Plenty of us have received an Amazon order in a box that dwarfs the item inside, making us scratch our heads in disbelief. But how would you unpack the mystery around a seven-item order of the same product showing up in seven separate boxes?
Frank Catalano, an education technology industry consultant, journalist and longtime GeekWire collaborator, recently shared the story of a unique Amazon shipping snafu. Back in June, Catalano placed an order for assorted flavors of Mio Liquid Water Enhancer Drink Mix. Each 1.62 fl. oz. container promises to “deliver refreshing flavor in every squeeze.”
Oh, there was a delivery alright.
Catalano’s order — three lemon-flavored Mios, three orange tangerine, and a strawberry watermelon — was shipped a day after he placed it and set to arrive a day or two later.
“I was surprised when I got the tracking information and I got seven different tracking notices for the order,” Catalano said. “And I was like, ‘Well, their system just screwed up. It just spit out the same thing seven times.'”
He figured there was no way seven packages with seven small Mio bottles would show up. But when an Amazon delivery van pulled up in front of his house Catalano laughed at the sight of the poor guy juggling seven boxes as he walked to the front door.
Catalano indeed found his single order spread out over seven boxes, each containing a single Mio bottle and the requisite amount of plastic bubble wrapping.
“This is like when you try to fake out a kid at Christmas, and you take a LEGO set and break it into individual pieces and put each one in an individual box,” Catalano joked.
Catalano, an Amazon customer since 1999, has previously received multiple Mio in one box, including on May 8 when four bottles came in a single package. But GeekWire heard from another reader, who wished to remain anonymous, saying that he, too, ordered Mio recently, and 10 bottles showed up in 10 separate boxes.
For its part, Amazon would only acknowledge that it was a mistake. The company’s vast fulfillment network has been stressed for months dealing with unprecedented demand during the coronavirus pandemic, shipping everything from essential to everyday items.
“This product was inadvertently shipped separately in this instance,” said Kristen Kish, an Amazon spokesperson. “We are updating our systems to ensure that multiple orders of this product continue to be shipped together.”
As silly as it appears, it’s not the best look for a giant company trying to win over fans of its sustainability practices. Amazon just released its 2019 sustainability report showing that its greenhouse gas emissions rose over the previous year by 15 percent. A week later, it bought the naming rights to Seattle’s old KeyArena and will call the environmentally friendly sports venue Climate Pledge Arena. Some labeled that move a PR stunt.
Pre-pandemic, Catalano would have grabbed his water flavoring or whatever else from a local grocery store. Like many shoppers, he’s turned to Amazon during quarantine and he said his recycling bin could have done without the extra cardboard in this instance.
“This is the most bizarre shipping experience I’ve ever had with Amazon,” he said. “It’s a chuckle and a frustration. I can’t believe that they’re still finding a way to surprise me.”
