Would you ship your product out in this...

[islandgirl]

A box is a box. It just never occurred to me to worry about the box.

Not true IMO..

The box represents your company.

It's all about the presentation.

What if The PopCorn Factory, or Hershey Chocolate used Mouse Trap Boxes to send their product out in. Yuck.. Bet you would think twice about eating it!!!

As I said, I am all about recycling, but don't use boxes that deal with infestation, filth, or body parts.. LOL

[usairforce]

I am sorry you guys feel that way. I agree they could be slightly more choicey in their box choice but they are ulitmately keeping another cardboard box out of production.... Even if it is a penny penching thing...its a good penney penching thing. If you bought gas that smelled bad when you burnt it but it got thirty miles per gallon more than what you get now for the same price, you could care less what others thought or atleast I could .....same principle, if I can get a box for free instead of paying 3-$10 for one, I really don't care what is on it.

Think the amount of cardboard that would be saved if every business did this instead of buying a new box or having a new one made....

I Totally agree with you! Even if you think they are doing it to "penny pinch", if you are really enviromentally friendly, then you would be glad that there are companies out there that are recycling. Hey, if they can save a buck in the shipping department and keep there prices low, I would be happy. You are obviously purchasing from them for some reason, maybe better pricing on supplies?.....

I shred my newspapers and use them as packing material. We live on a military base and they don't have paper recycling, only plastic and boxes. I would never dig my box out of the dumpster. I will only ship and pack something that I wouldn't mind getting myself.

These are great stories, though, and I would let them know that you are glad they are recycling, however, if they would be kind enough to turn the box inside out so everyone in the neighborhood won't be....wondering.

JMHO

Hugs, Branda

[MissMary]

Not true IMO..

The box represents your company.

It's all about the presentation.

What if The PopCorn Factory, or Hershey Chocolate used Mouse Trap Boxes to send their product out in. Yuck.. Bet you would think twice about eating it!!!

As I said, I am all about recycling, but don't use boxes that deal with infestation, filth, or body parts.. LOL

I have to agree with this one above.

Key word: Presentation.

[Ring of Fire]

This is not from a mom and pop supplier either!!!

It was from one of the "Big Guys"!!!:rolleyes2

I agree with re-using boxes, but to ship out product in a mouse trap box!!!

I would rather burn it in our fire-pit, or put it in our recycle pile !!

That is like sending a boxes to customers with writing saying,

Subtle Butt - Fart Pads, Life Size Blow up Dolls, or Gastric Lap Bands!!

Just TMI on a box IMO!!!

OMG! LMAO!

[Ring of Fire]

You don't really know that they even hit the dumpster. The grocers around here open the boxes, place the product on their shelves and then place them in an area on the side of the building for people to use for packing when moving, shipping, etc. I can understand you alls point but I am just saying, I really could care less when it comes to someone shipping my candle supplies. I mean, most of my supplies are in bags or are protected by their packaging anyways. Its not like they placed a slab of was in a maxi pad box without plastic around it. Maybe you should be worrying more about whats on the outside of those boxes and what those suppliers and even the manufactures are doing in their packaging process, not their use of used boxes. JMO....

I simply don't believe that is allowed where ever it is you live. Around here grocery stores have balers that crush the boxes for recycling, something that was invented, ummm about 100 years ago at least. I can just imagine 1000 or so boxes outside of a building after the guys are done stocking shelves. Besides, it's a fire hazard and they are not even allowed to save them for anybody if they even had the TIME to stack them outside, LOLOL.

Unless you are talking about a dollar store or small business of some sort and you happen upon them as they are stocking the aisles.

[southern.scents]

I simply don't believe that is allowed where ever it is you live. Around here grocery stores have balers that crush the boxes for recycling, something that was invented, ummm about 100 years ago at least. I can just imagine 1000 or so boxes outside of a building after the guys are done stocking shelves. Besides, it's a fire hazard and they are not even allowed to save them for anybody if they even had the TIME to stack them outside, LOLOL.

Unless you are talking about a dollar store or small business of some sort and you happen upon them as they are stocking the aisles.

