Amazon's Frustration-Free Packaging Option, offered on a wide selection of toys this season, lets you opt to have your gifts shipped in a "recyclable, easy-to-open box that eliminates 4-color printing and minimizes the use of PVC windows, blister packs, fasteners, and 4-color
inserts found in traditional packaging."
Sounds great, but where does all that excess packaging -- such as the colorful box, blister pack and fasteners normally found in the Matchbox Mega Rig Space Shuttle shown here -- go?
Matchbox Mega Rig Space Shuttle as boxed (left) and unboxed (right) with Frustration-Free Packaging.
According to Amazon's Frustration-Free Packaging FAQ, the company works directly with manufacturers to have toys shipped in the scaled-down, eco-friendly packages right off the assembly line. Sounds like a pretty cool feature, provided you're willing to give up the magic of presenting a gift in its obviously kid-appealing original box. Having shredded my hands on countless fasteners and plastic bubbles, I say bring on Frustration-Free Packaging for everything.
Complete List of Toys Shipped in Frustration-Free Packaging (Amazon.com)
Matchbox Mega Rig Space Shuttle in Frustration-Free Packaging ($34.99; normally $44.99)
