As for "complaining", I wasn't, I was pointing out how absurd it was.

And, for those of you who complained about me, I actually do recycle the boxes; I (or another member of my family) use the boxes to send things out, or, if we really get too many, we put them out with the rest of the recycling.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention. It looks like the packaging in question came from one of our thrid party vendors. We hold our vendors to very strict standards, and are working closely on reducing the amount of packaging they use when making these small shipments. We will come back here to post updates on our progress as it happens, or you can follow Direct2Dell's Environment page [direct2dell.com] We rely on continued feedback from customers like you to let us know which areas require our attention so we can meet our goal of becoming the greenest technology company in the world. Thank you again for alerting us to this.

Todd Dwyer
Dell Community Liaison - Environment

Thanks for bringing this to our attention. It looks like the packaging in question came from one of our thrid party vendors. We hold our vendors to very strict standards, and are working closely on reducing the amount of packaging they use when making these small shipments. We will come back here to post updates on our progress as it happens, or you can follow Direct2Dell's Environment page [direct2dell.com] We rely on continued feedback from customers like you to let us know which areas require our attention so we can meet our goal of becoming the greenest technology company in the world. Thanks again for alerting us to this.

Todd Dwyer
Dell Community Liaison - Environment

Dell did the same thing to me. Flash drive=huge box... huh???

The company I work with uses Sarcom Direct for it's computers and related parts and they do the same thing and their packaging is never consistent either.

OTOH, if it's close to the Christmas holiday season, I can try to reuse stuff like that.

@Ragman: They're still awesome. Could probably fit a dead body in them if you arranged it right and the box would still hold it.

I don't have a problem with using oversized boxes... Nothing wrong with extra air/volume.

My gripe is when companies don't adequately pack their items with either too little packing material or go overboard and make it so you need a blowtorch and jaws-of-life just to open the damn package, usually those retail blister packs.

I understand the economy in using few sizes vs many, but you'd think they'd pick up some padded envelopes as well.

And speaking of Dell boxes: There are no moving boxes as good as the Dell desktop boxes(circa mid 90s, I don't know about today). Double walled, cutout hand-holds - I kept reusing them until we got in our house. Can't buy anything as good from the moving/storage stores.

If they are using the USPS as well as dell its understandable, the USPS loses small packages like crazy. bit packages get lost far less often.

C'mon guys! That is someone's home! Dell is providing low income housing, it must be part of a humanitarian project.

Dell was selling these for about $7 (lime-green only).

Mine was packed in the same way: while it appears absurd, I'm sure it's more cost efficient for Dell. [Note to Dell: don't pander to proportional-packaging consumeristas]

What's more disturbingly wasteful is that Dell delayed my order, and then shipped it overnight with DHL.

We ordered a 2 mL vial of some special stuff for research at work this week as well that showed up in a small box which was itself in a compartmentalized giant box.

It was equally ridiculous, both times, as the photo above.

Considering the extra trouble you'd go through to securely package tiny ultra-small items, it would seem more cost effective to have separate packing methods for big stuff and little stuff.

It's a Kingston drive, so I'd actually have fairly high expectations for its reliability. However, I can't understand buying it through Dell. NewEgg has got to be a better bargain.

@r081984:

Well said.

BTW, that box is the largest size box that can be shipped for the 1 lb UPS rate.

Instead we are doomed, DOOMED!, to click on the permalink and keep reading, scroll even further down and comment, giving the post even more undeserved page loads.

There is nothing wrong with using bigger boxes. Anyone mad at Dell over this is stupid.
Dell would only do this, if it is cheaper. Using standard box sizes regardless of what is shipped makes the process standardized. With standardization comes better safety, higher productivity, lower cost, and better efficiency.

Buying more single sized boxes is cheaper then buying multiple sizes of boxes.
You might think its better for the environment, but having many different sizes of boxes could actually use more energy and be worse for the environment.

If people want cheaper products from Dell then please stop crying about Dell's standardized practices that increases productivity and lowers cost.

Can't Consumerist come up with a separate blog for all these lame packaging posts? Let's call it www.packagingist.com. This way, the few people that are actually entertained by these redundant posts can get their fills in one place.

@ivanthemute:

I can one up that- 1 package, or about 60 plastic hang tags (20 to a sheet), in one tote. Though that is more amusing, as opposed to the annoying, and potentially painful "tote full of garbage and an open pair of scissors". Many is a day that I have tried to institute a "team-building" field trip to our distribution center for a late-night bonfire.

Must never have worked retail. "Gee, this huge blue tote seems really, awfully light" *opens* "Who the hell put ONE stick of deodorant in a 12 cubic foot tote?!"

This may have been from a third party that Dell works with. I recieve packages every week from Dell and they are VERY minimal with materials.

I have about 10 packages from several companies a week that i can take pictures of for Consumerist.

I'm scared already.