It happens. Of course Walmart bales them up but all of the other grocers.... none which you probably know such as Goodhope Supermarket, Vowells, SuperValu, Piggly Wiggly, Winn Dixie...they all place theirs is a storage shed type building and you can come and pick them up for your use. What ever they have left over when the next shipment is due, they incinterate. Everything is not the same everywhere you go. Just because your Walmart has a green sign does not mean that the one here is not orange...(just an example)

[RNSandSCENTS]

In 2003, I had a part time job at one of the largest supermarket chains on the east coast in the service deli. Most of the girls that worked that counter were young and really just did not have a clue. I mean they would open packs of roast beef with all the red juices and get it all over the floor....talk about gross. But it gets better, at close they would just spray the floor down with a hose and nothing else. Oh and those black display thingys in the refrigerator case, those get lined up on the floor to and hosed down and if lucky wiped dry. And then would say man it stinks back here. Well out of the 10 people that worked that area only 2 of us would bleach the floors, let it sit and then spray it down. Now imagine those juices fresh on the floor while putting away stock and then getting a call from the customer service desk that says a customer needs x amount of boxes, how many do you have? Do you think those boxes get sanitized like we do our work areas when we do bath and body? HECK NO! All that crap is going to someone's house. Oh to those of you who eat rotisserie chickens....they are removed from the skewers with oven mitts....THAT NEVER GET WASHED!!! They just lay them around on the counters, sometimes they hit the floor. Rotisserie Chicken....no thanks I will pass. Oh and I only go to the deli first thing in the morning.

About the corrugated box compactors....those boxes do not go to the compactor whole. If they did they'd have to empty them like everyday. Those boxes are broken down and placed on the floor and then transported to the compactor room which is a grossly disgusting place in itself. Even when I worked for Yankee that is how boxes were done. When the supermarket was busy and there wasn't time to break down the boxes right away, guess where those boxes were stored....in that nasty disposal area with all the mice and bugs.....Did I mention I hate grocery stores???

[VerticallyEnhanced]

I just checked and I am so excited. I can fit eight clamshells in a tampon box.

I am golden until menopause hits.

[Sharon in KY]

You don't really know that they even hit the dumpster. The grocers around here open the boxes, place the product on their shelves and then place them in an area on the side of the building for people to use for packing when moving, shipping, etc. I can understand you alls point but I am just saying, I really could care less when it comes to someone shipping my candle supplies. I mean, most of my supplies are in bags or are protected by their packaging anyways. Its not like they placed a slab of was in a maxi pad box without plastic around it. Maybe you should be worrying more about whats on the outside of those boxes and what those suppliers and even the manufactures are doing in their packaging process, not their use of used boxes. JMO....

Who cares what the box says. I would ship in any box I could get for free. Mouse traps??? like a mouse would be cough dead in one. I have friends give me boxes all the time and glad I am to get them.

[Ring of Fire]

I just checked and I am so excited. I can fit eight clamshells in a tampon box.

I am golden until menopause hits.

[Ring of Fire]

In 2003, I had a part time job at one of the largest supermarket chains on the east coast in the service deli. Most of the girls that worked that counter were young and really just did not have a clue. I mean they would open packs of roast beef with all the red juices and get it all over the floor....talk about gross. But it gets better, at close they would just spray the floor down with a hose and nothing else. Oh and those black display thingys in the refrigerator case, those get lined up on the floor to and hosed down and if lucky wiped dry. And then would say man it stinks back here. Well out of the 10 people that worked that area only 2 of us would bleach the floors, let it sit and then spray it down. Now imagine those juices fresh on the floor while putting away stock and then getting a call from the customer service desk that says a customer needs x amount of boxes, how many do you have? Do you think those boxes get sanitized like we do our work areas when we do bath and body? HECK NO! All that crap is going to someone's house. Oh to those of you who eat rotisserie chickens....they are removed from the skewers with oven mitts....THAT NEVER GET WASHED!!! They just lay them around on the counters, sometimes they hit the floor. Rotisserie Chicken....no thanks I will pass. Oh and I only go to the deli first thing in the morning.

