Whoops- WotC does it again

[Dannyalcatraz]

The books aren't shrinkwrapped, the slip cased set is. The set needs shrinkwrap to keep the books with the case.

The Core Set is what we were talking about.

If the Core Set is shipped in a nice, tight book box (as would normally be the case), there is nowhere for the books to go until the books are actually removed from the slipcase. The shrinkwrap is superfluous.

And packed en masse, that slipcover is possibly thick enough to affect efficient shipping. 3 Core Sets with slipcovers packed against each other take up the room of 10 books without the slipcover side by side...not to mention the additional vertical space. (The end result would actually depend upon the actual boxes in which WotC shipped its books.)

Again, I can understand if you were making a call to all game companies to be more eco-friendly, but you're not. You're specifically calling out WoTC when they're not really doing anything out of the norm.

I'm calling out WotC in particular because that's whose less-than-friendly packaging I've seen.

In the past 10 years, I've bought lots of game product from a variety of producers- WotC, Paizo, HERO, Heliotrope, Palladium, WizKids, etc.

No other game book purchase has involved shrink wrap. Or slipcovers. No purchase of dice has involved that much extra cardboard, and the plastic boxes they come in get repurposed in game.

In fact, the only game product I've purchased in the past 3 years with significant waste were:

1) CMGs, which by their nature virtually demand non-translucent packaging.

2) Things in blister packs...mostly metal minis. Those I repurpose for working with minis- catching dripping or shavings, propping up things that need to set in a certain position, etc. That said, I don't see how one would change the packaging significantly.

3) The 3.X and 4Ed Core 3 sets.

If you've got something in particular to add to the list, chime in!

 

[Krensky]

Congratulations.

You are the first person I have seen to turn a slipcase and some shrink wrap into the impending death of the planet. You have over 5,000 CDs, and no boxed sets? Not to mention all the shrink wrap and security stickers you've personally tossed is probably close to the amount of actual waste (that's the shrink wrap) from the entire boxed set run.

Contrary to what you're claiming, a slip case or boxed set is not wasteful packaging. The slipcase or box is not packaging, it's part of the product.

 

[racoffin]

I'd also be more concerned about the large cardboard displays for 4E that the various book stores and game stores received to put their 4E books in, instead of on the shelf. That is far, far more trash than the miniscule amount in the dice set if you are looking for waste.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Congratulations.

You are the first person I have seen to turn a
slipcase and some shrink wrap into the impending death
of the planet.

I've engaged in no such hyperbole.

I've complained that WotC has, IMHO, made an
unfortunately wasteful packaging decision, and that
there were better options.

Is it the most egregious example of waste I've ever
seen? No. But it is wasteful.

Do I do things that are more wasteful? I'm pretty
sure I do, though I'm not aware of any at the moment
besides being a little forgetful about turning off
lights in my house.

But just because the pot is calling the kettle black,
it does not follow that the kettle isn't black.

You have over 5,000 CDs, and no boxed
sets?

Sure I do- and nearly every one has some kind of
additional product that couldn't be delivered with
merely shrinkwrapped CD jewelboxes- typically band
memorabilia like pendants, medallions, t-shirts, or
books.

Contrary to what you're claiming, a slip case
or boxed set is not wasteful packaging. The slipcase
or box is not packaging, it's part of the
product.

In most industries, something like a slipcase (or
cover art, for that matter) would be considered
packaging for accounting purposes- it adds no actual
use or functionality to the product, and isn't
essential to safe shipping or storage.

I'd also be more concerned about the large
cardboard displays for 4E that the various book stores
and game stores received to put their 4E books in,
instead of on the shelf. That is far, far more trash
than the miniscule amount in the dice set if you are
looking for waste.

You do have a point about the ecological impact about
the standups, but OTOH, they do perform a service-
standups help sell product. That's why they're a part
of many advertising campaigns.

(And oddly enough, they, too, are considered to be
collectible by some.)

This isn't about WotC bashing- they've made 3 of my
all-time favorite gaming products (3.XEd, M:tG, and
Primal Order), and others that I enjoy. Its about
holding them and any other company accountable for
their decisions.

For example, I was added to a Costco business account
recently, and went shopping there for the first time
today.

Lo and behold! The 12" tall CD boxes I thought had
been eliminated 15 years ago are still their standard-
right next to similarly sized videogames in reusable
plastic security frames. Until they change to similar
packaging for CDs, I won't be buying any there.

 

[CharlesRyan]

I've engaged in no such hyperbole.

"Whoops! WotC does it again"

 

[ProfessorCirno]

This thread is REALLY silly. I've seen some odd complaints towards Wizards, but this...

 

[ThirdWizard]

In most industries, something like a slipcase (or
cover art, for that matter) would be considered
packaging for accounting purposes- it adds no actual
use or functionality to the product, and isn't
essential to safe shipping or storage.

Whaaaaaaat?

Slipcases are packaging????

Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Firefly, Star Wars, every anime ever sold, and even Monty Python disagree with this statement. I mean, Samurai Deeper Kyo comes in a freakin' wooden box. Do a search on Amazon for "Boxed Set" and see what you find.

Slipcases are for displaying, and they're very common, and people want them. Just because you don't want something doesn't mean that there aren't lots of people willing to pay for it, and that doesn't make them wrong.

 

[Dinkeldog]

One could pose that the same argument would apply to people making scurrilous claims on internet sites. After all, there's an amount of energy consumed in storing the data and everyone going to see the thread because of the title--that's trees and coal and nuclear power! And for what purpose? Do those people hate the planet?

 

[Fifth Element]

In most industries, something like a slipcase (or cover art, for that matter) would be considered packaging for accounting purposes- it adds no actual use or functionality to the product, and isn't essential to safe shipping or storage.

Do you have something to support that claim? Speaking as a professional accountant, I rather doubt it.

 

[Nightchilde-2]

This thread is REALLY silly. I've seen some odd complaints towards Wizards, but this...

This. To the max.