A survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of e-commerce packaging manufacturer DS Smith has highlighted an issue from online shoppers receiving damaged goods.
DS Smith's innovation and R&D teams are leveraging advanced impact-testing technology to simulate supply chain conditions and conduct drop, impact, shake, crush, and shock (DISCS) testing.
This allows the company to pinpoint weaknesses in packaging designs and create solutions that protect shipped items.
The survey found that 60% of Americans have experienced the issue of receiving damaged goods within the year.
Food, drink, clothing, and health and beauty products are among the most damaged items during delivery.
DS Smith North American Packaging managing director Steven Rose said: “Three-quarters of Americans (78%) make online purchases that are delivered to their home and/or workplace at least once a month while almost half of those polled receive deliveries weekly.”
“Damaged packaging can be a big frustration for e-commerce shoppers as well as a pain point for retailers. The goal of DS Smith is to provide our customers with packaging solutions that ensure products arrive safely in their original condition while using no more material than necessary.”
In a novel approach, DS Smith is using ‘accelerometers’ on packages to measure G-Force levels during transit.
Their research reveals that a typical online parcel can experience up to 50Gs, which is significantly higher than the G-forces that can cause an astronaut to lose consciousness.
This dedication to packaging innovation by DS Smith aims to ensure that consumers receive their purchases in prime condition, thereby increasing customer satisfaction.
In the US, approximately 700 million packages are delivered damaged annually, amounting to losses of around $48.5bn.
The online survey was conducted from 7 to 11 November 2024, with 3,071 adults aged 18 and older participating. The Harris Poll's sampling precision is measured with a Bayesian credible interval, and for this study, the data is accurate to within +/- 2.5 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
Earlier this month, DS Smith invested more than $26m in its existing facilities in Poland to boost operations.