About the corrugated box compactors....those boxes do not go to the compactor whole. If they did they'd have to empty them like everyday. Those boxes are broken down and placed on the floor and then transported to the compactor room which is a grossly disgusting place in itself. Even when I worked for Yankee that is how boxes were done. When the supermarket was busy and there wasn't time to break down the boxes right away, guess where those boxes were stored....in that nasty disposal area with all the mice and bugs.....Did I mention I hate grocery stores???

Yes, quite disgusting to take anything that came packaged in food home, including canned food. The warehouses do have mice and YUK, roaches. I worked in a grocery store for 32 years. We did crush them whole (again because the fire department said we had to) and emptied the baler every day. To get boxes to move or package my products in, I got them from Office Max or anywhere where there was no food. Did you know you can bring roaches home with the paper bags you have your groceries packed in? I realize this may never happen to many, but I would never take the chance.

Makes you feel better about the mouse trap box doesn't it islandgirl?

[ayshapooh]

My FedEx man delivered an order to me that came in a giant Stayfree maxipad carton--he must have thought I had a serious problem.

Oh my gosh I can't stop laughing about this one

[SaraScribbles]

I simply don't believe that is allowed where ever it is you live. Around here grocery stores have balers that crush the boxes for recycling, something that was invented, ummm about 100 years ago at least. I can just imagine 1000 or so boxes outside of a building after the guys are done stocking shelves. Besides, it's a fire hazard and they are not even allowed to save them for anybody if they even had the TIME to stack them outside, LOLOL.

Unless you are talking about a dollar store or small business of some sort and you happen upon them as they are stocking the aisles.

Just wanted to pipe in with the fact that our grocery store and the drug store have boxes out back. When we were re-doing the kitchen and in need of boxes, that's where I went. It was a surprise though, cause in NJ they didn't have them out. Maybe it depends on where you live? Just a thought...

[SliverOfWax]

Not true IMO..

The box represents your company.

It's all about the presentation.

Baloney! You're not dealing with food and the items you are ordering from a supplier aren't gifts. Your supplies aren't finished products.

When I receive a shipped gift in a pretty designer box, my first thought is that I wish they'd have foregone the pretty box and packed more gift, be it candy, fruit, whatever.

You're talking about raw supplies, and presentation isn't important. Your presentation to the public who buys your finished product is important but that's not what we're talking about.

Many stores have uncrushed boxes available to be picked up. I've picked them up everywhere from Dollar General to Office Depot. Crushed just means flattened. Who cares if they're flattened? Unflatten them and use them.

Everybody is complaining about high costs of shipping, supplies, whatever. I personally don't want to pay higher prices because somebody bought new boxes (which are most likely recycled from mouse trap boxes).

jmo, of course!

[doris]

In 2003, I had a part time job at one of the largest supermarket chains on the east coast in the service deli. Most of the girls that worked that counter were young and really just did not have a clue. I mean they would open packs of roast beef with all the red juices and get it all over the floor....talk about gross. But it gets better, at close they would just spray the floor down with a hose and nothing else. Oh and those black display thingys in the refrigerator case, those get lined up on the floor to and hosed down and if lucky wiped dry. And then would say man it stinks back here. Well out of the 10 people that worked that area only 2 of us would bleach the floors, let it sit and then spray it down. Now imagine those juices fresh on the floor while putting away stock and then getting a call from the customer service desk that says a customer needs x amount of boxes, how many do you have? Do you think those boxes get sanitized like we do our work areas when we do bath and body? HECK NO! All that crap is going to someone's house. Oh to those of you who eat rotisserie chickens....they are removed from the skewers with oven mitts....THAT NEVER GET WASHED!!! They just lay them around on the counters, sometimes they hit the floor. Rotisserie Chicken....no thanks I will pass. Oh and I only go to the deli first thing in the morning.

That is totally disgusting. God knows I'm somewhat lacking in the housewife dept, but I can't imagine anybody doing that. Doesn't your State have standards and food inspectors and things like that? I'm well aware that a lot of restaurants and stores are not that great, but that is ridiculous.

