Step-by-Step Process for eCommerce Packaging Design
If you're part of an ecommerce business in any specific sub-industry, likely one of the single most important concepts for your...
I recently had the chance to sit down and interview one Mr. Boxer, an executive at a traditional box company. The following is a transcript of that interview.
Packsize: Thank you for joining us, Mr. Boxer!
Mr. Boxer: My pleasure.
Before we get into the interview, why don’t you tell us about yourself?
Well, I’m a figment of your imagination—an imaginary character created for the purpose of crafting a mildly original and amusing blog post, and am in no way representative or based on an actual traditional box company executive.
…You know, people traditionally don’t go meta like this until late in the third act.
I figured it’d be best to get the legal disclaimer out of the way early, so as to avoid any potential risks.
Speaking of potential risks, your company has been pretty risk adverse for quite some time.
That is correct.
Why is that?
Cardboard boxes are out of sight, out of mind for most companies. When you don’t think about something, you don’t have time to wonder if the product could be better. So my philosophy has been “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” y’know? People like things to stay the same. Innovation is scary. I provide something steady in a world of change. Do you realize that the way people have ordered cardboard boxes hasn’t changed since cardboard boxes were invented?
But isn’t that a problem? I mean, the whole world and the way we do business has changed. Why shouldn’t corrugated cardboard?
Bah! I’m not a fan of the change. Back in my day, my favorite radio program was on everyday after school at 3:30 PM. If you wanted to see a movie, you had to go to the theater. And if you wanted to buy some shoes, you’d have to go to the shoemakers. Now you can do all of the above on the inter-nets on demand anytime you want. It’s crazy.
Speaking of On Demand, I—
—I know, I know. You want to ask if there’s any chance the corrugated cardboard industry is moving to an on demand model anytime soon. Well the answer is no. Warehouse managers like to play the guessing game of figuring out how many box sizes to order and how often to order them. They eagerly await finding out if their order is too small to keep up with demand or if they ordered too much, resulting in obsolete inventory. Trying to make sure the box doesn’t have too much empty space and avoiding product damages gives them a shot of adrenaline.
Are you sure that’s adrenaline and not stress?
Yeah! It’s like spinning plates! Only instead of a plate shattering when you fail, it’s your brand. Who doesn’t like gambling with stakes like that?
That’s one way to look at it. Has your company had any innovations recently?
Yes, we actually do have one. We’ve updated our ordering system to allow our customers to order boxes using the latest technology.
Do you mean an Online Ordering System?
No, no, no. I mean a telephone. Previously, customers ordered boxes via telegram.
Seriously?! How are you still in business?
I think the better question is how is everyone else still in business when they constantly change everything? We’ve been successful while not changing anything. The way companies use boxes today is more or less the same as when the cardboard box was first invented in 1890.
I see…Well, I think that’s all the time I have…
Great talking to you.
Isn’t it great that there actually have been innovations in the corrugated cardboard box industry? Packsize gives companies a machine that can make a box of any size and style at the very moment they need it. From golf balls to golf carts, it’s like a printer for boxes.
Learn more about how Packsize’s On Demand Packaging® can help you today!
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I recently had the chance to sit down and interview one Mr. Boxer, an executive at a traditional box company. The following is a transcript of that interview.
Packsize: Thank you for joining us, Mr. Boxer!
Mr. Boxer: My pleasure.
Before we get into the interview, why don’t you tell us about yourself?
Well, I’m a figment of your imagination—an imaginary character created for the purpose of crafting a mildly original and amusing blog post, and am in no way representative or based on an actual traditional box company executive.
…You know, people traditionally don’t go meta like this until late in the third act.
I figured it’d be best to get the legal disclaimer out of the way early, so as to avoid any potential risks.
Speaking of potential risks, your company has been pretty risk adverse for quite some time.
That is correct.
Why is that?
Cardboard boxes are out of sight, out of mind for most companies. When you don’t think about something, you don’t have time to wonder if the product could be better. So my philosophy has been “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” y’know? People like things to stay the same. Innovation is scary. I provide something steady in a world of change. Do you realize that the way people have ordered cardboard boxes hasn’t changed since cardboard boxes were invented?
But isn’t that a problem? I mean, the whole world and the way we do business has changed. Why shouldn’t corrugated cardboard?
Bah! I’m not a fan of the change. Back in my day, my favorite radio program was on everyday after school at 3:30 PM. If you wanted to see a movie, you had to go to the theater. And if you wanted to buy some shoes, you’d have to go to the shoemakers. Now you can do all of the above on the inter-nets on demand anytime you want. It’s crazy.
Speaking of On Demand, I—
—I know, I know. You want to ask if there’s any chance the corrugated cardboard industry is moving to an on demand model anytime soon. Well the answer is no. Warehouse managers like to play the guessing game of figuring out how many box sizes to order and how often to order them. They eagerly await finding out if their order is too small to keep up with demand or if they ordered too much, resulting in obsolete inventory. Trying to make sure the box doesn’t have too much empty space and avoiding product damages gives them a shot of adrenaline.
Are you sure that’s adrenaline and not stress?
Yeah! It’s like spinning plates! Only instead of a plate shattering when you fail, it’s your brand. Who doesn’t like gambling with stakes like that?
That’s one way to look at it. Has your company had any innovations recently?
Yes, we actually do have one. We’ve updated our ordering system to allow our customers to order boxes using the latest technology.
Do you mean an Online Ordering System?
No, no, no. I mean a telephone. Previously, customers ordered boxes via telegram.
Seriously?! How are you still in business?
I think the better question is how is everyone else still in business when they constantly change everything? We’ve been successful while not changing anything. The way companies use boxes today is more or less the same as when the cardboard box was first invented in 1890.
I see…Well, I think that’s all the time I have…
Great talking to you.
Isn’t it great that there actually have been innovations in the corrugated cardboard box industry? Packsize gives companies a machine that can make a box of any size and style at the very moment they need it. From golf balls to golf carts, it’s like a printer for boxes.
Learn more about how Packsize’s On Demand Packaging® can help you today!
//
