at an older approach?

There was a unique chain of stores in Canada and the U.S. called Consumers Distributing. They had a unique operation: a small showroom where customers would order their goods from a catalog, which were then retrieved from the adjacent warehouse (if it was in stock, otherwise they’d order it in for you). It was convenient, if you took the time to find what you wanted.

This chain was dependent on their extensive catalog which flooded homes. Customers could even order from the catalog using the included forms, or call a 1-800 number to order items.

Consumers Distributing died in 1996, just prior to the internet blossoming. I’m guessing if they limped on for 4-5 more years, they would be huge today. No more massive catalogue productions, a more direct line to customers, a much more streamlined operation.

If all products just resided in a warehouse until it was time to purchase, the packaging would be very minimalistic, and thus cheaper for the consumer.

I think this would be the best of both worlds for the retailer: inventory control and completely theft-proof.

Now all major chains like Best Buy and Future Shop offer a remote ordering service. Still, consumers are conditioned to wander down aisles and survey wares - grocery store habits.

I think the Consumers Distributing model should be revisited in some form. Imagine if Amazon.com set up a chain of box-stores in this fashion? They already exercise minimal packaging, though it is for freight purposes:

I like those smiling packages. All you need, am I right? Yeah there’s a 50% risk of seeing a :( instead. You must be strong when this happens.

So long story short, I’d like to see no-frills packaging, and if that means easy-to-steal products, retailers should consider this model.