I worked in a number of delis in the Montreal area in the late 70's and early 80's, the owner of two of them would have killed us if a can of pop that we had drunk from was on our work counter. We cleaned endlessly, the counters, floors, slicers and all untensils were constantly cleaned, and not just by swiping with a dirty rag either. Soap and water. Everything taken apart and cleaned every night. Freezers and coolers cleaned constantly. The other one was not as good, but even they were pristine compared to what you describe.

[doris]

Baloney! You're not dealing with food and the items you are ordering from a supplier aren't gifts. Your supplies aren't finished products.

When I receive a shipped gift in a pretty designer box, my first thought is that I wish they'd have foregone the pretty box and packed more gift, be it candy, fruit, whatever.

You're talking about raw supplies, and presentation isn't important. Your presentation to the public who buys your finished product is important but that's not what we're talking about.

Many stores have uncrushed boxes available to be picked up. I've picked them up everywhere from Dollar General to Office Depot. Crushed just means flattened. Who cares if they're flattened? Unflatten them and use them.

Everybody is complaining about high costs of shipping, supplies, whatever. I personally don't want to pay higher prices because somebody bought new boxes (which are most likely recycled from mouse trap boxes).

jmo, of course!

Can't believe I'm agreeing with you, but I am. 100%. As long as my raw supplies and other things are adequately packed in clean containers, I couldn't care less.

[so-soy]

In 2003, I had a part time job at one of the largest supermarket chains on the east coast in the service deli. Most of the girls that worked that counter were young and really just did not have a clue. I mean they would open packs of roast beef with all the red juices and get it all over the floor....talk about gross. But it gets better, at close they would just spray the floor down with a hose and nothing else. Oh and those black display thingys in the refrigerator case, those get lined up on the floor to and hosed down and if lucky wiped dry. And then would say man it stinks back here. Well out of the 10 people that worked that area only 2 of us would bleach the floors, let it sit and then spray it down. Now imagine those juices fresh on the floor while putting away stock and then getting a call from the customer service desk that says a customer needs x amount of boxes, how many do you have? Do you think those boxes get sanitized like we do our work areas when we do bath and body? HECK NO! All that crap is going to someone's house. Oh to those of you who eat rotisserie chickens....they are removed from the skewers with oven mitts....THAT NEVER GET WASHED!!! They just lay them around on the counters, sometimes they hit the floor. Rotisserie Chicken....no thanks I will pass. Oh and I only go to the deli first thing in the morning.

If that bothers you, do you ever put your groceries on the belt in the check out line? Do you have any idea how germ infested that belt is and then you put your groceries on it and then pick them all up when you put them away? Think of how much raw chicken juice has spilled on those belts...I've seen it many times! How many times have you seen some type of liquid spilled on them? Its not just the deli departments that have nasty things in them. If you really stop and think about it just walking into a grocery store is bad for your health! LOL

As for boxes that are used to ship products in, it amazes me how some of you sit here and bitch about some box that a supplier used but then preach about recycling at other times and the amount of waste in this world etc...so which is it?? Reduce, reuse, recycle or use new, its your business??? Can't have it both ways!

[MissMary]

If that bothers you, do you ever put your groceries on the belt in the check out line? Do you have any idea how germ infested that belt is and then you put your groceries on it and then pick them all up when you put them away? Think of how much raw chicken juice has spilled on those belts...I've seen it many times! How many times have you seen some type of liquid spilled on them? Its not just the deli departments that have nasty things in them. If you really stop and think about it just walking into a grocery store is bad for your health! LOL

When I worked at Publix, I was batty over keeping that belt clean for that very reason. It's so nasty!

As for boxes that are used to ship products in, it amazes me how some of you sit here and bitch about some box that a supplier used but then preach about recycling at other times and the amount of waste in this world etc...so which is it?? Reduce, reuse, recycle or use new, its your business??? Can't have it both ways!

I don't preach about anything. People live their lives in the way they want to. And frankly, I'd rather a business recycle these types of boxes because for two reasons:

A) Presentation

Most people who get boxes just throw them away instead of recycling

Recycling is different that using certain boxes. You know how fast any single one of us would be to post here that if by crazy coincidence a big name supplier used a bug trap box to ship some wax and then found a pile of inside?

Believe it or not, some people still believe in discretion. If you order adult materials - you wouldn't care if the image was plastered all over the box either? Or you ordered something and in their effort to recycle it came in a giant lube box?

[so-soy]

Believe it or not, some people still believe in discretion. If you order adult materials - you wouldn't care if the image was plastered all over the box either? Or you ordered something and in their effort to recycle it came in a giant lube box?

Oh for cripes sakes Mary, we are talking about some candle supplies not dildoe's and edible underwear! Yes there is discretion out there no one is arguing that really. Its candle supplies.

[sockmonkey]

I'm not one who preaches recycling to anybody, but I can see a huge difference between someone complaining about excessive packaging and wasted materials and someone complaining about receiving goods in a used container with less than desirable product branding stamped on it.

If you're radical about reusing boxes, then I assume you must believe in wearing used clothing as well. There's nothing wrong with it--you shouldn't be opposed to wearing a t-shirt with advertisements for mouse traps on it; it's just a t-shirt. Why plant more cotton; why not save the earth for other crops?

[MissMary]

Oh for cripes sakes Mary, we are talking about some candle supplies not dildoe's and edible underwear! Yes there is discretion out there no one is arguing that really. Its candle supplies.

It's the extreme but there ARE people out there who would feel the same way about boxes of rodent killers and personal hygiene products.

I said the extreme because some people don't get that others are very modest.

For one, I know my grandmother would have a heart attack if she got a box labeled in such a way, regardless of what it is. She doesn't even like to go to the store to buy her personal products and sends others because of shame.

It's a point that there are still people out there, who would feel extremely embarrassed.

[sockmonkey]

Oh for cripes sakes Mary, we are talking about some candle supplies not dildoe's and edible underwear! Yes there is discretion out there no one is arguing that really. Its candle supplies.

The order that I got was for b&b--NOT candle supplies. The supplier that I got mine from doesn't even sell candle supplies. Maybe you couldn't care less if used boxes arrive at your home, but those boxes were delivered to my store, where any customer could have seen it. I can assure you, if I was in a store where they sold their own lotions and soaps and I saw a giant box of mouse traps being delivered, I would never buy another thing from that store, nor probably ever go back.

So, good for the supplier for saving a buck. But the buck that he saved could wind up costing a shop owner business.

[LaVida]

Wow, I've read through many of the posts. I agree w/ "presentation" I certainly wouldn't want something mailed to me in a recycled box if I'm paying some sort of fee for packaging. I'd call. Did you call about the mouse trap box?

[MissMary]

The order that I got was for b&b--NOT candle supplies. The supplier that I got mine from doesn't even sell candle supplies. Maybe you couldn't care less if used boxes arrive at your home, but those boxes were delivered to my store, where any customer could have seen it. I can assure you, if I was in a store where they sold their own lotions and soaps and I saw a giant box of mouse traps being delivered, I would never buy another thing from that store, nor probably ever go back.

So, good for the supplier for saving a buck. But the buck that he saved could wind up costing a shop owner business.

Ohh, sockmonkey - I didn't even think of people who actually own a business store location and those delivered there. Another good point.

I'd have to agree with you on seeing a business get a box labeled in such a way.

[scrubzz]

From reading all the responses here, obviously a lot of people think it's a great idea for a business to recycle the boxes they ship in and a lot of people are totally against it

I would think that regardless of the reasons for or against that have been listed here, a business who recycles shipping boxes run the risk of alienating those who might be against the practice - which means potential lost repeat sales

In today's economy when most businesses are having to work hard for sales, I would think that would more than offset any savings from recycling shipping boxes

I am all for recycling and personally take advantage of it here at home - I religiously separate my recyclables from the trash and put them out in the container provided every week to be picked up (And yes I actually feel guilty about dropping an aluminum can in the trash instead of putting it aside for recycling)

So with all that said - Personally, if I were in business I would never ship any product out in an obviously recycled box - it just doesn't seem professional to me